The Perfect XI format of Fantasy EPL on Fantrax enables you to create an all-star lineup of Premier League players without restrictions! Want to pick Salah, Son, De Bruyne, Maddison, Trent and Cancelo in the same Fantasy team? No problem! We're here to provide managers with our very own Perfect XI tips for each gameweek. Details of the concept and rules can be found here.
Check out @DPLCommLeague for further information on the format, regular updates on the latest standings, as well as information on how you can enter.
Fantasy EPL Gameweek 5 Perfect XI
So, what is Perfect XI? Similar to Official Fantasy Premier League game, all managers have full access the entire player pool each week, meaning multiple teams within the league could be completely identical.
The main departures from OFPL are the Fantrax Default Scoring, unlimited transfers each week, no budget/salary cap, no restrictions on players per club, and live lineup changes available.
This means that each week you can select a dream team of Fantrax assets who you think will score the most points on a given gameweek, and have the added bonus of being able to see the real life lineups before your players lock in. Magic. If you want further information, check out our introductory piece!
Check out our Perfect XI tips below. These are our recommendations for the best XI this weekend! For statistical predictions for these players and any others, check out our weekly projections, available exclusively to our Inner Circle subscribers.
GK: Dean Henderson
Play the hot hand: Henderson has been on an absolute heater so far scoring 13.25, 12.5, 26.5, and 15.5 despite conceding in 3 out of 4 games. The 2 penalty saves helped plenty but Forest are conceding lots of shots on target (5+ per game, and expect more vs City) and Hendo's been a great shot-stopper thus far. If you're worried about the multiple goal conceded downside (3% clean sheet odds), you can go the more boring, clean sheet (58%) route of Ederson.
Pivot: Ederson
DEF: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joao Cancelo, Marc Cucurella
City vs Forest is the matchup to target this week and hence Cancelo is the first name up in our backline. 58% clean sheet odds coupled with 17% assist odds and great ghost points. Next is the staple TAA, who popped off this week and has a chance to do so again against a completed Newcastle (likely no Wilson, ASM, Isak, or Bruno G). 46% clean sheet odds, 24% assist odds, 12% goal odds for Trent. Finally, we have Cucurella. This would have been Reece James's spot but late rumours suggest he'll be out today, so we'll opt for the opposite side wing back instead. A healthy matchup vs Southampton away (36% clean sheet odds), coupled with set pieces and 15% assist odds are good enough for us to select Cucs this week. Other Chelsea defenders are similarly viable.
Pivots: Reece James, Andrew Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Kalidou Koulibaly, Cesar Azpilicueta
MID: Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Gabriel Martinelli, Bernardo Silva
It's a heavy City stack this week with KDB once again a no brainer (best goal and assist odds of any mid -39% and 46%), Foden and Bilva/Gundogan. The non-KDB picks have 30+% goal and assist odds and the upside vs Forest is too good to pass up. With other big names having harder matchups (ASM vs Liverpool, JWP vs Chelsea) and others in poor form (Mount vs Southampton), City seem both the better floor and better ceiling this week. Our 4th mid this week is the red hot Martinelli, straight off an 18 ghost point masterpiece and 4 straight double digit scores. Against the reeling Villa at home, he has 32% goal odds and 18% assist odds and should torment Matty Cash all night. Bruno vs Leicester and Mount vs Southampton are likely next up in case of any rotation for the above (but still after Gundogan)
Pivots: Ilkay Gundogan, Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, Bukayo Saka, Jack Harrison
FWD: Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, Gabriel Jesus
Again, we have many options, but we're opting for City vs Forest, Arsenal vs Fulham, and Liverpool vs Newcastle. Haaland has a very poor ghost point floor but it doesn't matter when you have 72% to score odds, a whole 25% higher than any other player (Alvarez in 2nd with 45%) and 36% assist odds. Outside the City guys, Kane at 42% and Salah at 36% are the most likely to score. We trust Liverpool vs a beaten-up Newcastle at home more than Spurs vs an out-of-form West Ham away though, so we're going with Salah over Kane (10% better assist odds too). Finally, we have Gabriel Jesus vs in-awful-form Villa at home. He's also 36% to score and 19% to assist but expected to rack up many ghost points against the shaky, injury and illness-ridden backline. We would be wrong to not mention Wolves who have the best matchup vs Bournemouth this week. Neto, Guedes, and Raul all offer you a piece of that matchup but you need to remove 1 of the usual top forwards to fit them in.
Pivots: Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min, Riyad Mahrez, Pedro Neto
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