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FPL tips: Seventh heaven for Joe Willock?

FPL tips: Seventh heaven for Joe Willock?
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The record-breaking Newcastle midfielder and in-form Burnley striker are our top picks for the final gameweek of the season.

Joe Willock set a Premier League record this week – is he now the man to see your fantasy team over the line?

Newcastle's on-loan Arsenal midfielder became the youngest player ever to score in six consecutive Premier League appearances with Wednesday's winner against Sheffield United.

For one final time this season, we look at the players to consider for the fantasy finale.

Where there's Willock, there's a way

Top midfield picks for FPL gameweek 38
Joe Willock's scoring run makes him an FPL must-have (PA graphic)

The PA news agency has combined FPL's form, cost, ownership and fixture difficulty rating (FDR) into a single Transfer Score for each player.

Form accounts for 50 per cent of that rating and Willock has 36 points in the last six gameweeks – despite being forced to sit out against his parent club during that run – to more than double his season's total.

A £4.8million price tag and 2.6 per cent ownership boost his appeal further and with Newcastle finishing up against Fulham, he trails only Burnley striker Chris Wood in our final-week rankings with a transfer score of 85.

That is eight points clear of his nearest midfield challengers, with Leeds and Tottenham wingers Jack Harrison and Gareth Bale both on 77.

Build with Wood

Top attacking picks for FPL gameweek 38
Chris Wood is our overall top pick (PA graphic)

Despite back-to-back heavy defeats for Burnley, Wood's five goals in three games before that keep his form rating high and with rock-bottom Sheffield United awaiting on Sunday, there is a final chance for the Clarets to sign off with a win.

The New Zealander's ownership is back down to 4.5 per cent after those two quiet outings and at £6.4m, he could still have the final say in your mini-league.

His transfer score of 88 leaves him well clear of Leeds' Rodrigo (77) in attack, the Spaniard riding high from his three goals in two substitute appearances against Tottenham and Burnley. He has the potential to frustrate Patrick Bamford's 3.4 million owners, though the England hopeful still had a goal and an assist when they started together at Southampton in midweek.

Roberto Firmino (75) completes the attacking podium for gameweek 38 after three goals and an assist in Liverpool's last four games.

Leeds still strong in defence

Top defensive picks for FPL gameweek 38
Nat Phillips breaks into a Leeds-dominated defensive selection (PA graphic)

While Marcelo Bielsa's side are represented in our midfield and attacking picks, it is in defence where they remain the strongest presence.

Ezgjan Alioski's transfer score of 82 is the highest among defenders this week – the North Macedonia international has two assists and two clean sheets in the last three games – and Luke Ayling ranks third on 73.

The pair sandwich Liverpool's in-form Nat Phillips (79) – and that is even without the season's top-scoring defender Stuart Dallas, hampered by high ownership, or second-ranked goalkeeper Illan Meslier making this week's podiums.

Liverpool's Alisson Becker, still boosted by his goal against West Brom, nudges ahead of Sheffield United's Aaron Ramsdale for top spot in goal (both on 82) while Chelsea's Edouard Mendy is third on 69.

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Leeds United's Jack Harrison celebrates scoring their second goal against Burnley in the Premier League on May 15, 2021
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland149322391430
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd149321871128
3Leeds UnitedLeeds147522291326
4Burnley146621761124
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom14572148622
6Millwall146441712522
7Watford147162222022
8Middlesbrough146351816221
9Swansea CitySwansea14545119219
10Blackburn RoversBlackburn145451616019
11Bristol City144731819-119
12Norwich CityNorwich144642320318
13Derby CountyDerby145361818018
14Stoke CityStoke145361718-118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds145361724-718
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd144551717017
17Coventry CityCoventry144371819-115
18Hull City143651518-315
19Luton TownLuton144371621-515
20Preston North EndPreston143651420-615
21Cardiff CityCardiff144371320-715
22Plymouth ArgylePlymouth144371425-1115
23Queens Park RangersQPR141761223-1110
24Portsmouth141671327-149


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