FPL: The king is back

Welcome back to FPL for Gameweek 30. Gameweek 29 was brutal – huge rank swings, big hauls for some, heartbreak for others. If you were on the right side, enjoy it. If not, don’t panic. With blank Gameweek 31 around the corner, this week is a brilliant chance to reset, attack form and fixtures, and jump back onto a few key assets who can carry your team through the chaos.

João Pedro (7.7m)

Pedro is the bandwagon of the week, and for once it’s hard to argue against it. He’s returned in every match since Gameweek 22 bar one, delivering the kind of consistency FPL managers crave from a mid‑price forward. Yes, a few of those points have come via winning penalties, open nets and a bit of fortune, but the bottom line is simple: he keeps scoring. Newcastle at home in Gameweek 30 is a perfectly fine fixture for an in‑form Chelsea attack, and with Everton away in blank Gameweek 31, he’s even a genuine captain shout when many squads will be stretched. If you’re not on him yet, you’re running out of excuses.

Mohamed Salah (14.0m)

Salah has forced his way back into the conversation at exactly the wrong time for our nerves and the right time for upside. He’s still not at the ridiculous, record‑breaking levels of old and the price tag remains heavy, but two goals in his last three is a reminder that his ceiling is unmatched when he clicks. Tottenham at home this week – a side giving up big chances for fun, particularly to right‑sided attackers, conceding two double digit hauls to right wingers in two weeks – followed by an open, chaotic Brighton away fixture screams opportunity. To get there, most will need to sacrifice Erling Haaland, especially with City blanking in 31. It’s a two‑week, high‑risk, high‑reward swing – the kind of move that wins (or loses) mini‑leagues. Not for the weak.

Marcus Tavernier (5.3m)

Tavernier looks like one of those picks where patience will be heavily rewarded. Against Brentford in Gameweek 29 he somehow escaped without a single return despite posting 1.37 expected goal involvement, hitting the woodwork twice and being on a share of set pieces and penalties. That level of involvement usually leads to hauls over a larger sample. Burnley at home this week is the fixture you should actively target, and even the trip to Manchester United in blank Gameweek 31 shouldn’t scare you given how leaky they still are. At around 1.7% ownership, Tavernier is perfectly placed as a short‑term differential with the numbers to back him.

Morgan Gibbs‑White (7.3m)

If Nottingham Forest are going to stay up, the next two fixtures are absolutely massive – and Gibbs‑White will be at the centre of everything. Fulham at home in Gameweek 30, then a potentially season-defining trip to Spurs, offer exactly the kind of high‑intensity matches where his influence shines. He’s their talisman, on plenty of set pieces, and the player they look to when they need something special. Sitting under 4% ownership, he’s a classic eye‑test plus opportunity pick: driving the team forward, central to all their attacks, and with enough creativity to explode if Forest click. As differentials go, he’s right near the top of the list for this run.

Bruno Fernandes (10.1m)

Bruno Fernandes is back in full “don’t overthink it” territory. Over the last six matches he’s racked up 28 key passes – no-one else in the league comes close – and his underlying creativity is off the charts. His eight points last time out honestly flattered his team-mates more than him; with even half‑decent finishing he could have walked away with a monster haul. Fixture-proof, on penalties, on most set pieces and a bonus magnet when United win, he’s a captaincy option in almost any given week. Aston Villa at home, Bournemouth away, then Leeds at Old Trafford is a three-game run that suits him perfectly as United push hard for a Champions League spot. If you’re still without him, you’re playing with fire.