In his FPL Gameweek 13 review, Fantasy Premier League author David Wardale sees a Man United legend blank as Chelsea’s popular defenders also fail to deliver.

A well-owned Leicester striker finally got himself back among the goals on Sunday, while Man City and Brentford earned narrow wins of varying fantasy significance.

In the Saturday games, a popular purchase struck twice for a ruthless Liverpool, Arsenal brushed aside visitors Newcastle in the early kick-off and Steven Gerrard made it two wins on the bounce for his new club, Aston Villa.

You can catch all our FPL Gameweek 13 tips right here.

FPL Gameweek 13 Review

Chelsea 1 Man United 1

Man United battled to a draw as the 29% of FPL managers who own Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.4m) were handed zero points.

Caretaker boss Michael Carrick made the huge call to bench Ronaldo and when he did finally come on, his 26-minute cameo was most notable for a booking picked up for dissent.

Pity the 757,000+ managers who gave him the armband…

United kept things tight and looked to counter from the limited possession – 34% – they enjoyed.

One of those breaks handed them the lead when Jorginho (£5.8m) made a terrible error as last man, Jadon Sancho (£8.9m) pouncing on the mistake to run through and finish with a pleasing assurance.

The Italy international was given a shot at redemption when Thiago Silva (£5.5m) was fouled in the box and the midfielder grabbed his opportunity from the penalty spot.

But with none of the players involved in the goals owned by more than 4.4%, the game was as much about those that didn’t deliver as those that did.

Chief among the did nots was Reece James (£6.2m and 34.3%), who was booked and produced his worst tally – one measly point – since Gameweek 8.

Chelsea out-shot United 24-3 and the usual suspect when it comes to fluffed chances – Timo Werner (£8.6m) – was at his infuriating worst, while Hakim Ziyech (£7.3m) had a number of promising situations and Antonio Rudiger (£6.0m) blasted a great opportunity over the bar with one of the last touches of the match.

But the game, in the end, provided a more interesting pointer as to the future for fantasy managers.

For Chelsea, Romelu Lukaku (£11.5m) returned to the fray, albeit for only eight minutes at the death, and he could well start Wednesday’s trip to a leaky Watford.

As for United, if Ralf Rangnick had some input into picking the team – and it’s entirely feasible – the decision to utilise Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) as the middle man of a front three could make for interesting times ahead for the Portuguese playmaker.

Goalscorer Sancho, owned by just 1.8%, is another who’ll need monitoring when Rangnick finally takes the reins.

It’s Arsenal next for the Red Devils, with a very obliging schedule after that which will demand our fantasy attention.

Leicester 4 Watford 2 – Jamie and James’ Jamboree

Jamie Vardy (£10.6m) broke his four-game goal drought in fine style with a brace against Watford.

But it was James Maddison (£6.6m) who racked up the big numbers on the day with a goal, two assists and a projected share of the maximum bonus award (with Vardy) propelling him to a bumper 16-point haul.

With just 3.8% ownership and injuries to key players meaning he has precious little competition as the side’s creative force, the England midfielder could well enjoy a big popularity boost with a schedule involving Southampton, Newcastle and Everton over the next five gameweeks.

Vardy’s ownership has been going the other way in recent weeks, but that too could change on the strength of this performance.

Leicester’s other scorer was Ademola Lookman (£6.0m), with assists coming from Jonny Evans (£5.4m) and Harvey Barnes (£6.5m) – the latter’s second return in three matches.

Both sides offer precious little in terms of defensive points, but the Hornets’ front two of Josh King (£5.6m) and Emmanuel Dennis (£5.3m) shone once again.

In the absence of the injured Ismaila Sarr (£5.9m), King slotted home a penalty for his fifth goal in as many starts.

Dennis earned the spot-kick and then scored himself. With a bonus point looking like heading his way, that would make it three double-digit returns from the last four games he’s been involved in.

Such consistency might not earn him too many new owners, however, as Watford host Chelsea and then Man City next.

Man City 2 West Ham 1 – Manuel Labour Breaks Hearts

Manchester City laboured to a hard-fought win over West Ham, but a late consolation goal for the visitors spoiled many a fantasy afternoon.

With the match just seconds from ending, substitute Manuel Lanzini (£5.8m) fired home for the Hammers.

It was a strike viewed with some bitterness by the 35.6% of FPL managers who own Joao Cancelo (£6.6m), depriving them as it did of both clean sheet points and a likely bonus award as well.

That pain was also felt by the 23.2% who own the returning Ruben Dias (£6.0m).

City’s scorers, Ilkay Gundogan (£7.2m) and substitute Fernandinho (£4.8m) can only dream of such fantasy popularity.

The Germany international also provided an assist, as did Riyad Mahrez (£8.6m), who is another in the marginal ownership bracket.

That can’t be said of West Ham striker Michail Antonio (£8.1m and 44.5%), but he blanked for a fourth straight gameweek despite putting in a tireless (and thankless) shift alone up front.

Brentford 1 Everton 0 – Toney Time

Ivan Toney (£6.7m) made it back-to-back goals as Everton’s descent into goal-shy strugglers continued with a dispiriting defeat at Brentford.

The Toffees managed to hog possession (60%) and out-shoot their hosts 14 to six (with 5 v 4 for attempts on target), but they still extended their winless run to seven matches.

They’ve also failed to score for three fixtures now, which handed Brentford a first clean sheet since Gameweek 5.

That helped goalkeeper Alvaro Fernandez (£4.5m) to a nine-point haul, boosted by five saves and two bonus.

But for most people, it was all about Toney, the 21%-owned striker coolly rolling home a penalty after Frank Onyeka (£4.9m) was fouled in the box.

Brentford’s immediate schedule is a mixed bag involving Spurs and Leicester away, followed by visits from Watford and Man United.

The 1.8 million who have stuck by Toney will hope he can continue his surge in output regardless.

The considerably smaller numbers still backing Everton assets will be desperate for any output at al – a state of affairs that looks unlikely with Liverpool and Arsenal to play next.

Liverpool 4 Southampton 0 – Diogo For Gold

A brace for Diogo Jota (£7.6m) was sweet music to the ears of the quarter of a million managers who brought the Liverpool midfielder in for the visit of Southampton.

That made it three goals in two gameweeks, and a second double-digit haul in four starts, for the Portugal international.

An even more popular Gameweek 13 purchase, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.9m), continued his prolific campaign with yet another assist – his seventh of the season – and a second straight clean sheet as the Reds swept the Saints aside.

Visiting manager Ralph Hasenhuttl went bold at Anfield, employing a back three. Three-nil down at half-time, he reverted to a four-man defence after the interval and a damage limitation exercise ensued, although they did match their hosts for big chances (three) on the day.

The other Liverpool goals came from Thiago (£5.3m) and Virgil van Dijk (£6.6m), with an assist for the returning left-back, Andy Robertson (£7.0m).

An assist was all Mo Salah’s (£13.0m) owners had to make do with, although it did mean an astonishing 11^th straight match with a return from the Egyptian.

A Merseyside derby against an injury-ravaged Everton could mean more of the same for Salah and co in midweek, while Southampton will hope to bounce back with a visit from the inconsistent Leicester.

Brighton 0 Leeds United 0 – Hell To Maupay

Saturday’s schedule ended with a stalemate hewn from the rough stone that is Brighton striker Neal Maupay (£6.4m).

The French forward, so often the pantomime villain among rival fans, incurred the wrath of his own supporters with a series of missed chances for the Seagulls.

Only two players across all five games had more attempts than his five on Saturday. Three of them came in the area, two were big chances, but only one actually found the target.

In all, Brighton had 20 attempts – the second best total on the day – with just the four troubling Ilan Meslier (£4.9m) in the Leeds goal.

That meant a rare clean sheet for the visitors.

On the flip side, it also meant a shut-out for Brighton – their first since Gameweek 8 – which was a solid reward for the 19% of managers who didn’t sell Robert Sanchez (£4.6m) when he was suspended last week.

And the 0.9% on Tariq Lamptey (£4.4m) enjoyed a second consecutive clean sheet (he was subbed off before Aston Villa scored in Gameweek 12), with their man leading the way for key passes, with five, to highlight once again his attacking threat.

Leeds were kept relatively quiet by the Seagulls, although they too managed four shots on target, and both Raphinha (£6.7m) and Rodrigo (£6.3m) were back, from illness and injury respectively, to boost the attack ahead of Tuesday’s visit from Crystal Palace.

Brighton travel to West Ham the following evening in desperate need of a spark to stop a winless run that stretches back to Gameweek 6.

Arsenal 2 Newcastle United 0 – Smith-Roe Woe

Arsenal got Gameweek 13 off to a predictable start with a routine win over a forgettable Newcastle.

The goals came from the excellent Bukayo Saka (£6.3m) and the player who replaced him, Gabriel Martinelli (£5.2m), after the England international succumbed to a knock.

The extent of Saka’s injury was not initially apparent, with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta delivering a post-match update:

“It was an action where he said he felt something and he said he wasn’t comfortable to continue and we will have to assess him tomorrow and probably scan him and see if there is any injury there. He felt something muscular, let’s see what it is.”

Newcastle succeeded in frustrating Arsenal for the first half, but snatching something from the match once they finally conceded looked well beyond them.

In fantasy terms, the major incident was a negative. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£9.9m) contrived to miss from a couple of yards out, thus denying the 27.8%-owned Emile Smith-Rowe (£5.9m) an assist.

The biggest winners on the day were the select few who owned the Arsenal full-backs.

Both Takehiro Tomiyasu (£4.6m and 3.4% owned) and Nuno Tavares (£4.3m) produced their first assists for the club which, with bonus to be added, meant a first double-digit return for each.

Tavares, owned by just 0.4%, has started the last five matches and his place in the side now looks like his to lose – the 4.1% still hanging on to Kieran Tierney (£4.8m) be warned – especially as he also led the way for attempts at The Emirates, with six.

The more popular defensive assets that are Ben White (£4.4m) and Aaron Ramsdale (£4.8m) continued their consistent production of points with a third clean sheet in four matches.

It’s a (presumably) Ralf Rangnick-inspired Man United for Arsenal next, which is possibly the poorest of timings for the Gunners.

Newcastle’s immediate schedule – Norwich and then Burnley at home – might tempt a punt or two, however.

Based on Gameweek 13’s performance, finding the right punt will be a tricky endeavour.

Crystal Palace 1 Aston Villa 2 – Young At Heart of the Action

Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa record remained perfect thanks to a second straight win.

Goals from Matt Targett (£4.7m) and the impressive John McGinn (£5.8m) sealed the deal, with a late strike from Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi (£4.5m) nothing more than a consolation.

It was, however, a very pleasant consolation for his 0.6% ownership, who have now enjoyed back-to-back goals as well as two previous consecutive clean sheets from their man.

No shut-out for Villa, but one player designated a defender in FPL could be worth a look anyway.

That man is the veteran Ashley Young (£4.7m), who has twice been used by Gerrard in an advanced midfield role.

Young has produced an assist in each of those games – the first a 16-minute cameo – and his lucky 0.5% ownership also bagged clean sheet points (and one projected bonus) on Saturday as he was subbed off after 84 minutes with the score at 2-0.

Villa do have Man City and Liverpool to play over the next three gameweeks, but two wins on the bounce will do wonders for the squad’s confidence and Gerrard has clearly instilled some steel into their backline – they reduced Palace to just eight shots on the day.

The Eagles’ most-owned asset, Conor Gallagher (£6.1m and 27.8%), had precisely none of them. Young and McGinn, by contrast, had three apiece.

Gallagher and Palace will hope for better in midweek when they travel to Leeds.

Norwich 0 Wolves 0 – Canaries Frustrated

An entertaining goalless draw was played out at Carrow Road, with the hosts unfortunate not to make it two wins on the bounce for new boss Dean Smith.

Teemu Pukki (£5.8m) was the best bet of a goal on the day as he led the way for shots (five), but he hit the target with only two of them and fluffed his one big chance.

Wolves were well below their best, managing a mere five shots, only two of which troubled Tim Krul (£4.5m) in the Norwich goal.

The gameweek’s sixth most-bought player, Raul Jimenez (£7.8m), blanked for his 350,000+ new owners. A visit from Burnley in midweek might improve their mood.

A second straight clean sheet at least elevated the allure of goalkeeper Jose Sa (£5.0m), who made four saves and was projected to bring in maximum bonus, which would mean a second double-figure haul of a season in which he’s now sniffing around the top table for fantasy stoppers.

As for Norwich, the side are fast losing their whipping boy status.

A trip to Newcastle on Tuesday looks like a good opportunity to cast it aside, maybe once and for all, with Pukki a half-decent shout for investment against the Magpies’ porous defence.

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FPL Gameweek 13 Review and Reaction – Ronaldo Benched In Stamford Bridge Stalemate

FPL Gameweek 13 Review and Reaction – Ronaldo Benched In Stamford Bridge Stalemate

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