The Assistant Manager chip became available in Gameweek 24, with over one million managers utilizing it for the first double gameweek of the season. An additional 900,000 managers activated the chip in Double Gameweek 25, meaning more than two million managers are still evaluating their options heading into Gameweek 26.
Do Nothing
In Double Gameweek 25, over 70% of Assistant Manager chips were used on the two managers with a double gameweek: Liverpool’s Arne Slot (£1.5m) and Aston Villa’s Unai Emery (£0.8m). With no teams playing twice in Gameweek 26, those managers could save their transfer this week (especially if this is your third week on the chip) and stick with the same choice. Transfers are becoming increasingly valuable, particularly with popular picks Cody Gakpo (£7.6m) and Amad (£5.5m) recently added to the injury list.
Blank Gameweek 29 is also looming, as Liverpool, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace won’t have a Premier League fixture due to the Carabao Cup final. Liverpool and Villa played their rearranged fixture in Gameweek 25, while Newcastle and Palace will play their postponed game in Gameweek 32, leading to another small double gameweek on the horizon. The Free Hit chip is an option for Gameweek 29, but most managers will target Gameweek 34, when there is further disruption in the schedule coinciding with the latter rounds of the FA Cup.
Go for a Pick
If you can afford him, the safest buy on the Assistant Manager chip this week is Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta (£1.5m) before his side host West Ham United. Arsenal are one of the Premier League’s form teams despite their injury crisis, scoring 12 goals in their last four while keeping two clean sheets, earning three wins and a draw. Arteta is averaging 10 points per game on the assistant manager scoring matrix since its introduction to FPL, and the odds of an Arsenal win and clean sheet are among the shortest for the weekend.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola (£1.1m) is also tempting before Wolverhampton Wanderers’ visit this weekend. Bournemouth come into this game with three wins in their last four league games, scoring 21 goals in six games across all competitions as their new-look front three thrives.
Seek the Table Bonus
The table bonus in the assistant manager scoring matrix is always enticing, with an additional 10 points for a win or five points for a draw on offer for those fantasy bosses prepared to take the risk. This boost is in play when the opposing side is five places or higher above the manager’s team in the Premier League table, which is the case for Crystal Palace (13th) against Fulham (8th) this week.
Six managers can qualify for the table bonus this week, and three of them have a home game, which feels crucial when taking this gamble. Leicester City’s Ruud van Nistelrooy (£0.5m) could be a potential option at the King Power Stadium, while Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna (£0.5m) could be a budget-friendly choice as they host Tottenham Hotspur. Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner (£0.8m) could be the best buy for managers who activated the chip in Gameweek 25 and are looking for a boss to serve them for the next two gameweeks.
Remember, these are just some of the options to consider when using the Assistant Manager chip. Evaluate your team, budget, and overall strategy to make the best decision for your fantasy team.
