West Ham United will look to respond to their home defeat against Carabao Cup finalists Newcastle United when they travel to Goodison Park to face former boss David Moyes and his in-form Everton side.
The Hammers fell short of securing a third consecutive victory and clean sheet on Monday Night Football, as a Bruno Guimarães strike just after the hour mark proved the difference between the sides.
Everton, meanwhile, have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround under Moyes. Just one point clear of safety when he returned to the club, the Toffees have since climbed 16 points clear of the relegation zone, leapfrogging West Ham in the standings for the first time this season.
After losing his first match back in charge, Moyes has led Everton on an eight-game unbeaten run in the league. Now, as we approach the final international break of the campaign, the Toffees are looking up the table rather than over their shoulders.
With no lunchtime kick-off or Friday night football, the Gameweek 29 transfer deadline is set slightly later than usual at 1.30pm GMT on Saturday 15 March, with kick-off at Goodison Park set for 3pm later that afternoon.
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.
Before we name names, don't forget to join the Official West Ham United FPL League by entering the code tezfax...
Could lightning strike twice for Souček?
West Ham’s second-highest goalscorer in the Premier League this season, Tomáš Souček (£4.9m) has started 23 of the Hammers’ 26 fixtures and remains a key figure in midfield. A constant aerial threat at set-pieces, he ranks among the top midfielders for shots inside the box.
Among the 37 midfielders to record an xG of over four this season, Souček, alongside Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández, is the only player available for under £5m, making him a great budget option.
The Czech Republic international will also have fond memories of Goodison Park, having netted what he describes as his best-ever goal the last time the two sides met on Merseyside.
Since regaining his starting place, Alphonse Areola (£4.2m) has conceded just four goals in six matches, an impressive record for a low-cost goalkeeper. Averaging over three saves per game this season, Areola is a safe pick for extra points. His shot-stopping ability was on full display in this fixture last season, when he made nine saves, including a penalty stop, to help secure a 3-1 victory.
Opposition Watch: Everton
Everton’s Beto (£5.1m) is a good value-for-money target for FPL Managers looking for a cheaper forward option. Finding his best form under boss David Moyes, the Lisbon-born Guinea-Bissau international has six goals in six Premier League starts for the Toffees since breaking into the starting eleven under their new boss.
A return of 35 points from Gameweeks 24 to 26 should make him a high-value target for FPL managers, considering he can be signed for a fraction of the price of most forwards. Although he drew blanks in both of Everton’s last two outings, an average xG of 0.67 in those games indicates he’s still very much a threat in front of goal. It’s also worth considering that he opened the the scoring in this very fixture just over a year ago.
One of only five outfield players to have played over 2,500 minutes in the Premier League this season, James Tarkowski (£4.9m) is another solid pick. Despite Everton’s position towards the lower end of the standings, they boast the sixth best defensive record in the division. His centre-back partnership with Jarrad Branthwaite, backed up by England international Jordan Pickford between the sticks, has yielded nine clean sheets in total, just one less than Arsenal, the best defensive side in the Premier League.
