We’ve put together an early version of our Scout Picks for Gameweek 23 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
We will complete our weekly selection around Saturday’s deadline.
The upcoming Scout Squad nominations, midweek European matches and pre-match press conferences will help shape our final Scout Picks.
But this ‘bus team’ at least offers insight into the players and teams that qualify.
There are, as always, certain limitations for our team:
- A budget of £83.0 million for our starting XI
- A total selection cap of £100.0 million
- No more than three players per team
GAME WEEK 23 PROGRAM
Above: The Gameweek 23 matches sorted by difficulty, by our Fixture sticker.
THE PROBABLY BOYS
Erling Haaland (£15.1m) is on a run of four clean sheets in five gameweeks, but we’re unlikely to overlook him against Wolverhampton Wanderers despite some improved performances from Rob Edwards’ side of late.
Pep Guardiola described the Norwegian as “exhausted” last week, so that is the hope Omar Marmoush (£8.3m) could help ease the workload in midweek when Manchester City travel to the Arctic Circle to take on Bodo/Glimt.
Antoine Semenyo (£7.6m) is another ‘likely boy’ as he is not eligible to play in Europe.
Yes, Wolves have improved lately. And yes, they are fourth for expected goals conceded (xGC) over the last six gameweeks.
But with Arsenal and Manchester United facing off in north London, and Newcastle United hosting Aston Villa, are we really going to overlook the FPL’s second-highest scoring midfielder at home to rock-bottom Wolves? Probably not.
Meanwhile, Guardiola’s team selection in Norway should help us finalize our choice of Manchester City at the back, as this match could give us our best chance of a clean sheet in Gameweek 23: Wolves are 18th for expected goals (xG) in the past four Gameweeks, despite their four-match unbeaten run.
If you’re away from Man City, you can be sure of that Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.8m) will feature in the Scout Picks. He has delivered a return in some form (goal, assist, clean sheet, bonus and/or DefCon points) in 12 of his 15 starts in 2025/26.
IN CONTENT
As for Man Utd, Saturday’s performance against Man City will encourage Fernandes’ owners Bryan Mbeumo (£8.1 million).
But a trip to Arsenal, who have the best defense in the division, is as tough as it gets. Mikel Arteta’s side have only conceded 6.4 xG on their own field this season:
Bukayo Saka (£10.1 million) v Declan Rice (£7.4 million) is again a difficult decision. Saka has the better expected stats (xG/xA), but both have set pieces in their locker, while Rice will likely hover in/around the DefCon threshold. Budget could play a role in the final call on Friday.
Elsewhere, Newcastle versus Aston Villa is in that ‘hard to call’ picture. Of Anthony Gordon (£7.5 million) and Nick Woltemade (£7.2m) on the boil, alongside the Magpies playing in Europe this week, there are plenty of question marks over their Gameweek 23 team sheet.
Morgan Rogers (£7.7m) is the obvious shout at Aston Villa. One assist in five games isn’t great, but he has scored 15 shots and created nine chances in that period, performing 1.18 below his expected goal involvement (xGI).
With a beleaguered Crystal Palace team up next for Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea, Robert Sanchez (£4.9 million), Trevo Chalobah (£5.5 million), Cole Palmer (£10.4 million) and Enzo Fernandez (£6.5m) will be discussed in the Scout Picks discussion. Oliver Glasner’s faltering side – the lowest scorers of the past six Gameweeks – are likely to be deep, so could this be a favorable match for Palmer? The England international has returned in each of his last two trips to Selhurst Park. However, his condition will have to be checked first.
Jarrod Bowen (£7.6m) could also be an option, with Sunderland surprisingly ranking 18th for xGC per 90 on the road:
Brentford against Nottingham Forest isn’t screaming for goals, but Keith Andrews’ side have exceeded expectations this season and most of their good work has been done on home turf. Kevin Kelleher (£4.6 million) and Nathan Collins (£5.0 million) will therefore be at stake this week, as it will be Igor Thiago (£7.2m), who has nine goals and one assist in eleven home games.
Tottenham Hotspur (at Burnley), Fulham (hosts Brighton and Hove Albion) and Everton (hosts Leeds United) are perhaps the best other fixtures, although none of them feel easy. We went along Harry Wilson (£5.9 million) and the return Indian education (£6.2m) in our ‘bus team’, with James Tarkowski (£5.7 million), Joachim Andersen (£4.6 million), Antonee Robinson (£4.9 million), Pedro Porro (£5.2 million) and Conor Gallagher (£5.5m) some of the other names of these teams under consideration.
THE LONGER SHOTS
With more favorable fixtures elsewhere it might be difficult to make a case for Bournemouth and Liverpool’s players, even if they are on form. Florian Wirtz (£8.3m), ahead of their awkward meeting on Saturday evening.
But could Burnley be the dark horses of the weekend, with opponents Tottenham Hotspur winless in all competitions since the turn of the year? Marcus Edwards (£4.7m), with a goal and an assist in his last two games, could be one to watch at Turf Moor.
With just one clean sheet all season, it is difficult to trust West Ham United’s backline Enzo Le Fee (£4.9 million) and Brian Brobbey (£5.5m) could come into the equation.
Defenders from Nottingham Forest, Brighton and Leeds are possibilities, but not if we back Thiago, Wilson and Ndiaye.
GAME WEEK 23 EARLY SCOUT PICKS
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