FPL Top Picks for Gameweek 25

It is back-to-back double game weeks for Liverpool and this could not come at a better time for many Fantasy Premier League managers.

Quite a number of managers had their best points haul in week 24, which is thanks to the record number of chips deployed for the week — there were 2.68 million chips deployed by managers, which surpassed the 2.38million chips from week 37 of the 2023/24 season.

Week 25 looks unlikely to beat that number as the Triple Captain chip (used on Mohamed Salah, of course) was the most deployed last week, but the Assistant Manager chip is there for the taking.

Let us now take a look at the best strategy for week 25.

Gameweek Analysis

Liverpool or Aston Villa: Who should get the Assistant Manager Chip?

Liverpool and Aston Villa will be in action twice in week 25 (their week 29 clash has been moved up thanks to their other commitments). This means that there is an opportunity to deploy the assistant manager chip on either Unai Emery or Arne Slot.

Aston Villa face relegation strugglers Ipswich Town first before Liverpool with both matches being home games for them. The Reds, meanwhile, face Wolverhampton Wanderers at home first, before travelling to Birmingham to face the Villans.

This home advantage should make it clear enough for any confused managers who may think of deploying the Assistant Manager chip to sign either Slot or Emery in this gameweek where they can max out on points.

Another factor to consider is that Liverpool’s next two matches after their week 25 clashes are against Manchester City and Newcastle United, while Villa’s are against Chelsea and Crystal Palace. The Fixture Difficulty Ratings score for both clubs’ fixtures are very similar, but Villa also have Chelsea at home, making it a run of three home matches in four games which is much better odds than Liverpool’s two in four.

However, the fact that Slot’s side has been more consistent than Emery’s makes it trickier to pick Emery over Slot. Slot also has Mo Salah, and both are the highest-scoring FPL assets in the 2024/25 season.

The Verdict: Pick both managers. Start with either one for week 25 and change to another for either or both of the next two game weeks using your free transfer option. You could also select a third manager, as the chip is active for three game weeks in a row.

You can read more about the new chip in this article.

Best Value Games in Week 25

Crystal Palace vs Everton

Both clubs are in the best form of their seasons and will face their biggest test against each other in week 25, regardless of the tier of their opponents.

Players to target: Beto (£4.9m), Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.3m), Iliman Ndiaye (£5.5m), Jordan Pickford (£5.1m), Eberechi Eze (£6.7m), Daniel Muñoz (£4.8m).

West Ham United vs Brentford

This London Derby looks clear cut thanks to the difference in form between both teams, but despite this gap, both teams have lost the same number of games.

Players to target: Yoanne Wissa (£5.6m), Jarrod Bowen (£7.3m), Bryan Mbeumo (£7.9m), Mikkel Damsgaard (£5.1m).

Best FPL Players for Week 25

Ethan Nwaneri (£4.5m) — Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has called on the effective youngster a lot more in recent weeks but from week 25, his participation is almost certain. Arsenal have a slew of injuries which means that the cheap midfield option of Nwaneri will do many managers good, and when you consider his goal-per-minute ratio which is even superior to that of Mo Salah, you will realise that Arsenal taking on Leicester City in week 25 is the perfect Nwaneri game.

Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) — Aston Villa

Aston Villa have a double game week: First Ipswich and then Liverpool. While his fitness is still in doubt, he is almost certain to get a run in the Ipswich game ahead of the Liverpool one. The striker is also Villa’s best Fantasy Premier League asset which makes it harder for managers to ignore him in this week where a maximum points haul is possible.

Dango Ouattara (£5.1m) — AFC Bournemouth

Justin Kluivert could be picking up a second hat trick in less than five weeks as AFC Bournemouth prepare to take on Southampton in week 25. Everyone expects a beating thanks to Bournemouth’s recent form and the man many expect to lead the charge (numbers wise) is the Dutch forward.

However, Dango Ouattara has proven to be the kind of player that thrives in matches like these. Also, he costs only £5.1m, making him a cheap option in this season of constant price rises.