FPL Top Picks for Gameweek 15

We are into the thick of things in the Fantasy Premier League with the festive calendar underway. Gameweek 15 is coming less than 48 hours after gameweek 14 ends, and gameweeks 16 to 20 will follow suit in the same fashion.

Managers are advised to make sure their squad can be rotated as much as possible for the next five to six weeks because of the schedule and the transfer fee bottleneck. If possible, managers should consider using some of their chips in the next few weeks.

To aid with the thought process of squad selection, we have prepared a guide, as usual. Keep reading!

Gameweek Analysis

There are four eye-catching fixtures for managers to exploit for value in gameweek 15: Liverpool vs Everton, Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea, Manchester City vs Crystal Palace and Arsenal vs Fulham. Here is why these fixtures are of note.

Liverpool vs Everton

The Merseyside Derby. The ultimate opportunity to captain Mohamed Salah (£13.2m) or Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6.9m), who have owned this fixture in the past. Other Liverpool assets like Virgil Van Dijk (£6.4m), Luis Diaz (£7.5m), Alexis Mac Allister (£6.2m) and Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.3m) also hold promise.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea

One of the two London derbies that we will witness in week 15. These two teams are among the highest scoring teams in the league this season with valuable assets all around. This is a match where both teams are capable of scoring a combined four goals at the least.

Manchester City vs Crystal Palace

This is a match to give Manchester City assets another chance after the disaster that was mid-October until the end of November. City finally broke their duck in week 14 and with Palace on the horizon, could finally get back to winning ways.

Arsenal vs Fulham

This is one of the two London derbies in week 15 and everyone is looking to Arsenal’s defence as well as Bukayo Saka, thanks to their dangerous set piece capabilities which teams do not have an answer to.

Best Value Games for Week 15

Ipswich vs AFC Bournemouth

Players to watch: Leif Davis (£4.5m), Liam Delap (£5.6m), Evanilson (£6.0m), Justin Kluivert (£5.4m).

Brentford vs Newcastle United

Players to watch: Bryan Mbeumo (£7.7m), Alexander Isak (£7.6m), Kevin Schade  (£5.1m), Anthony Gordon (£7.2m).

Remember that if you still have your first Wildcard chip, you must use it before the game week 19 deadline!

Best FPL Players for Week 15

Marcus Rashford (£6.9m) – Manchester United

As the most recognisable player in Manchester United, he is expected to be the face of every new project. So far, Ruben Amorim has gotten good value out of him, which is why we expect him to be at the forefront when Nottingham Forest visit Old Trafford on Saturday, December 7.

One key reason is that he dropped to the bench in their loss to Arsenal because Amorim was trying to keep him fresh. Also, Nottingham Forest are conceding more and more goals, which is a perfect opportunity for Rashford, who has barely registered on the FPL radar, to find his scoring form once again.

At £6.9m, he is also a bargain addition to any FPL squad, especially as a good bench option for the winter’s unforgiving schedule.

Ollie Watkins (£9m) – Aston Villa

Ollie Watkins has not been the reliable FPL asset he was last season, but he has still managed to bag seven goals and three assists (10 goal contributions) in 14 outings for the Villans in the Premier League this season. A good chunk of those have come in recent game weeks, which points to an upward trend in his performances.

Aston Villa are playing at home against Southampton this week and this is another opportunity for Watkins to sort out his goalscoring form ahead of the New Year, when the Premier League title and safety race will pick up.

Together with Morgan Rogers, Watkins poses a big threat to the Saints, who are unwavering in their tactics which starts with playing the ball out of the area to beat the opposition press.

Jurrien Timber (£5.6m) – Arsenal

The best advice to FPL managers this season is to ensure that Arsenal defenders are well represented in their squads. Many have chosen the Brazilian Gabriel Magalhães because he is the Gunners’ best threat in their set-piece tactics.

However, former Eredivisie star Jurrien Timber has started to prove his worth as both a source of assists and a source of goals. He costs less than Gabriel, which makes him a good option for match week 14 and beyond, until Arsenal are found out at least.