The Best Gameweek 31 Players and Free-Hit Team 

Now, whether you are on Free Hit in Gameweek 31 or not, the likelihood is you will be very interested in some one Gameweek punts. This is in no small part down to how many people will be on the Gameweek 32 Wildcard. 

With the likes of Arsenal, City, Palace and Wolves all blanking, and many managers preparing poorly for it, this week could provide some serious swings if you nail those punts. 

For more great differential options check out our Gameweek 31 differentials piece.  

Or, check out our Gameweek 31 Captaincy piece if you are struggling with the armband. 

As always, make sure you check in with our Predicted Line-Ups and Team News Hub before locking in any changes. 

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get stuck into the best Gameweek 31 Players and Free Hit Team. 

 

We will kick things off with the Free Hit Team for this week, then below list other players we think could also do well this week who will not be worth a transfer out, in case you are using all your Free Transfers this week instead of the Free Hit chip. 

 

Goalkeepers 

 

Matz Sels vs TOT (A) – £4.6m 

Normally you would want to avoid any relegation threatened goalkeeper for obvious reasons however this week things are a little different… they are playing Spurs. Spurs have failed to eclipse the 1 goal mark since GW24 against Man City and have slipped into the bottom 4 for xG. They have the lowest goals scored and xG of any Premier League team over their last 6 games.  

Even more importantly though, this game is a 6 pointer as far as relegation is concerned. Spurs seem like they have almost checked out already and in theory, Forest’s defence should work the hardest they have worked all season. 

 

Martin Dubravka vs FUL (A) – £4.0m 

£4.0m and starting so solid back up, but this can be whoever you want. You should have budget for any other keeper. 

 

 

Defence 

 

Kenny Tete vs BUR (H) – £4.5m 

As with any Free Hit team there was a rather deliberate tactic to target Burnley. Burnley sit dead last in the league as far as xG goes and haven’t scored in their last 2 outings. Fulham’s defence has also improved across the last 4 games. Granted it was against poor attacks but it’s hardly like Burnley aren’t even worse.  

Tete has also showed some signs of life in the attacking sense, particularly against City and Spurs, so an attacking return is not off the cards despite his low season totals.  

 

Malick Thiaw vs SUN (H) – £5.0m 

I swear to God it is not rocket science. When Newcastle has Hall and Livramento fit they are a great defence, as evidenced against Chelsea. When either are missing, they are a mid-table defence and when both are missing, they are a relegation level defence. 

So, given they are both back, Newcastle defensive stocks are back up.  Just in time for the Tyne-Wear derby. Naturally Thiaw presents as the best option of the lot for several reasons. The first being he has been their best centre-back and is nailed. The second being his presence on set-pieces. With 4 goals and an xGI per game of 0.2, he is no scrub in the attacking sense. Thirdly is his DefCons. He has hit the threshold in 4/5 of his last games and averages 9.25 per game, very healthy numbers. 

 

Lewis Hall vs SUN (H) – £5.3m 

We spent a lot of time talking about the Newcastle defence in Thiaw’s section so now we will justify the double up by talking about Sunderland’s attack. Sunderland really have been a tale of two teams this season. One discrepancy lying along their attacking and defensive performances. Despite conceding the 3rd least goals in the league this season, they have also scored the 3rd least. Combine this with the fact they now have the 3rd lowest xG in the Prem and this fixture gets very tasty for a defender. 

Hall’s quality, bursting runs and presence on set-pieces should also provide him with plenty of attacking return potential. 

 

Virgil Van Dijk vs BHA (A) – £6.2m 

Honestly, Van Dijk is just here because we have plenty of budget. That being said, he is an absolute demon from set-pieces and seems to have every cross aimed straight at his head. He is also solid for DefCon, playing a bottom half team for goals scored and a bonus point magnet. 

More importantly, this season has proved to be a much more defensive oriented league, with less goals scored than the last 10 seasons. So clean sheets are more possible than ever. Load up on defenders. 

 

Joachim Andersen vs BUR (H) – £4.5m 

Given it’s Burnley, it’s only right we double up on Fulham defenders, and this one was a lot easier. Following a 2-game hiatus, Andersen is back doing what he does best, hitting his DefCon threshold and getting a very occasional clean sheet. Averaging 10.47 per 90 and coming off a clean sheet in his return to the line-up. Easy 8 pointer loading. 

 

 

Midfield 

 

Morgan Gibbs-White vs TOT (A) – £7.4m 

Despite the Spurs fixture, MGW will likely be starting on the bench for this Free-Hit team (Before anyone pipes up about benching headaches). That’s not to say he isn’t start-able (he absolutely is), it’s more of a testament to how much stronger defenders have been pound for pound than midfielders this season. 

He still has 8 goals and 2 assists including 2 goals in his last 3 and should be well up for it in the relegation 6 pointer against Spurs. He is mainly here as a player to absolutely consider whether you’re on Free Hit or using Free Transfers. Especially if you do not believe in Spurs. 

 

Bryan Mbeumo vs BOU (A) – £8.6m 

Despite 3 blanks in a row, I have not lost faith in Mbeumo. Man United’s attack is still ticking over nicely, and Newcastle and Villa are 2 of the league’s better teams and defences. He now takes on a Bournemouth team who have conceded the 6th most goals in the league this season and tend to be involved in high scoring shoot-outs. Kind of like United. 

It was no surprise that the reverse fixture earlier this season finished 4-4 as a result. Expect more fireworks in a game between 2 elite attacks and poor defences. Hammer the over 2.5 goals line. 

 

Anthony Gordon vs SUN (H) – £7.3m  

The FPL bogeyman. Gordon always seems to score a few goals the second everyone starts to take him out their team. More importantly now however, has been his presence spearheading the Newcastle attack of late. He now has 3 goals and an assist in his last 6 in the Prem. As well as 4 in the UCL against Qarabag. It’s safe to say he knows where the net is at present.  

What’s even more significant is Sunderland’s recent form and injury issues. They have 1 win in their last 6 and have conceded 9 goals during that time. Even with Xhaka back, they now have an even worse injury crisis with Mukiele, Ballard, Roefs, Reinildo and Enzo Le Fee now all battling injuries.  

 

Harry Wilson vs BUR (H) – £6.0m 

Luckily Wilson’s injury only kept him out for just the 1 Prem game, meaning those who held were right to do so. Despite not registering a return against Forest, he was plenty involved in the attack and could’ve easily returned on another day. Registering his highest xGI across his last 4 starts. 

Let us not forget that it was this fixture earlier in the season where he secured his mega haul of 16 points, registering a goal and 2 assists. Now he is fit and back in the line-up and Burnley are all but relegated, there is no reason he can’t repeat these feats. 

 

Bruno Fernandes vs BOU (A) – £10.1m 

Any team without this man in it at the moment is fundamentally unserious. He is the new Haaland. Free Hit, Wildcard, Team of the Year, this man must be there. We will not elaborate more.  

 

 

Forwards 

 

Igor Thiago vs LEE (A) – £7.3m 

With 2 goals in his last 3, Thiago is subtly creeping into a bit of form. Leeds have also conceded the 4th most goals this season despite some slightly more solid defensive performances of late. So not much recent he couldn’t return. However, given the defensive onus placed on this team he may find himself on the bench for this week. Nonetheless he is a great option this week which is why he finds himself here. 

 

Joao Pedro vs EVE (A) – £7.8m 

I’m not going to lose my faith in the man after 1 blank against one of the Prem’s better defences. He is still in mercurial form and Everton seems like just the sort of game he could bounce back in. Particularly with Tarkowski and Branthwaite both battling injuries.  

The man still has 8 goals and 6 assists in his last 9 Prem outings. Truly crazy numbers. Don’t read too deeply into one game. He’s at least earnt more faith than that. 

 

Benjamin Sesko vs BOU (A) – £7.4m 

If you are feeling adventurous then Sesko could be a sneaky option against Bournemouth. Given his most recent performances there is every chance he has done enough to warrant starting.  

That’s now 5 goals in his last 7 games, with 5/7 being off the bench for under 33 mins. He could be due to explode in this final stretch of the season.  

 

 

 

Other Solid starters if you are only Using FT’s for Gameweek 31: 

• Ekitike 

• Szoboszlai 

• Rogers 

• Kelleher 

• Wirtz 

• Watkins 

• Bowen 

• Kroupi Jr 

• Martinez 

• Dango 

• Schade 

• Raul 

• Casemiro 

• Chelsea defenders I guess… (check injury reports) 

 

That’s not to say that other players aren’t start-able this week. This is more to say that if you already own these players, they are not the ones you need to be using a Free Transfer on selling this week. 

 

Check out our Game Week Tips section for more Gameweek 31 Tips!