Gameweek 6 saw the normal service resume with a very high average score of 60 FPL points, as popular assets like Mohamed Salah, Heung-Min Son, Harry Kane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all got on the scoresheet.
I recorded a GW score of 71 points despite not having the likes of Son in my FPL team. My decision to retain Timo Werner paid off, with the German scoring twice when playing in his preferred position. I gave the armband to Marcus Rashford, who impressed despite playing out-of-position as the lone striker.
There has been a lot of transfer activity among FPL managers, with the top options emerging over the first five Gameweeks. There has been confusion over whether to make early transfers to avoid price rises or to make transfers late to get the maximum news about players' fitness.
Whatever the changes, FPL managers must ensure that they make them ahead of the Friday(October 23rd) night deadline.
Gameweek 6 Deadline: Friday, 23rd October at 06:30 PM (British Summer Time), and 11:00 PM (Indian Standard Time)
Also Read: FPL 2020-21: Best Fantasy Team for Gameweek 5 | FPL Tips
The Fixtures
Gameweek 6 kicks off with a Friday night fixture between Aston Villa and Leeds United. West Ham host Manchester City on Saturday afternoon, with Manchester United taking on Chelsea at Old Trafford later in the day. Jose Mourinho's Spurs travel to Turf Moor on Monday night to close out the Gameweek.
Click here to view the full fixtures for FPL Gameweek 6.
FPL Team Suggested for Previous Gameweek
Here is the suggested team for Gameweek 5 and the points scored.
Goalkeepers: Alex McCarthy (SOU) and Mathew Ryan (BHA)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV), Eric Dier (TOT), Stuart Dallas (LEE), Kyle Walker-Peters (SOU), and James Justin (LEI).
Midfielders: Mohamed Salah (LIV), Harvey Barnes (LEI), Riyad Mahrez (MCI), Marcus Rashford (MUN), and Steven Alzate (BHA).
Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (EVE), Timo Werner (CHE), and Keinan Davis (AVL)
Captain/Vice-Captain: Marcus Rashford/ Mohammed Salah
GW 3 Average score: 60
Points Scored(in GW): 71 (-0): 71
Money Remaining: £2.1 m
Factors to consider
1) Double up on Son and Kane?: FPL managers who invested in the Spurs attacking duo of Heung-Min Son (TOT) (MID) (£9.3 m) and Harry Kane (TOT) (FWD) (£9.3 m) were rewarded heavily in Gameweek 5. Given how consistently they've been performing so far, there is a case for FPL managers to double up on the duo.
However, with a very limited budget, it's not something that all FPL managers might be able to afford. I won't be able to get both of them in my FPL team, since I have Timo Werner as my premium striker. But if FPL managers do have the double-up, they should continue with it, since it is yielding them a lot of points.
2) Van Dijk's Injury: Virgil Van Dijk suffered a horrible injury in the Merseyside derby, and has been ruled out for most of this season with an ACL injury. VVD's injury affects not only his FPL owners, but also that of Liverpool's other FPL defensive assets. While Alisson's return will increase their chances of keeping a clean sheet, they will certainly be affected by the loss of their premier center-back.
There are plenty of prospective replacements for Van Dijk, with Lucas Digne (EVE)(DEF)(£6.2 m), Timothy Castagne (LEI)(DEF)(£5.8 m), Ben Chilwell (CHE)(DEF)(£5.7 m), or even Andy Robertson (LIV)(DEF)(£7.1 m).
However, those FPL managers who are having a Liverpool defensive double-up should consider transferring one defender out, since their chances of getting a clean sheet is less.
Transfers
My decision to hold Harvey Barnes (LEI) (MID) (£7.0 m) didn't work out well, and I probably should've brought Son back in last week. That's what I'm going to do this week, with the South Korean coming straight back into my team.
However, I need to make an additional transfer to fund that move, due to Son's price rise.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV)(DEF)(£7.5 m) hasn't been getting the FPL points, and I am making a sideways switch from him to teammate Andy Robertson (LIV)(DEF)(£7.1 m).
#1 Andrew Robertson in for Trent Alexander-Arnold
Out: Trent Alexander-Arnold (LIV)(DEF)(£7.5 m)
In: Andrew Robertson (LIV)(DEF)(£7.1 m)
Alexander-Arnold is the kind of player who has the ability to punish his sellers with a big FPL haul. However, Robertson hasn't been doing badly, and he has, in fact, got into better positions than his fellow full-back. This is among the best enabling transfers I could make for bringing Son into my team.
#2 Son Heung-Min for Harvey Barnes
Out: Harvey Barnes (LEI) (MID) (£7.0 m)
In: Heung-Min Son (TOT)(MID)(£9.3 m)
I could've been in a much better position had I not sold Son, but it isn't too late to bring him in. At £9.3 m, Son is still one of the best-value FPL assets and has the ability to become one of the top FPL-points scorers this season. Barnes' underlying stats are still good, but not enough to warrant his retention
Best FPL XI for Gameweek 6
Chips activated: None
Point Hits taken(if any): 1 extra transfer: - 4
Captain/Vice-captain: Mohamed Salah, Marcus Rashford or Son Heung-Min/ Dominic Calvert-Lewin, or Timo Werner
Salah and Son are undoubtedly the top FPL captaincy picks this week. Spurs take on Burnley, and while the Clarets just kept their first clean sheet in the last Gameweek, Son and Kane's imperious form suggests that they can break them down. Salah is likely to be my captaincy pick, though. At home against a makeshift Sheffield United team, I'm backing him to get a lot of FPL points. Marcus Rashford playing as a lone striker is a good choice as well.
Goalkeeper:
Mat Ryan (BHA) - £4.5 m | Opponent: WBA(H): Mat Ryan and Brighton both haven't been great defensively. A home game against West Brom allows them to fix that, and Ryan could get some FPL points for his many owners.
Defenders:
Stuart Dallas (LEE) - £4.5 m | Opponent: AVL(A): Stuart Dallas and Leeds defended well for most of their game against Wolves and were unlucky not to keep a clean sheet. A game against high-flying Villa won't be easy, but Leeds are a good enough team that can do well.
Kyle Walker-Peters (SOU) - £4.5 m | Opponent: EVE(H): Southampton's defense has been exploited by certain teams, but against weaker opponents, it has worked well. While their chances of keeping a clean sheet against Everton are very low, Walker-Peters could get some attacking returns.
Andrew Robertson (LIV) - £7.1 m | Opponent: SHU(H): Andy Robertson has returned defensive or attacking points in every FPL Gameweek so far. A game against Sheffield United that has struggled to find the net gives Robertson the chance to earn FPL points from both ends of the pitch.
Eric Dier (TOT) - £5.0m | Opponent: BUR(A): Eric Dier isn't fully fit for the game against Burnley. I am going to leave him on my starting lineup because if he starts, he has a high chance of getting a clean sheet and some FPL points.
Midfielders:
Heung-Min Son (TOT) (MID) (£9.3 m)| Opponent: BUR(A): Son has been in brilliant form this season. Considering that they haven't exactly translated into the desired results, one can only expect him to keep performing the same way in every game and get a lot of FPL points for his owners.
Mohamed Salah (LIV) - £12.0 m | Opponent: SHU(H): Mohamed Salah has got his campaign off to a great start. A home game against the Blades should see him add to his 48 FPL points this season.
Riyad Mahrez (MCI) - £8.5 m | Opponent: WHU(A): Riyad Mahrez is yet to add any attacking returns to his 12-point FPL haul in Gameweek 3. However, with Aguero back in good form, City will look sharper up front, and Mahrez should get some attacking returns as a result.
Marcus Rashford (MUN) - £9.5 m | Opponent: CHE(H): Rashford is heading into this crunch game against Chelsea in great form. He has scored and assisted two goals in his last two games and will look to continue the good form against a Chelsea team that has had trouble at the back.
Forwards:
Timo Werner (CHE) - £9.3 m | Opponent: MUN(A): My move to hold on to Timo Werner worked very well, with the German netting twice and providing an assist en-route to his 16-point FPL haul. With a shaky United defense up next, Werner will look to add to his goal tally.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (EVE)- £7.3 m | Opponent: SOU(A): Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been in imperious form this season. He has scored seven goals in five games, and by the looks of it, he should get more. He's likely to reward the close to 55% of FPL managers who have backed him this Gameweek.
Bench:
GK: Alex McCarthy (SOU)- £4.5 m | Opponent: EVE(H):
1st Sub: James Justin (LEI) - £4.5 m | Opponent: ARS(A):
2nd Sub: Steven Alzate (MID) (BHA)- £4.5 m | Opponent: EVE(A)
3rd Sub: Keinan Davis (FWD) (AVL) - £4.5 | Opponent: SHU(H)