Gameweek 29 is approaching, and it presents a unique challenge for Fantasy Premier League managers, with only eight fixtures instead of the usual ten.
With Liverpool, Newcastle, Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace all missing out, many managers are facing gaps in their squads.
The key will be finding smart ways to cover these absences without offloading players who will be valuable for the rest of the season.
In this article, we’ll break down key statistics and discuss the major talking points to help you navigate the upcoming gameweek and hopefully provide you with good Fantasy Premier League tips.
FPL Gameweek 29 Deadline
The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 29 deadline is Saturday, 15 March, 2025, at 14:00 GMT.
FPL Gameweek 29 Fixtures
Everton are set to host West Ham.
Wolves travel to Southampton.
Ipswich are at home to Nottingham Forest.
Brighton visit Manchester City.
Bournemouth welcomes Brentford.
Arsenal face Chelsea at the Emirates.
Spurs are away to Fulham.
Leicester are at home to Manchester United.
FPL Assets Leading On Form For Gameweek 29
Let’s start by looking at the current form amongst FPL assets for Matchweek 29.
Goalkeepers:
- Ederson stays first with 6.5
- Mark Flekken remains second with 5.8
- Bart Verbruggen is still third with 5.2
Defenders:
- Marc Cucurella jumps to first with 8.0
- Daniel Muñoz remains second with 6.0 (Not playing in GW29)
- Jan Paul van Hecke is tied for third with 5.8
Midfielders:
- Mohamed Salah remains on top with 11.3 (Not playing in GW29)
- Bruno Fernandes is tied for second with 7.8
- Ismaïla Sarr rivals him with 7.8 (Not playing in GW29)
Forwards:
- João Pedro moves to first with 7.5
- Ollie Watkins is second with 6.2 (Not playing in GW29)
- Omar Marmoush is third with 5.5
Finally Time For Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United fans won’t be looking at the Premier League table with much joy, as the once-dominant club currently sits in 14th place.
It has been another tough season, but there are still a few positives to take.
One of them is that United remain the only unbeaten team in the Europa League, a feat no side in the Champions League or Europa League has managed.
Another is the recent form of Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese playmaker has faced heavy criticism from large sections of the fanbase, but his performances in recent weeks have been outstanding.
In his last three Premier League appearances, Fernandes has registered two goals and two assists, accumulating 29 FPL points.
He scored 9 points against Arsenal, 10 against Ipswich, and another 10 against Everton.
For FPL managers who owned him during this period, his returns have been invaluable.
With key assets like Salah, Watkins and Alexander Isak all missing for the next gameweek, many FPL managers are looking at Bruno’s form and backing him as a strong alternative.
Manchester United’s next four fixtures see them face Leicester, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, and Newcastle, with the latter three presenting significant challenges for a struggling United side.
Despite this, confidence in Fernandes seems to be high.
His recent upturn in form has made him the most transferred-in player ahead of the new gameweek, as FPL managers hope he can continue delivering crucial returns.
How Did The Assistant Managers Do?
With most FPL managers now familiar with the Assistant Manager chip, its usage has increased in recent weeks, proving valuable when applied strategically.
In the previous gameweek, Ange Postecoglou led the way, earning the highest score among managers.
The Spurs boss picked up 10 points after his side’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
Meanwhile, Nuno Espírito Santo, Eddie Howe, Ruben Amorim, Arne Slot, Oliver Glasner, Enzo Maresca, and Unai Emery all secured 9 points.
Looking ahead to Gameweek 29, Nuno Espírito Santo appears to be the safest choice for the Assistant Manager chip, with Nottingham Forest set to face an out-of-form Ipswich side.
For those willing to take a gamble, Leicester are the only team facing an opponent at least six places above them in the table, as they prepare to take on Manchester United.
Since seven of the eight fixtures involve teams positioned close to each other in the standings, there are no clear opportunities for significant differential returns.
As a result, Ruud van Nistelrooy is the only option for those willing to take a major risk in pursuit of outsized rewards.
Milos Kerkez VS Andy Robertson
Andy Robertson has long been regarded as both a Liverpool and FPL legend, consistently delivering standout performances and impressive point hauls over the years.
However, this season, the 31-year-old has struggled to maintain his usual standards as he enters the latter stages of his career.
With Robertson’s performances declining, Liverpool have been heavily linked with several left-backs, with Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez emerging as a potential successor.
A statistical comparison between the two provides an interesting perspective on their performances this season.
Robertson has made 27 appearances without registering a goal or assist, while Kerkez has played 28 times, scoring two goals and providing five assists.
In terms of threatening the goal, Robertson has attempted 10 shots, with only two on target, whereas Kerkez has taken 15 shots, hitting the target four times.
Robertson has been the more involved passer, completing 1,288 passes at an 88.9% accuracy rate, compared to Kerkez’s 954 passes with an 80.8% accuracy.
Despite this, both players have created six big chances for their teams.
Kerkez has completed two through balls and attempted 84 crosses, while Robertson has completed four through balls and delivered 123 crosses.
Defensively, Kerkez has been more active, making 35 interceptions compared to Robertson’s 19.
The Bournemouth full-back has also won 17 aerial duels, far exceeding Robertson’s four, and has yet to concede a penalty, whereas Robertson has conceded one.
However, Kerkez has been dispossessed 14 times compared to Robertson’s 10 and has received four yellow cards to Robertson’s three.
From an FPL perspective, Robertson remains the more expensive asset at £5.8m but has only accumulated 76 points this season.
Kerkez, priced at £5.1m, has outperformed him with 101 points.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will make a move for Kerkez or if another top Premier League club will secure his services.
If he does make the switch to a bigger side, it will be interesting to see whether he can come close to the kind of FPL returns Robertson has provided over the years.
Highest XG And XA For Each Premier League Club
With a significant part of the season now completed, let’s look at each club’s player with the highest expected goals (xG) and the player with the highest expected assists (xA). It could provide some good fantasy football tips.
Arsenal
XG – Kai Havertz 9.39
XA – Bukayo Saka 5.60
Aston Villa
XG – Ollie Watkins 13.61
XA – Youri Tielemans 5.10
Bournemouth
XG – Justin Kluivert 9.58
XA – Antoine Semenyo 3.84
Brentford
XG – Yoane Wissa 13.34
XA – Bryan Mbeumo 6.56
Brighton
XG – Kaoru Mitoma 6.87
XA – Kaoru Mitoma 3.59
Chelsea
XG – Cole Palmer 14.76
XA – Cole Palmer 7.55
Crystal Palace
XG – Jean-Philippe Mateta 11.4
XA – Ismaïla Sarr 4.88
Everton
XG – Dominic Calvert-Lewin 6.05
XA – Dwight McNeil 3.96
Fulham
XG – Raúl Jiménez 10.27
XA – Alex Iwobi 5.34
Ipswich
XG – Liam Delap 8.16
XA – Leif Davis 4.05
Leicester
XG – Jamie Vardy 8.80
XA – Stephy Mavididi 3.14
Liverpool
XG – Mohamed Salah 21.45
XA – Mohamed Salah 6.94
Manchester City
XG – Erling Haaland 19.83
XA – Savinho 5.44
Manchester United
XG – Bruno Fernandes 8.34
XA – Bruno Fernandes 5.25
Newcastle
XG – Alexander Isak 15.45
XA – Anthony Gordon 4.50
Nottingham Forest
XG – Chris Wood 10.74
XA – Morgan Gibbs-White 4.04
Southampton
XG – Cameron Archer 4.88
XA – Mateus Fernandes 2.60
Spurs
XG – Brennan Johnson 9.61
XA – James Maddison 5.17
West Ham
XG – Jarrod Bowen 6.08
XA – Jarrod Bowen 4.90
Wolves
XG – Matheus Cunha 6.82
XA – Matheus Cunha 4.45
Top 3 FPL Gameweek 29 Captain Picks:
- Erling Haaland vs Brighton
- Bruno Fernandes vs Leicester
- Chris Wood vs Ipswich
Differential Captain Pick Of The Week
Justin Kluivert
Justin Kluivert has been enjoying an excellent season.
Bournemouth face a tough test against Brentford, but Kluivert has consistently posed an attacking threat, registering a goal contribution in each of his last two games.
Our FPL tips are that FPL managers willing to take a chance on captaining him this weekend could be rewarded if his strong form continues.
Playing Your Free Hit?
Many managers might wait for another double gameweek before activating their Free Hit chip.
For those who are choosing to use their free hit this GW29 FPL weekend might find some value from the FPL GW 29 tips below:
GK: Matz Sels (£5.1m)
DEF: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.5m)
DEF: Nikola Milenković (£4.8m)
DEF: William Saliba (£6.2m)
MID: Bruno Fernandes (£8.4m)
MID: Justin Kluivert (£6.2m)
MID: Phil Foden (£9.2m)
MID: Bryan Mbeumo (£8.1m)
FWD: Chris Wood (£7.3m)
FWD: Erling Haaland © (£14.7m)
FWD: Omar Marmoush (£7.2m)
BENCH: Killian Cahill (£3.9m)
BENCH: Milos Kerkez (£5.1m)
BENCH: Yankuba Minteh (£5.0m)
BENCH: Cameron Burgess (£3.8m)
Final Thoughts
As we head into Gameweek 29, FPL managers have another opportunity to make strategic moves.
With several key players unavailable and a reduced number of fixtures, this week calls for careful planning.
Focus on those who can deliver in tight matchups and don’t hesitate to take calculated risks with your transfers.
With some high-profile players missing, now could be the time to back a differential who is in strong form.
Captaincy choices will be critical, so look for players who can take advantage of their opportunities.
Be sure to stay updated on injury news and make your moves accordingly. Best of luck in Gameweek 29!
