Isak injured?, Triple-Captain Bruno, and more

As Gameweek 21 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) approaches, managers are navigating a challenging landscape of injuries, suspensions, and fluctuating form. Here’s a breakdown of key updates and recommended picks for the week ahead.

Injury and Suspension Updates

Several big-name players are ruled out or doubtful for this gameweek:

• Arsenal: Gabriel Jesus (50%), Bukayo Saka, and Jurrien Timber (75%) are among key absentees, making Arsenal assets risky investments.

• Liverpool: Joe Gomez is unavailable, and Darwin Núñez remains suspended.

• Chelsea: Wesley Fofana and Mykhailo Mudryk (suspended) add to Chelsea’s woes.

• Newcastle United: Injury clouds hover over Alexander Isak (75%), Sven Botman (75%), and Harvey Barnes (out for a month).

• Manchester United: Luke Shaw (25%) and Mason Mount (25%) continue to struggle with fitness, while Diogo Dalot is suspended.

Managers must closely monitor late injury updates before finalizing their squads.

Recommended Player Picks

Goalkeepers

• Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace, £4.5m): With no red fixtures in their next eight, Palace’s goalkeeper could be a differential pick against struggling Leicester.

• Robert Sánchez (Chelsea, £5.0m): Hosting a Bournemouth side with both strikers injured, Sánchez is a solid pick for clean sheet potential.

Defenders

• Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United, £6.7m): Despite Newcastle’s injuries, Trippier’s creativity and set-piece threat make him indispensable against relegation contenders Wolves at home.

• Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace, £4.6m): Palace’s favorable run makes Andersen a value-for-money pick.

Midfielders

• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, £12.8m): Although Salah faces a defensively solid Nottingham Forest, his form and creativity make him a high-risk, high-reward captaincy choice.

• Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, £8.3m): Facing bottom-of-the-league Southampton, Fernandes would be key to any creative play United enacts on Thursday at Old Trafford.

• Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace, £6.2m): Returning to form after scoring in the FA Cup, Eze’s playmaking can be crucial in Palace’s promising fixture run.

• Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United, £5.6m): Gordon’s form and attacking involvement make him an excellent budget option.

Forwards

• Alexander Isak (Newcastle, £9.3m): Newcastle forward is in top-form, with a rating of 9.8. Even though Isak did not take part in training, Eddie Howe was ‘hopeful’ about his availability.

• Erling Haaland (Manchester City, £14.0m): Despite City’s tougher fixtures, Haaland’s consistency makes him a must-have against Brentford away-from-home.

• Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace, £5.3m): A low-cost option with significant potential in Palace’s fixtures.

Teams to Target

• Crystal Palace: No red fixtures in their next eight, offering steady returns across all positions.

• Brighton: With just one red fixture in eight games, Brighton assets like Kaoru Mitoma and Evan Ferguson (if fit) are worth considering.

• Newcastle United: Despite a challenging run, their attacking options, especially Isak and Gordon, are delivering strong returns.

Caution on Big Teams

• Arsenal: A spate of injuries and a tough North London Derby fixture make their assets risky this week.

• Brentford: Facing a refreshed Manchester City at home, their players may struggle to match recent performances against the defending champions.

• Chelsea: While they face Bournemouth, their lack of form and squad instability warrant caution.

Fixtures to Watch

• Arsenal vs. Tottenham: Spurs’ resilience against an injury-hit Arsenal side could produce unexpected results.

• Chelsea vs. Bounemouth: Chelsea must capitalize on Bournemouth’s recent offensive injuries to break their winless streak.

• Nottingham Forest vs. Liverpool: A battle between the league’s top defensive sides may see a low-scoring encounter.

• Manchester United vs Southampton: United look to bounceback against bottom-side Southampton at home.

FPL managers should balance proven assets with calculated differentials as the gameweek unfolds. Careful squad planning and attention to late updates will be pivotal in securing green arrows.