Fpl round-up: fpl Gameweek 28 Q&A with Heisenberg, Scout team and three differentials

This week’s fpl conversation centres on a live Q& A with expert Heisenberg (Wes Prickett) and a Scout Selection best XI built around double-ups from four clubs, all arriving ahead of a Friday 18: 30 deadline. The page asks managers to send questions to Heisenberg the site’s 'Get Involved' prompt as they finalise their Gameweek 28 squads.

Heisenberg Q& A, credentials and the Haaland debate

Heisenberg is named as Wes Prickett and is identified as having seven finishes inside the top 30k in overall rankings, with a best finish of 836th in the world. In the live Q& A, a reader called Lee asked whether it is possible to do well in FPL without Erling Haaland. Heisenberg replied that over the course of the season it is tough: when Haaland is red-hot and widely captained managers who miss him will be punished. He noted it might have been acceptable to be without Haaland in Gameweeks 18-24, but on the whole it has been hard to go without him. Heisenberg added that going without Haaland is more feasible if other expensive players such as Mo Salah, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka were performing strongly, but as those players have been largely disappointing it has not been worth avoiding Erling Haaland — you can still have Haaland without being financially restricted since those other expensive players have been avoidable.

The live page was assembled by Charlotte Coates, Adwaidh Rajan, George Booth and Ailsa Cowen, and closes with a reminder that the deadline is 18: 30 today and thanks readers for sending questions.

Fpl Scout team and double-ups from Bournemouth, Liverpool, Man City and Man United

The Scout Selection best team for Gameweek 28 features double-ups from AFC Bournemouth, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United. Bournemouth’s goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic (£4. 5m) and winger Rayan (£5. 6m) are listed to entertain Sunderland in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off. Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk (£6. 0m) and Hugo Ekitike (£8. 9m) are named to host West Ham United later that afternoon. Manchester City are backed at both ends for their visit to Leeds United on Saturday evening, with Erling Haaland (£14. 8m) joined by Nico O’Reilly (£5. 0m). Manchester United’s midfield pair Bruno Fernandes (£9. 9m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£8. 7m) are included for the following day when they welcome Crystal Palace to Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

Bruno Fernandes is handed the armband in the Scout Selection, with Hugo Ekitike named as vice-captain.

Form figures, ownership spikes and set-piece notes

Bournemouth’s goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is described as the Cherries’ second top-scoring player in Fantasy over the last four Gameweeks, having collected 25 points in that spell two clean sheets, five save points and four bonus points. The Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk is credited with a goal, an assist and two clean sheets that combined to give him 28 points in the last two Gameweeks; he is noted as the second most-bought player, earning 347, 000+ new owners ahead of favourable matches against West Ham and Wolverhampton Wanderers over the next two Gameweeks.

Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, listed as a defender in Fantasy, has scored three goals across the last two Gameweeks and has earned 363, 000+ new owners — a figure described as more than twice any other player apart from Van Dijk. The Scout Selection also highlights set-piece threat, noting an Arsenal defender’s aerial threat from free-kicks and corners could be potent at home to Chelsea, and that since Liam Rosenior was appointed as head coach the Blues have conceded 33 shots from set-pieces, the third-most in the league.

The Scout Selection notes that an unnamed Man City star’s assist against Newcastle United last weekend means he has produced an attacking return in four successive Gameweeks and is getting back to his best. Under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford, Bruno Fernandes has produced 10 points in all three of his appearances and has eight double-figure hauls this season, second only to Haaland’s nine.

Scout performance notes: Mbeumo, Wilson and Bournemouth’s Rayan

Bryan Mbeumo’s assist against Everton in Gameweek 27 is described as moving him to become Manchester United’s top-scoring player since Michael Carrick took charge, eclipsing Bruno Fernandes by 41 points to 39. The Cameroonian is credited as having blanked on just one occasion in six matches. The Fulham winger Wilson is noted to have eight goals and seven assists, placing him third among midfielders for attacking returns this season; his home match against Tottenham this weekend is listed as one of four matches against bottom-five opponents over the next four Gameweeks.

Bournemouth’s new winger Rayan is said to have made an immediate impact since joining last month, with two goals and an assist across four outings; his nine shots and six chances created place him among the Cherries’ top two players during that spell, with Sunderland described as having one clean sheet over their last eight matches.

Three Gameweek 28 differentials: Schade, Scott and low-owned options

A daily FPL podcast team that includes FPL Harry, Joe, Neale, Sam and FPL General flags three low-owned picks for Gameweek 28 — players with ownership of 5% or less. The piece selects low-owned options at Brentford, Bournemouth and Manchester United.

Kevin Schade (£6. 9m) is presented as a differential who has managed two assists in seven appearances since the turn of the year but has six goals and four assists this season. Brentford are noted to travel to Turf Moor on Saturday to take on Burnley, a side described as having conceded more goals than any other team except Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweeks 19-27. The context highlights that left-sided attackers such as Crysencio Summerville (£5. 7m) and Chemsdine Talbi (£4. 9m) have exposed Burnley in that period, and that Schade ranks favourably (just!) when compared to Dango Ouattara (£5. 9m).

Schade’s recent form is said to have been affected by a three-match suspension for a red card at Villa Park, and he is described as having been back after suspension in Gameweeks 25-26, featuring for the second half against Brighton and Hove Albion last time out, with a note that he could return to the starting XI on Saturday. The discussion suggests Schade offers upside for managers looking to make up lost ground in mini-leagues.

For managers willing to gamble, Alex Scott (£5. 0m) is named as a budget midfield option. Scott is framed as carrying potential because of a raft of injuries suffered by Sunderland recently. He has produced seven shots and three chances created over his last four matches and has racked up 55 defensive contributions (DefCon), the most of any Bournemouth player in any position. Scott is quoted in full: “I think all season I have been at a decent level. I started pretty strong, I think there were a few games where my levels dropped, but I’m back to my best. I’m definitely in the form of my life. I feel really good and I can probably play 90 minutes most weeks now. Defensively, I have definitely improved and I’m trying to make the box to score goals and create chances a lot more. It’s a tough role to do, any of those three positions in midfield. It’s very demanding physically in games, the way we press and jump the opposition. It’s good to have fresh legs on the bench. For me personally, it’s good to have such competition because it helps me stay on my A game. ”

The coverage closes by inviting managers to send their questions in for Heisenberg using the site’s 'Get Involved' facility and wishing readers well for the weekend as they finalise squads before the 18: 30 deadline.