FPL GW21 Tips & Preview – Transfer Priorities, Wildcard? & More

Welcome to Insanely Football’s Dilemmas blog for Gameweek 21 of the FPL 2023/24 season. This blog will break down all the popular Dilemmas FPL managers have this week and offer FPL GW21 tips that will help you address the key dilemmas and maximize your FPL points.

The blog is written by Insanely Football. Do subscribe to his YouTube channel Insanely Football for more FPL-related content. You can also follow him on Instagram for daily FPL updates.

Link to all our FPL GW21 blogs including Buy, Hold, Sell analysis, Differentials, Captaincy metrics, Scout picks, Wildcard Drafts, Tips, and more. Completely free to access as well!

FPL GW21 Tips – Key Questions/Dilemmas Answered

1) Is it wise to use the 2nd Wildcard right away?

With many players unavailable, injured or suspended, FPL managers are struggling to put together a playing XI for GW21. Using the 2nd Wildcard and sorting the team is an option but may not be the most ideal.

There is a good chance of getting a Double Gameweek in GW25, followed by a Blank Gameweek in GW26. Man City and Brentford can double in GW25. Liverpool has a possible double in GW25 in play. Regarding the blank next week, teams like Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea, and Spurs can all blank in GW26 based on the EFL and FA Cup results.

Depending on your team, a Wildcard may be better suited to take advantage of the double gameweek and tackle the blank gameweek afterwards.

GW29 is likely to be another blank because of the FA Cup Q/Fs. There is a chance that GW34 and GW37 are affected with blanks/doubles. Hence, using the Wildcard in and around that window is also an option.

It depends on your team. If you only have 5-6 players available and can’t even field 10-11 players after going -8,-12, using the Wildcard now could be better. It will leave you a bit exposed for the latter stages but can give you short-term gains. In every other scenario, try saving it for now. There are a few strategies that you can use to gain an advantage at a later time.

FPL GW21 Wildcard Guide- Tips, Players to Target and Best Drafts

Further Read: Top FPL GW21 Differential Picks to Consider Ahead of Deadline

2) Who are the best Son and Salah replacements?

Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min will miss GW21 due to their involvement in the AFCON/Asia Cup. They could miss up to GW24, depending on how their teams do in their respective tournaments. Naturally, FPL managers are scrambling for replacements this week.

We will start with the premium picks. Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne is back playing matches and got an assist in City’s FA Cup against Huddersfield. The only issue I have with him is his minutes. While it’s appealing to have him back, he may not play the majority of minutes, and it’s risky to go with him.

Coming to other premium-ish picks, if you don’t have Bukayo Saka in your team, I think he is worth going for in the upcoming games. Arsenal play Palace and Forest in the next two fixtures, and there is potential for points here. Martin Ødegaard is also an option, but I like Saka more than him. I also don’t think it’s worth doubling up on them, as Arsenal’s attack has struggled over the past few weeks.

If you are looking at differential picks, Man Utd’s Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes are also options. Both players are decently priced and can be brought in for good fixtures till GW26. Of the two, I prefer Marcus Rashford as he plays more directly and has a better goal threat than Bruno. In terms of returns, Rashford has two in his last two games compared to Bruno’s none.

Coming to my pick of the lot, it’s Phil Foden from Man City. He has looked excellent in recent games and has 4 attacking returns in his last 3 matches. He is pretty nailed in that Man City attack, and I think he will do well in the upcoming games. The return of KDB could impact his attacking prowess, but there is not enough data to make a call here.

Diogo Jota is another option to consider from Liverpool attack, he’s not highly owned and could become a great differential option

Jarrod Bowen would have been my next-best pick, but he is flagged now. He may not be out for too long, but more than his availability, his returns could be a worry. Paqueta has been an essential factor in Bowen’s attacking returns, and he is out for at least the next 4 weeks. Due to this, I don’t suggest buying Bowen. If you have him, maybe you can hold and bench him if you have enough cover.

Looking at slightly cheaper picks, I like Richarlison from Tottenham. We know the Spurs will be all-out attacking, and Richarlison has looked good since GW16. He has scored 5 goals in his last 5 games, and the excellent run can continue.

Another slightly cheaper pick is Pascal Groß from Brighton. The attacker has 1 goal and 5 assists in his last 5 starts. Unlike Richarlison, he may not have a very high upside, but with Brighton’s great fixture run coming up, he is quite a safe pick.

Looking at budget picks, there is Cole Palmer from Chelsea and Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa. Both won’t break your bank and easily allow you to keep more expensive players like Trent or even Salah if you want to play the game that way.

Further Read: Best FPL GW21 Midfielders | Salah & Son FPL Replacements

3) Is it time to get back Erling Haaland ahead of FPL GW21?

Erling Haaland hasn’t featured in the Premier League since GW16 against Luton and has been out because of an injury.

In the latest update, Haaland was on campus, on the training pitch and involved in some work but was not part of ‘full training’.

There is a slight chance that Haaland can start in GW21. Of course, if you have him, you take a chance and play him.

But if you are without Haaland now, you can wait for more information. There may be leaks closer to the deadline, and if there is any confirmation of his start, definitely get him in, even if it’s for a -4 this week.

If you have no information, wait out the GW21 fixture against Newcastle. We will most likely get proper news before GW22, and Haaland could start that week.

Further Read: Confirmed & Likely FPL Double/Blank Gameweeks | 23/24 Season

4) What should we do with Trent Alexander-Arnold?

Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold will be sidelined for a few weeks due to a knee injury. Assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders confirmed this. The news has created panic in the FPL community, and managers are unsure how to go about this situation.

The issue with the above statement is that we don’t know for how long Trent will be out. He may be out for the whole of January but that is just 2 gameweeks. It may be longer, too, but it’s difficult to guess.

If you can afford to bench him this week, do that. Most managers are in the same position where they have the likes of Salah and Son. They are also facing the tricky call to get back Haaland if there is a leak that he starts this week. Trent may not be a priority for now, and it’s okay to wait this out.
If you can field at least 3 defenders with Trent on the bench, I recommend doing that. If he is not out for long, selling him could mean one additional transfer in the future when you buy him back.

You can sell him if you don’t have enough bench cover or want to hold Salah/Son. There are enough replacement options to choose from.

Arsenal’s Gabriel (£4.9m) is still an option if you want to replace Trent. He is nailed and does possess some threat from set pieces. Despite struggling in the last few games, Arsenal have the best xGC in the league.

The other defender I recommend is Pervis Estupinan. Brighton has a great run of games coming up, and Estupinan has looked good since his return. He is likely to play in a very attacking role, which is excellent news from an FPL standpoint.

If you want a different 3rd option, you can even look at Pedro Porro from Tottenham. Don’t expect much from a clean sheet perspective. Spurs are among the worst teams for xGC, but Porro has looked great going forward. He is ranked 1st for xGI among all defenders for the season and can still give you a decent points haul.

Further Read: FPL Gameweek 21 Transfer Tips: Two Players to Buy, Hold & Sell

5) Who should you remove first if you have Salah, Son, and Trent?

This is another dilemma a lot of FPL managers are facing this week. As mentioned in the section above, we only know Trent is out for a few weeks right now. We may get more clarity on him in the coming or so. So, if you can afford to bench and play your 3 defenders for now, keep Trent.

Son Heung-min may be easier to sell right now. Tottenham are going to play attacking football even without Son. You can easily cover the Tottenham attack with Richarlison and Johnson as Son alternatives. I’d recommend selling him and getting Foden in place of him.

Mohamed Salah is somewhere in between at the moment. Salah’s potential RO16 game will be over before the GW22 Deadline, and based on the result, we will get some clarity on his return. 

If you want to get in Haaland for GW21 and selling Salah is the only way you get in the City attacker, sell him. But if you have a bench cover to play instead, bench Salah to wait for more information.

Overall, I recommend selling Son first unless you want Haaland this week and selling Salah is the only way to get him. Trent is easier to hold for now, especially if you can field 3 defenders this week. Salah can also be held this week if you have a bench cover.

That will be all from my side for this week! I wish you all the best for FPL Gameweek 21, and I will see you all next week.

You can subscribe to my YouTube channel Insanely Football for more FPL-related content. Follow me on Instagram for daily FPL updates.

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Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW21

FPL GW21 Scout Selection- Top Picks with Stats and Analysis
Top FPL Gameweek 21 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
FPL GW21 Tips & Preview – Transfer Priorities, Wildcard? & More
FPL GW21 Wildcard Guide- Tips, Players to Target and Best Drafts
Top FPL GW21 Differential Picks to Consider Ahead of Deadline
FPL Gameweek 21 Transfer Tips: Two Players to Buy, Hold & Sell
FPL GW21 Transfer Targets and Watchlist
Best FPL GW21 Midfielders | Salah & Son FPL Replacements
Confirmed & Likely FPL Double/Blank Gameweeks | 23/24 Season
FPL GW21 Ultimate Guide: Tips, Differentials, Captaincy & More

Link to all our FPL GW21 blogs including buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, transfer targets, and more. Completely free to access as well!

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