FPL Gameweek 22 Tips: Captaincy Conundrums, Top Transfers and AI Team Reveal

With most managers relying on a near-permanent Erling Haaland captaincy for much of the campaign, Gameweek 22 raises an important question: could this be the moment to go against him?

Getting your captaincy call right could prove the difference between climbing the ranks and treading water.

Haaland reminded managers of his threat last Gameweek by scoring against Brighton, but a lack of bonus points restricted him to a modest six-point return. Coming after three consecutive blanks, it leaves FPL managers with a dilemma: stick with effective ownership safety, or roll the dice and chase upside elsewhere?

Several alternatives are firmly on the radar for Gameweek 22. Hugo Ekitiké arrives in excellent form, with five goals, one assist and 42 FPL points across his last five appearances, and faces a Burnley side that have conceded the second-most goals this season (41).

Defensively, Gabriel Magalhães continues to deliver elite consistency. He has returned in three consecutive Gameweeks and leads all defenders for goals (3), bonus points (16) and total FPL points (112) ahead of a favourable fixture against Forest.

Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo also stands out, ranking second for goals (5), joint-second for assists (3) and top for both shots (44) among his Liverpool players, while Morgan Rogers has been Villa’s standout attacking asset with seven goals, four assists and 101 FPL points.

In this guide, we break down the key FPL stats, predicted points and ownership trends ahead of the Gameweek 22 deadline, before highlighting the standout captaincy candidates that could help you gain an edge — whether you’re protecting rank or chasing it. 👇

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Top FPL Tips for Gameweek 22

⏰ Gameweek Deadline

Saturday 17 Jan at 11:00

📈 Most Popular FPL Transfers

1️⃣ Thiago - 517,989
2️⃣ Gabriel - 489,399
3️⃣ Bruno G. - 419,405
4️⃣ Rice - 410,378
5️⃣ Wilson - 395,621

🚩 Key FPL Injury Updates

• Guehi (39.9% ownership) – Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Marc Guehi will not be in the squad to face Sunderland in Gameweek 22, with the defender closing in on a move to Manchester City.
• Palmer (12.1% ownership) & R. James (11.0% ownership) – Cole Palmer and Reece James are set to train today (Thursday), with new Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior confident both could be available for the Gameweek 22 squad.
• Richarlison (7.3% ownership) – Richarlison is expected to be sidelined until March after suffering a hamstring injury in the FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa.
• Rodon (3.4% ownership) – Joe Rodon looks set to be fit for the visit of Fulham in Gameweek 22.
• Minteh (3.1% ownership) – Yankuba Minteh (dead leg) is an “option” for Gameweek 22, according to Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler.
• King (2.0% ownership) – Josh King “could be” back for Gameweek 22, with a final decision to be made after training on Friday.

🧢 FPL Gameweek 22 Captaincy Candidates

1️⃣ Ekitiké - 6.4 predicted points
2️⃣ Haaland - 5.7 predicted points
3️⃣ Gakpo - 5.2 predicted points

👉 Top 3 Captaincy Picks - Including a Differential

🤔 What’s the Best Free Hit FPL Team for Gameweek 22?

The Algorithm has crunched the numbers and revealed its optimal squad — built to maximise points.

Ekitiké gets the armband after returning from injury against Barnsley in the cup with a goal and an assist. 🧢

The Algorithm is clearly backing a 0–0 in the Palace vs Sunderland clash, with three defensive assets from both teams in the starting XI. 🛡️

And it’s no surprise when you look at the data from the last six Gameweeks — they’re the lowest-scoring sides in the league:

• Palace: 2 goals
• Sunderland: 3 goals

Gakpo stands out as the top differential. 🌟

He faces a Burnley side with:

• No away clean sheets 
• The 2nd most goals conceded away (26) 
• The highest xGC away (23.47) 

You can also optimise your own team now using the Assistant Manager tool.

⭐ Top FPL Players for Gameweek 22

Check out some of our other must-read FPL content for this week:

👉 The FPL Differentials That Could Define Your Gameweek

👉 FPL Gameweek 22: Top 5 Key Players

👉 The Perfect Wildcard Team

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