Premier League 2022/23 Season: FPL Fantasy Forecast - Gameweek 22
Ahead of each Gameweek in the Premier League, The Hype Train's team - Robert Austin, Sam Austin, and Phil Jones - provide a rundown of the upcoming round of games in the Premier League; predicting scores for every game, picking a budgeted squad of 15 players that we think are the top selections each week, whilst ee also comb over other relevant statistics, impressions and insight from around the game and the league to best navigate you through the world of fantasy football, all for free. Welcome to the Forecast. All aboard.
2022/23 Premier League Season: Fixture Predictions
Below, our score predictions pit the train's three members against one another. Let's find out how they think the Gameweek will shape up for teams.
2022/23 Premier League Season: Fantasy Forecast
The team go through a list of questions and insight to provide their predictions ahead of each Gameweek. None of the team pay for any subscription based FPL services, and the type of opinions here are based in both stats and analytical thinking where possible, as we tackle the latest round of games.
2022/23 Premier League Season: Gameweek Fantasy Forecast (Sam Austin)
Fixture Predictions: Gameweek 22
Chelsea 2-0 Fulham
Everton 0-2 Arsenal
Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester
Brentford 2-1 Southampton
Brighton 3-1 Bournemouth
Man United 2-0 Crystal Palace
Wolves 2-1 Liverpool
Newcastle 1-0 West Ham
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds
Spurs 1-1 Man City
Man United 3-1 Leeds
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 22
Who are the teams to look out for and avoid?:
Manchester United (Watch): Double-Gameweek. Two home games. Playing two teams in the bottom half of the table. Rashford in-form. Martinez back in the team. A perfect storm for your FPL team, spoilt by the choices.
Newcastle (Watch): 1-0. If you don’t see it coming from a mile away, go and watch any Newcastle game from this season.
Liverpool (Avoid): A group of under-15’s would have a chance of beating Liverpool right now, in fact, if you lined up a bunch of mannequins, I’m still convinced Liverpool might only get a draw. Liverpool’s fall from grace has not been a steady decline, but more akin to watching the trailer fall off the cliff in Jurassic Park 2. Wolves should be motivated in this game after the VAR decisions that saw them knocked out by Liverpool in the FA Cup, which then Liverpool comfortably lost the next round to Brighton. And I support this club.
Spurs & Manchester City (???): This fixture is hectic, and Spurs have a good record in it. I can see this being a game where both teams cancel each other out.
Top FPL player targets ahead of Gameweek 22:
GK: David De Gea (MUN, GK, £4.9mil, 10.5% ownership)
DEF: Lisandro Martinez (MUN, DEF, £4.5mil, 6.6% ownership)
MID: Bruno Fernandes (MUN, MID, £9.9mil, 11.0% ownership)
FWD: Wout Weghorst (MUN, FWD, £6.0mil, 1.1% ownership)
Gameweek 22 - FPL Differential Picks:
CHE/FUL: Mykhailo Mudryk (CHE, MID, £7.0mil, 2.7% ownership)
EVE/ARS: Eddie Nketiah (ARS, FWD, £6.7mil, 7.1% ownership)
AVL/LEI: Ollie Watkins (AVL, FWD, £7.1mil, 2.5% ownership)
BRE/SOU: Che Adams (SOU, FWD, £6.3mil, 1.9% ownership)
BHA/BOU: Kaoru Mitoma (BHA, MID, £5.1mil, 7.3% ownership)
MUN/CRY: Wout Weghorst (MUN, FWD, £6.0mil, 1.1% ownership)
WOL/LIV: Rayan Aït-Nouri (WOL, DEF, £4.2mil, 0.9% ownership)
NEW/WHU: Dan Burn (NEW, DEF, £4.6mil, 3.9% ownership)
NFO/LEE: Serge Aurier (NFO, DEF, £4.6mil, 1.6% ownership)
TOT/MCI: Riyad Mahrez (MCI, MID, £7.7mil, 7.9% ownership)
MUN/LEE: Wout Weghorst (MUN, FWD, £6.0mil, 1.1% ownership)
Differential Captain: Wout Weghorst (Manchester United)
The Dutchman, who by all measures is a differential and left-field signing, is still making people scratch heads. Regardless, he is a smart signing and will eventually get his first United goal. The best thing is that he is a relatively cheap option for your FPL team, and has two games to do something to change his goal tally against two teams in the bottom half of the table. As differential as this player is, it is a no-brainer.
FPL Captaincy Picks:
Essential: Marcus Rashford (MUN)
Alternative: Erling Haaland (MCI)
Differential (low ownership %): Wout Weghorst (MUN)
Rest of the World XI Challenge Team:
What is Sam’s team all about?: For the 22/23 season, Sam’s latest challenge sees his actual squad only being comprised of players from outside of Europe, with players only from Asia, North and South America, Australasia, and Africa considered.
Target Points: 2330pts
Total Points: 982pts
22/23 Captaincy: 10/21
Ins: Lisandro Martinez (MUN)
Outs: Daniel Amartey (LEI)
Transfer Thoughts: Martinez is back in the Manchester United team after returning from Argentina’s World Cup win. He also just scored his first goal for Manchester United, and has a Double-Gameweek upcoming. He is a locked-on starter and has two home games that on paper should reward at least one clean sheet.
22/23 Challenge: Rest of the World XI
GW22 Formation: 4-5-1
GK: Alisson (LIV)
DEF: Pervis Estupiñán (BHA)
DEF: Thiago Silva (CHE)
DEF: Gabriel (ARS)
DEF: Lisandro Martinez (MUN) - (VC)
MID: Kaoru Mitoma (BHA) - (C)
MID: Mohamad Salah (LIV)
MID: Miguel Almirón (NEW)
MID: Gabriel Martinelli (ARS)
MID: Riyad Mahrez (MCI)
FWD: Darwin Nunez (LIV)
Substitutes:
GK: Wily Caballero (SOU)
FWD: Bryan Mbeumo (BRE)
FWD: Julián Álvarez (MCI)
DEF: Kalidou Koulibaly (CHE)
2022/23 Premier League Season: Gameweek Fantasy Forecast (Robert Austin)
Fixture Predictions: Gameweek 22
Chelsea 1-1 Fulham
Everton 0-3 Arsenal
Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester
Brentford 1-1 Southampton
Brighton 2-0 Bournemouth
Man United 3-0 Crystal Palace
Wolves 1-1 Liverpool
Newcastle 2-0 West Ham
Nottingham Forest 2-3 Leeds
Spurs 0-2 Man City
Man United 2-1 Leeds
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 22
Are Leeds players worth the gamble ahead of their Double Gameweek?:
A grand total of 175,452 FPL players have drafted 10-goal Rodrigo Moreno (£6.4m) into their squads. An ankle injury has cut short the pipedream of the Spanish international playing for the foreseeable future – another hit in the groin from the Fantasy Football gods that reminds the game’s player base to not make early kneejerk moves. Early transfers, especially as there has been a break due to the FA Cup 4th round ties, are always risky and best to be avoided.
Elsewhere, 61,512 players have entrusted Wilfried Gnonto (£5.0m), with a 1.2% total ownership on board the Gnotto train hoping that the differential sparks up a top performance away at Nottingham Forest. No other player from Leeds has surpassed 50,000 transfers less than 24 hours before the transfer deadline, so it is clear the Fantasy Football populace have spoken. Leeds won’t be favoured, and it’s my personal opinion too that this team is a headache heading into a Double Gameweek and the prospects (and gut feeling) don’t look good to earn the points that we’re all chasing.
On Newcastle qualifying for the Carabao Cup Final:
I’ve been alive for 32 year and besides a brief period under Bobby Robson in the early 2000’s, all Newcastle supporters have known is disappointment. The club’s ownership has been a complete disaster since the Hall family sold up to Mike Ashley, and the collective fan base have been dragged through the mud. We have persevered with some of the most ineffective management on and off the field, the club was left to rot and rust, and each year was getting worse. Without the new owners, the club would be in the Championship right now and we’d most likely have defeatist, Steve Bruce, still at the helm. It’s been some year since as the club has been transformed and the supporters have galvanised the team on the pitch. The buzz around the club, even down south in Reading, is infectious and the most surprise factor in all of this is that reality that Newcastle just aren’t a cup team. We’re cannon fodder in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, and haven’t remember a single League Cup run in my lifetime.
It’s a very proud moment for everyone involved with the club, and unlike my cohorts at Hype Train who sometimes take for granted being involved in success, you won’t find me taking any moment of success for granted.
Will we beat Man United in the final? I’m not getting carried away due to the experience in the Man United squad. The likes of Varane and Casemiro will be vital in the showcase game at Wembley to manage the occasion, whilst Newcastle only have Kieran Trippier to call upon for guidance on the field. That said, this Newcastle team has been build on the back of a revamped defensive line, and we don’t concede goals, so I am optimistic that we’ll be able to get across the line.
Will any of the January summer signings come good in FPL?:
Cody Gakpo (LIV) was early doors, but will take a lot of time to settle into the league.
Enzo Fernandez (CHE) won’t be an option as a defensive midfielder. The same goes for Jorginho (ARS) and Weston McKennie (LEE).
Mykhailo Mudryk (CHE) is going to be some player. Quick and explosive with tricky feet, it’s a question of when things will settle at Chelsea, and how quickly the Ukrainian can establish himself. It’s a case of watch and wait for now.
Benoît Badiashile (CHE) has already hit the ground running with back-to-back clean sheets in the league. Linked with Newcastle before a move to Chelsea, so he must be the real deal.
Anthony Gordon (NEW) probably isn’t good enough to start for Newcastle (right now), but will get the opportunity of some minutes with Bruno serving a ban until the Carabao Cup final. I’m hoping the club give Allan Saint-Maximin a start, and move Joelinton back into midfield, as my first preference. Howe doesn’t like change in his settled squad too much, so my gut is telling me FPL players won’t be owning Gordon for the remainder of the season.
Paul Onuachu (SOU) hasn’t been added to the FPL game yet, but offers a lot of curiosity. The Nigerian is the top scorer in the Belgian Pro League so far this season having scored 16 goals in 19 games. He’s a lanky, leggy forward that is 6’7 and a real handful in the penalty area. This move has some real potential if the Forward hits the ground running in the Premier League.
Kaylor Navas (NFO) will be a huge signing for Forest and will be an FPL consideration should the impenetrable wall of Nick Pope come crashing down.
What is my Double Gameweek strategy?:
With Arsenal and Man City playing out a Double Gameweek 23, I’ve tried not to transfer out any of my 6 players from that team, though for a one week move I have taken out KDB for Fernandes, with the view of an immediate return to the team for DGW23.
I’ve decided to move on Alexsander Mitrovic (FUL) – the player doesn’t ever do well with me in FPL, neither does Toney – so have taken a punt on Wout Weghorst and gone all out attack for Man United. As a result, I’ll probably be saving my Triple Captaincy chip for later down the line – Newcastle have one upcoming, as do Man United, so I’ll be keeping my Chips safe and secure for a little while longer.
I’ve also opted for no Leeds players, and won’t be dropping any points due to having transfers banked – I honestly don’t think there are any players to consider that are worth dropping points for ahead of the deadline that aren’t Rashford or Fernandes.
What are the potential stumbling blocks to a good Gameweek?:
- Man United failing to turn up, leaving those
- West Ham score a goal vs. Newcastle, destroying double clean sheets across the world
- Everton’s new Manager bounce under Sean Dyche helping The Toffees to a much needed win in their hops of survival against Arsenal
- 0-0 between Spurs (Kane) and Man City (Haaland)
Who are the teams to look out for and avoid?:
Chelsea (Avoid): Sick to my stomach with the club (have been since 2004). A host of signings will take time to acclimatise, so for a while against rugged teams like Fulham, Chelsea *may* struggle. Transitional periods happen, even if clubs spend hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions (eclipsing the spend of Europe’s top leagues, combined, will help though).
Liverpool (Avoid): My twin brother has slowly been descending into madness over Liverpool’s ownership under FSG. Yes, I think he is being overdramatic – The Reds are a top, top club that have gone on their first dip of form under Klopp – but the truth is there for everyone else to see too. Liverpool’s squad has been stagnating for a year or so and needs freshening up. They’re easily to play against, they don’t press, and the squad all appear tired… These broad statements will tie in to the Wolves game, where by the home team will have figured Liverpool out in their recent FA Cup game, and I think it will be another game with dropped points for Klopp’s side as they settle for a place in midtable.
Newcastle (Watch): A run of 6 consecutive clean sheets. Into their first cup final since 1999, and a chance to win a first trophy since the 1960’s, Eddie Howe’s team have formed a fortress at home and it will take a mammoth effort from West Ham to take anything away from this game. At the other end of the pitch, Newcastle need something extra to get some goals again – a start for ASM and Isak should help matters, especially without Bruno available, it’s become necessary.
Aston Villa (Watch): Unai Emery’s team are 4 games without defeat and have back-to-back wins on the board. That’ll be enough momentum to see off a Leicester team who are desperately short of goals so far. Really fearing that Leicester will be a team facing the drop this season – which I don’t think anyone else wants to see.
Man City (Watch) / Spurs (Avoid): Spurs have lost a lot of tough home games this season. Why would this be any different? Spurs folded against City in their recent 4-2 away defeat, and I can see this being another comfortable, controlled away win for City.
Brentford & Southampton (Cautious): Nathan Jones has caught the eye of many as Southampton’s new Manager and the Saints have really picked up their performances throughout January. The trip to Brentford will be highly competitive and I can’t pin who will come out on top in this one
FPL Captaincy Picks:
Essential: Marcus Rashford (MUN)
Alternative: Kieran Trippier (NEW)
Differential : Wout Weghorst (MUN)
The clear consensus this week is to select Man United assets ahead of their Double Gameweek home games, the only major decision is who tops the bill – Rashford or Fernandes. I’ve gone for Rashford, 46 points from his last 7 matches in FPL is a complete no brainer and I’m confident that’s what the majority of casual players and FPL enthusiasts alike will go down this route.
FPL Squad Picks: Gameweek 22
Formation: 3-4-3
Budget: £103.0m
Starting 11
GK: Nick Pope (NEW)
DEF: Kieran Trippier (NEW)
DEF: Luke Shaw (MUN)
DEF: William Saliba (ARS)
MID: Martin Ødegaard (ARS)
MID: Marcus Rashford (MUN) – (C)
MID: Kaoru Mitoma (BHA)
MID: Bruno Fernandes (MUN) – (VC)
FOR: Erling Haaland (MCI)
FOR: Harry Kane (TOT)
FOR: Wout Weghorst (MUN)
Substitutes
GK: Danny Ward (LEI)
MID: Miguel Almiron (NEW0
DEF: Pervis Estupiñán (BHA)
DEF: Ben Mee (BRE)
Want to know more about The Hype Train?
The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in general football and Fantasy sports reporting, starting with Fantasy Premier League (FPL), before expanding to MLS Fantasy coverage in 2018.
We pride ourselves in providing beautiful graphics, statistics, in-depth analytical reporting and free weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb rankings tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review games, live sport, and professional wrestling.
In 2019, Hype Train Football Club was formed, becoming the first Fantasy Football website to take to the field. HTFC is a socially active team across social and web channels, providing regular match highlights, match reports, comprehensive player statistics and unique player profiles. We won both Goal of the Season Awards in the Berkshire and County FA regions, with Callum Parr-Jones winning the Berks & Bucks FA award, whilst Martin King won the PlaySport UK award.
In 2021, we formed the Reading Sunday Social League (RSSL), a competitive Sunday League involving 8 teams in its debut season. During the 2021/22 season, we won our first-ever trophy, lifting the East Berkshire Football League's Presidents Cup!
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog' in 2016 by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), and were again shortlisted as a finalist in 2019 in the 'Best Fantasy Football Blog' category.
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