FST's Fantasy Football Tips for GW38
Born in the south east of Ireland, Simon put his life-long love of football to good use when he started a successful independent blog in 2010. That opened up an alternative route to a career in journalism, and having had work published across a number of sites and publications, Simon joined the staff at Spotlight Sports Group in 2018.
On Sunday, the most unusual Premier League season in history reaches its climax when the campaign’s final flurry of fixtures are contested in what’s certain to be a gripping finale.
For Fantasy Football players, the end is also high, and Game Week 38 will be the sign off point for the thousands and thousands of FF managers for another year.
As always, FST is here to help you go out in a virtual blaze of glory, and we’ve picked through the numbers to handpick some of the best Fantasy Football tips around.
Remember – for a detailed analysis of all the mid-week top-flight fixtures, check out our Premier League predictions page.
Fantasy Football GW38 fixture list
Sunday, July 26
Arsenal vs Watford
Burnley vs Brighton
Chelsea vs Wolves
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur
Everton vs Bournemouth
Leicester City vs Manchester United
Manchester City vs Norwich City
Newcastle United vs Liverpool
Southampton vs Sheffield United
West Ham vs Aston Villa
Best Fantasy Football team for GW38
Fantasy football tips this week
Take advantage of Nick Pope’s Golden Glove ambitions
Burnley stopper Nick Pope goes head-to-head with Manchester City number one Ederson for the season’s Golden Glove award on Sunday.
The keepers, both locked on 15 clean sheets each for the campaign, could end up sharing the award for the year however, with shutouts likely for both in games against Brighton and Norwich City on the final day.
With 169 points for the season, Pope remains the highest scoring Fantasy Football goalie however, and the 28-year-old should have a relatively quiet afternoon against a Brighton outfit that scored a measly three times in their last seven league assignments.
Laying the foundations for success
For the same reasons that made Pope a cracking pick to chuck between the sticks, Burnley are worth raiding for a defender or two ahead of GW38.
With 142 points, the ever-dependable James Tarkowski is the obvious go to guy at the Clarets, though veteran fullback Phil Bardsley, who has enjoyed an extended run in the team, is a final day bargain at £4.4m, having collected 30 points in his last six run outs.
Elsewhere, Southampton’s meeting with Sheffield United is expected to be a low-key final day fixture, and the Saints’ rearguard could be worth plundering ahead their meeting with a Blades attack that hit a remarkably low three goals in their last nine away matches.
With Jan Bednarek out injured, 83-point Jack Stephens is worth picking up for a bargain £4.4m.
Ailing Eagles look vulnerable
A creaking Crystal Palace will be without a whole host of first team defenders for the visit of Tottenham this weekend, and Spurs could be set for a final day flourish at Selhurst Park against a severely weakened Eagles outfit.
Prolific South Korean Son Heung-Min, who can be drafted in as a midfielder, has a whopping 167 points already this term, and even though he is a budget shredder at £9.7m, the 28-year-old is worth including this week.
Similarly, his partner in crime Harry Kane, who notched two goals in each of his last two starts, looks back to his best and the England international should enjoy himself against a second-string Palace backline.
Adding more goals
Manchester City will be targeting a glut of goals against already relegated Norwich City on Sunday as the Citizens chase 100 goals for the third time in the Premier League – and any one of their star-studded midfield and attacking options should deliver the FF goods this weekend.
We think Raheem Sterling in particular is worth nabbing for your XI ahead of Sunday’s schedule however. With six goals in his last four starts and an eye-watering 66 points in his last seven appearances, the England winger has been churning out insane numbers, and Sterling should be able to clip the Canaries wings with impunity on the final day.
Arsenal hitman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will also be looking to fill his boots in the Gunners last day tussle with relegation favourites Watford. The Hornets need points, so expect them to be exposed on the counter by Auba’s 189-point scoring pace and finishing.
Chelsea’s increasingly influential veteran centre-forward Olivier Giroud has proved the Blues’ man for the big occasion in recent weeks, and the 33-year-old, available for a pocket change price £6.7m, could prove an astute buy with another massive Chelsea fixture on Sunday.
Who to captain in Fantasy Football
Raheem Sterling
Man City are sitting on 97 goals after 37 Premier League fixtures this season, and the Citizens are expected to blow through the century ceiling at home to a Norwich City team with zero confidence and nothing to play for.
The in-form Raheem Sterling, who is inching towards 70 FF points since the campaign’s restart last month, needs just one more goal to bring his haul up to 20 for the season in the Premier League, though we think there is every chance the 25-year-old finishes the game with multiple goals and assists.
The Canaries, who hold the division’s worst defensive record, will be more like sitting ducks at the Etihad, and Sterling should be expected to score big on the final day.
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