The Scout highlights the opportunities available for managers who have the Assistant Manager chip active in Gameweek 36 of Fantasy Premier League.
It’s important to note that activating the Assistant Manager chip in Gameweek 36 would mean you CANNOT use another chip this season.
Who is the best Assistant Manager for Gameweek 36?
If you are one of the 111,000 Fantasy managers who activated their Assistant Manager chip in Blank Gameweek 34, there is now just one Gameweek remaining to earn more points.
On top of that, more than 280,000 managers activated the chip either in Gameweek 35 or so far ahead of Gameweek 36. So, who is the best pick for Gameweek 36 fixtures?
There are two tactics to consider with the Assistant Manager chip.
You can pick a club from the top of the table with a favourable fixture - a tactic which is more reliable but has a lower ceiling for points.
Alternatively, you can target managers from clubs who can earn table bonus - a riskier approach which has a greater ceiling.
You can see the three clubs (in bold below) whose manager can earn table bonus against a team who are ranked at least five places higher in the Premier League table at the start of the Gameweek.
Gameweek 36 fixtures
Fulham v Everton
Ipswich v Brentford
Southampton v Man City
Wolves v Brighton
Bournemouth v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Chelsea
Man Utd v West Ham
Nottingham Forest v Leicester
Spurs v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Arsenal
Guardiola the most reliable pick?
Manchester City's recent upturn in form has seen Pep Guardiola (£1.5m) pick up 53 points across his last six matches, winning five and delivering 12 goals and four clean sheets.
Over the last six Gameweeks, Man City sit fourth for Expected Goals (xG) with 10.63, while only two teams can better their tally of 22 big chances created.
A trip to St Mary's in Gameweek 36 to face Southampton looks unlikely to halt City's stunning run of form. Saints are bottom of the Premier League with only 11 points and have lost 11 of their last 12 home matches.
Furthermore, Guardiola's prospects of picking up extra points for goals scored and a clean sheet look strong. Southampton rank bottom for Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) with 80.24, while only Leicester City have a lower xG in 2024/25.
Erling Haaland (£14.8m) returned to City's matchday squad in Gameweek 35, further boosting Guardiola's appeal this weekend.
Nuno versus Leicester?
Targeting Leicester City has proved a fruitful strategy for Fantasy managers using the Assistant Manager chip. The Foxes have won just two of their last 21 games, failing to score on 15 occasions.
Encouragingly for their Gameweek 36 opponents, Nottingham Forest and Nuno Espirito Santo (£1.1m), no team has a higher xGC (14.53) or allowed more big chances (26).
In the reverse fixture, Nottingham Forest beat Leicester 3-1, so a repeat of that result would see Nuno collect nine points for Fantasy managers.
Elsewhere, Thomas Frank (£0.8m) and Vitor Pereira (£0.8m) have been in impressive form of late and are worth mentioning. Brentford have won each of their last three matches while Wolves have tasted victory in six of their last seven contests.
Alongside Arne Slot (£1.5m), Frank and Pereira are the only managers to reach 100 Fantasy points. The pair face Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively in Gameweek 36, with both clubs managing only one win over their last seven matches.
McKenna the best for table bonus?
As mentioned previously, three managers can collect table bonus in Gameweek 35.
Unfortunately for Fantasy managers looking to take a risk, it's the three relegated managers; Kieran McKenna (£0.5m), Ruud van Nistelrooy (£0.5m) and Simon Rusk (0.5m).
McKenna is the top-scoring manager of the trio so far this season, picking up 50 points, compared to Van Nistelrooy's 28 and Rusk's 27. Ipswich have also scored more goals and picked up more points than both Leicester and Southampton.
While the Tractor Boys have a tricky fixture against in-form Brentford this weekend, they have taken points off Bournemouth, Chelsea and Everton over the last six Gameweeks. This suggests a draw against the Bees may not be completely out of the question.
So, who is the best pick for Gameweek 36?
For Fantasy managers looking to play it safe, Guardiola and Nuno both have a good chance of delivering a win, goals and a clean sheet.
If you wish to take an admittedly large risk and opt for a table-bonus manager, McKenna has probably got the best chance of avoiding defeat.
