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January is a pretty light month FPL-wise, and GW 21 is the only GW that both starts and ends in January.
FPL managers must be itching for PL action after a long break post-GW 20, which was a very high-scoring one, with double-digit hauls for Mohamed Salah, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden, with Salah backed by many FPL managers with the captain's armband.
I had another solid FPL GW, registering my highest points haul for the season after captaining Salah, moving into the top 800 K managers after a fifth successive green arrow. Hauls from Saka, Cole Palmer, Kyle Walker, and Son Heung-Min also helped with the same.
With GW 21 marking the second half of the season, FPL managers can now activate their 2nd Wildcard, and with plenty of injuries and unavailabilities plaguing them, most of them are likely to do so.
Popular FPL assets like Salah, Son, Hwang, Mohammed Kudus, and Kaoru Mitoma will be unavailable for selection for the next few GWs due to the AFCON and the AFC Asia Cup. It doesn't help that some of the popular transfers in coming into this week, such as Jarrod Bowen, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, are also nursing potential injuries.
There's a lot to think about for FPL managers before making their transfers, and they need to do so ahead of the updated deadline for GW 21 on Friday evening UK time.
Gameweek 21 Deadline: Friday, January 12, at 06:15 pm (GMT)/ 11:45 pm (IST)
FPL Gameweek 21 Fixtures
GW 21 is probably the longest one of the season as it starts on 12th January only to end with a fixture on Monday, 22nd January UK time. Burnley and Luton meet at Turf Moor on Friday night to begin the GW, with Chelsea facing Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Manchester United and Spurs face off at Old Trafford on Sunday in the GW's marquee fixture.
The following Saturday, Arsenal take on Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, with Liverpool making a trip to the Vitality Stadium on Sunday. The GW concludes with Brighton's Amex Stadium clash against Wolves on Monday night.
FPL team suggested for previous GW
Here's the suggested team for the previous GW:
Goalkeepers: Andre Onana (MUN) (£4.8 m), Matt Turner (NFO) (£3.9 m)
Defenders: Kyle Walker (MCI) (£5.3 m), Tino Livramento (NEW) (£4.3 m), Pedro Porro (TOT) (£5.4 m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV) (£8.4 m), Matty Cash (AVL) (£4.7 m)
Midfielders: Raheem Sterling (CHE) (£7.0 m), Cole Palmer (CHE) (£5.6 m), Bukayo Saka (ARS) (£8.8 m), Son Heung-Min (TOT) (£9.5 m), Mohamed Salah (LIV) (£12.8 m)
Forwards: Ollie Watkins (AVL) (£8.8 m), Dominic Solanke (BOU) (£6.7 m), Cameron Archer (SHU) (£4.5 m)
Captain/Vice-Captain: Mohamed Salah / Son Heung-Min
GW 20 Transfers made: 0.
Points Scored (- hits): 86 (-0): 86.
Overall Points: 1,137.
Overall Rank: 7,89,655.
Free Transfers available: 2
Money Remaining: £0.9 m
Transfers
1) Matty Cash (DEF) (AVL) (£4.7 m) - OUT | Pervis Estupinan (DEF) (BHA) (£5.0 m) - IN.
2) Mohamed Salah (MID) (LIV) (£12.8 m) - IN | Diogo Jota (MID) (LIV) (£7.8 m) - IN
Having two free transfers for this GW has proved to be immense, considering the sheer amount of injuries and unavailabilities in the team.
Matty Cash appears to have lost his place in Aston Villa's starting XI, and while I also had the opportunity to take the injured Trent out, given a potential DGW in the future for Liverpool, I want to keep my options open with him. Salah is a much easier sell in comparison.
As for the transfers in, Brighton's upcoming fixture run is incredible, and the fit-again Pervis Estupinan is a great option. The Salah replacement is a tricky decision, and I've opted to go differential by picking Diogo Jota.
Richarlison is another name I'm looking at, but I plan to bring him in for Son next week, courtesy of Jota's better fixture this week (BOU (A)).
Best FPL Team for Gameweek 21
Gameweek 21 Bench: Matt Turner (NFO) vs BRE (A), Tino Livramento (NEW) vs MCI (H), Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV) vs NEW (H), Son Heung-Min (TOT) vs MUN (A).
The long break between GW 20 and GW 21, and the extended nature of GW 21 in itself creates an air of uncertainty around the team selection this week, with plenty of speculation over how certain teams will line up in the absence of players who've been injured or are on international duty.
I aim to register a 6th successive green arrow, and have a pretty differential team with me to help me achieve the same.
Diogo Jota is the biggest ace up my sleeve this week, and away against Bournemouth, I'm banking on him to deliver a double-digit haul. The same goes for Raheem Sterling who should start on the left wing in the absence of Nicolas Jackson (AFCON).
In defense, Estupinan is another crucial differential, and while Brighton's defensive record is nothing to write home about, they kept their first shutout of the season last week, and there's a good chance they build on that momentum against an underwhelming Wolves attack.
Cole Palmer, Ollie Watkins, Dominic Solanke, and Bukayo Saka are the highly-owned players who should do well in this GW, and a couple of them will also come into consideration for captaincy, along with Jota and Sterling.
Lastly, I'm forced to play Cameron Archer this week due to my reluctance to take a hit, but at home to West Ham, the Blades' striker could well grab an attacking return.
Gameweek 21 - FPL Captaincy
GW 21 captaincy is likely to be very spread out between options, with Salah, Son, and Haaland most likely ruled out of contention. It allows FPL managers to make differential captaincy decisions, and I'm likely to take one by captaining Diogo Jota this week.
He is Liverpool's most clinical goalscorer after Salah, and appears to have fully recuperated from his injury. Liverpool's style of play should get them plenty of chances against Bournemouth, and a differential haul is very possible.
Best FPL XI for Gameweek 21 - Summary
Starting XI
GK: Andre Onana (MUN) vs TOT (H)
DEF: Kyle Walker (MCI) vs NEW (A), Pervis Estupinan (BHA) vs WOL (H), and Pedro Porro (TOT) vs MUN (A).
MID: Bukayo Saka (ARS) vs CRY (H), Diogo Jota (LIV) vs BOU (A), Cole Palmer (CHE) vs FUL (H), and Raheem Sterling (CHE) vs FUL (H).
FWD: Ollie Watkins (AVL) vs EVE (A), Cameron Archer (SHU) vs WHU (H), and Dominic Solanke (BOU) vs LIV (H).
Formation: 3-4-3
Bench: GK - Matt Turner (NFO) vs BRE (A), 1st Sub: Tino Livramento (NEW) vs MCI (H), 2nd Sub: Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV) vs NEW (H), 3rd Sub: Son Heung-Min (TOT) vs MUN (A).
Chips activated: None
Captain: Diogo Jota | VC: Cole Palmer.
