This week’s FPL Challenge continues with the "Race for Europe" theme. This week, players from the match between Arsenal and Newcastle will score DOUBLE points, with managers selecting a five-a-side team using an unlimited budget.
Here, FPL expert Sam Bonfield reveals how she’s tackling Gameweek 37.
Goalkeepers
Last week, players from Arsenal and Liverpool had their points doubled. Of the goalkeepers, Alisson (£5.5m) and David Raya (£5.5m) both returned four points. Meanwhile, the top-scoring goalkeeper in Gameweek 36 was Aaron Ramsdale (£4.4m), who collected 10 points, with Brentford's Mark Flekken (£4.5m) close behind on nine. In fact, eight goalkeepers scored more than the two who had their points doubled. This learning means that rather than opting for Nick Pope (£5.0m) or Raya this week, I am going to select a goalkeeper with more potential for a clean sheet.
Everton play their last home match at Goodison Park in Gameweek 37 against a Southampton team who have scored the fewest goals in the league this season. Jordan Pickford (£5.1m) is therefore my pick between the sticks.
Pickford has made 114 saves this season, the fourth-most in the league, helping him claim 24 save points. He has also registered 12 bonus points, joint-top with Flekken, while he has even provided an assist.
Defenders
Much like with the goalkeepers, there were plenty of defenders last week who outscored those from the double points match. Andy Robertson (£5.8m) was the highest-scoring defender from the double points match thanks to his assist. However, there were eight defenders in the game who either bettered or equalled Robertson's score in Gameweek 36.
Heading into Gameweek 37 then, there is more of a conversation around the double points defenders. Newcastle's defenders have been outstanding this season, including last week when Dan Burn (£4.5m) was the second highest-scoring defender.
Likewise, over the course of the season, William Saliba (£6.5m) is the sixth highest-scoring defender. Were it not for injuries to the likes of Gabriel (£6.2m), we would likely have seen Saliba higher in the charts, as well as an increase in the number of Arsenal defenders in the top 10. Arsenal have, however, only kept one clean sheet since Gameweek 30, so I have decided to go with a Newcastle defender instead.
Outside of the injured Lewis Hall (£4.7m), Fabian Schar (£5.5m) is the Newcastle defender with the most attacking returns this season. Schar has registered six attacking returns, with four goals and two assists. He also ranks top for shots among Newcastle defenders, with 31. Given this additional upside, Schar feels worth the risk with the potential of the double points, even if he doesn't pick up a clean sheet.
Of the defenders from the rest of the games, I have also considered the likes of Marc Cucurella (£5.4m), who provides plenty of attacking threat. Chelsea host a Manchester United side who will likely have an eye on next Wednesday's UEFA Europa League final.
Midfielders
Last week, three of the four highest-scoring midfielders came in the bonus points match between Liverpool and Arsenal. The only exception was Eberechi Eze (£7.0m), who I watched in person at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, who was unbelievable. This week, therefore, opting for a midfielder from Arsenal versus Newcastle makes sense.
But with Leandro Trossard (£6.8m) going off injured in Gameweek 36 and Mikel Merino (£6.0m) now suspended for the final two matches, picking an Arsenal midfielder outside of Bukayo Saka (£10.3m) is more challenging. Saka has blanked in all six Arsenal matches since Gameweek 31, so his form is somewhat offputting.
Gabriel Martinelli (£6.5m) could be a decent alternative after the Arsenal midfielder scored in Gameweek 36. I will likely wait for the teamsheets to see who is playing where for Arsenal before deciding whether to invest or not.
I also considered Newcastle midfielders, but again I would recommend waiting for the teamsheet to land because a start for Anthony Gordon (£7.4m) in Gameweek 36 maybe makes him more attractive than the likes of Harvey Barnes (£5.9m) or Jacob Murphy (£5.2m).
Based on this, I've currently opted for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers (£5.7m) and Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo (£8.3m) in the middle of the park. Both have had incredible seasons and are in good form.
Mbeumo will be up against Fulham, who have only kept one clean sheet since Gameweek 23. Meanwhile, the Cameroonian is the second highest-scoring player in FPL behind Mohamed Salah (£13.6m).
Rogers also has the form and has a great fixture against a Spurs team that could be heavily rotated ahead of their Europa League final on Wednesday.
The only downside regarding Mbeumo and Rogers is that those fixtures will either be finished or in play before the teamsheets land for the Arsenal versus Newcastle match. So I might end up picking only one of Mbeumo and Rogers and having the other space available for the race for Europe match.
Forwards
I am opting to play with just one forward in Alexander Isak (£9.5m). The Newcastle star is the top-scoring forward in FPL, with 23 goals this season, while he scored the winning goal in the reverse fixture back in Gameweek 10, also picking up all three bonus points.
Having Isak does mean going without Ollie Watkins (£9.0m), however, who I think is an excellent pick for his Friday night game against Spurs.
