West Ham United return to home Premier League action against AFC Bournemouth on Thursday night, looking to stretch their ongoing five-game unbeaten run in the competition.
Two successive draws in the league - against Brighton & Hove Albion and away at Sheffield United last time out, either side of an Emirates FA Cup exit to Bristol City - have left the Hammers yearning for a return to winning ways under the lights.
And there are plenty of individuals in the squad looking to provide the touch of magic required to make the difference on the night, meaning there are a number of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) decisions to be made in the lead up to kick-off.
The Gameweek 22 transfer deadline is set for 6pm on Tuesday 30 January, ahead of a mouth-watering feast of midweek football beginning later that evening, two days prior to West Ham’s Bournemouth clash.
While we will be giving you FPL tips and tricks throughout the remainder of the 2023/24 season on whufc.com, see below for some of our picks for the upcoming round…
Phillips and Kudus ready to shine
Kalvin Phillips (£4.7m) could be in line to make his West Ham United debut against the Cherries, following his loan arrival from Manchester City late last week.
The 28-year-old is certainly a player to think about regarding FPL, considering his current low price, despite having only scored four points so far this season.
With only four Premier League appearances to his name in 2023/24, Phillips will be eager to hit the ground running in Claret and Blue, and his defensive prowess in particular could make him a shrewd addition to any FPL team.
Elsewhere, Mohammed Kudus (£6.8m) could potentially be back in consideration for the Irons in the wake of a disappointing CAF Africa Cup of Nations campaign with Ghana.
Kudus and the Black Stars were dealt a group-stage exit from the tournament in Ivory Coast, with two draws and a defeat from their three matches, though the Irons No14 did manage to notch two goals in his two outings.
In terms of FPL, he has been a huge success after making his full debut in Gameweek 10. He was the fifth top-scoring midfielder in Fantasy from that point onwards, producing five goals, three assists and 64 points.
A cheaper midfield alternative to Kudus is Maxwel Cornet (£5.2m), who will be full of confidence after scoring his first West Ham goal against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on 21 January.
The Ivory Coast international’s exploits that day earned him seven FPL points, adding to the one he earned away to Bournemouth on the opening day.
Opposition watch: AFC Bournemouth
Midfielder Marcus Tavernier (£5.4m) heads to east London in excellent away form, having scored both his goals this season, and supplied three of his four assists, in the Cherries’ last five matches on the road.
He amassed 34 points across those encounters, including attacking returns against both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Up front, Dominic Solanke (£7.1m) is the Premier League’s joint-third top scorer so far this season with 12 strikes to his name, including the equaliser in the last meeting between West Ham and Bournemouth in August.
Solanke has been selected by 27.2 per cent of FPL players, and his 100 points rank him below only Ollie Watkins and Erling Haaland among all forwards, the latter of whom is nearly double the price of the Bournemouth man (£13.9m).
Join Hammers’ supporters’ league
Don't forget to join the Official West Ham United FPL League by clicking HERE and entering the code 5ycfoa.
Also, congratulations to John Lynch, who is top of the West Ham supporters’ league with 1,353 points heading into Gameweek 22.
