With double gameweeks aplenty and the ever-increasing risk of squad rotation, being ahead of the curve will be vital in the final furlongs of the FPL season.
City currently sit at the top of the Premier League but with Liverpool hot on our heels, there’s no chance of Pep Guardiola’s men taking our foot off the pedal in the race for the title.
But with an FA Cup semi-final and Champions League last eight clash also on the horizon, resting players and using the squad could be crucial for City to continue our pursuit of silverware on multiple fronts.
Those all-important selection decisions could make or break an FPL manager’s season, so we’ve asked the Scout to offer five keys bits of advice leading into the 2021/22 finale.
Defensive diligence
Pep Guardiola’s side boast strong defensive options as the race for the Premier League title heats up.
Joao Cancelo’s (£7.0m) multiple routes to returns have taken him into fourth in the overall player standings on 162 points.
Aymeric Laporte (£5.8m), meanwhile, has recorded 26 shots in the box, more than any other defender this season.
De Bruyne influence
In attack, Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m) has hit top form recently.
The Belgian has been involved in six goals in the eight Premier League matches he’s featured in across 2022 (four goals, two assists).
Indeed, De Bruyne has produced 10+ points in three of his last seven matches.
Moreover, those contributions have often come at crucial times for Pep Guardiola’s men, with the midfielder grabbing a brace in City’s recent Manchester derby victory as well as the only goal in a 1-0 win over Chelsea in January.
Make the most of differential Mahrez
Mini-league leaders are more likely to adopt a risk-free strategy in the final Gameweeks in order to protect their advantage.
Those who are looking to chase down their rivals at the top of the table should therefore seek out low-owned gems who are capable of huge hauls in FPL.
Alongside Liverpool’s Sadio Mane (£11.7m), Riyad Mahrez (£8.7m) is one such player, with the Algerian owned by under 5% of FPL managers.
In contrast, the winger is one of City’s most in-form players, recording all five of his double-figure scores this season in his last eight Premier League starts.
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Use chips during double gameweeks
By remaining patient with their chips until more Double Gameweeks are confirmed, managers can maximise their chances of profiting from the schedule.
Teams such as City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are among those with outstanding fixtures.
The potential of big-hitters such as De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah (£13.2m) and Harry Kane (£12.3m) is clearly far greater when they have two matches in a single round of fixtures.
Pick teams with all to play for
Whether it is the race for the title, the chase for European football or the battle to avoid relegation, managers should focus on those sides who will have plenty at stake in the run-in.
Target key players from those sides who have every incentive to succeed.
City, of course, fall into this bracket, as we continue our pursuit of a fourth Premier League title in the last five seasons.
