FPL Top Picks For Gameweek 5

This is going to be the most challenging Fantasy Premier League season yet.

The biggest challenge is with managers who have neither Mohamed Salah nor Erling Haaland, two of the heaviest hitters in the game. They will struggle to get as many points on board as others with one or both of these players will comfortably get.

The next challenge will be fixture congestion across different competitions which will force coaches to do a lot more rotation.

Still, FPL can be planned on a week-by-week basis and with enough insight and proper planning, can cover for multiple weeks. With that being said, here are our FPL top picks for gameweek 5 of the 2024/25 season.

Gameweek Analysis

Super Sundays are back in the Premier League as Arsenal travel to Manchester City for the first leg of their battle for the league title this season. The Cityzens might have the distraction of the “trial of the century” to determine the veracity of the 115 charges levelled against them by the Premier League, but Pep Guardiola and his football-obsessed self will be deathly focused on making it out alive from that match on Sunday.

Arsenal are handicapped going into that game. Martin Ødegaard is still nursing the injury he suffered during the international break and the jury is out on Bukayo Saka’s availability. Regardless, FPL managers will be looking at Arsenal’s defence for transfers, with their opinions likely to be formed by how they performed against Erling Haaland last season.

Let us take a look at other games in week 5 that could produce players worth having on your FPL squads.

West Ham United vs Chelsea

Both sides have enough danger-men to be considered. On the Hammers’ side, Mohammed Kudus (£6.4m) and Jarrod Bowen (£7.5m) are constant threats, while Chelsea have Cole Palmer (£10.6m) and Nicolas Jackson (£7.6m). Jadon Sancho (£6.6m) and Noni Madueke (£6.6m) are now proving to be potential weapons that Enzo Maresca can use to upset opponents, which makes this London Derby a good place to shop for valuable players for week 5. Both sides also have favourable games for weeks 6 and 7, making their players even more enticing to go for ahead of week 5.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Brentford

Bryan Mbeumo (£7.1m) now has the full responsibility of making sure that the Bees survive the next few weeks without Yoanne Wissa and until Igor Thiago returns and gets integrated into the team. He has been brilliant this season but it is uncertain he will be able to do enough to give his side a win in their London derby with Spurs. He is a great long-term pick, however, because Brentford’s fixtures for the next two months are the most favourable fixtures for many managers.

Best FPL Players for Week 5

Jamie Vardy (£5.7m) – Leicester City

Leicester City face Everton who are dead last on the table and without any points on the board. This is the perfect game for the returning Premier League legend, Jamie Vardy, to get another goal contribution. He currently has two goals on the board right now because his side have struggled to adapt to the new Premier League. However, against the league’s worst defence, there is a big chance which makes him a valuable pick for week 5.

Leicester face Arsenal after Everton but have Bournemouth and Southampton lined up after that. FPL managers looking for long-term investments can also consider Vardy, who presents much value at only £5.6m.

Leif Davis (£4.5m) – Ipswich Town

Leif Davis and Ipswich Town will be travelling to Southampton for their week 5 fixture. The Tractor Boys’ assist machine will be grateful for this opportunity as he can get more goal contributions on board.

Along with Everton, the Saints have lost all their games this season albeit with a better goal difference. Regardless, their leaky defence presents Davis with an opportunity to provide those crosses and passes that his strikers and attacking midfielders can finish. Ipswich’s outing against Brighton and Fulham in the last two match weeks showed that the Tractor Boys are worth investing in, especially as they possess an asset like Davis.

Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) – Aston Villa

Ollie Watkins got his first goals of the season in Aston Villa’s defeat of Everton last week and now, he is hungry for more. The English striker also had his first-ever UEFA Champions League goal denied by VAR in midweek which makes him even hungrier. He assisted in that game, however, which also proves that he can be a good chance creator as well as a finisher.

Considering the fact that his understudy, Colombian striker Jhon Durán, is firing on all cylinders, Villa’s home match versus Wolverhampton Wanderers on matchday 5 is a perfect opportunity for him to pick up where he left off.