Bruno's Essential Status, Wilson's 16-Point Explosion & The Munoz Transfer You Must Make Now

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Gameweek 16 delivered absolute chaos for FPL managers, with defenders and defensive midfielders dominating the points haul. With the Gameweek 17 deadline hitting Saturday morning, we're breaking down the essential transfers, Bruno Fernandes' meteoric rise, Harry Wilson's explosion, and why Daniel Munoz owners are wasting a squad spot.

Let's get straight into the action. ⚽

1. Bruno Fernandes Is Flying

Bruno absolutely dominated in the 4-4 thriller against Bournemouth, delivering 13 points with 1 goal, 1 assist, and 3 bonus points. He's now the most transferred-in player for Gameweek 17 with over 300,000 new owners. His price has risen to £9.3m and at 28.8% ownership, he's rapidly becoming essential. Under Ruben Amorim, Bruno is playing further forward and has all set-piece duties locked down.

Season Stats: 5 goals, 7 assists, 98 total points

2. Daniel Munoz Injury — Act Immediately

Munoz is out until mid-January with a knee injury. Over 442,000 managers shipped him out in Gameweek 16, and ownership has crashed to 11.6%. If you still own him, you're wasting a transfer slot for the next month. Before his injury, Munoz had been exceptional with 3 goals, 3 assists, and 7 clean sheets for 89 total points.

Verdict: Sell immediately unless you're planning a wildcard soon.

3. Harry Wilson's 16-Point Explosion

Wilson just delivered the performance of the gameweek with 16 points at Burnley, bagging 1 goal, 2 assists, and 3 bonus points in Fulham's 3-2 victory. He's the bargain of the season at £5.6m, now owned by 13.1% of managers after 823,000 transfers in.

Season Stats: 5 goals, 5 assists, 78 total points, averaging 5.2 points per game

4. Nottingham Forest's Defensive Masterclass

Forest kept a clean sheet in their commanding 3-0 demolition of Spurs. Budget defender Nico Williams (£4.7m) scored 7 points and could be your perfect enabler with Forest's defensive solidity improving week by week.

5. Phil Foden Is Back to His Best

Foden delivered 11 points against Crystal Palace, scoring and keeping a clean sheet. At £8.8m and 36.5% ownership, he faces West Ham at home in Gameweek 17 — a fixture where he has 11.9 expected points.

Ownership: 13.1% (up from 4% after 823,000 transfers in)

Gameweek 16 Performance: 16 points — 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 bonus points

Season Stats: 5 goals, 5 assists, 78 total points, averaging 5.2 PPG

Wilson's underlying numbers are exceptional at this price point. He's contributing defensively too, with 3 clean sheets this season showing he chips in when Fulham shut up shop. Next up is Nottingham Forest away on Monday night — a tricky fixture, but Wilson's form makes him unignorable.

Verdict: Excellent option, especially if you need funds elsewhere. At £5.6m, he's a steal.

Ownership: 28.8% (313,000 transfers in)

Gameweek 16 Performance: 13 points — 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 bonus points

Season Stats: 5 goals, 7 assists, 98 total points, form of 9.6

Bruno is on fire under Ruben Amorim, playing further forward and monopolizing all set pieces. He faces Aston Villa away on Sunday, where his expected points are 9.6. Yes, he only has 1 clean sheet this season, so he's not a defensive asset, but his attacking output is absolutely undeniable.

Verdict: Essential for the next few weeks if you can afford him. At 28.8% ownership, not having him is becoming risky.

Ownership: 19.4% (566,000 transfers in)

Gameweek 16 Performance: 13 points — 2 goals, clean sheet, 3 bonus points

Season Stats: 7 goals, 1 assist, 68 total points, averaging 4.5 PPG

Ekitiké smashed in two goals against Brighton and is benefiting massively from Liverpool's relentless creativity under Arne Slot. He's got 4 clean sheets this season — impressive for a forward — and Liverpool face Spurs away on Saturday evening in what should be a goal-fest.

Verdict: Essential if you don't have him. Liverpool's fixtures remain strong beyond Gameweek 17 as well.

Ownership: 11.6% (442,000 sold him)

Injury Status: Out until January 17 with knee injury

Season Stats Before Injury: 3 goals, 3 assists, 7 clean sheets, 89 total points

Munoz had been brilliant before his injury, but right now he's taking up a valuable squad spot you desperately need for the busy festive period. With nearly half a million managers already shipping him out, the writing is on the wall.

Verdict: Sell immediately unless you're planning a wildcard soon. Don't carry dead weight.

Ownership: 18.5% (827,000 shipped him out)

Gameweek 17 Status: Suspended

Season Stats: 6 goals, 1 assist, form of 2.8, averaging 4.6 PPG

Mbeumo only managed 2 points in the Bournemouth draw and is now suspended for Gameweek 17. The move to Man Utd hasn't sparked him into life yet, and with suspension ruling him out this week, he's an obvious sell. Reinvest those funds elsewhere.

Verdict: Sell. Free up £8.2m for better options.

Ownership: 19.1% (336,000 transfers out)

Gameweek 16: Blanked against Sunderland despite playing 74 minutes

Season Stats: 5 goals, 2 assists, form of 3.2

Woltemade's form has dipped to 3.2, and Newcastle have been inconsistent. He faces Chelsea at home on Saturday lunchtime — a difficult fixture with Chelsea's defence improving. His 5 goals and 2 assists this season aren't terrible, but the momentum has stalled.

Verdict: Sell if you need funds. Hold only if you believe Newcastle can turn it around quickly.

Looking for a cheeky differential to gain ground in your mini-leagues? Here are three under-the-radar options with serious upside:

Ownership: 3.5%

Gameweek 16: 7 points — clean sheet, 1 bonus point, played full 90 minutes

Season Stats: 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 clean sheets

At £4.7m, Williams is the perfect fifth defender enabler. Forest's defence is looking increasingly solid, and he offers nailed-on minutes. They face Fulham away next but then have Man City at home and a decent run of fixtures.

Ownership: 6.5% (73,000 brought him in)

Gameweek 16: 8 points — clean sheet

Season Stats: 7 clean sheets, 2 goals, 75 total points

Dias is a reliable pick who offers both defensive security and attacking threat from corners. City host West Ham on Saturday afternoon, and with Pep Guardiola's side finding form again, Dias is a smart differential defender.

Ownership: 5.4%

Gameweek 16: 11 points — 1 assist, clean sheet

Season Stats: 1 goal, 4 assists, played full 90 minutes against Palace

At £6.5m for a City midfielder facing West Ham at home, Nunes is a serious differential. He's contributing assists, keeping clean sheets, and getting consistent minutes. Don't sleep on him.

Gameweek 16 was remarkable for defenders and defensive midfielders who racked up serious points. Here are the standout performers:

The lesson? In FPL, defensive contributions can be just as valuable as attacking returns, especially during fixture congestion when clean sheets are harder to come by.

Phil Foden vs West Ham (Home)

Expected Points: 11.9

Ownership: 36.5%

Price: £8.8m

Man City are hitting form at the perfect time, and West Ham's defence is leaky. Foden scored 11 points in Gameweek 16 and has 11.9 expected points for this fixture. At 36.5% ownership, he's not too risky as a captain pick, but the upside is massive if he hauls.

Pro Tip: Monitor team news closely on Friday. With fixtures coming thick and fast, rotation is inevitable. Check Ruben Amorim and Pep Guardiola's press conferences for any hints on squad rotation before finalizing your captain choice.

Here's a snapshot of the top performers from Gameweek 16:

The Gameweek 17 deadline is Saturday morning, so act fast. Prioritize getting Daniel Munoz out of your squad if you haven't already, seriously consider Bruno Fernandes and Harry Wilson as transfers in, and don't sleep on differential options like Nico Williams or Matheus Nunes.

Phil Foden is the standout captain pick this week with 11.9 expected points against West Ham at home. Monitor team news on Friday for any rotation hints, and get your transfers locked in before Saturday morning.

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Until next time, may your arrows be green! ⬆️💚

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