Brighton FPL Gameweek 29: Rutter can rinse City
Brighton extended their winning streak to six matches in all competitions thanks to a 98th minute winner in FPL Gameweek 28, scored by Joao Pedro and celebrated as ridiculously as Albion fans have come to expect by Georginio Rutter.
The Seagulls now sit seventh in the Premier League, only one point behind Gameweek 29 opposition Manchester City.
If Brighton were to pick up their first ever three points at the Etihad Stadium, it would put them firmly in the race for Champions League qualification going into the final nine games of the campaign.
Alongside the Albion’s good form, FPL managers will also be keen to purchase Seagulls assets because they will not be absent from action this weekend. Unlike players from Liverpool, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace on account of it being the League Cup final.
Taking all this into account, here are a couple of interesting Brighton players to be considered ahead of Gameweek 29.
Georginio Rutter (£5.1 million)
Our Brighton FPL Gameweek 24 preview noted that Rutter had recorded some promising statistics but had been limited to recent cameos. We said that once back in the starting XI, he could be very appealing.
Well, he has since started five consecutive games. Contributing a goal and an assist in that run to continue what has been a seriously impressive first campaign at the Amex.
Despite just 18 of his 27 appearances coming from the start, Rutter is club leader for shots (50) and only Joao Pedro (£5.5 million) has racked up more assists (five).
Rutter also pips Danny Welbeck (£5.5 million) to the honour of having fewest minutes per chance (32.3).
Unlike his two Brighton teammates, FPL classifies Rutter as a midfielder. Crucially, this means he gets an extra point for goals and is eligible for a clean sheet point.
At a time when fellow cheap midfielders Morgan Rogers (£5.5 million), Jacob Murphy (£5.0 million) and Dango Ouattara (£5.2 million) have either been benched or are about to blank, Rutter could be a superb differential punt.
Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.5 million
Two ongoing statistics came together to form a beautiful moment during Saturday’s Albion equaliser against Fulham.
Previously mentioned as 2023-24’s sole FPL defender with at least 10 headed attempts not to score, centre-back van Hecke finally netted his first Brighton goal in appearance number 82.
And who floated in the free-kick? Yasin Ayari (£5.0 million), the player who entered Gameweek 28 as the second-most creative player to still not have an assist.
Only Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson (£5.8 million) was a bigger underachiever than Ayari’s 24 chances created. And they had both set up six big ones too.
As for van Hecke, he has helped the Brighton defence collect two clean sheets in four matches. Throughout the season, the Seagulls have allowed the third-fewest shots on target (103), meaning there is potential to secure even shutouts over the next 10 games.
Captaincy
Of the usual ‘big three’ captaincy choices, Mohamed Salah (£13.8 million) and Alexander Isak (£9.4 million) will be busy at Wembley. Drastically out-of-form Cole Palmer (£11.0 million) meanwhile has to visit Arsenal.
Therefore, this is the right time for a brave armband move that, if successful, can shoot managers up ranking and mini-leagues.
Chris Wood (£7.3 million) gets to face Ipswich Town. Bruno Fernandes (£8.4 million) has 29 points from three matches and travels to struggling Leicester.
And then there are Bournemouth with multiple popular attackers up against a Brentford backline that has conceded the second-most attempts (489) and shots on target (160).
