In FPL, injuries are like John Cena, you can’t see them coming. It’s an opponent you can’t tame with the best of strategies or the finest of tactics. You build from the back, it strikes from the back.
FPL managers hate injury updates, which almost always catch them by surprise; but can’t afford to ignore them. It’s sad to watch a carefully curated FPL team suddenly getting a chink in the armour. But you can park the bus with a smart transfer move.
A hell of a lot of FPL managers who managed to keep the first wildcard in their savings account had to play it last week, as it was about to expire – now or never! Some of them are in deep water now, as West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen(£7.5m) has been ruled out injured for a couple of weeks.
This wasn’t the best start Bowen had in his tryst with the PL. However, he is enjoying a more than decent season so far, with 90pts in FPL and being admired by more than 6% of suitors globally.
During the 0-5 hammering by Liverpool at home, the Hammers captain fractured his left foot. The club statement released by the East London football team read, “The injury to his left foot, picked up in the first half at London Stadium, will sideline the Hammers captain heading into the New Year.”
However, things are much worse than it seemed in the first place. Bowen, who garnered 28pts between GW15 and GW18 averaging 7pts per game, is now expected to miss at least the next four games.
This has resulted in him being one of the most transferred-out players before GW20. Meanwhile, the possibility of being on the sidelines for more than six weeks is also looming large.
Bowen used to be a smart differential but here are some interesting covers for the Englishman, that will not burn your pocket —
Morgan Rogers (£5.5m)
Welcome to Morgan Rogers’ breakout season (88pts already). He has become one of Unai Emery’s most trusted henchmen in the Villa attack.
Morgan’s price and ownership shoot up (currently owned by 23% of teams) with the passage of gameweeks. With six goals to his name so far, Morgan is in fine form and has garnered 27pts in the last three appearances.
However, there is a catch. Rogers is suspended for the GW20 clash against Leicester. But as Villa plays Everton, West Ham, Wolves, and Ipswich in the following five gameweeks, Morgan should be under your FPL radar.
Jacob Murphy (£5.1m)
Eddie Howe’s men have turned the tables in December and as expected, Newcastle United assets are on a sharp rise in FPL.
Jacob Murphy currently sits fourth in the assists chart of PL 2024/25 with an impressive tally of 6. Long overshadowed by teammate Gordon, Murphy has become a hot property in recent weeks.
He has found the net thrice in this campaign, raking in 42pts in the last five GWs. Murphy is nailed on to start in the wings and faces the likes of Wolves and Southampton in the next four.
Anthony Gordon (£7.4m)
The Newcastle juggernaut has blown away their opponents in the last four encounters — 4-0 against Leicester City, 4-0 against Ipswich Town, 3-0 against Aston Villa, and 2-0 against Manchester United. Local lad Gordon has been fundamental to this dream run.
Howe seems to be a great admirer of Gordon, handing him 17 starts in 19 matches so far. Gordon appears to have repaid that faith with an xG (expected goals) and xA (expected assists) per 90’ of 0.36 and 0.24 respectively, resulting in 4 goals and 5 assists.
He has a great run of fixtures now which makes him one of the most sought-after assets in the game.
Morgan Gibbs-White (£6.4m)
The Forest no.10, who used to be an enabler in the previous two FPL seasons, has become a livewire in the recent gameweeks. Still a huge differential with less than 3% ownership, Gibbs-White has sucker-punched an astonishing 39pts-haul in his last five outings!
To help his cause, Forest faces Wolves, Southampton, and Bournemouth in the next four.
