Captain Palmer or Joao Pedro? FPL team of the week

The best FPL captain this week comes from Chelsea as they face a Burnley side that has conceded a league-high 32 goals away from home.

That is nearly three goals per game – so who do you choose out of Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro?

The pair have scored 43 and 48 FPL points in the past five gameweeks respectively, the two form players in that period.

If you own both, this is an near-impossible choice but I’ve gone for Palmer here with penalties adding to his potential.

It means no place for Erling Haaland this week – the re-emergence of expensive midfielders such as Palmer means tough choices. Let’s hope that doesn’t backfire although the Norwegian might be an injury doubt this week.

The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.

Going all-in on Arsenal’s defence backfired as they conceded in both games, with only captain Gabriel (14 points) doing anything attacking wise.

Ditto going double Palace defence. Deary dear.

Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa, keeper, £5m – Leeds (h)

Villa have two clean sheets in their past five games and they have only conceded three times in that run – and allowed a fourth-best nine big chances.

Martinez owners might feel unlucky not to got more out of him.

Daniel Munoz, Crystal Palace, £5.9m – Wolves (h)

Palace’s defence was a massive disappointment last week as they folded in the first half against Burnley.

I’m putting that down to the randomness of Premier League football and going for the fixture – bottom of the league at home – over form.

Munoz carries so much attacking threat and one bad game is not enough to move away from him.

James Hill, Bournemouth, £4m – West Ham (a)

Only four players have more points than Hill’s 29 in the past four gameweeks.

He’s the dream budget option to end the season with, as Bournemouth have a nice fixture run to finish with.

He’ll probably be in the side next week too for Sunderland at home.

Nordi Mukiele, Sunderland, £4.6m – Fulham (h)

Mukiele has picked up defensive contribution points 12 times in 24 starts. His five assists is the third-most among defenders and Sunderland have eight clean sheets this season.

Mohammed Salah, Liverpool, £14m – Nottingham Forest (a)

Is Salah back as an FPL option?

He’s had a terrible season by his standards and is only the 41st-ranked midfielder in FPL but…

In the four games since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations, the signs are there that a haul is imminent.

Salah’s had 14 shots in that time (more than anyone else in the league), 12 in the box, three big chances yet no goal to show for it. He does have three assists.

Forest have been flakey to say the least this season and Liverpool are hitting a bit of form.

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, £9.8m – Everton (a)

Fernandes has been fantasy gold dust since his return from injury in gameweek 21 so don’t let his blank at West Ham last time out put you off.

The Portuguese has 44 points in those six games and there’s not even a penalty in there. By contrast, Cole Palmer has the same amount of points in six games but with four penalties.

Fernandes’ potential is off the charts and Everton have only one clean sheet in their past seven.

Cole Palmer (captain), Chelsea, £10.6m – Burnley (h)

He might have relied on penalties for his recent surge in form but that is what makes Palmer such a great FPL asset in the first place.

If you’re chasing points in your mini-league, Palmer is the best differential with just a 15% ownership.

And Burnley at home… well it doesn’t get much better!

Antoine Semenyo, Manchester City, £8.0m – Newcastle (h)

Any worries that Semenyo’s production might suffer from his move to City, with so many forward options, have been unfounded.

Jorgen Strand Larsen, Crystal Palace, £6.1m – Leeds (h)

As soon as Strand Larsen moved to Palace, he became an enticing FPL option and his two-goal debut haul will have managers drooling.

Facing Burnley’s defence last week might have had something to do with things but the Norwegian gets a crack at another leaky defence.

Don’t be fooled by Wolves’ clean sheet at Forest last time – they allowed 35 shots and could have conceded five!

Joao Pedro, Chelsea, £7.7m – Burnley (h)

It must be a while since a striker not called Erling Haaland has had a run of form like Joao Pedro’s.

Five games, four goals, five assists and nine bonus points. And now he takes on Burnley.

Get him in your team!

Igor Thiago, Brentford, £7m – Brighton (h)

Only one goal in five for the Premier League’s second-top scorer but he now enters an incredible run of fixtures until gameweek 33, including games against Wolves and Burnley.

Martin Dubravka, Burnley, keeper, £4m – Chelsea (a)

El Hadji Malick Diouf, West Ham, defender, £4m – Bournemouth (h)

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Everton, midfielder, £4.9m – Manchester United (h)

Omar Alderete, Sunderland, defender, £4.1m – Fulham (h)