FPL Gameweek 23 tips and advice: Who are the best Man City and Arsenal assets?

Sky Sports continues its weekly column, bringing you essential tips from the best Fantasy Premier League managers in the world.

In our latest column, Holly Shand and Lee from FPL Family discuss their FPL teams ahead of Double Gameweek 23, including the best assets to buy, whether to use the Free Hit or Triple Captain chips and tips for future tricky Gameweeks.

What Manchester City and Arsenal assets are key for this double GW?

Mikel Arteta embraces Bukayo Saka after the win at Spurs

FPL Family: Having three Man City assets for this Gameweek might not suddenly be the necessity it seemed a few weeks back. Joao Cancelo’s gone to Germany and taken with him any defensive form City might’ve had.

Erling Haaland (£12.2m) is a given, you have to have him, but outside of the big Norwegian, Pep’s starting XI will be the usual FPL minefield. Having not played against Spurs, Kevin de Bruyne (£12.4m) looks a pretty safe bet for two starts in the double.

For Arsenal, Bukayo Saka (£8.3m) looks the top pick. He’s only got one double-digit haul for us in FPL this season so far, but he has got four nine-pointers, so he’s been consistent with his point-scoring and is on penalty duties.

Having two Arsenal attackers seems prudent, although neither Brentford nor City will be pushovers. Either Martin Odegaard (£7m) in midfield or Eddie Nketiah (£6.8m) up front look the go-to picks. Gabriel Martinelli would be one to avoid in my opinion now that Trossard is there as competition for his spot.

Holly Shand: Arsenal should be the main focus given that they have five games in the next three Gameweeks. Aim to own Odegaard and Saka, plus either Nketiah or a defender. Man City players are also attractive, but I wouldn’t take a points hit to bring in their players this week.

Would you sell Fernandes to get KDB?

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after putting Man City 2-0 up against Bournemouth

Holly Shand: This is a 50/50 call. Bruno Fernandes (£9.9m) has the form and is on penalties, but does have two upcoming blanks in the schedule. Casemiro’s suspension does dent his appeal over the next two Gameweeks, so a free transfer from Fernandes to De Bruyne could pay off.

FPL Family: I would sell Bruno for KDB as part of a free transfer, but I’m not sure I would do it for a hit. Having said that, I am expecting goals again at Elland Road, with a reasonably high-energy attacking game.

Surely Erik ten Hag learns from the game at Old Trafford earlier this week and goes for the dynamic front three, with Bruno advanced in support of Marcus Rashford – rather than the slightly more static Wout Weghorst up front.

Would you take a hit to get more Man City and Arsenal assets?

Holly Shand: I would take a hit for Arsenal players given their prospects long term in the game. Hits for Manchester City players are less attractive given their form right now and the constant threat of rotation under Pep Guardiola.

FPL Family: Yes. If you’re not happy with your Arsenal assets, then it is ok to take a hit to get the one you want. I’ll be looking at Martinelli to Saka this week for example as I believe that a -4 will pay me back over Double Gameweek 23 and beyond, particularly as Arsenal’s fixtures look very good for the medium term, including another double in Gameweek 25.

If you have a Free Hit or Triple Captain chip – is this a good week to use it?

FPL Family: The Free Hit chip will be very useful for navigating difficult blank Gameweeks in the future or playing it more aggressively in a big Double Gameweek – I’d save it.

If you still hold the Triple Captain chip, though, it’s absolutely okay to use it in this Gameweek – I would go for Haaland. Before you hit that confirm button, consider the current malaise at City and whether Haaland is reaching the same heights as earlier in the season. With a Double Gameweek 25 for Arsenal on the horizon, you might want to consider saving it for Saka or perhaps even Odegaard in that week.

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Sky Sports takes a closer look at how Manchester City are making use of striker Erling Haaland and how evidence from the defeat against Tottenham suggests they could be doing more

Holly Shand: This could be a good week to use the Triple Captain chip as it’s a small Double Gameweek involving premium players. The Free Hit is best used in a bigger blank or Double Gameweek, or a Gameweek which is a combination of those. Most managers own at least three Double Gameweek players already.

Who would your triple captain be?

Holly Shand: If I still had the Triple Captain chip I would be tempted to use it on Haaland this week, since he is the most prolific fantasy asset that we have ever seen. It’s difficult to know what to expect from him for the away trip to Arsenal though, with over 70 per cent of his goals coming at the Etihad this season.

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The Super Sunday panel discuss Erling Haaland’s performance against Tottenham, with Jamie Carragher suggesting the Manchester City striker may have chosen the wrong club to join to bring out the best of him

FPL Family: If I were playing it this week, I’d go for Haaland. Otherwise, I’d save it for Saka in Double Gameweek 25 a few weeks down the line.

Are you already planning for future Double Gameweeks?

FPL Family: Yes, always! Every good FPL manager knows the benefits of looking ahead and being a couple of steps ahead of your opponents. Gameweek 25, in particular, is going to be tough to navigate. There’s lot of teams to target, but there’s also four teams – Man United, Newcastle, Brighton and Brentford – that are all blank, so using those precious transfers over the next couple of weeks to remove the blanking players and finding a route to the doublers is absolutely worth thinking about now.

Holly Shand: No, not really. There are always a lot of factors in play with FPL decisions and the landscape can change quite quickly, so I try not to look too far ahead. The sides involved in Gameweek 25 beyond Arsenal aren’t showing consistent form right now.

Are Liverpool players to be trusted ahead of the Merseyside derby?

Jordan Henderson after Liverpool's defeat at Wolves

Holly Shand: No! Liverpool players would probably be gone from most line-ups if it wasn’t for news of Double Gameweek 25. It’s now or never for Jurgen Klopp, but I wouldn’t hold out much hope for an upturn in form.

FPL Family: If ever there was a game Klopp’s Reds could find some form, it’s this one. That could, of course, be me talking with my red goggles on.

The Sean Dyche era got off to the best possible start against Arsenal last week and we know what we’re going to get in terms of his style. Well-organised, hard-working, tough-to-breakdown defensively. If Liverpool are to find some form and get a result, they’re going to need to want it more than Everton.

If you have Liverpool assets in FPL, I think you hold, especially with their Double Gameweek 25 in mind, which is coming up in a few weeks. If you do need to sell this week to fund a move for a Double Gameweek assets you really want like Saka or De Bruyne, then I think that’s totally okay too.

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