FPL Scout: Gameweek 31 hints, tips and advice | OneFootball

Brentford have teamed up with Fantasy Football Scout to help bring you hints, tips and advice during the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season.

Scout will be using their expertise to provide info, advice and Gameweek tips which may prove useful in ensuring you sit on top of your mini-leagues.

Best of the Bees

Kevin Schade (£5.1m) was particularly dangerous at St. James’ Park in Gameweek 30. His long throws were a constant threat to the hosts and one of his second-half crosses was met by an Ethan Pinnock (£4.4m) header that hit the post.

He was also through on goal in stoppage-time, only to be denied by Nick Pope (£4.9m).

Centre-forward Yoane Wissa (£6.6m) accumulated three shots - only five players throughout the league have more big chances (24), all costing at least a million more.

The Spotlight

Wissa even won the equalising penalty, after Mbeumo’s through ball teased Pope into coming out and fouling the Congolese striker. As usual, up stepped Mbeumo to slot home from the spot coolly.

Sold by almost half a million managers in this Gameweek of 659,000 Wildcard activations, this was a reminder of his FPL qualities.

Mbeumo has played the most minutes of all the game’s midfielders and forwards, with penalty duties adding a fixture-proof element.

In fact, he netted past upcoming opponents Chelsea and Arsenal in their earlier meetings, so managers shouldn’t back off.

Of all players, he ranks joint-seventh for both shots on target (32) and big chances created (13). This has led to 16 goals and six assists, putting him well on track to reach the 200-point landmark.

Best of the Rest

Elsewhere, this midweek round hasn’t brought too many double-digit hauls.

Marco Asensio (£6.1m) only appeared in a 25-minute cameo but still found time for a goal, assist and 12 points, with team-mate Morgan Rogers (£5.5m) setting up two in Aston Villa’s impressive win at Brighton.

Joining him on 11 points are Anthony Elanga (£5.4m) and Enzo Fernández (£4.7m). Elanga’s wondergoal was enough for Nottingham Forest to defeat his former club Manchester United on Tuesday night.

It follows his 16-point score from Gameweek 29. Meanwhile, Fernández has now returned in back-to-back home matches for Chelsea.

In Demand

The FPL community expects Gameweek 31 to be an even bigger time for Wildcard usage, despite the short turnaround between deadlines.

That’s because of this week’s Double Gameweek 33 announcement. Manchester City, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Arsenal will all play twice in Gameweek 33. This is due to Palace, Villa and Man City’s progression in the FA Cup.

Brentford’s fixture against Nottingham Forest will remain in Gameweek 34 but will be played in midweek instead of at the weekend due to Forest’s progression in the cup.

Omar Marmoush (£7.5m) purchases will continue to escalate in Erling Haaland’s (£14.8m) absence, while Bukayo Saka (£10.3m) is back and already on the scoresheet.

However, Arsenal defender Gabriel (£6.4m) - FPL’s most picked defender - sustained a hamstring injury that looks very concerning. Meanwhile, Ola Aina (£5.4m) also picked up an injury which will see him miss the next few matches.

Captaincy

Mohamed Salah (£13.8m) blanked in Wednesday’s Merseyside derby. This was his first blank since Gameweek 22. Therefore, managers might look for a different captain for this round of fixtures.

Managers could hand the armband to someone like Alexander Isak (£9.5m) versus Leicester, if his midweek withdrawal was purely precautionary, or perhaps Marmoush versus United in the Manchester derby.