Gameweek 31 is looming — and if you’re not on a Free Hit, you need a plan.
Many managers (hands up) are stacked with Arsenal, Manchester City and Wolves assets. That was fine during the Double Gameweek hype… but now?
- Arsenal & Wolves: Confirmed blanks in GW31
- Man City & Palace: Possible blanks
- Fixture swings incoming
- Fatigue kicking in
- FA Cup chaos still to land
If you’re not resetting, this is the moment to get proactive.
SELL OR REDUCE: Arsenal Assets
Arsenal’s title charge is starting to look heavy.
- Tottenham
- Chelsea (after that)
- Blank GW31
That’s not smooth sailing.
The North London Derby against a refreshed Tottenham Hotspur side under Igor Tudor suddenly looks awkward. Then comes a derby against an in-form Chelsea.
If you doubled or trebled up defensively, now may be the time to scale back.
Players to Consider Selling
- Viktor Gyökeres (£8.8m)
- Noni Madueke (£6.8m)
- Martin Zubimendi (£5.3m)
Double Gameweek punts served their purpose. Time to move them on.
BUY LIVERPOOL – STRIKE BEFORE OTHERS DO
If you want to gain in mini-leagues, don’t wait for everyone else to reset.
Liverpool look back in rhythm — and their next four fixtures are against bottom-five opposition.
Strong Picks
- Virgil van Dijk (£5.9m)
- Florian Wirtz (£8.4m)
- Hugo Ekitike (£8.9m)
While others slowly dead-end their squads ahead of GW31, you can attack now.
This is where rank gains happen.
DITCH HAALAND? SPREAD THE FUNDS?
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
Erling Haaland (£14.9m):
- Subbed at half-time vs Fulham
- 3 goals in 9 matches
- Just one open-play goal since Christmas
- Sharing minutes with Omar Marmoush
Yes, he’s back in training.
Yes, Pep may say he’s fine.
But £14.9m is a lot tied up in a potentially jaded striker.
Redistributing that money could upgrade:
- A £4.5m defender to premium
- A budget mid to a £9m+ explosive option
- Bench depth ahead of blanks
It’s risky. But this is how aggressive managers win leagues.
OR WAIT ONE MORE WEEK ON CHELSEA?
Chelsea face Burnley at home — a plum fixture.
If you own:
- Joao Pedro (£7.7m)
- Cole Palmer (£10.6m)
Holding one more week makes sense.
But after that?
Arsenal (a), Villa (a), Newcastle (h), Everton (a), Man City (h), Man United (h).
That’s not medium-term friendly. A GW28 Wildcard could clear that up neatly.
The Blank & Double Gameweek Gamble
FA Cup semi-finals will affect Gameweek 34. Fixtures may shift to 33 or 36.
We won’t know the full picture until Gameweek 32’s deadline.
That means:
- Early moves = upside but risk
- Waiting = safety but less upside
Decide which manager you are.
Don’t Forget Man City
Yes, they may blank in GW31.
But form matters.
Manchester City are revitalised. If they win out, the league is theirs.
- Antoine Semenyo (£7.9m) flying
- Marc Guehi (£5.2m) settled
- Fixtures excellent before GW31
The smart move?
Wildcard them in — and build a contingency:
- Bench in GW31
- Or sell using banked free transfers
Don’t let one blank blind you to elite assets.
Final Strategy Summary
Sell / Reduce
- Arsenal defensive double-ups
- Double Gameweek punts
- Possibly Haaland
Buy
- Liverpool core
- Form midfielders under £9m
- Players with strong GW28–30 fixtures
Key Question
Are you playing safe… or attacking before everyone else wakes up?
Because Gameweek 31 isn’t just a blank.
It’s an opportunity.
