The final game week of a pulsating 2022/23 Fantasy Premier League season is upon us and it is one that either ends with a bang or an embarrassing number of omissions due to rotation.
Nevertheless, Game Week 38 historically provides plenty of goals above the average rate as there are often crazy scorelines and surprising results on the last day of the season. This season, only Everton, Leicester City, Leeds United and Aston Villa have something to play for while you can also keep an eye out for potential goal-fests.
The thrashings that often occur in GW38 tend to be in games where there’s little at stake and players can either feel free to express themselves or make calamitous errors leading to a goal.
Given the simultaneous nature of final-day action, the FootballCastle has all the tips you need ahead of the final deadline of the season at 15:00 BST on Sunday 28 May.
Goalkeepers
Sam Johnstone (£4.4m)
The Crystal Palace man is at home against Nottingham Forest who have only scored ten times away from home this season. Given that Johnstone has 33 FPL points in his last eight games, he is a safe option against visitors who are already safe from relegation.
David De Gea (£5.1m)
The Golden Glove winner can register his 18th clean sheet of the campaign against Fulham who have found the net in just one of their last three away games.
De Gea is already on 11 shutouts at Old Trafford and you can enjoy one more on the final day.
Jordan Pickford (£4.4m)
With Everton needing to beat Bournemouth to secure their top-flight status in GW38, the Toffees are clear favourites at home against opponents who are goalless in their last two games and clearly dropping off since ensuring their survival.
Pickford is an inspirational character that will surely have a say in the outcome of the match so don’t miss out on this potential masterclass.
Defenders
James Tarkowski (£4.1m)
The Everton double-up is there for the taking as Bournemouth are blunt in attack and weak at set-pieces. Meanwhile, Tarkowski is an excellent weapon at dead balls and could prove decisive in both boxes.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.8m)
The in-form Liverpool star promises multiple routes to returns after totalling 27 points from his last three away fixtures with a goal, three assists and a clean sheet. Although his eight-match streak of FPL returns ended in GW37, Alexander-Arnold can end with another big haul against relegated Southampton.
The Saints will most likely add to their 69 goals conceded this season with 141 chances coming from their left flank where the 24-year-old does his creative work.
Midfielders
Mohamed Salah (£13.1m)
The Egyptian is in his best form of the campaign after producing 17 goal involvements from the last 14 matches. Salah is a no-brainer for the captaincy against relegated Southampton who are on a five-game losing run.
Although the Saints might be playing for pride in their last Premier League home game for a while, it only increases Salah’s chances of finding gaps behind an overzealous side lacking in confidence. His apology to the Liverpool fans after missing out on Champions League football suggests Salah isn’t done yet this season.
Eberechi Eze (£5.6m)
The 24-year-old is the most transferred-in player for GW38 having been a standout in FPL since Roy Hodgson’s return to Crystal Palace. Eze has six goals and two assists from the subsequent nine games to total 65 points which is only less than Salah’s 80 among midfielders.
Nottingham Forest are weaker away from home and the new England invitee will be looking to haul some more points especially as he might be on penalties with Wilfried Zaha out.
Dwight McNeil (£5.1m)
The winger is a major factor in Everton’s survival bid as he’s stepped up with the most goal involvements in Sean Dyche’s tenure. McNeil can haul double figures and you can’t look past another huge performance in GW38.
Indeed, his wonderful deliveries could prove decisive against Bournemouth’s vulnerability at set pieces. Another Goodison Park classic is right on cue.
Jacob Ramsey (£5.1m)
The youngster has managed back-to-back goals for 16 FPL points and could end the season with a big haul for his side who are seeking a European spot.
Aston Villa will return to Europe for the first time since 2010/11 should they beat UEFA Europa League-bound Brighton at Villa Park where they have won six in a row.
James Maddison (£7.8m)
As Leicester City are desperate for a win to stay up, Maddison has been their only reliable asset with ten goals and nine assists this season.
The attacking midfielder has a goal and three assists from his last four starts and faces a potentially much-changed West Ham side who have the Europa Conference League final to look forward to.
Forwards
Bryan Mbeumo (£5.6m)
Mbeumo registered a season-high haul of 16 points against Tottenham Hotspur and has become the main man in the absence of Ivan Toney as he produced three goals and an assist in the last two GWs.
The Cameroonian has found 43 points having scored in all four games without his strike partner and he can continue his clinical form against Man City who should rotate due to upcoming Cup finals.
Jamie Vardy (£9.1m)
The striker is a crucial asset in Leicester’s chances of escaping the bottom three as they must defeat West Ham at home.
Encouragingly, the Foxes legend has only blanked once in his last three home appearances ahead of what could well be his final Premier League appearance at King Power Stadium. West Ham’s run to the UEFA Europa Conference League final also means potentially heavy rotation by David Moyes.
Harry Kane (£11.4m)
Kane has blanked in just one of his last 11 matches and could end a prolific season on a high after scoring ten and assisting two for 84 FPL points in that period.
247 points this season surpasses the Tottenham striker’s previous highest tally of 242 points from 2020/21. Meanwhile, Leeds are unlikely to stop Kane having conceded ten big chances in the last three game weeks, making the Englishman a major captaincy option.
