FPL is back after a weekend away and a big decision this week for managers surrounds the Manchester derby.
Most FPL teams contain at least a couple of City players and the odd United asset.
Manchester derbies averaged 3.1 goals per league game over the five seasons from 2020-21 to 2024-25, while City won 3-0 at Etihad Stadium earlier in 2025-26.
However, two of the past five league games at Old Trafford have been 0-0, and that is the venue this weekend.
Will there be goals on Saturday? If you think so, then start your attacking assets from both sides with confidence.
The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.
Don’t miss our FPL special Q&A with expert FPL Heisenberg, live on the BBC Sport website on Friday, 16 January at 15:30 GMT.
The team had big performances from Igor Thiago (12 points) and Bruno Guimaraes (11) – just as well given the score of -1 from Malick Thiaw and Ayden Heaven scoring an own goal.
Robin Roefs, Sunderland, goalkeeper, £4.9m – Crystal Palace (h)
The goals have really dried up in the league for Palace, with one in their past four.
Sunderland have conceded just eight at home in the league this season, with Arsenal the only team with a better record.
Those two statistics combine to make Roefs a fantastic pick this week.
Nordi Mukiele, Sunderland, £4.4m – Crystal Palace (h)
Mukiele completes the Sunderland defensive double-up this week.
There’s not much to pick between him and £4.1m team-mate Omar Alderete, but Mukiele has more bonus points and defensive contribution points than his team-mate so gets the nod.
Micky van de Ven, Tottenham, £4.6m – West Ham (h)
West Ham are another team struggling for goals. They have blanked in three of their past five league matches and their goal in the 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest was an own goal.
Van de Ven is easily Tottenham‘s best defensive pick given his attacking threat and seven clean sheets this season is not bad for a team who have struggled at times.
Gabriel, Arsenal, £6.7m – Nottingham Forest (a)
The Brazilian has 15, nine and six points in his past three games.
On top of that great run of form, Arsenal have scored the most goals (20) from set-pieces this season and Forest have conceded the most (15).
Gabriel’s corner threat could produce another haul in this one.
Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, £8.2m – Burnley (h)
Burnley‘s defence, the second worst away from home, is always one to target and Wirtz has been on a fine run recently.
He was barely a threat in the 0-0 draw at Arsenal, but prior to that he had three returns in four games including two 10-pointers.
In those four games, he and forward Hugo Ekitike – who missed one of them – have stood out above all other Liverpool attacking assets.
Look at the figures for those games:
Wirtz – 11 shots, two big chances, 11 chances created, two goals, one assist and one set of defensive contribution points.
Ekitike – 16 shots, four big chances, three goals and an assist.
Those two are the Liverpool assets FPL managers should trust.
Bruno Guimaraes, Newcastle, £7.2m – Wolves (a)
While the Brazilian is on this run of form – 10, 10 and 11 points in consecutive games – you have to pick him.
He’s scored three goals from just five shots and only three of those shots have been from in the box. Logic says his run of points can’t continue but… Wolves away.
Despite the bottom side’s improved form, you still have to target them.
Antoine Semenyo, Manchester City, £7.6m – Manchester United (a)
It doesn’t look like Pep Guardiola is going to spend any time gently easing Semenyo into his side. The Ghana forward has gone straight into the team and scored in his first two matches.
Is anyone expecting the Manchester derby to be tight? City have lost their best two centre-backs and United have been unable to keep clean sheets all season.
Semenyo’s Bournemouth production looks likely to continue at his new club.
Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea, £6.4m – Brentford (h)
Only Brentford‘s Kevin Schade (12) has had more big chances from midfield this season than Fernandez (10).
Only Bruno Fernandes (35%) has a higher expected goal involvement when on the pitch than the Argentine (34%).
While FPL managers wait for Cole Palmer to rediscover top form, the much cheaper Fernandez is the Chelsea asset to pick.
Erling Haaland (captain), £15.1m, Manchester City – Manchester United (a)
Haaland was back in the points last time out, even if it was just six of them.
His record against United – two goals in his last game at Old Trafford and two at Etihad Stadium earlier this season – makes him an easy captain pick unless you are feeling super brave or genuinely think this game will be one of those tight derbies with few chances for either team.
Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool, £8.9m – Burnley (h)
As mentioned above, Ekitike is a standout Liverpool pick along with Wirtz.
Burnley have conceded 2.6 goals per game on the road. If Liverpool manage two goals it would be a shock if Ekitike had no involvement.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Leeds, £6m – Fulham (h)
DCL is now the Premier League’s fourth top scorer with nine goals, which is remarkable considering he has only started 14 games.
He’s been very efficient, scoring with every other shot on target, but Leeds keep creating chances for him so the flow of goals should continue.
Lucas Perri, Leeds United, £4.5m – Fulham (h)
Granit Xhaka, Sunderland, midfielder, £5.2m – Crystal Palace (h)
Ezri Konsa, Aston Vila, £4.4m – Everton (h)
Maxim de Cuyper, Brighton, £4.3m – Bournemouth (h)
Team total cost: £98.4m
