Welcome to today's Gameweek 31 briefing - everything you need to know before Friday's 6:30pm deadline, packed into one essential read. We're diving deep into the defensive heroes of GW30, your top transfer targets, and the differential picks that could give you the edge in your mini-leagues. Let's get into it.
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🚨 Rapid-Fire News Bulletin
Before we get into the transfers, here's the urgent team news you need on your radar heading into the deadline:
Konate, Isak, Tonali, and Romero all had fitness doubts flagged in manager press conferences this week. If you own any of these players, monitor team news closely before Friday's 6:30pm deadline.
Isak is particularly crucial to watch - Newcastle host Sunderland on Sunday in what looks like a banker fixture, but his fitness is uncertain.
GW31 is a BLANK GAMEWEEK with only eight fixtures. Crystal Palace and Man City are both blanking, which has significant implications for your squad.
Damsgaard is reportedly injured after GW30, which could impact Brighton's creativity ahead of their Liverpool fixture on Saturday.
Mane was substituted early in GW30 for Brentford, raising questions about his role under Keith Andrews going forward.
🛡️ GW30 Defensive Heroes: Who Hauled?
Wednesday means we dive into defensive contribution points from GW30 - and what a gameweek it was for the backline brigade. Here are the standout performers you need to know about.
⭐ Truffert (Bournemouth) - 11 pts | £4.6m | 3.2% owned
The standout performer of the entire gameweek. Truffert picked up 11 points in GW30 with a clean sheet and three bonus points - phenomenal value from a £4.6m defender. Bournemouth kept a clean sheet against Burnley, and with Man Utd visiting the Vitality on Friday night in GW31, Andoni Iraola's side will fancy their chances again. He's already picked up over 28,000 transfers in this week, and that number will keep rising. At just 3.2% ownership, he's a near-essential differential right now.
⭐ Senesi (Bournemouth) - 10 pts | £5.0m | 19.6% owned
Senesi delivered another reliable return in GW30 - 10 points with a clean sheet and two bonus points. He now has nine clean sheets this season, four assists, and a 7.5 form rating. His expected points for GW31 are 7.0. If you don't own Senesi yet, that is a problem. He is essential in any serious FPL squad and has been one of the most consistent defenders all season.
⭐ Gordon (Newcastle) - 11 pts | £7.3m | 5.5% owned
Gordon scored 11 points in GW30 - a goal, a clean sheet, and three bonus points. With five goals and four assists this season, he brings attacking and defensive upside. Newcastle host Sunderland in GW31 and over 145,000 managers have already moved to bring him in this week. At 5.5% ownership, he's not yet a template pick, making him a brilliant differential option at a reasonable price for a midfielder.
Canvot (Crystal Palace) - 11 pts | £4.5m | ~0% owned
Canvot bagged 11 points in GW30 including three bonus points and a clean sheet in 79 minutes - remarkable for a player with virtually zero percent ownership. However, Crystal Palace blank in GW31, meaning his expected points for the upcoming gameweek are zero. This is one to keep in mind for GW32 rather than an immediate buy. Hold fire unless you're deploying your Free Hit chip.
Want to dig deeper into which defenders are racking up the most contribution points? Explore the full defensive stats on WhoGotThePoints.com to find your next gem.
✅ Top 3 Transfers IN for GW31
1. Truffert (Bournemouth) - ESSENTIAL
Price: £4.6m | Ownership: 3.2% | GW30 Points: 11 | Transfers In: 28,000+
11 points in GW30 with a clean sheet and three bonus points
Nine clean sheets this season
Bournemouth host Man Utd on Friday night in GW31 - a very winnable fixture for Iraola's side
At £4.6m, he's arguably the best value defender in the game right now
Verdict: ESSENTIAL - get him in before the deadline
2. Gordon (Newcastle) - ESSENTIAL BUY
Price: £7.3m | Ownership: 5.5% | GW30 Points: 11 | Transfers In: 145,000+
Goal and 11 points in GW30
Five goals and four assists this season - strong underlying numbers
Newcastle host Sunderland in GW31 - a highly favourable home fixture
Form rating of 5.5 - consistently delivering
Captaincy candidate for the week (see below)
Verdict: ESSENTIAL - one of the standout buys of the gameweek
3. Senesi (Bournemouth) - GOOD
Price: £5.0m | Ownership: 19.6% | GW30 Points: 10 | GW31 xP: 7.0
Nine clean sheets this season, four assists
7.5 form rating - one of the most consistent defenders in FPL
Expected points of 7.0 for GW31 - excellent projected return
Bournemouth face Man Utd on Friday night - Iraola's defensive structure is elite
Verdict: GOOD - if you've been sleeping on Bournemouth's defence, wake up now
❌ Top 3 Transfers OUT for GW31
1. Semenyo (Man City listed) - SELL
Price: £8.3m | Ownership: 53.3% | GW30 Points: 2 | GW31 xP: 0
Only 2 points in GW30 - a deeply disappointing return
Man City blank in GW31 - expected points are zero
At 53.3% ownership, this is a heavily templated asset that is actively hurting squads this week
Verdict: SELL if you need funds or the move improves your squad for GW31
2. Richards (Crystal Palace) - SELL OR AVOID
Price: £4.4m | Ownership: 2.5% | GW30 Points: 10 | GW31 xP: 0
10 points in GW30 with a clean sheet - looks tempting on the surface
But Crystal Palace blank in GW31 - zero expected points
Do NOT buy off the back of that haul this week
Verdict: SELL or avoid - wait until GW32 to revisit
3. Canvot (Crystal Palace) - SELL (unless Free Hitting)
Price: £4.5m | Ownership: ~0% | GW30 Points: 11 | GW31 xP: 0
Eleven points last week looks extremely tempting - but he has NO fixture in GW31
Crystal Palace blank means expected points are zero
Verdict: Hold only if deploying your Free Hit chip, otherwise sell and move on
🔍 Differential Picks for GW31 (Under 10% Owned)
Looking for the edge over your mini-league rivals? These under-the-radar picks could be the difference-makers in GW31.
Bassey (Fulham) - £4.4m | 0.8% owned
9 points in GW30 including a clean sheet and three bonus points against Nott'm Forest
Fulham face Burnley at home on Saturday - an excellent clean sheet opportunity
Marco Silva's side will be heavy favourites
At £4.4m with 0.8% ownership, he's a sneaky differential for your bench or budget slot
Verdict: Differential gem - low risk, high upside
Frimpong (Liverpool) - £5.7m | 5.1% owned
6 points in GW30 with a clean sheet
Five assists already this season - genuine attacking threat from right back
Liverpool travel to Brighton in GW31 - Arne Slot's side are strong favourites
Under 6% owned makes him a legitimate differential with genuine attacking upside
Verdict: Strong differential - consider seriously if you want Liverpool coverage at a budget price
Van Hecke (Brighton) - £4.4m | 4.4% owned
9 points in GW30 with a clean sheet and one bonus point
Three goals and two assists this season - exceptional for a budget defender
Brighton face Liverpool at home in GW31 - Fabian Hurzeler's defence has kept seven clean sheets this season
At £4.4m with only 4.4% ownership, he's a true budget gem
Verdict: Excellent differential - strong underlying stats at a minimal price
Want to find even more under-the-radar options? Browse our full differential players tool to uncover low-ownership picks for GW31.
🎯 Captaincy Pick: Gordon (Newcastle)
The captaincy decision for GW31 is straightforward this week. Gordon is your pick.
Scored last week for 11 points - in excellent form
Newcastle host Sunderland in their first Tyne-Wear derby appearance under Regis Le Bris
Eddie Howe at home is a strong recipe for a return - Newcastle will be highly motivated
Five goals and four assists this season underpin his consistent attacking threat
At 5.5% ownership, captaining him is a bold differential move that could seriously boost your rank
Newcastle at home against local rivals, coming off an 11-point haul last week. Gordon is your captain for GW31. Back him.
💡 Key Strategy Tip for GW31
With only eight fixtures this gameweek, every transfer decision counts. Here's the headline advice:
Don't panic-buy players who are blanking - Crystal Palace and Man City assets are dead weight this week
Focus on Bournemouth and Newcastle - both have fixtures, form, and favourable opponents
Bournemouth face Man Utd on Friday night, Newcastle host Sunderland on Sunday - these are your key assets
If you're sitting on your Free Hit chip, the case for using it is strong given how many premium players are blanking this week
Truffert and Senesi give you two quality Bournemouth options at different price points - consider doubling up
Check the full fixture difficulty ratings to plan your transfers not just for GW31 but for the crucial run-in ahead.
📋 GW31 Quick Reference Summary
| Player | Team | Price | GW30 Pts | Ownership | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truffert | Bournemouth | £4.6m | 11 | 3.2% | ✅ Essential IN |
| Gordon | Newcastle | £7.3m | 11 | 5.5% | ✅ Essential IN + Captain |
| Senesi | Bournemouth | £5.0m | 10 | 19.6% | ✅ Good IN |
| Bassey | Fulham | £4.4m | 9 | 0.8% | 🔍 Differential |
| Frimpong | Liverpool | £5.7m | 6 | 5.1% | 🔍 Differential |
| Van Hecke | Brighton | £4.4m | 9 | 4.4% | 🔍 Differential |
| Semenyo | Man City | £8.3m | 2 | 53.3% | ❌ SELL |
| Richards | Crystal Palace | £4.4m | 10 | 2.5% | ❌ Sell / Avoid |
| Canvot | Crystal Palace | £4.5m | 11 | ~0% | ⚠️ Hold (Free Hit only) |