Gameweek 36 Staff Roundtable Preview - Fantasy Premier League Predictions, Tips, and Picks for 2023-24

Welcome to Gameweek 36, RotoBallers! This is our third year covering FPL, and we are bringing you more coverage than ever. We publish two weekly articles: a staff roundtable preview and our weekly rankings. Then, once a month, we have our newest report, The Watchlist, which reviews the previous month and eagerly looks ahead to the upcoming fixtures.

Thirty-five gameweeks down, three to go. With three gameweeks to go, there's still much to be decided in the 2023/24 Premier League. Arsenal and Man City are battling for the title. Half a dozen teams are fighting for vital European slots, and anyone from Nottingham Forest, Luton Town, and Burnley could be playing in the Championship next season. That leaves us with plenty of motivated teams and fantastic FPL options.

The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 36 deadline is 1:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 3, when Luton hopes to upset Everton in a vital relegation clash. Also, look out for the rest of our excellent soccer coverage, as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League, Major League Soccer, and UEFA Champions League slate from a DFS and betting perspective.

I seldom play #EPL #DFS. But when I do, I make sure I check out my @RotoBaller buddies @EuanFPL and @df_solutions
before creating my lineup https://t.co/rmQTeGmSRg pic.twitter.com/b0xGTcSxp4

— Jamie Steed (@Baseball_Jimbo) February 10, 2024

Fantasy Premier League Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 36 Preview

The Staff Roundtable is an attempt to get you inside the mind of our FPL staff. Our top soccer writers will answer questions each gameweek to give you an idea of how they view the games. So, without further ado, let’s kick off Gameweek 36!

Arsenal and Man City are in a two-horse race for the Premier League. Does this put you off any Liverpool assets for the final three gameweeks?

• Euan Leith: The fairytale ending for Jurgen Klopp has turned into a bit of a nightmare. I expect plenty of rotation at Anfield over the final three weeks as everyone gets a final run out for the German. Only Allison, Virgil van Dijk, and, possibly, Mohamed Salah feel like safe bets to lay every game. As a result, I'm not using any of my previous transfers on a Liverpool player.
• Jamie Steed: It wouldn’t put me off, but I certainly wouldn’t target bringing any in. Mo Salah has clearly had a falling out, so he might not start more than one of the remaining games. Diogo Jota was the only Liverpool player I had confidence in before he picked up another injury. Avoiding the Anfield assets isn’t the worst idea.
• Tom Bellucco: Yes. These final three games could go in any direction. Mo Salah has already shown displeasure with Klopp's tactics last time out. There are many question marks and plenty of drama, so the safer options lie elsewhere.

Defenders fell left and right over the weekend. Who is your favorite defender below £4.5m?

• Euan: With two of the final three games at home, I fancy Kristoffer Ajer's chances of grabbing some FPL points. The Norwegian's 24 points over the last six gameweeks are tied for sixth most at the position.
• Jamie: Tyrick Mitchell has been in decent form, and so has Crystal Palace. The Eagles don’t have a bad run to finish the season, and he could get points at both ends of the pitch. Mitchell is an ideal discount option for the remaining three gameweeks.
• Tom: Tino Livramento played all 90 minutes after returning to the Newcastle lineup. He seems like a high-upside, valuable option at just £4.0m.

Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak shredded Sheffield United over the weekend. Do you think grabbing a piece of the Newcastle attack is essential for the rest of the year?

• Euan: If you don't have any Newcastle attackers, I would prioritize grabbing one. If you have one Newcastle attacker, I would try to get a second. Isak and Gordon account for so many of the Magpies' goals that it's tough to pick between them. If I were forced to pick one, I would move to Isak because he's the tip of the spear for Newcastle and takes the penalties.
• Jamie: I wouldn’t say essential. Newcastle having four remaining games has appeal, and their fixtures aren’t bad. The problem is that three of the four games are away from home. Isak, Gordon, and Newcastle as a team have been considerably better at home, so they will need to produce on their travels to justify their inclusion.
• Tom: Isak and Gordon will continue to be heavily involved in positive matchups for the last three weeks. They're both fairly priced, and while Isak has more goal upside, Gordon can have multiple assists in any game with some goal potential. I favor Isak slightly, but both will have plenty of chances for the next three weeks. Howay the Lads!

1 blank at home 🆚 13 blanks away 😳

Anthony Gordon plays at St James' Park just once in his final four matches this season 👀#FPL pic.twitter.com/2PORfXlCJy

— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) April 30, 2024

Is there any team you feel is “on the beach” for the final three gameweeks?

• Euan: Brighton has been in a bit of a free fall since they were dumped out of the Europa League. It sounds like Robert De Zerbi could be moving to greener pastures over the summer. With European football out of reach and no concerns about relegation, I expect the Seagulls to be on the beach for the final three gameweeks.
• Jamie:  Everton and Brentford securing survival after wretched seasons might mean they take their foot off the gas a bit. But West Ham United has looked well below their usual standards recently. Their chance of qualifying for the Europa League next season looks all but over, and with the uncertainty of who will be in charge next season, they are a team to avoid over the final three weeks.
• Tom: Brighton's recent performances suggest very strong "on the beach" vibes. I'm not in a rush to roster any Seagulls.

With three weeks to go, who is the frontrunner to be your FPL MVP?

• Euan: There are many ways to go with this award, but I'm giving it to Ollie Watkins. He has been there since day one for our FPL squads and leads all players with 219 points. The English striker doesn't even take penalties for Aston Villa. Nineteen goals and 17 assists is a phenomenal return for a striker who started at £8.0M this year. FPL managers should expect Watkins to touch £10.0M at the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign.
• Jamie: If we’re talking about who will score the most points, it’s between Ollie Watkins and Bukayo Saka. Watkins's having to play in midweek Europa Conference league games might mean Saka can edge that battle. Regarding the best value, it has to be Cole Palmer, given he was priced at £5.0, and only the duo mentioned above have more FPL points.
• Tom: The only genuine challengers to Erling Haaland could be names like Ollie Watkins, Dominic Solanke, and even Alexander Isak, but there are stretches to be made to bring any of the three into the conversation if we're being honest.

Who will finish this season as the top #FPL point scorer? 🥇 pic.twitter.com/wuZFipvDAv

— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) May 1, 2024

Who is keeping a clean sheet in Gameweek 36?

• Euan: Since their Champions League exit, Arsenal has looked determined to pummel everyone into the ground. They've got a fantastic attack backed by an airtight defense. Their 12.4 expected Goals Allowed (xGA) at home is the fewest in the league. While Bournemouth has scored 26 away goals this year, the Cherries will be no match for the Gunners.
• Jamie: Manchester City has tightened things up defensively with back-to-back clean sheets. They face a Wolves side that’s struggled for goals lately. They’ve blanked twice in their last three EPL games (all at home) and failed to score in two of their last three away games. City’s relentless march to the title will see them blank Wolves this week.
• Tom: Arsenal should be able to focus on a massive effort against Bournemouth to stay within striking distance of Man City.

What defensive player is providing attacking returns?

• Euan: Nathan Ake is back fit for Man City and will be in the rotation for the final four games of their season. Over his last six games, the Dutch defender has generated 0.38 NPxGI/90, which is the fourth-highest in the league. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a return over that stretch. These things usually have a way of leveling off sooner rather than later, so don't be surprised to see him pop up on the scoresheet between now and the campaign's conclusion.
• Jamie: Sergio Reguilón has three assists in his last four games. Only three teams have fewer points and conceded more goals away from home than Brentford’s opponents, Fulham. While I’m not sure Brentford will push too much over the final weeks, Reguilón does make an excellent option for a goal involvement.
• Tom: Let's go with Tomiyasu for Arsenal. It was good to see him back playing a full 90 minutes at Spurs. He's a player who can get offensively involved from time to time for a cheap price.

Who's a midfielder or forward rostered on less than 10 percent of teams that will grab us those FPL points?

• Euan: Kai Havertz (7.9 percent) continues to be overlooked by the FPL community because he doesn't have a double gameweek. I understand the draw of two games in one week, but this man is on fire and needs to receive more love. The German has 14 attacking returns in the last 11 games and three goals in the previous two games. With a home fixture against Bournemouth on the cards, I'm backing Havertz to deliver more FPL points.
• Jamie: The Crystal Palace trio of Jean Philipp-Mateta, Eberechi Eze, and Michael Olise are all less than 10% rostered. They get to face a Manchester United team that continues to let shots on their goal at an alarming rate. All three are great options this week, and I’d undoubtedly want two of them in my lineup.
• Tom: Let's keep the Newcastle love going! No one wants European Football for the Black and White more than Bruno Guimaraes. The midfielder has been pushing forward a ton of late and finding great chances. More should be coming in the final three weeks.

With three Gameweeks to go #FPL managers are looking at Kai Havertz as a midfield option 👀

After his latest price rise, will you add the @Arsenal asset to your team? 🤝 pic.twitter.com/Gclb2X7ESC

— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) April 30, 2024

Who is one player you want to have but can’t for the Gameweek 36 fixtures in Fantasy Premier League?

• Euan: Probably the man I just mentioned: Kai Havertz. Arsenal has scored eight goals in the last two games and the German is responsible for four of them (three goals, one assist).
• Jamie: A fortnight ago, I ousted Erling Haaland when using my Wildcard for the enormous double gameweek. His injury meant I didn’t need to rush him back into the team. He’s now fit, scored as a sub at Nottingham Forest, and will likely spearhead City’s final title push. Unfortunately, I suffered three injuries and need to replace Mo Salah, so I would need to take a hit to bring him in.
• Tom: Raheem Sterling would've been in a lovely spot against a West Ham squad that can give up goals in a hurry. His injury designation keeps us off him this week, though.

Kai Havertz silences the crowd as he makes it 3-0 to Arsenal. 🤫

📺 @USANetwork pic.twitter.com/CMBdIlTCyK

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) April 28, 2024

Who’s getting the Captain’s armband?

• Euan: I'm tempted by the differential of Bukayo Saka against Bournemouth. However, the tractor beam of Erling Haaland at home may be too great to overcome by Friday evening's deadline.
• Jamie: Bukayo Saka looks like my best option. Despite not being at his best, he continues to score and assist with 27 goal involvements this season. Bournemouth’s form since November 1 has been excellent. Only the current top four are taking more points than the Cherries, so it won’t be an easy game for the Gunners. But Saka keeps popping up at crucial moments and seems like a safe play.
• Tom: There's an argument to be made for someone like Saka or Palmer based on excellent matchups, but when Man City needs a victory, they'll be silly not to feed Erling Haaland. That's where my money will go.

Finally, what’s your bold prediction for Gameweek 36?

• Euan: Zero of the home teams record a loss in Gameweek 36. In the points-scoring department, Ollie Watkins grabs two more returns for Aston Villa, and Mohamed Salah scores his first open-play goal in over a month.
• Jamie: Luton Town drags themselves out of the relegation zone by beating Everton on Friday. Sheffield United then keep Nottingham Forest in the relegation zone by avoiding defeat against them on Saturday. Palace’s attacking trio all have a goal involvement and share the bonus points when they beat Manchester United on Monday.
  
• Tom: Crystal Palace keeps their positive momentum going and thumps Manchester United, winning by at least two goals.

Is there a question you would like to have answered every week? Hit us up on X @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!