The Scout discusses whether managers in Fantasy Premier League should buy in-form Manchester City players such as Nico O’Reilly (£5.0m) and Antoine Semenyo (£8.0m), given they don't have a fixture in Gameweek 31, but do have a very favourable schedule before then.
Man City's upcoming Blank Gameweek 31 (BGW31) has not stopped managers from bringing in their key players ahead of Friday's 18:30 GMT deadline.
As a reminder, a Blank Gameweek occurs when at least two top-flight clubs DON'T have a Premier League fixture in a particular Gameweek.
Pep Guardiola's side are without a match in BGW31 due to their EFL Cup final against Arsenal, which takes place on the same weekend as that round of fixtures.
Nonetheless, defender O’Reilly is the most-bought player in the Gameweek, earning 215,000+ new owners after scoring three goals to collect 30 points in back-to-back wins over Fulham and Newcastle United.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma (£5.6m), defender Marc Guehi (£5.2m) and midfielder Semenyo are also among the four most-transferred in players in their positions in Fantasy.
A look at Man City's schedule prior to their BGW31 shows why managers are so keen to invest.
Indeed, each of their next three opponents, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United, currently sit in the bottom six in the Premier League table.
Man City's next three matches
| GW | Opp. | FDR* |
| 28 | Leeds (A) | 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Nott'm Forest (H) | 2 |
| 30 | West Ham (A) | 2 |
*1=easiest possible fixture, 5=hardest possible fixture
Despite the recent upturn in interest, O'Reilly remains a big differential option and can be found in just over six per cent of squads.
By contrast, his team-mates Erling Haaland (£14.8m) and Semenyo are the two most-selected players overall, owned by 68 and 52 per cent respectively, while Guehi is the second most-picked defender, held by 37 per cent.
Why is O’Reilly scoring more goals?
A recent change of tactics by Pep Guardiola has transformed O'Reilly's potential in Fantasy.
The Man City boss has employed a 4-2-2-2 formation in each of the last two Gameweeks, with O’Reilly partnering Semenyo in an advanced central role behind the front two, Haaland and Omar Marmoush (£8.3m).
O'Reilly has delivered his season-high haul in each of those matches, following up a 13-point return against Fulham with 17 points against Newcastle.
The graphic below highlights O’Reilly’s average position when in possession for each Gameweek of 2025/26.
O'Reilly's average position map, 25/26
Graphic courtesy of Fantasy Football Scout
As you can see, he had established himself as a starter at left-back during the first half of the campaign, ahead of summer signing Rayan Ait-Nouri (£5.7m).
But the recent absence of wingers Savinho (£6.9m) and Jeremy Doku (£6.4m), in particular, has forced a re-think by Guardiola, with Ait-Nouri recalled at left-back and O’Reilly moved into his preferred midfield role.
This has allowed O’Reilly to occupy his most advanced, central positions of the season in Gameweeks 26 and 27.
How does O’Reilly compare with Man City's attackers for goal threat?
O'Reilly has been one of only three outfield players to play all 180 minutes of those last two matches, along with Ait-Nouri and Guehi.
His totals of seven shots and five shots in the box are both more than any team-mate, while his two big chances - situations where a player is expected to score - rank joint-top with Semenyo.
As the table below shows, he fares well when assessed against the January signing, averaging 25.7 minutes per shot compared with the 44.0 of Semenyo.
Certainly, O'Reilly's 42.5 per cent goal conversion rate is unsustainable.
But as a £5.0m defender in Fantasy who is currently leading the way for goal threat for Man City in this new system, his argument could barely be more convincing. That's providing Guardiola doesn't change his formation once again, of course.
Man City's last two matches
| Player | Shots in box | Mins/shot | Big chances | Goal conversion |
| O'Reilly | 5 | 25.7 | 2 | 42.5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semenyo | 3 | 44.0 | 2 | 25.0% |
| Marmoush | 3 | 20.4 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Haaland | 2 | 22.5 | 1 | 16.7% |
| Foden | 2 | 15.8 | 1 | 0.0% |
Scroll across to see the full table on mobile
In Semenyo's case, his ownership will be happy to hold for now - he's amassed 37 points over the last six Gameweeks since joining from AFC Bournemouth, one behind O'Reilly's 38 at the summit for Man City.
But as the table above shows, his average of 44.0 minutes per shot is more or less double the 22.5 of Haaland and suggests he's not a priority buy as a route into their attack.
Haaland's assist against Newcastle, meanwhile, continues an improving run of form, and means he has now delivered an attacking return in each of the last four Gameweeks.
Only two of his six shots across the last two matches are from inside the penalty area, however, which is something to monitor in this new set-up.
So, should you buy Man City players despite their BGW31?
As always in Fantasy, the decision depends on the state of your current squad, along with the number of free transfers and chips at your disposal.
Ultimately, though, if you're planning to bench Haaland and Gabriel and still field 11 players in BGW31, then there's only one outfield space left on that bench remaining.
O'Reilly's underlying numbers and hauls of 13 and 17 points suggest that - relative to almost any other defender in Fantasy right now - he is worth the investment.
Semenyo, on the other hand, has far healthier competition in his position, with Bruno Fernandes (£9.9m), Florian Wirtz (£8.4m), Morgan Rogers (£7.7m), Harry Wilson and Dango Ouattara (both £5.9m) among the midfielders capable of major hauls who also have a match in BGW31.
O'Reilly's huge upside also makes him an appealing pick right now for managers who are planning to play their Free Hit chip to navigate BGW31.
Such a strategy allows them to invest fully in Man City and Arsenal stars and temporarily replace them for BGW31.