A Free Hit wipes the slate clean for one week, so the only thing that matters is this gameweek’s data. No price changes to protect, no future fixtures to plan around. Here is how to use the numbers above to build a GW6 squad.
What matters this week
- Fixtures at the top end: Arsenal host Leeds (Raya xP 4.69, Gabriel xP 4.83, Saka xP 4.97) and Man Utd host Spurs (B.Fernandes xP 5.70, Mbeumo xP 4.76), giving two strong home clusters to build around.
- Form over price: Gvardiol carries a 6.6 form despite sitting at £5.7m, and De Cuyper’s 6.4 form at £4.9m makes him one of the cheapest high-output defenders in the pool.
- The Haaland factor: even away at Liverpool, Haaland’s 7.17 xP and 6.6 form dwarf the field, with 73.3% ownership showing the market agrees.
How to weigh it
On a Free Hit you are chasing single-gameweek ceiling, not fixture runs, so form and matchup this week outweigh reputation or season-long price tags. A £4.9m De Cuyper with 6.4 form is a better use of funds than a pricier defender in a tougher game, and a double-up on a good fixture (Arsenal or Man Utd) is often safer than spreading thin across mediocre matchups. The one exception is a player like Haaland, whose xP is so far clear of the field that it justifies the price regardless of opponent.
Starting XI
GKP: Raya (xP 4.69, home v LEE)
DEF: Gabriel (xP 4.83, home v LEE), Gvardiol (xP 4.68, form 6.6), De Cuyper (xP 4.99, form 6.4)
MID: B.Fernandes (xP 5.70, home v TOT), Palmer (xP 5.30, home v BOU), Saka (xP 4.97, home v LEE), Rogers (xP 4.83, form 5.8)
FWD: Haaland (xP 7.17), Isak (xP 5.70, home v MCI), Emersonn (xP 5.63, home v FUL)
Bench order
1. Mbeumo (xP 4.76, home v TOT)
2. Hall (xP 4.83, away v COV)
3. Vuskovic (xP 4.61, away v SUN)
4. Kelleher (xP 4.75, away v AVL)
Captain
Haaland is the clear pick, xP 7.17 and form 6.6 lead every player in the data even away at Liverpool. Selection at 73.3% confirms the field is aligned. B.Fernandes (xP 5.70, home v TOT) is the backup if you want to fade the template.
Key fixtures
Arsenal v Leeds and Man Utd v Spurs are the two home fixtures to build around, each supplying multiple starters. Brighton away at Sunderland also stands out through De Cuyper and Vuskovic.
If you are unsure
Default to the highest xP player at each position from the data above, anchor your captaincy on Haaland (xP 7.17), and lean on the Arsenal and Man Utd home fixtures to fill out the XI.
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