Gameweek 13 Best Free Hit Team

As we approach Gameweek 13 of the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season, let’s try to build its best Free Hit team. To do this, we’re using the fantastic organisational tool of PlanFPL.

One of several chips provided by the game, the Free Hit is an opportunity to select a squad for one Gameweek only. Afterwards, it’s back to your original, regular team.

For FPL managers, it’s an extremely useful weapon.

Fixtures

Below is Fantasy Football Scout’s ranking of Gameweek 13 fixture difficulty.

Who has the best fixtures?

Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Brentford host the promoted trio, although the latter face the uncertainty of Leicester being managerless. At least Man United have appointed their new boss and Ruben Amorim’s first home match is about to happen against Everton.

Who has the worst fixtures?

The huge Liverpool and Man City clash puts both at the bottom, although one is in far better form than the other. Slightly above them is West Ham, hosting an Arsenal side that has just secured an overdue clean sheet.

Best Gameweek 13 Free Hit

Using the PlanFPL website, here is the best Free Hit team for Gameweek 13:

Goalkeepers

Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen almost kept his fourth clean sheet of the season on Saturday but their 10 men couldn’t quite hold onto it. They still won though and are about to host last-placed Southampton on Friday night. This squad may be way under budget but we’ve gone with cheap team-mate Jason Steele as back-up, on the off-chance that Verbruggen is rested.

Defenders

Last season’s clash at London Stadium saw Arsenal demolish West Ham 6-0, with Gabriel one of two to expose their host’s set-piece weaknesses. No defender has registered more big chances (four) or headed attempts (10) so far.

Although Nottingham Forest are on successive defeats, their strong backline can be confident of holding out Ipswich, despite the visitors looking decent of late. Even after their 3-0 loss at Arsenal, Ola Aina is part of the team that’s conceded the fewest big chances (16).

Joining them should be a Man United defender although it’s still hard to predict their first-choice backline – the combination of a new manager, and the introductions of Luke Shaw and Leny Yoro. Therefore Diogo Dalot, their only one to start all 12 matches, gets the nod.

Midfielders

He may have a tough fixture but Mohamed Salah must be selected. His latest 14-point and 13-point scores mean he’s up to a gigantic eight double-digit hauls from 12 occasions, about to go against a team on five consecutive defeats in all competitions.

Although on eight strikes and the season’s biggest price rise, things have quietened for Bryan Mbeumo. Just one shot and 0.09 expected goals (xG) in his last three outings. Furthermore, his fixtures will soon toughen, meaning that some owners are looking forward and thinking of selling. Not until after he’s faced Leicester, though.

In Arsenal’s aforementioned 6-0 February win at West Ham, Bukayo Saka netted twice. Fully fit and fresh from Saturday’s goal and assist, he could cause damage to non-owners.

Meanwhile, the fourth midfield spot goes to Bruno Fernandes. He blanked on Sunday but preceded it with three returns and 17 points at home to Leicester. Fantasy Football Scout’s Rate My Team algorithm thinks he should get this team’s captaincy versus Everton.

Forwards

Up front, cheap names are in form. Both Matheus Cunha and Joao Pedro have successive double-digit scores and have a great platform to achieve a third, at home to Bournemouth and Southampton.

Chris Wood was surprisingly benched at Arsenal for the first time this season. Perhaps it was a one-off related to international travelling but the move didn’t work out, so expect a start against Ipswich. He’s on eight goals and 11 big chances.