Brighton FPL Gameweek 21: Estupinan back from injury with bang
Unbeaten in four matches, a first Premier League clean sheet of the season, into the fourth round of the FA Cup and with a whole host of popular FPL assets like Pervis Estupinan returning from injury, the second half of the season is looking like it could be very exciting for Brighton.
Playing European football for the first time, the Albion have done well to remain in touch with the top six despite having two games almost every week since the Europa League kicked off in late September.
January represents a much less hectic month, including the Premier League winter break. By the time Brighton take to the Amex for their Gameweek 21 clash with Wolves, they will have enjoyed 16 days off since their 4-2 FA Cup win at Stoke City.
Well rested, those aforementioned players coming back and full of confidence, Albion assets should be of strong interest to FPL managers ahead of an appealing set of upcoming fixtures.
Pascal Gross (£6.4 million)
The African Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup mean that two of FPL’s top scoring midfielders – Mohamed Salah (£13.2 million) and Son Heung-min (£9.8 million) – are away on international duty for potentially four Gameweeks.
Consequently, managers have flocked to replace the duo in their squads. Combining this with a desire to cover a good run of Brighton games, a popular alternative is Pascal Gross.
Der Kaiser has played the most minutes of any Albion player in the Premier League so far this season and is the only midfielder or attacker to start over 14 matches – Gross is on 17.
Not only is he as close to a guaranteed starter as there is at Brighton, but he is bang in form. Gross has bagged one goal and five assists from his last eight league matches.
A set piece taker, he has created the second-most chances (52) of all players and plays a pivotal role for the team with the second-most shots on target (127).
The only reason there seems for not selecting Gross is the gap between the FPL Gameweek 21 deadline and the Albion playing – a whopping 10 days in which some unavailability can occur.
Pervis Estupinan (£4.9 million)
Yet for the obvious appeal Gross holds, the most-bought Brighton player in FPL since the new year is Estupinan following his comeback from injury.
Over six million managers owned Estupinan in the early weeks of the 2023-24 season. They were well-rewarded, the left back being the number one defender for goal involvements (four), big chances created (four) and penalty area touches (24) by Gameweek 6.
In three matches back, Estupinan has scored long-range goals against Spurs and Stoke and kept a clean sheet at West Ham – the Albion’s first in the Premier League this season at the 20th attempt.
Looking like he is now over his injury woes, FPL managers will be optimistic that more returns will follow for Estupinan, adding appeal to this much-missed asset.
Captaincy
The door is wide open for Gameweek 21 armband options. Salah and Son are away and there remains plenty of uncertainty over the injury situation of Erling Haaland.
This offers a chance for managers to be fearless and maybe make a huge rise up rankings and mini-leagues as there is sure to be a great variety of captaincy selections.
In-form Chelsea man Cole Palmer (£5.6 million) is at home to Fulham. Ollie Watkins (£8.9 million) tends to travel well as Aston Villa head to Everton. And Liverpool have a wealth of other attacking options other than Salah for their trip to Bournemouth.
Perhaps Jarrod Bowen (£8.1 million) will add to his seven away goals for West Ham United this season at Sheffield United, although the midfielder ended the Hammers’ FA Cup draw against Bristol City with a heavy limp.
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