Gameweek 23 Best Free Hit Team

As we approach Gameweek 23 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 23 fixture difficulty.

Who has the best fixtures?

Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle face the newly-promoted trio that also forms the current bottom three. Though bear in mind that it is Tottenham and therefore caution is needed.

Elsewhere, Crystal Palace get to follow back-to-back 2-0 away wins with a home clash against Brentford, while owners of Arsenal, Brighton and Aston Villa assets will be hopeful.

Who has the worst fixtures?

Chelsea are unlucky enough to be facing Man City at this point, rather than during the latter’s freefall of one win in 13. Whereas now the champions have won four of their last five, in all competitions. Sunday brought a 6-0 demolition over Ipswich, who now have to visit Anfield.

Best Gameweek 23 Free Hit

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

Goalkeepers

Brighton don’t collect too many clean sheets but Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m) will be at home to Everton – before beating Spurs on Sunday, the Toffees had a measly one goal from six occasions.

Under new boss Graham Potter, Lukasz Fabaianski (£4.1m) seems set to continue as West Ham’s number one stopper. That’s good enough for us, he can be the cheap backup.

Defenders

Owning multiple parts of Arsenal’s backline is a frustrating experience but it’s worth persisting with for one more week. They visit Wolves and Gabriel (£6.4m) is notable for his constant set-piece threat.

Alongside him are Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m) and Lewis Hall (£5.0m). Despite constant transfer speculation, the Liverpool full-back has delivered two big hauls in his last four – a timely reminder of his FPL qualities.

Before a tired Newcastle were thrashed by Bournemouth, they’d kept five clean sheets in six. Now, Hall and his colleagues get to face the league’s lowest scorers.

Just missing out is Pedro Porro (£5.4m), as the state of Tottenham’s defence is hard to ignore.

Midfielders

Consecutive blanks are almost unheard of for Mohamed Salah (£13.7m), who’d only failed twice throughout the other 19 matches. Yet these off-days still featured eight penalty area shots and 11 chances created. He’ll unleash fury onto Ipswich and rack up a 13th double-digit haul.

Meanwhile, Son Heung-min (£9.8m) is a perfect Free Hit name because, in general, he’s an overpriced asset in an unreliable team. But a one-off home clash versus Leicester offers superb differential potential.

Had Anthony Gordon‘s (£7.7m) sweetly-hit volley destined for the top corner not been blocked, he’d be celebrating an attacking return in nine successive starts. As for Luis Diaz (£7.5m), his inclusion depends on whether team leaks enter the fray before Saturday’s 13:30 deadline – Liverpool are one of 10 teams playing straight afterwards. The Colombian is on eight goals so far.

And Dango Ouattara (£5.0m) is the low-priced attacker sat on the sidelines. Simply put, Bournemouth are high-scorers and he’s playing up front.

Forwards

Another Newcastle streak that’s over is Alexander Isak‘s (£9.4m) goal rush. Not that the end of his eight-match run will deter managers from considering him as captain, because targeting Southampton is a tactic that’s worked brilliantly for Bryan Mbeumo (£7.8m), Amad Diallo (£5.6m) and Chris Wood (£7.1m) owners in consecutive weeks. Three of the Saints’ last four home games have ended with five goals conceded.

Kai Havertz (£7.8m) may be an unfashionable pick but he should lead Arsenal’s line versus leaky Wolves, whilst Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.3m) has outshined cheaper Crystal Palace midfielders by netting four times in three matches.

Of the other candidates, Joao Pedro (£5.6m) was almost picked based on his opponent. But the 23-year-old is without an open play goal in 10 outings.