Newcastle’s Gordon Shines in FPL Gameweek 31 Scout Picks
We have picked our top Fantasy Premier League options for the Blank Gameweek 31 deadline on Friday. The squad follows strict constraints on budget and team limits.
Selections were made within an £83.0m budget for the starting XI. The overall squad limit was £100.0m. No more than three players were chosen from any single club.
Goalkeeper choice
Three of Filmogaz.com’s pundits backed Aaron Ramsdale (£4.8m) as the goalkeeper pick. Sunderland have scored just eight goals in 15 away matches this season, the second-fewest in the division.
Ramsdale has registered a save point in each of his last two appearances. That consistency supports his inclusion for Blank Gameweek 31 in FPL Scout Picks debates.
Defensive picks
Virgil van Dijk (£6.3m)
Van Dijk is our Liverpool defensive representative for the gameweek. Liverpool kept three clean sheets in their last five away matches.
The Dutch centre-back has produced four attacking returns since the turn of the year. Only one other defender has registered more big chances over the same period.
He also recorded defensive contribution points in 40% of his away games in 2025/26. That balance of defensive and attacking potential makes him appealing.
Malick Thiaw (£5.1m)
Thiaw ranks above van Dijk for big chances in 2026. He has shown genuine threat in the opposition box this season.
The Newcastle defender has scored five times in all competitions this season. Thiaw has also delivered DefCon points in four of the last five Gameweeks.
With Sunderland visiting St James’ Park, Newcastle options like Thiaw and discussions about Gordon shine in Gameweek 31 planning.
Joachim Andersen (£4.6m)
Andersen was chosen as the budget defensive option. Fulham look like favourites on paper to keep a clean sheet in this round.
All six of Fulham’s clean sheets this season came against teams in the bottom half. Andersen has produced DefCon extra points in 17 of his 27 starts.
