Gameweek 34: Gibbs-White Hauled - But Should You Still Buy In?

Welcome back, FPL managers. With Gameweek 34 being a blank - just seven fixtures - every single transfer, captain pick, and bench decision carries extra weight. The deadline is today, Friday 25th April, at 5:30pm, so there's no time to waste. Here's everything you need to know to navigate one of the trickiest gameweeks of the season.

The headline act of Gameweek 33. Gibbs-White scored three goals and picked up a massive 20 points - bringing his season tally to 12 goals and 2 assists for 155 total points. His expected points for GW34 are sitting at 11, and Forest travel to Sunderland who just conceded four goals to Aston Villa. That's an incredibly appetising fixture on paper.

The concern is obvious - you are buying him after peak output. Hat-tricks don't come along every week, and the deadline is hours away. However, at just 10.2% ownership, he remains a genuine differential with elite ceiling in good fixtures.

Verdict: ✅ Good, if you can get him in cleanly without taking multiple hits. Check his expected points projections before pulling the trigger.

Rogers scored in GW33 to pick up 9 points, and over 228,000 managers are moving for him this week. It's easy to see why - 9 goals and 7 assists this season (152 total points) is exceptional output for his price, and Aston Villa have back-to-back playable fixtures: away at Fulham this weekend, then hosting Spurs in GW35.

His expected points for GW34 are 7, which is solid for a mid-price midfielder. The fixtures stay playable and his involvement in Villa's attacking play is consistent.

Verdict: ✅ Essential if you do not already own him. With 228k+ transfers in, his price is likely to rise - act before the deadline.

The surprise name on many transfer-in lists, but the stats back it up completely. Van Dijk already has 10 clean sheets, 4 goals, and 1 assist this season. He scored in GW33 too, picking up 8 points. His expected points for GW34 are 9.

Liverpool host Crystal Palace at Anfield on Saturday afternoon - about as comfortable a home fixture as you'll find at this stage of the season. At £6.2m, he is one of the highest-value defenders in the game and provides both clean sheet upside and goal threat from set pieces.

Verdict: ✅ Essential. If you do not own Van Dijk at this point in the season, this is your window. His fixture and form make him a near-automatic pick.

Rice blanked with just 2 points in GW33, and nearly 50,000 managers are offloading him this week. His expected points for GW34 are just 4, and Arsenal face Newcastle at home - a side with genuine attacking threat that could make this a scrappy, low-scoring affair.

To be fair to Rice, his season stats include 14 clean sheets which is genuinely impressive. But his recent form score is just 3, and in a blank gameweek where every player needs to deliver, a midfielder expected to score 4 points is a liability. Reinvest that £7.2m into a player with a higher ceiling this week.

Verdict: 🔴 Sell. Reinvest into Rogers, Gibbs-White, or Van Dijk depending on your squad needs.

Roefs picked up just 1 point in GW33 after conceding in the Aston Villa match. Tonight he hosts Nott'm Forest - the team that just scored four goals against Burnley. Expected points for GW34 are 6, which feels optimistic given Forest's current form.

Nearly 79,000 transfers in this week suggests some managers are still backing him, but the fixture is genuinely concerning. If Gibbs-White and Forest are firing, Roefs is set for another difficult evening.

Verdict: 🟡 Hold if you already own him and need the coverage, but do not buy in now ahead of this fixture.

B.Fernandes picked up 6 points in GW33 with an assist and a clean sheet bonus. Man Utd host Brentford on Monday night, and his expected points are 5.5. His season stats are genuinely excellent - 8 goals, 19 assists, and 199 total points - making him a long-term keeper in most squads.

The issue is purely differential. At 46.9% ownership - nearly half the game - holding him offers you zero edge over your mini-league rivals. If you need to free up funds for a high-ceiling transfer like Gibbs-White or Van Dijk, Fernandes is your most obvious source of budget.

Verdict: 🟡 Hold for now. But if you need budget flexibility, he's the man to move. His expected points of 5.5 don't justify the premium price in a blank.

With a blank gameweek, differentials can be season-defining. Here are three under-the-radar picks with genuine upside this weekend.

Le Fée grabbed an assist in GW33 and has 4 goals and 5 assists this season - impressive output for a sub-£5m midfielder. Sunderland host Nott'm Forest tonight, and while the fixture is tough, Le Fée loves getting involved in the final third. At under £5m, he is a genuine budget enabler who actually contributes attacking returns.

Worth a punt if you need cheap midfield coverage in a blank gameweek.

Osula scored in GW33 and picked up 9 points with a goal and 3 bonus points. He has 4 goals and 1 assist this season for just £5.4m, and his expected points for GW34 are 7.5. Newcastle travel to Arsenal on Saturday, which is undeniably a tough fixture, but Osula has the pace and movement to cause problems on the break.

At just 0.6% owned, he is the ultimate differential if Newcastle can nick something at the Emirates. High risk, high reward.

Hermansen kept a clean sheet in GW33 and has now accumulated 6 clean sheets and 42 saves this season. West Ham host Everton on Saturday - a home fixture against a side in poor form - giving him a genuine shot at another clean sheet.

At £4.2m, he is budget-friendly and 41,000 transfers in this week suggests others are waking up to his value. If you need a cheap GK to free up funds elsewhere, Hermansen is worth serious consideration.

With only seven fixtures this gameweek, the captain decision is arguably the most important call of the week.

Good luck in Gameweek 34, managers. With just seven fixtures, every point matters - get those transfers in before 5:30pm today and make sure every player in your squad has a game. We'll see you on the other side. 🟢