Double Gameweek 37 no doubt saw plenty of dramatic swings take place with big hauls and high scores being prominent in what was a dramatic round of fixtures in the Premier League. Whilst all eyes are on the race for the Premier League title, FPL managers will be eying up the bigger picture and specifically focusing on owning the best fantasy assets. Picking the right captain on the final gameweek of the campaign may well be what decides plenty of mini-leagues across the world of FPL. With that, we’ve examined the runners and riders, settling on three premium captaincy options for Gameweek 38 along with a differential pick ahead of Sunday’s 14:30 deadline.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Erling Haaland (£14.3m) vs WHU (H)
Many FPL bosses banked on Man City striker Erling Haaland bringing home a significant haul of points in Double Gameweek 37 and they were not disappointed. After blanking against Fulham, Haaland made up for it by netting a crucial brace vs Spurs, helping him finish with 15 fantasy points over the course of those two fixtures. The Norwegian also extended his overall tally of Premier League goals this season to 27, putting him firmly on course for the golden boot.
A hat-trick in Gameweek 38 would see Haaland reach the 30-goal-mark for the second consecutive season in the Premier League, having bagged 36 goals in 2022-23. You wouldn’t put it past him with Man City needing to beat West Ham to secure a fourth straight English top flight title. With seven goals across his last four league games, Haaland represents the safe captain choice.
Mo Salah (£13.4m) vs WOL (H)
It’s not been the usual massively lucrative FPL season that we would normally expect from Mo Salah, but the Liverpool star’s returns have still proven more than respectable, his current total of 205 fantasy points being the fifth highest score among midfielders. It’s also worth noting that Salah’s most recent home fixture saw him rack up a goal, two assists and 13 points.
Liverpool host Wolves in Gameweek 38 in what is Jurgen Klopp’s final game in charge of the Reds. No doubt the players will want to send the German out on a high and Salah may be the one to do the damage. Of his 18 league goals in 2023-24, 13 of those have come at Anfield. We also need to factor in Salah’s 11 assists and penalties falling under his domain. For any FPL managers reluctant to place the armband on Haaland, Salah is a more than worthy premium alternative.
Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) vs CRY (a)
Although Aston Villa have nothing to play for having now secured Champions League football next season, the same cannot be said for Ollie Watkins. The highest-scoring forward within the FPL player-base with 226 points (11 more than Haaland) is chasing 20 Premier League goals in a single season for the first time in his career. One more goal in Gameweek 38 gets that done.
Watkins’ personal ambitions should see him start away to in-form Crystal Palace and the Villa striker has proven over the course of this campaign that he should be seen as a fixture-proof asset. He doesn’t just offer the potential for goals, with 18 assists also to his name which is more than any other player across the division. This makes Watkins a player worth serious consideration when it comes to the Gameweek 38 captaincy.
DIFFERENTIAL OPTION
Leandro Trossard (£6.6m) vs EVE (H)
Expected to start in Gameweek 38 for an Arsenal side needing to win to give themselves the best possible chance of overhauling Man City should Pep Guardiola’s side slip up, Leandro Trossard is fast making the left-sided attacking position his own at the Gunners. The bargain-priced FPL-listed midfielder has been red-hot in front of goal, scoring in four of Arsenal’s last five Premier League fixtures, accruing 36 fantasy points in the process.
Arsenal should prove far too strong for an Everton team who have secured their top flight status and may well have their eyes firmly on the summer at this stage. Arsenal though, need to be laser-focused and ensure that they come out on top. When considering his low ownership, any FPL manager needing a last-gasp differential skipper who could make the difference for them in Gameweek 38 really ought to give Belgian international Trossard some serious thought.
