Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers will have to rely on their benches in Gameweek 31 after two highly owned players missed out.

Erling Haaland (£14.3m) was on the bench for Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa but did not get on the pitch.

And Bukayo Saka (£9.0m) was left out of Arsenal’s squad against Luton amid injury concerns, leaving many FPL squads looking bare.

So ahead of Gameweek 32, we look at some of the biggest headaches facing FPL managers – from poor form to injuries to popular players.

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Erling Haaland: Does his form make him a potential sell in FPL?

Haaland’s benching should not concern owners too much.

City next play on Saturday – and the turnaround between games was mentioned by Pep Guardiola when explaining why Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne (£10.3m) missed out.

The City manager said:

“In two-and-a-half days we have another game at 12:30. I think all the teams at the top have a big squad, a good squad and of course we have it.

“Today we decided for this lineup for this tough opening and [we will] go for it.”

Of more concern is Haaland’s form.

Since Gameweek 23 – when he made his first start recovering from a stress fracture in his foot – Haaland has scored four goals in eight matches.

Although a one-in-two record is not terrible, other players have outscored the most expensive player in the game.

City midfielder Phil Foden (£8.1m) has nine goals in that time, while Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz (£4.7m) has eight and Saka and Ollie Watkins (£8.8m) have six.

Nine other players have matched Haaland’s four goals and the Norwegian is the joint-20th highest points scorer in FPL.

Erling Haaland’s recent form

But despite many other players outscoring him, he is still the fourth-highest scoring forward since Gameweek 23, with Muniz, Watkins and Carlton Morris (£5.0m) the only ones ahead of him.

Struggling for form – but not chances

Haaland’s form is underwhelming but the data suggests it’s not due to a lack of opportunities.

He has had 13 big chances, two more than Watkins in second and six more than free-scoring Foden.

This is not unusual for him though, given he topped the league for big chances missed last season.

He is on track for a repeat this season, missing five more big chances than Darwin Nunez (£7.6m), yet remains the top goalscorer.

Big chances since Gameweek 23

What is below his usual standards is his shot accuracy.

Just 13 of his 35 shots since Gameweek 23 have been on target – 37.1%.

That percentage is lower than his accuracy up to Gameweek 22 – 51.6% – and 48.8% in his 36 goal campaign.

He has under-performed his expected goals (xG) since his comeback, with his xG of 6.45 more than two ahead of his actual total.

His xG is the best in the league however and should he find his shooting boots, the goals could quickly flow once again.

Erling Haaland’s recent stats

Are there alternatives to Haaland?

With Luton heading to the Etihad in Gameweek 33, it would take a brave FPL manager to sell him.

He had a field day against the Hatters in the FA Cup in February, scoring five times.

Hub AI has far from given up hope, with City’s main man predicted to be the top-scoring forward over the next five gameweeks and the second highest overall.

Predicted points for Gameweek 32-36

But City are not one of the seven teams who play twice in Double Gameweek 34 and those planning a Wildcard after the double in particular may be tempted by a short-term sale.

Matheus Cunha (£5.5m), Dominic Solanke (£7.2m), Jean-Philippe Mateta (£4.9m) and Nunez are among the doubling forwards who could come in.

Haaland would soon come back into contention, with an expected Double Gameweek 37 to be announced.

When are the remaining double gameweeks in FPL?

Elsewhere, Newcastle’s Alexander Isak (£7.8m) has five goals in his last four games, two of which have come from the penalty spot.

Alexander Isak’s recent form

Muniz, as noted above, has top scored since Haaland’s return with eight.

And Ivan Toney (£8.1m) has Sheffield United and Luton in Gameweek 33 and 34, although his own form has suffered with two goals since Gameweek 23.

So while our AI advises against selling Haaland, there are options for those who do want rid of him.

Mohamed Salah (£13.4m) offers a reliable captaincy alternative in the coming weeks too.

Expected points for Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah

FPL headaches: Injuries to popular players

Our weekly round-up of FPL team news and predicted lineups, written by injury analyst Ben Dinnery, can be found below. It is regularly updated near the gameweek deadline with information from every clubs’ press conferences.

FPL Gameweek 32 team news

But here are a few key highlights to look out for ahead of the Gameweek 32 deadline.

Bukayo Saka

Saka was last seen hobbling off in the 78th minute of Arsenal’s clash against City in Gameweek 30.

He was a doubt for the Luton game on Wednesday, however many FPL managers would have expected him to start given Mikel Arteta’s keenness to maximise his minutes in the past.

But Saka was left out of the squad, with Arteta stating:

“He was close but again he felt something in a very similar area against City and it was a very short turnaround. Hopefully he’ll be able to train again and we can have him for the weekend.”

With Arsenal doubling in Gameweek 34, Saka looks to be one to hold on to ahead of an imminent return.

Bukayo Saka’s stats

Ollie Watkins

Watkins was not fit for Villa’s squad against City on Wednesday, having come off at half-time with a hamstring complaint in Gameweek 30.

His injury actually solved a headache for some FPL managers, who sold him to help fund the purchase of Salah.

The 16 goal, 16 assist talisman is set to be the most-sold player two gameweeks running, although he could be ready to return against Brentford in Gameweek 32.

A fit and firing Watkins is a superb FPL option, however Villa are not set to have a double gameweek so his spot may be up for grabs.

Ollie Watkins’ stats

Alphonse Areola

Areola is the highest-owned goalkeeper in the game, in 52% of the game’s top 10,000 teams.

He lasted until half-time against Newcastle in Gameweek 30 before being replaced, with the groin injury keeping him out of action in Gameweek 31.

The West Ham shot-stopper’s problem was not seen as ‘too serious’, according to David Moyes, but another game out could lead to mass sales, especially for those without a reliable starter as a backup.

The top 20 predicted points scorers is dominated by midfielders and forwards, making a goalkeeper change a frustrating one.

Predicted points for goalkeepers up to Gameweek 34

Kieran Trippier

Trippier is the 11th most popular player in the game, although he does not feature in the top 20 for the leading 10,000 managers.

He has missed the last three games with a calf injury – and Eddie Howe confirmed after the Everton game in midweek that the full-back would not be ready for Gameweek 31 against Fulham.

This appeared to be a setback, given Howe had previously indicated he was progressing well.

The Athletic has reported Trippier could be out for around three weeks, making him a sell in FPL.

He could come back into contention later in the season though, with Newcastle set to double in Gameweek 37.

The Magpies have a prime home fixture against Sheffield United in Gameweek 35 too, a team they beat 8-0 away. Trippier scored 18 points.

Kieran Trippier’s stats

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FPL headaches: Haaland’s poor form and injury latest on Saka, Watkins and more

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