Welcome back to Who Got The Points? With the Gameweek 22 deadline hitting Saturday morning at 11:00 AM, there's no time to waste. The Manchester derby headlines a packed weekend of fixtures, and we're breaking down everything you need to know right now—the essential transfers, differential options, and captaincy decisions that could make or break your gameweek.
🚨 Rapid Fire News Bulletin
Before we dive into transfers, here are the five critical storylines shaping this gameweek:
Cherki's Minutes Crisis: Just 17 minutes off the bench in Man City's 1-1 draw with Brighton is a massive red flag. Despite 15.3% ownership, the midfielder is clearly losing his place in Pep Guardiola's plans heading into the derby.
Brentford Flying: Back-to-back wins including a 3-0 demolition of Sunderland under Keith Andrews. Schade grabbed an assist and Janelt contributed, showing attacking depth ahead of the Chelsea clash.
Arsenal's Defensive Lock: Ten clean sheets for Raya this season, and another shutout against Liverpool keeps Arsenal's defensive assets essential. Forest at home offers double-digit potential.
Liverpool's Attack Stalls: The goalless draw with Arsenal was concerning, but Wirtz still offers value with 7.3 expected points against Burnley at Anfield in a fixture Liverpool should dominate.
Brighton's Ayari Involvement: The 1-1 draw with City highlighted Ayari's continued involvement. The midfielder could be this gameweek's sneaky enabler option as he pushes for regular starts.
📈 Top Three Transfers IN
1. Wirtz (£8.2m) - Liverpool Midfielder
Ownership: 11.2% (jumped from ~10% with over 116,000 transfers in)
Recent Form: Started and played the full 90 minutes against Arsenal, picking up a clean sheet point in the goalless draw. His 7.3 expected points against Burnley at home makes him a prime captaincy alternative.
Season Stats: 2 goals and 2 assists in 20 games, playing that advanced midfield role under Arne Slot. Form rating of 6.8 is solid, and 3.5 points per game shows consistency.
The Fixture: Liverpool face a Burnley side that's shipped 4 goals in their last away fixture and 26 goals conceded overall this season. Liverpool should dominate at Anfield.
Verdict: Good option for this gameweek, especially if you're looking to differentiate your captain pick from the template.
2. Timber (£6.3m) - Arsenal Defender
Ownership: 27.6% (127,000 transfers in)
Recent Form: Started the full 90 against Liverpool in Gameweek 21, picked up 6 points with the clean sheet and bonus.
Season Stats: 9 clean sheets in 20 games this season, plus 2 goals and 4 assists. That's premium defensive output from a £6.0m asset. Form of 4.8 and averaging 5.2 points per game.
The Fixture: 5.8 expected points for the Forest fixture at home is excellent value. Arsenal's defense under Mikel Arteta has been rock solid, conceding just 12 goals all season.
Verdict: Essential. If you don't own Arsenal defense, Timber is the route in. Great fixtures ahead and nailed in that inverted full-back role.
3. Schade (£7.1m) - Brentford Midfielder
Ownership: 2.6% (42,000 transfers in)
Recent Form: Started and played the full 90 against Sunderland, got the assist in the 3-0 win for 6 points total.
Season Stats: 6 goals and 4 assists in 20 games, averaging 4.2 points per game. Form of 7.6 is the highest of our transfer targets.
The Fixture: 7.6 expected points against Chelsea is massive. Brentford face a Chelsea side that's conceded 3 goals to Fulham just days ago. Schade plays that advanced role and gets into dangerous positions consistently.
Verdict: Good punt for brave managers. Chelsea's defense looked shaky in Gameweek 21, and Brentford have momentum. At £7.1m, he's affordable midfield firepower.
📉 Top Three Transfers OUT
1. Cherki (£6.8m) - Man City Midfielder
Ownership: 15.3% (over 190,000 managers shipped him out, net loss despite only 72,000 bringing him in)
The Problem: Just 17 minutes off the bench against Brighton tells you everything. After being a key Man City asset with 2 goals and 8 assists this season, he's now a rotation risk under Guardiola. 1 point in Gameweek 21 is unacceptable for 15.3% ownership.
The Fixture: The Manchester derby against United brings rotation risk even higher with Pep's tactical tinkering. Form has dropped to 5.4 despite 4.8 points per game overall.
Verdict: Sell now. You can't have £6.8m sitting on your bench, and City's fixture list doesn't justify the risk. Move the funds elsewhere.
2. Van de Ven (£4.6m) - Spurs Defender
Ownership: 28.1% (70,000 shipped him out)
The Problem: Zero points against Bournemouth after conceding 2 goals in the 3-2 loss kills his momentum. 7 clean sheets in 20 games is decent, but Spurs' defense is leaking goals—25 goals conceded overall.
Season Stats: 4.8 form and 4.5 points per game has been solid, but the 3 goals and 1 assist attacking returns aren't consistent enough. The fixture against West Ham doesn't scream clean sheet potential.
Verdict: Hold if you need the funds elsewhere, but he's not essential. Better £4.6m options exist if you're wildcarding soon.
3. Raya (£5.9m) - Arsenal Goalkeeper
Ownership: 33.6% (70,000 moved him out despite the Liverpool clean sheet)
The Stats: 6 points in Gameweek 21 with 10 clean sheets total this season shows quality. 4.1 points per game is solid for a keeper, and 4.6 expected against Forest is decent.
The Issue: The £5.9m price tag is premium territory. That extra £1.0m compared to cheaper options like Verbruggen could be better spent in midfield or attack. 32 saves in 21 games isn't elite shot-stopping numbers.
Verdict: Keep if you're sticking, but don't buy in now. Better value exists, especially with Arsenal's fixtures turning after Forest.
💎 Differential Picks (Under 10% Ownership)
Looking to gain an edge in your mini-leagues? These low-owned options could deliver huge returns this gameweek:
Ayari (£4.8m) - Brighton Midfielder - 0.3% Owned
Recent Form: Played 82 minutes against City, grabbed an assist for 5 points. 2 goals and 2 assists this season from a £4.8m enabler is excellent value.
The Opportunity: 5.8 expected points against Bournemouth on Monday night offers a unique differential. Perfect for draft leagues or deep squads needing that fifth midfielder spot.
Janelt (£4.9m) - Brentford Midfielder - 0.2% Owned
Recent Form: Got 7 points against Sunderland with an assist, playing the full 90 minutes. 4 assists this season from deep shows he's involved in the attack.
The Opportunity: 7.2 expected points against Chelsea is the highest form rating in our differential list. With Brentford's momentum and Chelsea's defensive struggles, he's a sneaky enabler with upside.
McGinn (£5.4m) - Aston Villa Midfielder - 1.1% Owned
Recent Form: Played 72 minutes against Palace for 3 points with the clean sheet. 3 goals and 2 assists in 21 games shows he contributes across the board.
The Opportunity: Villa face Everton at home on Sunday. 5.0 expected points and consistent minutes make him a sneaky enabler with upside.
⚽ Captaincy Pick for Gameweek 22
The Bold Pick: Timber
Arsenal host Forest at the Emirates on Saturday evening, and 9 clean sheets in 20 games plus attacking returns makes him a double-digit threat. 5.8 expected points underrates his potential, and Forest's defense has been shaky away from home. This is a differential captain option that could pay off huge.
The Safe Pick: Wirtz
If you're playing it safer, Wirtz against Burnley at Anfield offers goalscoring upside in a fixture Liverpool should dominate. With 7.3 expected points, he's a strong template option.
🎯 One Key Tip
With Gameweek 24 approaching, start planning your fixture rotations now. Multiple teams have great runs coming up, so identify which combinations work for your squad structure. Don't wait until deadline day to realize you're stuck with poor fixtures.
Final Thoughts
That's your Gameweek 22 breakdown. The deadline hits Saturday morning at 11:00 AM, so make your moves now. Whether you're shipping out Cherki, bringing in Timber, or taking a punt on Schade, make sure your team is set before the Manchester derby kicks off.
Remember: every point counts. Good luck this gameweek!
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