Maintaining momentum key to a strong finish to the 2016/17 FPL season

Having played our final chip of the FPL season in GW37, a 159 points return was a respectable effort. The combination of a double gameweek for 10 sides used in tandem with the ‘bench boost’ chip enabled us to continue our progress up the overall Fantasy Premier League rankings but it will all be in vain, if we fail to follow it up with another good effort in GW38, the final round of the 2016/17 FPL season.

As usual, the amount of playing time each of our squad members may be afforded is at the forefront of our thinking, as we pencil our GW38 line-up in. There are question marks about exactly how much playing time the likes of Eden Hazard, Victor Moses, Kieran Trippier, Manolo Gabbiadini and Cédric Soares may see on Sunday.

There was a temptation to throw in Divock Origi at the expense of Gabbiadini but Roberto Firmino is expected to be fit and that could mean that Liverpool’s young Belgian forward is relegated to the bench, while it’s anybody’s guess as to how much game time Antonio Conte will give to his top stars, with the FA Cup final looming next weekend!

However, Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren looks assured of a start against a Middlesbrough side that are not expected to get on the scoresheet, so we’re going to transfer him in, with Billy Jones making way.

The Reds should have far too much in the locker for a relegated Boro side and we’re handing the GW38 captain’s armband to Philippe Coutinho. He may not be battling it out for the Golden Boot like a number of other candidates but he was in great form in the last game round and should be raring to go again this weekend.

Harry Kane, who has probably done enough to finish the campaign as the leading scorer, gets the vice-captaincy but he’s unlikely to rest on his laurels, following that 4-goal scoring blitz on Thursday, so don’t be too surprised if he adds to his seasonal tally against Hull City on Sunday.

Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus should be in the thick of the action for a Manchester City team that still needs a result to guarantee Champions League football at the Etihad next season. Sunday’s opponents’ Watford have lost 5 on the trot and are unlikley to trouble Pep Guardiola’s side too much.

The season finale might not be dubbed ‘Survival Sunday’ this time around but there will be plenty at stake in a number of Fantasy Premier League mini-leagues – can we finish the FPL season with a flourish?