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Fantasy Football tips and advice: Transfers and captains for Gameweek 35
Gameweek 35 of the fantasy football season is a double gameweek and Tom Carnduff details his transfers and captaincy advice.
While Gameweek 34 was a disappointment for many with a fairly low average tally, Gameweek 35 presents a great chance to reclaim those lost points with some teams playing twice.
Eight of the Premier League's 20 teams will be playing two games rather than one and, with just a handful of gameweeks remaining, it's a real opportunity to grab points that others won't have.
Other competitions also nearing their conclusion should lead to more consistent team selections too, a major headache for every fantasy football player, and rotation should be less of an issue with so much still to play for in England's top-flight.
Whether you are ahead in the league or looking to close the gap, we have two transfer suggestions to consider based on team needs alongside captaincy choices.
Should I transfer in Wilfried Zaha?
- Position: Midfielder
- Sky cost: 8.9
- FPL cost: 7.1
I usually wouldn't pay too much attention to Crystal Palace's assets on fantasy football. However, their upcoming fixtures and involvement in the double gameweek has got me interested. Not only are they playing twice, they feature in in two games that they could win.
I'm not going to sit and pretend that this is going to turn Palace into an amazing team in the space of a week but they do have the potential to score more than once - a bonus for a usually shot-shy side in attack. Only Sheffield United see fewer on average per 90 minutes.
That doesn't mean they're the lowest scorers though, with five teams seeing fewer goals over the course of the season. A player that many would have looked to at the beginning of the campaign but have likely gone away from since is Wilfried Zaha. This double gameweek looks like the perfect opportunity to bring him back in.
His ownership rate is on the lower side of average. Zaha is in 10.41% of Sky teams and 9.4% of FPL teams. There are still points there that many others won't have.
We can argue that Palace have the best fixtures of this double gameweek. Saturday sees them go to bottom of the league Sheffield United before facing a horrendously out-of-form Southampton on Tuesday - two teams who have conceded a combined 119 goals in the Premier League this season.
Why Zaha? Well his importance to this Palace side is clear. It's also better value in terms of points gained from a goal scored because of his position in fantasy football. He leads the way for goals in this Palace side (10) and averages 2.01 shots per match.
An important point to remember about this double gameweek is that some teams are left without a fixture in Gameweek 36. Palace aren't in that group though and they take on an Aston Villa side who are struggling to keep clean sheets. You get three strong games with Zaha before a potential switch for the final stage of the season.
Should I transfer in Gylfi Sigurdsson?
- Position: Midfielder
- Sky cost: 8.3
- FPL cost: 6.9
Another player benefitting from this double gameweek is Gylfi Sigurdsson. Everton play twice and then, perhaps crucially, are also involved in Gameweek 36. Like Crystal Palace, Everton's fixtures look good for an attacking asset on fantasy football.
Gameweek 35 sees them take on West Ham before facing Aston Villa. They are two sides who have been struggling to keep opposition attacks out and the Toffees can capitalise on that. Carlo Ancelotti's men have scored in nine of their last 11 Premier League outings.
While some will look to Dominic Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison, and both are fine attackers to have given the upcoming fixtures, Sigurdsson represents a strong option in midfield. His 6.9 FPL price is at the higher end of the 'average' range but it could prove to be good value if done before Friday's deadline.
Sigurdsson has gone from a bench player at the start of the season to a regular starter in this team now. While he may only have six goals in the league, his average since seeing more consistent starts is a goal every 3.5 games. He netted a brace in the recent draw with Tottenham.
Another advantage of having Sigurdsson is the set-piece threat too. He can take corners and free-kicks while he has been on penalty duty too. This creates more chances for points from a goal or an assist which is a crucial point to remember when it comes to fantasy football transfers.
An Everton asset is a good one to have with the way the fixtures have worked out. They feature in Gameweek 36 - that game being a home fixture against Sheffield United. We can also flag up the fact that Sigurdsson is a differential player at this stage. He's in 2.9% of FPL teams while the number drops to 1.12% on Sky.
Who should I captain in Gameweek 35?
A player involved in the double gameweek is definitely one for captaincy this week. There isn't enough in those individual games to suggest that one player will haul more than another playing twice rather than once.
Someone who has become a popular fantasy football asset is Kelechi Iheanacho with the Leicester man finishing the campaign in strong fashion. He grabbed an assist last time out and is well worth looking at when it comes to the C this week.
The Foxes take on struggling Newcastle on Friday before a huge contest against Manchester United. Iheanacho has netted in six of his last eight Premier League games and should get at least one across the next two games. With his FPL selection rate now standing at a significant 25.4%, we can confidently predict that a number of managers will give him captaincy duties.
Sigurdsson has already been mentioned here and there could be serious points on offer that others won't have if he manages to get a goal and assist across Everton's two games this week. The fixtures look good for the Toffees and he could make the most of this week.
If his goal last time out has provided more confidence then Dominic Calvert-Lewin may be the Everton asset to look at. Goals haven't flowed as regularly as they did at the beginning of the season but he will be expecting to get at least one in this gameweek.
If there isn't any player playing twice who stands out, then it's difficult to look beyond Mohamed Salah as a now well-rested Liverpool take on Southampton. After a period without a goal, Salah has now scored in three of his last four league contests.
Fantasy Premier League tips: Gameweek 35 captain picks
Safer options:
- Kelechi Iheanacho; Dominic Calvert-Lewin; Mohamed Salah
Alternative options:
- Gylfi Sigurdsson; Wilfried Zaha; Richarlison
Sky Fantasy Football tips: Gameweek 35 captain picks
Friday
- Kelechi Iheanacho; Jamie Vardy; Timothy Castagne
Saturday
- Mohamed Salah; Wilfried Zaha; Harry Kane
Sunday
- Bruno Fernandes; Dominic Calvert-Lewin; Jesse Lingard
Monday
- Chris Wood; Ben Mee; Joachim Andersen
Tuesday
- Wilfried Zaha; Eberechi Eze; James Ward-Prowse
Wednesday
- Kelechi Iheanacho; Bruno Fernandes; Kai Havertz
Thursday
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin; Gylfi Sigurdsson; Ollie Watkins
Gameweek 35: Our XI and picks
This is our ideal XI for the Gameweek and focuses on Gameweek 35 only. This XI doesn't take into account future fixtures and this is worth remembering when it comes to any potential transfers.
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GK: Kasper Schmeichel (LEI)
Will be hopeful of keeping a clean sheet against Newcastle while could rack up some saves points as Leicester face Manchester United at Old Trafford in their second-half of Gameweek 35.
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DEF: Joel Ward (CRY)
Won't be a popular selection for many but Palace can keep a clean sheet against low-scoring Sheffield United while they may be involved in a low-scoring contest against out-of-form Southampton.
DEF: Lucas Digne (EVE)
The potential for two high-scoring games as Everton face West Ham and then Aston Villa but Digne could make up for lost clean sheets points with assists. He played in the corner for Dominic Calvert-Lewin's goal against Aston Villa last time out.
DEF: Ben Mee (BUR)
Burnley only play once but that's the Monday Night Football against a Fulham side who have managed just 25 goals across their 34 games this season. Scott Parker's side have scored three goals across their last six games.
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MID: Gylfi Sigurdsson (EVE)
Potential for goals as Everton take on West Ham and Aston Villa - two sides who have struggled to keep clean sheets. May score himself but is on set-piece and penalty duties for the Toffees.
MID: Wilfried Zaha (CRY)
Palace have two games against Sheffield United and Southampton so he will be hopeful of scoring at the some point across the gameweek.
MID: Mohamed Salah (LIV)
Liverpool may only have one game but Southampton's struggling defence is in an even trickier place after Jannik Vestergaard's suspension. A good chance of grabbing a goal this weekend.
MID: Marcus Rashford (MUN)
Manchester United have two games this week and he is a regular starter for them. A goal and an assist across his last four Premier League games.
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ATT: Kelechi Iheanacho (LEI)
Two games for the Leicester striker who has been in fantastic form recently. Would be a missed opportunity not to have him at this stage with a double gameweek next up.
ATT: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (EVE)
Has been a bit more hit-and-miss as the season has progressed but grabbed a goal against Villa last time out and will be hopeful of more given Everton's fixtures.
ATT: Christian Benteke (CRY)
Has become more of a regular starter for Palace and, like Zaha, will be hoping to capitalise on the fixture list with a goal or two in Gameweek 35.