FPL Gameweek 12 Top Picks

Get ready for the new round of fantasy football as we give you the FPL Gameweek 12 top picks. With the help of the Fantasy Football Scout members area we use its stats and fixture ticker to determine who the best players to buy in each position are.

We are getting deeper into the season now so it’s even more crucial to know which players we should be targeting each and every week. So, lets take a look at the best goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and strikers for Gameweek 12 to help you make your moves.

Gameweek 12 Fixtures

David Raya

There are plenty of goalkeeper options this week with good potential and one of them is this man. Arsenal have actually been producing some very good defensive data this season. This is usually an indication that they will keep clean sheets.

Arsenal have a great chance of a clean sheet this week not just because of their defence but because of their fixture as well. They play Burnley next. The newly promoted side sit 19th in the league after picking up just four points from a possible 33. They also sit the worst for goals scored this season with eight which gives David Raya (£4.8m) a great opportunity to do well.

Nick Pope

Another team with a fantastic fixture this week are Newcastle. They come up against Bournemouth next whose recent form has seen them plummet all of the way down the league table to 18th. They’re also producing some poor attacking stats – ranking the second worst for expected goals scored (3.32) in the last four Gameweeks.

The Bournemouth attack is a major factor contributing towards Nick Pope (£5.5m) as a pick this week. However, it’s worth noting that Newcastle aren’t that bad at the back either. In fact, the Magpies have collected five clean sheets in their last 10 games in all competitions.

Defenders – Lewis Dunk

The game against Sheffield United could be too good to ignore. The Blades haven’t just netted the joint second least goals in the league but they’re also maintaining the lowest attempts on goal (96), shots in the box (60) and big chances total (10).

Brighton centre-back Lewis Dunk (£5m) could have multiple routes to points this week. Yes Dunk has clean sheet potential but he’s also a goal threat – ranking second best amongst defenders for total attempts on goal and shots in the box. This is goes hand-in-hand with the fact that Sheffield United rank the worst in the PL for headed attempts conceded and attempts from set-plays conceded.

Kieran Trippier

Bournemouth may have won their most recent game against Burnley but that was their only victory in their last five matches in all competitions. The Cherries are falling off a cliff statistically – sitting amongst the worst teams in the league for expected goals scored and expected goals conceded.

The above could hugely boost the potential of Kieran Trippier (£7m). The Newcastle full-back looks back to his best in terms of output and bonus. In fact, he ranks top for assists (six), top for chances created (32) and top for big chances created (eight) in the defender bracket. Trippier has massive potential going into this game and so eases his way into the FPL Gameweek 12 top picks.

Matty Cash

Aston Villa are also sitting quite high on the ticker this week. They face a match against Fulham who are evidently struggling in front of goal since the departure of striker Mitrovic. That is evident in the fact the Cottagers have actually failed to score in three of their last six games.

It’s all well and good having clean sheet potential but our next pick has proven to be one one of the most attacking defenders in the league so far. When compared to all defenders he remains top for expected goals (3.13), total attempts on goal (17) and big chances total (four). Cash has multiple methods of picking up points this week which makes him a great pick.

Diogo Dalot

Many will question this pick because he plays for Manchester United. However, we have to remember that prior to their loss to Manchester City they won three matches on the bounce. All of those wins came against weaker opposition which leads us to their upcoming opponents.

Luton are still a team to target based on their form. They’re really struggling to string together positive results at the moment. The Hatters also sit the worst in the league for shots on target (27) which is a concern but a positive for the Manchester United backline.

Diogo Dalot (£4.9m) evidently has clean sheet potential going into the game. However, he’s also been posting some strong attacking stats as of late. Amongst defenders Dalot ranks seventh best for non-penalty expected goal involvement (0.82), fourth for crosses (21) and fourth for chances created (six).

Midfielders – Kaoru Mitoma

Brighton continue their run of good fixtures this week. They come up against the worst side in the league next, Sheffield United. The Blades aren’t just poor defensively but they sit as the worst team for goals conceded (30), shots in the box conceded (140) and second worst for big chances conceded (40).

Sheffield United are conceding some awful defensive data and remain the best team in the league to target with assets. With that in mind it Kaoru Mitoma (£6.5m) stands out. Mitoma is in the middle of a dry run in FPL – returning just once in his last four matches. However, fixtures like this could bring form and we also have to remember he bagged four returns in his first six matches this season – including two double-digit hauls.

Bukayo Saka

It was a slow start to their campaign offensively but Arsenal now sit joint fifth in the league for goals scored this season (23). They have a fixture against Burnley next who sit second from bottom in the league and rank second worst for goals conceded (27).

Burnley are up there with some of the best teams to target in FPL so similar to Brighton and Mitoma, picking Arsenal’ standout attacker makes sense. So far Bukayo Saka (£8.6m) sits amongst the top six scoring players in FPL. Yes he takes his sides penalties which is great but he’s also been very consistent this season – returning in every single game bar two. He also bagged a goal and an assist in the Champions League midweek. He did however pick up a knock during the week so it’s worth monitoring for news.

Anthony Gordon

Newcastle are trying to balance both the Champions League and the Premier League this season. You’d think with that in mind we would see some bluntness in front of goal but that’s far from the case. When compared to every other team they rank second for goals scored (27) and top for big chances total (42). Their frontline is statistically ahead of nearly every other team this season.

What’s even more appealing is that Newcastle come up against Bournemouth this week. The Cherries defence isn’t just another to target but its one of the worst in the league at the moment. In fact they have slumped as the joint second worst for goals conceded (27), second worst for shots in the box conceded (134) and third worst for big chances conceded (36).

It could be a great opportunity to take advantage of both the Bournemouth defence and the Newcastle attack. Anthony Gordon (£5.7m) comes to mind. In his last six matches in the PL Gordon has picked up four returns. He also ranks above every other Newcastle attacker bar Alexander Isak for non-penalty expected goal involvement (4.58).

Son Heung-min

No-one expected Tottenham to be where they are at this point in the season. They near the top of the league after an excellent start to the campaign. None of that is coincidence either as they second best for total attempts on goal, fourth best for shots in the box total and second best for shots on target.

Tottenham come up against Wolves next who although have improved hugely offensively, are spiralling defensively. A good example of that is the fact they rank amongst the worst six teams for shots in the box conceded (118) and shots on target conceded (58).

The best way to target Wolves and invest in the potent Tottenham attack is Son Heung-min (£9.6m). Since starting as his sides striker Son has been in amazing form – racking up five returns in eight games including a huge four double-digit hauls. It’s also extremely likely that Son is on penalties as well. The South Korean has huge confidence at the moment and with Wolves conceding the stats they are, it could be a big week for him.

Mohamed Salah

There’s nothing stopping Liverpool at the moment. Since losing their last match against Spurs they’ve won four of their last six in all competitions. Their results mainly come down to their frontline. Offensively Liverpool sit the best in the league for expected goals scored (25.19) and they were nowhere near that tally several weeks ago which shows how quick their attack is progressing.

Mohamed Salah faces Brentford next up and although it may not be the best week to consider for captaincy, he’s still a brilliant option. The Egyptian has been in relentless form this season and picked up a return in eight of his 10 matches so far which highlights how consistent he’s been. He’s not just consistent but he’s also explosive and bagged four double-digit hauls in his last seven games.

Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United may not be one of the most consistent sides in the league this season but they have shown that they can score against weaker sides. That is exactly what they come up against this week as they face Luton. The Hatters have been poor recently – losing three of their last five matches and conceding in all of them.

One of the best ways to target the Luton defence is with Bruno Fernandes (£8.3m). The Portuguese midfielder has scored in both of his last two matches in all competitions, one of the goals being a penalty. He also ranks amongst the best five players in the league for chances created (30) and big chances (six) amongst all players in the league.

Forwards – Erling Haaland

Manchester City seem to have put their rough patch of form behind them. The league holders look close to their usual standard which can only be bad news for Chelsea, their upcoming opponent. The Blues have shown form against weaker teams but have conceded two goals to both Arsenal and Brentford in the last three matches.

It’s not massively significant who Erling Haaland (£14m) faces on a week to week basis. The Norwegian looks back to his best after registering seven goals and one assist in his last five matches in all competitions. Haaland ranks above every other player in the game for goals (11), total attempts (42), shots in the box (40) and big chances total (19). With his form and stats in mind, Haaland is another easy addition to the Gameweek 12 top picks.

Rasmus Højlund

The Manchester United success is likely to continue domestically this week as they face-off with Luton. Luton aren’t just a poor side defensively but they rank as the worst side in the league for big chances conceded (42) and in the worst four teams for shots in the box conceded (129) and shots on target conceded (60).

Leading the Manchester United attack is Rasmus Højlund (£7.1m). The young Dane looks like he’s started to settle into life at his new club. Albeit, Højlund is yet to make a huge impact in the Premier League he’s already netted five goals in three Champions League matches. Leading the Manchester United attack into a game against a newly promoted side could spark his domestic form and so has huge potential going into the new round.

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa are still in top form – sitting fifth in the Premier League. They are also maintaining a lethal frontline as they rank third for goals scored (26) and joint first for shots in the box (124). Those stats bode well as they come into their next match against Fulham.

Fulham aren’t exactly one of the worst teams in the league but they have still conceded in all of their last six matches in all competitions.

One of the best performing strikers in the game is this man, Ollie Watkins (£8.4m). In the 10 matches he’s played Watkins has managed at least one return in seven of them. He also seems to be gaining an explosive edge as well – hitting two double digit hauls in his last five matches. That isn’t luck either because amongst forwards he sits second best for total attempts (33), second best for shots in the box (32) and third best for big chances total (12).