West Ham United return to Premier League action against Manchester City on Saturday, looking to bounce back from defeat at the hands of league leaders Liverpool last time out.
Disappointment against Arne Slot’s rampant Reds ended a four-game unbeaten run for Julen Lopetegui’s side after two wins in the league, against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton, either side of 1-1 draws with AFC Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion.
However, a visit to Premier League champions Manchester City - who have won just two of their last ten top-flight outings - presents the opportunity for the Hammers to start 2025 with a rare three-point haul at Etihad Stadium and move closer to the top half of the table.
It goes without saying that the Irons will need to produce a much-improved performance if they are to score a victory over Pep Guardiola’s charges, who ended 2024 with a confidence-boosting victory at Leicester City.
Both sides will be full of individuals looking to provide the touch of magic required to make the difference on the day, meaning there are a number of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) decisions to be made in the lead up to kick-off.
The Gameweek 20 transfer deadline is set for 11am GMT on Saturday 4 January ahead of a mouth-watering feast of weekend action, with kick-off set four hours later at Etihad Stadium.
While we will be giving you FPL tips and tricks throughout the remainder of the 2024/25 season on whufc.com, see below for some of our picks for the upcoming round.
Also, don't forget to join the Official West Ham United FPL League by entering the code tezfax...
Summerville to star against City?
With West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen (£7.5m) sidelined with a fractured left foot, sustained in the first half against Liverpool, Crysencio Summerville (£5.6m) could step up in his absence on the flanks.
The exciting young Dutchman has had to bide his time and negotiate a carefully laid-out route to fulfil his potential in Claret and Blue, largely playing as an understudy to Mohammed Kudus and impressing with a series of cameos off the substitutes’ bench.
The 23-year-old is a livewire threat down the left flank who loves to deliver goals and can create assists from runs with the ball at his feet.
No individual produced a greater number of chance-creating ball carries than his 100 in last season’s EFL Championship, and he scored from nine of his own carries, so he could be in contention for his seventh Premier League start for the Hammers in Manchester.
Elsewhere, Kudus (£6.2m) was particularly unlucky not to score in the defeat to Liverpool, but was on target with his third Premier League goal of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion and will look to produce the same sort of performance that saw him score a spectacular bicycle-kick at Etihad Stadium in May.
Finally, Lucas Paquetá (£5.7m) made his return to the starting XI on Sunday, having been forced to sit out on Boxing Day due to suspension, and as the Irons' regular penalty taker, he is always worth a slot in your FPL side.
Opposition Watch: Manchester City
Manchester City have been far from their formidable best of years gone by as of late, but they did at least manage to end a second four-game winless streak of the season with victory over Leicester City.
Phil Foden (£9.2m), who is one of England’s top footballing prospects, was credited with the Fantasy Premier League assist for Savinho's opener at King Power Stadium, meaning he has two attacking returns in his last three appearances, and managers will hope those goal contributions and Foden’s promising underlying numbers, which have seen him rack up 18 shots and 12 key passes over the last six Gameweeks, can earn another positive return against the Hammers.
The 24-year-old has played fewer minutes than FPL’s most expensive player, Erling Haaland (£14.8m), since Gameweek 16 and has had more shots (13 to ten) and shots on target (six to four) than the Norwegian. He has also created more than twice as many chances as any other teammate in that period.
Haaland returned to the scoresheet in Gameweek 19 and had six total attempts, all inside the penalty area. That could be the confidence boost he needed to fire in more goals, and FPL managers will be hoping he could be a differential against the Irons, who will be keeping their fingers crossed that Haaland has an off-day.
