Top Fantasy Premier League tips for GW14: Anthony Gordon’s on fire, Bryan Mbeumo’s fixtures are rosy again – and don’t lose faith in Son Heung-min! FIVE moves you should make with three gameweeks over the next eight days

• Get those reminders ready! FPL has three deadlines over the next eight days 
• Mail Sport takes a look at the best moves to make over the congested period 
• We expected perfection from VAR – we haven’t got it: Listen to It’s All Kicking Off

The Premier League returned last weekend after the third and final international break of the calendar year, and in many ways it felt like the calm before the storm.

Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool brought a somewhat muted start to the FPL gameweek, with heavily-captained forward Erling Haaland scoring just once and Mohamed Salah only bagging one assist.

Arsenal’s popular midfielder Bukayo Saka left it late to deliver the goods against Brentford, frustrating Tottenham star Son Heung-min struggled to stay the right side of the offside trap, and only the Gunners and Manchester United were able to bring home vital clean sheet points in FPL.

Although there were a series of memorable moments as far as the football was concerned – Alejandro Garnacho‘s stunning overhead kick at Goodison Park being one of them – the FPL gameweek was fairly ordinary and routine, with an average score of just 46 points.

But now, with three gameweeks over the next eight days, it feels like an FPL storm is brewing. Mail Sport takes a look at best moves you can make ahead of the busy run, with plenty of points up for grabs.

Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a crucial equaliser as Liverpool drew 1-1 with Manchester City

Erling Haaland scored his 50th Premier League goal in record time, after just 48 appearances

Highest xG in 2023-24 so far 

1. Erling Haaland, MCI – 13.40

2. Mohamed Salah, LIV – 9.07

3. Nicolas Jackson, CHE – 7.79

4. Ollie Watkins, AVL – 7.76 

5. Bryan Mbeumo, BRE – 7.42

6. Dominic Solanke, BOU – 6.07 

8. Callum Wilson, NEW – 6.03 

9. Darwin Nunez, LIV – 5.45

10. Yoane Wissa, BRE – 5.02 

*xG = Expected goals 

Despite failing to score last week, Bournemouth talisman Dominic Solanke (right) continues to climb up the xG charts after his impressive display at Sheffield United

 

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Buy Brentford’s talisman

Bryan Mbeumo is a simple move this week. Having waved farewell to his awkward run of fixtures, the Cameroonian now has Luton, Brighton and Sheffield United over the next eight days.

Targeting nailed-on assets for these busy spells is important, as managers will be as tempted as ever to chop and change their starting lineups.

First and foremost, Mbeumo offers security: the Bees hitman has played every minute under Thomas Frank so far this season and should continue to start unless he picks up an unprecedented injury.

Although he’s blanked in his last two matches against Liverpool and Arsenal, Mbeumo has double-digit haul potential and showcased that against Fulham, Chelsea and Burnley earlier in the season. The fact he’s on penalties is an added bonus. 

Some may be put off by Mbeumo blanking in GW18 because of Manchester City’s involvement in the Club World Cup. Personally, I would rank him as the second most important player from City or Brentford to own during this run, aside from Erling Haaland, and he can easily occupy a bench spot alongside the Norwegian in GW18.

If you own the injured James Maddison or Eberechi Eze, Mbeumo would make for an ideal replacement. If not, it’s worth monitoring the fitness of Jarrod Bowen, who could also be unavailable for GW14.

Bryan Mbeumo now has a rosy run of games including Luton, Brighton and Sheffield United

Son’s points will come 

The South Korean has already dropped in price this week after yet another blank against Aston Villa on Sunday. Since Maddison’s long-term injury, FPL managers have been worried about his lack of service.

But in truth, he is still being handed a glut of chances within Ange Postecoglou’s system and could have bagged a hat-trick at the weekend were it not for the offside flag. Of course, illegal goals are illegal goals, but it shows how close the Tottenham talisman came to a haul.

With Manchester City up next, managers are seeing this as the ideal time to take Son out, banking on the South Korean having little to no chances against the champions. While that may be true, Son has an excellent record against high-line defences, is a guaranteed 90-minute man and takes penalties.

Tottenham’s fixture run could certainly be better over the festive period but it is by no means a horror spell. West Ham and Newcastle are both grappling with European commitments, Nottingham Forest and Everton are leaking goals and Brighton and Bournemouth are attack-minded teams in terms of tactical approach.

The only scenario in which I would get rid of Son would be if I was without Salah and could get to the Egyptian within two moves. The Liverpool star is one of the best captaincy options over the next three gameweeks and should be prioritised ahead of the festive period. 

Son Heung-min frustrated FPL owners with a hat-trick of disallowed goals against Aston Villa

Ride Gordon’s hot streak

If FPL managers could have eight or nine midfielders, they would probably take that deal at the moment: 3-5-2 is understandably the most popular formation in the game and it’s because there are so many superb options in the engine room.

Although I’ve been harping on about him for weeks, Anthony Gordon is still not in my team – and limited space in midfield is the only reason why. He is still amazingly priced at just £5.9m, has a nailed spot on the left wing during Newcastle’s injury crisis and is in a rich vein of form in front of goal.

The winger is top among Newcastle players for expected goal involvement (xGI) over the last six gameweeks, picking up five goal contributions over that run.

Manchester United were somewhat fortunate to keep a clean sheet against Everton, and after hosting the Red Devils Newcastle face Everton, Tottenham, Fulham, Luton and Nottingham Forest. Plenty of opportunity for Gordon if he can stay fit.

For those interested, my current midfield is Salah, Son, Saka, Bowen and Cole Palmer, although I plan to switch out the West Ham star for Mbeumo this week. I’ll continue to be very jealous on Gordon owners heading into GW14.

Anthony Gordon has been a bright spark for Newcastle United and racked up 13 points in GW13

Wood is a low-risk differential 

Haaland and Ollie Watkins are the favoured two-headed strike partnership in FPL, but there are a number of budget options worth considering in addition if on a 3-4-3 formation.

Taiwo Awoniyi enjoyed a purple patch earlier in the season, but his form dropped off as Nottingham Forest’s fixtures turned sour. Now, Steve Cooper’s men have a better run to contend with over the Christmas period but must do so without their star forward, who is out with a long-term injury. 

Step up, Chris Wood. At £4.9m and with just 0.8 per cent ownership, the former Burnley man offers an extremely cheap target forward who could pick up plenty of points in December with Everton, Fulham and Wolves in his next three matches. 

Partner that with the fact that Wood’s on penalties, and he could even come away with a couple of double-digit hauls as he did against Luton earlier in the season.

The caveat here is that Wood was substituted for Divock Origi in the 62nd minute against Brighton and thus could see his minutes regularly managed. An optimist would say that Cooper knows the importance of Wood over the next few weeks and cautiously removed the hitman early to reduce his workload. 

Wood offers significantly more goal threat than £4.5m Sheffield United forward Cameron Archer and could even rival the likes of £5.9m Yoane Wissa and £5.5m Odsonne Edouard between now and the new year. 

Now that Taiwo Awoniyi is out with injury, Chris Wood (above) could be a great budget option 

Bournemouth should be Cash’s swansong 

Not too long ago, Matty Cash was a must-have in defence, but the Aston Villa defender has struggled to deliver on the potential he offers. Despite playing as an extremely advanced right wing-back, and occasionally even as a right winger, Cash has not picked up an attacking return in six gameweeks.

The haul potential is still there against bottom-half sides given how attacking Villa are under Unai Emery, so it would be unwise to ship him on before Bournemouth away. But with Manchester City, Arsenal and Brentford in the next three games after this weekend, it seems Cash’s time in our FPL teams is coming to an end.

In terms of a like for like replacement, few defenders look better on paper at the moment than William Saliba. Arsenal have shown a doggedness for clean sheets in recent matches and he is the first name on the team sheet in defence under Mikel Arteta. 

Gabriel Magalhaes is cheaper and could keep pace with the Frenchman over the Christmas period, but expect him to drop to the bench every now and then when the schedule tightens up.

Otherwise, if you need to free up extra money to pump into your attack, £4.4m Vitalii Mykolenko, £4.6m Vladimir Coufal and £4.6m Ethan Pinnock appear the best options at the moment in terms of form and fixtures. But keep an eye on Sven Botman‘s fitness at Newcastle over the next week or so.

After a trip to Bournemouth this weekend, Matty Cash has to face Manchester City and Arsenal

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