All the big Fantasy Premier League talking points and team news before gameweek 35
Q&A with FPL expert Holly Shand - read her best answers
Holly is an FPL content creator and pundit for the Premier League, The Athletic & Sky Sports News among others, with two top-10k finishes
Who is the best captain this week?
What's the best wildcard 35 team?
FPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Anon: I’m wondering if Palace might protect Mateta over the next couple of weeks, should I swap him out for Watkins?
Absolutely, he’s a player I’ve sold on wildcard this week. Watkins is a great punt if you’re chasing, especially since Rashford is potentially out for the season, but you can also consider Cunha, Wissa and Marmoush!
Image source, Getty Images
Alistair Bruce-Ball
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live
Manchester United and Tottenham are both in good shape going into the second leg of their Europa League semi-finals but you’d still expect some rotation in their line-ups for the games against Brentford and West Ham.
It makes Jarrod Bowen an enticing captaincy prospect in a week when the choice of skipper looks wide open. He’s a good signing for the remainder of the season too with fixtures against Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Ipswich to come.
You imagine there’ll be some rotation in the Arsenal line-up too, which is why Bukayo Saka to Bryan Mbeumo is going to be an extremely popular move this week. Mbeumo faces Manchester United then Ipswich before finishing the season with games against Fulham and Wolves. He’s a rock-solid pick who plays 90 minutes every week, takes penalties and that’s why he’s the second highest-scoring player in FPL this season.
Sometimes it’s best not to overthink things.
Image source, Getty ImagesAlistair Bruce-Ball
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live
Statman Dave told us on the latest Fantasy 606 podcast that you need to have two targets in sight in terms of making your remaining transfers this season - pick those players whose clubs still have something to play for and ideally you want them facing the three relegated teams, Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United.
In the first category we’re really talking about those teams still with a good chance of Champions League qualification – Newcastle, Manchester City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.
Chelsea would be my least favourite of those lot with some tough fixtures to finish the season.
Erling Haaland’s return to fitness makes things interesting on the Manchester City front. Pep Guardiola says it’s unlikely he’ll be ready for the Wolves game tonight but he could prove to be a bit of a differential for the gameweek 36 fixture away to Southampton if you’re chasing in a mini-league and prepared to take a bit of a risk. You may well have to sell Mohamed Salah to get him though.
FPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Anon: Triple captain still available and 2nd/3rd in all leagues. Who and which week do you suggest?
I can’t look past Mohamed Salah given his 17 double-digit hauls this season, as he continues to break records. I’d be tempted to leave it for the final day against Crystal Palace at Anfield!
Image source, Getty Images
Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter
Remember folks, the assistant manager chip lasts for three gameweeks and you cannot use chips like bench boost or triple captain at the same time.
So you don't have much time to juggle these - don't waste them.
FPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Anon: For those of us with our assistant manager chip still left. Is it crazy to take a punt on Tottenham winning their remaining games?
Personally I don’t love it, especially since Spurs' Europa League tie hangs in the balance. They suffered a raft of injuries on Thursday evening, meaning it’s unlikely we see Maddison and Solanke this weekend. Also, they’ve lost five of their last six in the league. I’d prefer to back Pep Guardiola or David Moyes!
Image source, Getty ImagesFPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Harry: Grateful for your view on my team and defenders’ bench order, and who are your top transfers to attack the last four game weeks?
I think you’ve got the right players starting and on the bench here, but I’d be tempted to move Saka to the first substitute spot! My top transfer in is Cunha, who I dreamt last night hauled against Manchester City! I’ve not had any other night-time premonitions, but on paper West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen and Newcastle United’s Kieran Trippier are relatively low owned picks with huge potential for the run-in!
FPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Who is the best differential to buy this week?
Holly: I’ve got my eye on Kevin De Bruyne as an enticing differential this week, given Manchester City’s appealing fixtures to the end of the season, including Wolves at home tonight.
While the return of Erling Haaland could see a decline in minutes for Omar Marmoush, De Bruyne has started four consecutive league games since returning from injury, with a goal and an assist in this time.
Image source, Getty ImagesCraig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter
Sticking with a Manchester City theme - here's something about Kevin...
FPL Q&A with Holly Shand
Thomas Woods
BBC Sport FPL writer, best finish 9,100th
Image source, GettThe big Norwegian is back in training and could be a massive differential in the final weeks.
He's not going to start at home to Wolves this week but Manchester City have Southampton away the following week which is JUICY!
Can you shuffle your budget to get him in your team? He costs £14.8m so most managers are probably going to have to sell Mohammed Salah to get him in.
FPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Anon: My team is Pickford, Trippier, Mykolenko, Van Dijk, Sarr, Salah, Mbuemo, Murphy, Wissa (C), Isak & Marmoush. Any advice? Need to make up 50 points against a work colleague.
Wissa captain is a nice differential that could pay off as you look to make up crucial ground in the final four gameweeks of the season. Stick with this team. I hope it pays off!
Image source, Getty ImagesCraig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter
I am in a head-to-head with a mate who has crushed me with his persistent use of Bryan Mbeumo.
I didn't pick him as needed a differential and expected him to stop scoring at some point...but he never has.
FPL Q&A
Thomas Woods
BBC Sport FPL writer, best finish 9,100th
Image source, Getty ImagesYou don't need much of a reason to pick Bryan Mbeumo, FPL's second-highest points scorer.
But the situation this week is a dream scenario.
Manchester United are almost certainly going to put out a weakened team, with their focus on the Europa League, and it is not like they have been great.
Mbeumo is in form, he takes penalties, is Brentford's talisman and might be up against 18-year-old left-back Harry Amass.
FPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Anon: Not sure re Trossard - he may be rested?
That’s perhaps the case, but with no obvious replacement in this price bracket, I would just bench him and play Jacob Murphy instead!
FPL Q&A with Holly Shand
Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter
The morning's big news was that Newcastle's Brazil midfielder Joelinton is likely to miss the rest of the season.
Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall is in the same category, although there has been better news about James Maddison and Dominic Solanke, who were substituted in Spurs' Europa League semi-final win on Thursday.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has ruled out Noussair Mazraoui after their European triumph at Athletic Bilbao and says the rest of the squad will be assessed today.
On the opposite end of the spectrum - every member of the Brentford squad is fit and available for selection.
And Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has also just said that he hopes Marcus Rashford will be able to return before the end of the season, but he is certainly one to keep in mind for the future rather than this weekend.
Image source, Getty ImagesFPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Anon: Is Saka > Mbeumo and Mateta > to Wissa worth a -4 this week?
The easiest -4 you’ll take all season. The Bees are unstoppable right now and United’s focus is rightly elsewhere.
Thomas Woods
BBC Sport FPL writer, best finish 9,100th
Our FPL writer Thomas Woods has compiled his team of the week for gameweek 35.
It’s has double Everton defence, captain Bryan Mbeumo and no Mohamed Salah
How many of these players make your team?
Read the full Team of the Week article.
Image source, BBC SportFPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Anon: Have you got any wild picks that I can use to claw back some points in my league, I’m talking niche?
In terms of wild picks, I think going heavy on Everton defenders could be a punt for the run-in, especially with their final home games at Goodison Park coming up against relegated teams Ipswich Town and Southampton. Note that James Tarkowski will be missed with injury though!
Wolves' Matheus Cunha sees plenty of transfer traffic once again this week, but don’t ignore Jorgen Strand Larsen who has six goals in as many games (Wolves are unbeaten in this time by the way), plus he scored in the reverse fixture against Manchester City!
Image source, Getty ImagesFPL Q&A
Holly Shand
FPL expert and two-time top 10k finisher
Ross: Big dilemma this week. Which one of Bruno or Saka to sell for Mbeumo?
This is an easy one for me, although I must warn you that I am a Manchester United fan so there may be some club bias here…
United are in control in their Europa League tie, while Arsenal have it all to do against PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. Both could see reduced minutes in the league this weekend. Playing the minutes game, Saka’s potential is most at risk, so he has to be the one to make way!
Image source, Getty ImagesFPL Q&A
The deadline for gameweek 35 is 18:15 BST tonight!