FPL Top Picks for Gameweek 19

The brutal festive schedule has entered its business end as there are three deadlines in quick succession!

It was not long ago that we came to you with FPL advice for week 18 and now here we are with week 19’s guide. In a matter of days, we will be having another deadline.

This can be easy to miss, which means that whatever selections that managers make for week 19 must be relevant enough for week 20, whose deadline is less than three days away after week 19.

Also, this is the last call to managers to make sure that they deploy their first wildcard chips for the season, as week 19, which has a deadline at 1 PM on 29 December, is the last day to use this extra chip which the game developers have provided this season.

That being said, let us get straight into our game week analysis for our 2024/25 week 19 Fantasy Premier League guide!

Gameweek Analysis

We have been advocating for a stronger dependency of the Fixtures Difficulty Ratings (FDR) list since the winter schedule commenced because of how brutal the schedule is. Picking players based on past records against opponents and current form may not be enough if managers want to get through this.

Week 19 presents a lot of opportunities once again for managers to get in assets that can serve them long term. It also presents the last opportunity for a squad overhaul going into 2025 thanks to the first of two wildcard chips that the game developers provided for us to navigate the season thanks to the increased number of premium players.

Speaking of premium players, only Erling Haaland (£14.8m) has been poor of late. His ownership rate is still high because of his incredible ability on his day, however. He managed to ruin a good chance in week 18, but the fact that he had that chance still speaks to what he can bring to the table.

Also, Manchester City still have a run of games until week 22 which are considered relatively easy (score rating 2 on the FDR list), which means many may want to keep him and other assets from his team.

If you are not one of them, you obviously are looking at Liverpool players like Mohamed Salah (£13.5m), Alexis Mac Allister (£6.2m) and Cody Gakpo (£7.2m). Or perhaps at Arsenal assets like Gabriel Magalhães (£6.3m) and the resurgent Gabriel Jesus (£6.8m). Bukayo Saka (£10.4m) is unfortunately out for the next five weeks, else he would have been a great addition.

Below are two more games you can look to as you plan your game week 19 squad overhaul.

Best Value Games for Week 19

Chelsea vs Ipswich Town

Players to watch: Robert Sanchez (£4.8m), Cole Palmer (£11.2m), Liam Delap (£5.6m).

Nottingham Forest vs Everton

Players to watch: Nikola Milenkovic (£4.6m), Ola Aina (£5.0m), Jarrad Branthwaite (£4.8m), Ashley Young (£4.7m).

Best FPL Players for Week 19

Ismaila Sarr (£5.8m) – Crystal Palace

Oliver Glasner’s team is starting to turn things around and Ismaila Sarr is one of the key figures in this turnaround.

The Senegal international is currently owned by only 1.2 percent of managers despite his price tag, which is pretty low compared to the players who are currently on form.

With four goals and two assists in his last six outings, the Eagles’ upcoming game against Southampton means that he is just right for any squad for week 19.

Dejan Kulusevski (£6.3m) – Tottenham Hotspur

Ange Postecoglou is revolutionising the way Premier League football is played, in a way that is different but reminiscent of Pep Guardiola’s first years at Manchester City. The Australian manager is not averse to giving up chances which has led to his team conceding goals for fun, but he has focused on ensuring that his own team creates even more chances than their opponents every match. This has ensured that Tottenham Hotspur are the most potent attacking side in the league, despite languishing in 11th on the table.

Luckily, their league form has nothing to do with how their assets perform on FPL. This is why Dejan Kulusevski is one of our top three picks for week 19. Kulusevski is a great option given his price (he is one of Spurs’ cheapest attackers) and form. The Swede has scored in five consecutive games in all competitions, including in each of his last three in the league.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m) – Liverpool

After a poor start to the season thanks to recurring injuries and a general loss of form, Trent Alexander-Arnold is back and firing on all cylinders, which validates his price tag as the most expensive defender in FPL.

That pinpoint assist for Luis Diaz against Spurs in week 17 alone should convince you to snap him up ahead of week 19 and the second half of the season. Also, the Reds will face West Ham United in week 19 and Manchester United in week 20, making him a must-have for the festive window.