West Ham United continue their 2024/25 Premier League campaign when they host south-London rivals Crystal Palace, looking to build on the momentum they gained from their victory over Fulham on Tuesday.
The entertaining 3-2 triumph over the Cottagers delivered Graham Potter a welcome win in his first Premier League game in charge, and a seventh three-point haul of the top-flight campaign for the Club, with Carlos Soler, Tomáš Souček and Lucas Paquetá on target.
Potter’s charges will be aiming to complete the double over Palace, having won an action-packed reverse fixture 2-0 in August at Selhurst Park. Souček handed West Ham an early second-half lead that day, before Jarrod Bowen made sure of an impressive result.
Both teams will be full of individuals looking to provide the touch of magic required to make the difference at London Stadium, 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 11am on Saturday 18 January ahead of a mouth-watering feast of weekend action, with kick-off set four hours later in east London.
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...
Back to our Gameweek 22 preview, and we’re looking for our stand-in skipper to step up in another key game…
Souček to soar against the Eagles?
Some things are certain in life, and one of them is West Ham United’s Tomáš Souček (£4.9m) stepping up in key moments.
Despite doing so yet again against Fulham on Tuesday, Souček remains very much an overlooked player in Fantasy ahead of our home match with Crystal Palace.
The Czech Republic international has eclipsed 100 FPL points in each of his four full seasons as a West Ham United player, and is on course to do so again in 2024/25. With 71 points from the opening 21 matches this season, Souček, who is renowned as a big-game player, will surely have a part to play on Saturday against the Eagles.
Mohammed Kudus (£6.2m) is an obvious asset to target given his strong underlying data. Despite playing three games fewer in the Premier League than West Ham United captain and highest-scoring FPL player, Jarrod Bowen, Kudus has almost matched him for shots (Bowen leads 50 to 46), big chances (seven to six), and xG (5.10 to 4.97). Kudus represents an affordable differential for those looking to make a mid-season move in Fantasy Premier League.
Elsewhere, Lucas Paquetá (£5.7m) has well and truly come into his own under the tutelage of Potter, being a standout performer in his opening two matches. The Brazilian has delivered two goals in his last two starts, and as the Irons' regular penalty taker, he is always worth a spot in your FPL side.
Opposition Watch: Crystal Palace
Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.3m) hasn’t hit the same heights this season that he reached in the second half of the last campaign, but a goal against each of Chelsea and Leicester City in his last two outings - his fifth and sixth of the season - have delivered a well-timed confidence boost.
Although Eberechi Eze (£6.6m) tops Palace’s charts for shots taken, Mateta leads the way for big chances (with 15).
Eze has produced three consecutive attacking returns for the first time this season, scoring against Southampton and supplying an assist apiece against Chelsea and Leicester City.
Since he returned from injury in Gameweek 13, the midfielder has boasted the greatest all-round threat of any Palace player. His 21 shots and 16 chances created are both team-leading totals in that spell.
Finally, two goals in his last eight matches from defender Daniel Muñoz (£4.8m) showcases the Palace wing-back’s attacking potential. Muñoz has had 20 shots in the box this season, placing him second among all defenders in Fantasy.
