In the race to be crowned Fantasy Premier League champion for 2022/23, current world No 1 Ali Jahangirov has an 18-point lead heading into the final round of matches.
Jahangirov’s team FPL Gunz scored 65 points in Double Gameweek 37, with his decision to sell Kevin De Bruyne (£12.1m) for Bruno Fernandes (£9.5m) netting him nine points.
Fernandes netted a penalty in Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Chelsea as he contributed 11 points over his two matches. De Bruyne, in contrast, notched back-to-back one-point returns as Pep Guardiola rotated his squad.
Overall FPL rankings
| Rank | Team name | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FPL Gunz | Azerbaijan | 2,728 |
| 2 | Raging Devils FC | Singapore | 2,710 |
| 3 | AZZURRI | Egypt | 2,708 |
| 4 | slam tent | Scotland | 2,707 |
| 5 | Twist Tigers | England | 2,705 |
| 6 | BruYES Fernandes | Singapore | 2,700 |
| 7 | Ayman Team | Egypt | 2,694 |
| 8 | Weasel FC | Singapore | 2,693 |
| 9 | � | Wales | 2,691 |
| 10 | Crazy_KeJP^.- | Serbia | 2,691 |
| 11 | Ica | Egypt | 2,690 |
It was a difficult week to make gains in the overall standings, with all of the leading contenders backing Erling Haaland (£12.4m) with the captain’s armband, and all but one owning Fernandes.
A few words from the current #FPL leader, @FplGunz:
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) May 26, 2023
"I am very excited to be in this position. Gameweek 38 will be a nervy watch, hopefully my team performs well when I need it the most!"
It all comes down to Sunday... pic.twitter.com/yZRLVEAHTO
AZZURRI moved up a place to third as his new recruit Julian Alvarez (£6.1m) repaid him with a nine-point return.
Scotland’s Craig Marshall climbed to fourth thanks to Luke Shaw’s (£5.3m) double-figure haul across his two outings in Gameweek 37.
Having produced nine points in his opening match, Marshall will feel a little disappointed at Shaw’s half-time withdrawal on Thursday which resulted in a one-point score. The defender is a doubt for Gameweek 38 with a back injury.
Elsewhere, Joanne Hales-Owen dropped to fifth, while there are now three managers from Singapore in the top eight as Ng Wesley joined JY Lye, in second, and sixth-placed Wong Traci.
Kane a key differential?
Wesley is unique among the leading group for owning Harry Kane (£11.4m), a potentially key differential for the final round.
Tottenham Hotspur visit a relegation-threatened Leeds United side who must win if they are to stand any chance of retaining their Premier League status. Spurs, meanwhile, still harbour hopes of a European spot. Those dynamics could result in a match with plenty of goals.
The good news for Wesley is that it appears tricky for his title-chasing rivals to acquire the premium-priced Kane.
Not many will be willing to part company with Haaland following Guardiola’s admission in his pre-match press conference that “we need to keep our rhythm” and that he will “play the game as strong as possible.”
Sticking with Salah
The other highly-owned and expensive asset is Mohamed Salah (£13.1m), who features in eight of the top 10 teams. Given Liverpool’s enticing encounter at Championship-bound Southampton, it’s unlikely anyone will be selling him.
Just outside the top 10, 11th-placed Monique Ihab still has her Wildcard, giving her a distinct advantage over her fellow competitors. None of the top 10 have any chips left.
In 2019/20, Joshua Bull played his Wildcard in Gameweek 38 on his way to becoming champion, and last season’s winner Jamie Pigott used his Free Hit chip in Gameweek 37 to catapult his team Futbolislife;) from 10th to first.
Coincidentally, Pigott bridged a 38-point gap to overtake the leader Pranto Protim Paul, the exact same total required by Ihab in order to catch Jahangirov.
The title race is not over yet.
