If you’re using the Bench Boost in Gameweek 32, the chances are that a) you’ve thought about the decision for a while and b) already have your boostable substitutes in place.
But as David Byrne once sang, you may find yourself with a flag or two in your squad heading as we near Saturday’s deadline. There may be a Marc Guehi (£4.5m) here or a lingering Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.3m) there.
With that in mind, here are a few last-minute names to throw into the hat for a Gameweek 32 Bench Boost if you’re scrabbling around for a replacement.
Based on form and fixtures, our look into the best budget-friendly options excludes Newcastle United and Crystal Palace players. Most FPL managers will likely already know which doublers they’d like from there.
BEST BENCH BOOST GAMEWEEK 32 OPTIONS – CLUB BY CLUBASTON VILLA
After those, it’s Aston Villa that top the Season Ticker for this round of fixtures, as Unai Emery’s men travel to Championship-bound Southampton.
On paper, that’s about as kind a fixture as one could hope for. But there’s the added complication of a must-win Champions League quarter-final second leg versus Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
Rotation seems inevitable, making Villa not quite so simple. For example, popular pick Morgan Rogers (£5.6m) hasn’t been benched in the Premier League all season. Yet he played all 90 minutes in Paris, as well as last weekend.
With minimal let-up in the schedule before their FA Cup semi-final, a trip to Southampton could be the perfect time to finally hand him a breather.
Marcus Rashford (£6.7m) could also see his minutes managed, having started and played the majority of the midweek outing. Perhaps Marco Asensio (£6.2m) will get a longer run-out, as he received just a 30-minute cameo against his parent club.
Crucially, January arrival Donyell Malen (£5.3m) is absent from their Champions League squad and has the best chance of a full Saturday run-out. Additionally, he netted in his last two appearances, which combined for just 63 minutes.
Villa are also rotating heavily at the back. Emiliano Martínez (£5.0m) was the only one to keep his place in Paris and is still the safest best, but if he’s too expensive for a second Bench Boost goalkeeper, consider defender Tyrone Mings (£4.4m).
He had the Forest game while Ezri Konsa (£4.4m) and Pau Torres (£4.2m) played 90 Champions League minutes.
Maybe Axel Disasi (£4.2m) too, who also started in Gameweek 31 and was only introduced at half-time against PSG because of Matty Cash’s (£4.4m) booking. Ian Maatsen (£4.5m) assisted against Forest and is a more than capable Lucas Digne (£4.5m) understudy.
Scout suggestions
Defence: Tyrone Mings (£4.4m), Ian Maatsen (£4.5m), Emiliano Martínez (£5.0m)
Attack: Donyell Malen (£5.3m), Marco Asensio (£6.2m)
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Next under the microscope is Brighton, who face the appealing task of Leicester City at home.
The Seagulls’ form has slipped recently, with two losses and a draw from their last three league outings – although those have come against Villa, Crystal Palace and Manchester City.
They did also draw 2-2 with Leicester last time but Leicester have been on a historically awful run ever since, losing 15 of 16 league matches and failing to score in 13 of those – including all of their last eight.
In theory, that should give the hosts a decent chance of a first clean sheet since the ones in Gameweeks 25-26. Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m) enters the conversation as a prime Bench Boost stopper, while defender Lewis Dunk (£4.2m) offers an even cheaper route into Fabian Hurzeler’s backline. The club captain has historically contributed the occasional goal and the Foxes have certainly conceded a few of those recently.
Aside from the slightly pricier Pervis Estupiñán (£4.9m), recent scorer at Manchester City, Brighton’s other first-choice defenders are missing through suspension or injury.
Higher up the pitch, Yankuba Minteh’s (£5.0m) fifth assist of the season last weekend took him within one attacking return of fresh injury doubt Kaoru Mitoma (£6.5m), despite starting half as many matches and playing over 1,000 fewer minutes. Minteh scored past Leicester in the reverse fixture.
João Pedro (£5.6m) sat on the Gameweek 31 bench, with replacement Danny Welbeck (£5.5m) scoring in the loss to Palace. It’s his second strike in five Gameweeks, though last weekend was his first start in that time.
Assuming the Brazilian has no last-minute issues, the penalty-taker should return to the side to face Leicester.
Scout suggestions
Defence: Lewis Dunk (£4.2m), Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m), Pervis Estupiñán (£4.9m)
Attack: João Pedro (£5.6m), Yankuba Minteh (£5.0m), Danny Welbeck (£5.5m)
CHELSEA
Taking on similarly relegation-bound Ipswich Town this weekend is Chelsea.
The Tractor Boys did triumph over Enzo Maresca’s side back in December, and have shown fight in recent weeks despite their now all-but-confirmed drop. But a top-five finish is within Chelsea’s grasp.
Cole Palmer (£10.7m) has lost plenty of backers during his recent dry spell and is far from a budget Bench Boost enabler, whereas the ever-present Enzo Fernández (£4.7m) is available for less than half the price and has delivered a respectable four attacking returns in his last eight matches.
Similarly, Marc Cucurella’s (£5.4m) recent spurt of goals has seen his price spike toward the premium defenders range, but you can nab Trevoh Chalobah (£4.4m) or Levi Colwill (£4.4m) for a million less. The latter is probably the Blues’ most secure defensive option for minutes aside from error-prone goalkeeper Robert Sánchez (£4.5m).
Also worth noting is the fact that Chelsea top our Season Ticker over the next three Gameweeks:
Scout suggestions
Defence: Levi Colwill (£4.4m), Robert Sánchez (£4.5m)
Attack: Enzo Fernández (£4.7m)
LIVERPOOL
Arne Slot’s Reds will be out for blood following their Gameweek 31 loss, and Conor Bradley (£4.7m) could be set to line up at right-back against West Ham United.
The right-back registered an assist in last weekend’s 20-minute cameo and looks likely to enjoy a run of starts while Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m) is absent. If you want slightly more assured game time in the long run, there’s the pricier Ibrahima Konaté (£5.3m).
Budget goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher (£4.0m) is unfortunately no longer a viable option, now that Alisson (£5.6m) has been cleared to play following a concussion.
In any case, Liverpool travel to lowly Leicester in Gameweek 33 and face the struggling Tottenham Hotspur in Blank Gameweek 34.
If a mid-priced midfielder is what you’re after, Alexis Mac Allister (£6.2m) may have shown some signs of fatigue recently, but has still popped up with two goals in his last four appearances.
Scout suggestions
Defence: Conor Bradley (£4.7m), Ibrahima Konaté (£5.3m)
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
The Tricky Trees will likely face the sternest test of the teams on this list, with David Moyes’s Everton increasingly adept at frustrating their opponents.
Thursday’s press conference brought – surprise, surprise – no concrete injury updates on Chris Wood (£7.0m) or Anthony Elanga (£5.5m), but Ola Aina (£5.2m) was ruled out of this weekend’s match.
Neco Williams (£4.4m) provides a cut-price defensive alternative to Nikola Milenković (£5.1m) and Matz Sels (£5.1m). He was a significant attacking threat against Aston Villa last weekend, creating four chances, assisting the consolation goal and shooting twice from inside the box.
With Wood and back-up striker Taiwo Awoniyi (£5.5m) out of that match, Morgan Gibbs-White (£6.5m) operated as something of a false nine, although winger Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.2m) was often more advanced and had the better chances. The ex-Chelsea man is on eight attacking returns, including three goals from the latest six league starts.
Scout suggestions
Defenders: Neco Williams (£4.4m)
Attackers: Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.2m)
BEST OF THE REST
Elsewhere, some others could be worthy Bench Boost fillers when taking form and medium-term fixtures into account.
Jorgen Strand Larsen (£5.4m) has four goals in three matches to drag Wolverhampton Wanderers to safety. He may take more of a backseat now that Matheus Cunha’s (£6.8m) is back but his price and appealing fixtures – ranked behind only Chelsea and Liverpool on our Season Ticker between Gameweeks 32 and 34 – make him a decent option for those needing a cheap third striker. This weekend’s opponents Tottenham Hotspur may have their minds on Thursday’s trip to Frankfurt.
An alternative forward to Strand-Larsen is Evanilson (£5.8m). Bournemouth’s Brazilian forward bagged a brace in Gameweek 31, making it four goals in four since returning from injury.
The Cherries are in the top half for Gameweek 32 to 34 fixtures, and could benefit from a potential return of Justin Kluivert (£6.1m). Not that Evanilson’s output is struggling without him.
