GW19 Emergency: Bruno Fernandes Out Until January + Essential Tuesday Deadline Moves

Welcome back, FPL managers! Thanks for subscribing to Who Got The Points? - your essential guide to navigating the chaos of Fantasy Premier League. With a Tuesday deadline looming and some massive Boxing Day team news to digest, this week's newsletter is packed with urgent transfer advice you need to action in the next 48 hours.

The biggest story from Boxing Day: Bruno Fernandes is out with a hamstring injury and won't return until mid-January. That's 17.1% ownership needing to act fast. With Manchester United facing Wolves, Leeds, then City in the next three gameweeks, you'd want him for those fixtures - but he simply won't play.

Other key injury updates:

Patrick Dorgu made an instant impact for Manchester United, scoring on his debut and delivering 17 points against Newcastle. At just £4.1m, he's now in 2.4% of squads and rising rapidly. With 1 goal and 2 assists this season, plus 43 total points, Dorgu offers attacking potential from deep that few defenders at that price can match.

Diogo Dalot continued his excellent form with an assist and clean sheet against Newcastle, playing the full 90 minutes. Priced at £4.4m with 5 assists this season and 59 total points, 8,000 transfers in already suggest managers are noticing his attacking threat under the new system.

22,000 transfers in already show the FPL community knows what's up. Rogers has 7 goals and 3 assists this season, averaging 5.4 points per game with consistent returns. He's Unai Emery's most in-form attacking player right now.

Fixtures: Arsenal (H), Nott'm Forest (H), Crystal Palace (A)

Verdict: Essential. You need Villa coverage and Rogers offers it at a price point that frees up funds elsewhere. Get him in before his price rises again.

16,000 transfers in after his stunning debut. The new Manchester United defender scored and kept a clean sheet, delivering 17 points including 3 bonus. At that price, he's the ultimate enabler who can actually return points.

Season stats: 1 goal, 2 assists, 43 total points

Fixtures: Wolves (H), Leeds (A)

Verdict: Good option. If you need funds or a fifth defender who can outscore premiums, Dorgu is your man. Just be aware United's defense is still leaky under Amorim's new system.

The Manchester City midfielder has 6 clean sheets, 1 goal and 4 assists this season, averaging 5.1 points per game. At £5.4m, he's priced as a defender but classified as a midfielder, offering clean sheet potential plus attacking returns.

Fixtures: Nott'm Forest (A), Sunderland (A), Chelsea (H)

Verdict: Wait. The rotation risk under Guardiola is real, and City's form has been patchy. Only move if you're chasing differential points and can stomach a potential zero.

48,000 transfers out already and counting. The hamstring injury rules him out until mid-January minimum. That's three gameweeks where £9.2m sits on your bench doing nothing.

Verdict: Sell immediately. Use the funds to upgrade elsewhere or bring in form midfielders like Rogers. Every day you wait, you lose team value.

Rated just 25% to play against Nott'm Forest with a hamstring injury. Nearly 5,000 transfers out show managers aren't willing to risk it.

Season stats: 4 goals, 3 assists, averaging 5 points per game

Verdict: Sell if you own him. The injury risk combined with Everton's inconsistency makes him an easy downgrade to fund moves elsewhere.

Newcastle's midfielder managed just 2 points against Manchester United in GW18, playing the full 90 but offering nothing. That's 5 goals and 4 assists all season, averaging 5.1 points per game.

Total season points: 86

Fixtures: Burnley (A), Crystal Palace (A)

Verdict: Hold for now. If you own him, the fixtures in GW19 and GW20 aren't bad enough to justify a hit. But don't buy him - that £7.0m is better spent on Rogers or saved for premium forwards.

Two low-owned picks who could explode in the coming gameweeks:

Lewis Miley - £4.4m (3.2% owned)

The Newcastle midfielder played 90 minutes against Manchester United and has 1 goal plus 2 assists this season (40 total points). 2,000 transfers in suggest smart managers see the value. At that price, Miley offers a starting midfielder in a decent team with kind fixtures: Burnley (A), Crystal Palace (A).

Ruben Dias - £5.7m (7.4% owned)

The Manchester City defender has 8 clean sheets this season, more than most premium options. City face Sunderland on New Year's Day then Chelsea at home. If Pep Guardiola's defense clicks, Dias is a steal at £5.7m with double-digit haul potential against weaker sides.

Captaincy for GW19: Morgan Rogers against Arsenal looks risky on paper, but Villa at home have been excellent and Rogers is their focal point. If you're brave, he's your man. Safer pick is Mohamed Salah if Liverpool's fixtures suit, but check your premiums against their opponents and trust form over fixtures right now.

One key tip: Don't panic sell everyone after one blank gameweek. Boxing Day throws up weird results. Focus your transfers on the injured like Bruno Fernandes, not the underperformers who'll bounce back. Save your hits for emergencies.

That's your GW19 survival guide! Remember to action those Bruno Fernandes moves before the Tuesday deadline, and don't be afraid to back form players like Morgan Rogers even against tough opposition.

Good luck this gameweek, and remember: trust the data, not the hype! ⚽📈