Antonio FPL

FPL - Gameweek 22 Preview

A break from FPL due to the Emirates FA Cup fourth round has given bosses plenty of time to mull over their transfers.

And with deadline day also thrown into the mix, there are plenty of decisions to be made too.

Here is your Gameweek 22 preview as West Ham United – after 2-0 wins over Everton and Derby County – look to make it three wins on the bounce in all competitions against Newcastle United on Saturday. 

 

ANTONIO, ANTONIO, ANTONIO! 

One player to keep an eye on over the next weeks is forward Michail Antonio.

The No9 netted his third FA Cup goal for the Club in the Hammers’ 2-0 win over Derby County on Monday, his 67th strike in Claret and Blue.

The Hammers’ all-time Premier League top-scorer, with 58 goals in the top-flight, could be a crucial differential over the next couple of Gameweeks.

Antonio FPL

Priced at £7.0m, the 32-year-old is currently selected by just 1.5% of the players, although his record against the next two clubs West Ham is one to take note of.

Antonio netted against Chelsea in the reverse fixture in 2022/23 and also has a decent record against Newcastle, who David Moyes’ men face on Saturday.

Last season, the No9 scored and assisted in the Hammers' 4-2 triumph at St James’ Park. Following goals from Aaron Cresswell, Saïd Benrahma and Tomáš Souček, the Jamaica international netted the Irons’ fourth and final goal of a memorable opening day win in 2021/22.

An assist against Everton in the Irons’ last Premier League fixture took the No9’s season total to 43 points. We can expect more should Antonio lead the Hammers’ attack over the next few Gameweeks.

He will seek a fifth Premier League goal contribution of the 2022/23 season against Newcastle this weekend.

West Ham United's next fixtures: NEW (a), CHE (h), TOT (a)

 

OPPOSITION ONE TO WATCH: NICK POPE

If Nick Pope of Burnley was a useful FPL asset, then Nick Pope of Newcastle United has taken it to another level.

The Newcastle No1 passed a century of FPL points for 2022/23 already, as his side kept their sixth consecutive league clean sheet against Crystal Palace last time out.

Pope FPL

Pope, who was part of England’s 2022 FIFA World Cup finals squad in Qatar, has been in inspired form this year, recording double-digit Gameweek hauls on three occasions.

With the Magpies keeping 12 clean sheets in 21 games in the Premier League so far, around one in four FPL bosses have added the Newcastle No1, whose price has risen to £5.5m as a result.

The Irons will aim to end that run of clean sheets this weekend, and in doing so become the first side to net a league goal at Newcastle since Brentford in October last year.

Newcastle United's next fixtures: WHU (h), BOU (a), LIV (h)

 

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