Gameweek 31 will be a turning point for every Fantasy Premier League manager as the Premier League campaign hits its business end. With big games around the corner and the war of points intensifying, this is your golden chance to bridge the gap with possible contenders.
Whether you are in pursuit of your mini-league’s top gun or looking to enhance your lead, the guide below will equip you with everything required to down GW26 in style.
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The following is a probable lineup to maximise your returns in Gameweek 31.
DEF: Josko Gvardiol (Man City)
With a Double Gameweek 33 (DGW33) coming up, Gvardiol could be a great addition – especially for those managers who can navigate Man City’s lack of a Premier League fixture in Blank Gameweek 34 (BGW34), perhaps with the Free Hit chip.
DEF: William Saliba (Arsenal)
The Gunners have conceded the fewest Premier League goals this season, with just 25.
At the other end of the pitch, Saliba may not seem like the biggest threat, with just five shots to his name. But four of those have come on the rare occasions when Gabriel has not been on the pitch, suggesting Saliba could profit from being the main set-piece target in the Brazilian’s absence.
DEF: Tino Livramento (Newcastle)
With Kieran Trippier a minor injury concern and Dan Burn (£4.4m) two bookings away from a suspension, Livramento could be the ideal route into Newcastle’s defence.
The Magpies next face Leicester City, whose last Premier League goal came in Gameweek 23.
DEF: Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace)
Two Double Gameweeks for Crystal Palace make the Colombian a must-have in Fantasy right now.
Granted, the fixtures are not ideal for clean-sheet prospects. Of the 10 top-scoring teams in the league, Palace face eight of them over Gameweeks 31-38.
But as we’ve seen recently, Munoz is more than capable of delivering at the other end of the pitch.
He ranks second among defenders for shots in the box (27) and big chances (nine) and is also joint-eighth for chances created, with 33.
The wing-back has delivered 53 points in his last nine starts, blanking on just two occasions.
MID: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has seen his ownership decline significantly in 2025, hindered by a goal drought in the Premier League. He did record an assist as Chelsea beat Tottenham at Stamford Bridge in midweek.
But Palmer hasn’t registered a goal involvement away from Stamford Bridge since Gameweek 20, with four successive blanks on the road. Opponents Brentford have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four league games.
MID: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Once again it’s Mo Salah who tops the AI rankings as the best captain pick for FPL Gameweek 31 despite a rare blank in the Merseyside derby last time out.
That brought an end to an eight-game run of goal involvements for the Egyptian. He has double digit hauls in four consecutive away trips in the Premier League, but only managed one assist in the 2-2 home draw against Fulham back in December.
MID: Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)
Brentford midfielder Bryan Mbeumo is the second-highest scoring player in the game, and most likely to pass the 200-point mark next. His form continues to hold strong, with two goals and three assists across the last five gameweeks.
Only Bruno Fernandes and Mo Salah have netted more fantasy points in this period, with the Bees asset also on penalties.
FWD: Alexander Isak (Newcastle)
The Premier League scheduling has been kind for Newcastle United who don’t play again until Monday night. It gives Alexander Isak five days to recover from the groin complaint which forced an early substitution in the 2-1 win against Brentford last time out.
He produced a double digit haul in the reverse fixture against Leicester City, with a goal and an assist for 11 fantasy points.
FWD: Dominic Solanke (Spurs)
It’s been rare to see Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke make this top 10 since his injury in early January, but a visit from bottom-of-the-table Southampton provides big potential.
Tottenham beat them 0-5 in the reverse fixture, with just an assist for Solanke on that day. More than half of his goal involvements have come at home this season, with six goals and two assists.
FWD: Jean Phillipe-Mateta (Crystal Palace)
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta managed 58 minutes on his Premier League return from head injury, but he failed to find the back of the net against Southampton.
However, 12 goals and two assists for the season so far remains a promising tally ahead of the visit of Brighton in this fierce rivalry. The Seagulls are without a clean sheet in their last four league games, conceding seven goals in this spell.
