Gameweek eight is fast approaching, and with it the first double gameweek of the 2024/25 season. If you’ve been on a rollercoaster ride of performances over the last seven gameweeks, this week is a great chance to maximise your scoring potential and move up the leagues. But what’s the best way to do that? Below we’ve compiled a list of some of our top tips to give you the edge.
1. Play your Chelsea and Manchester United players
This double game week will see both Chelsea and Manchester United play twice. While their second game of the week (when they go head to head), happens a full week after the rest of the games this gameweek, the fixture will still count as a gameweek eight fixture and you won’t get the opportunity to change your team between Sunday 17 November and Sunday 24 November.
As such, Chelsea and Manchester United players will have the opportunity to earn points in two games - making them valuable additions to your team. Each game will still be considered separately, so players can earn two lots of clean sheet points, for example.
Of course, if a player doesn’t make it onto the pitch in either match, they’re still not going to earn any points - so you’ll have to be clever about your choices to maximise your return.
2. Make the most of power ups and point scoring opportunities
If you’re feeling particularly confident in one or more of your players, this could be the week to use any power ups you’ve been holding onto. The Triple Captain power up will apply for both games, so you could get a serious return if you pick the right player. If you’ve got a Chelsea or Manchester United-filled defence, The Wall could also provide a nice points boost.
While you might feel like gunning for Visionary Points is too risky, anyone who is listed as Visionary in the game will be eligible for Visionary Points across both matches, so that’s another thing to consider.
3. Choose your captain wisely
You won’t be able to make any changes to your team before the Chelsea vs Manchester United match, so make sure to think carefully about who you choose as your captain.
While you might decide someone from a team with only one game might be a better bet (we’re looking at you, Bunny Shaw), choosing the right player from Chelsea or Manchester United could mean big returns. Again, the captain power will apply for both games, so the overall score the player receives over the course of the gameweek will also be doubled.
4. Think ahead before making your transfers
You might be tempted to transfer in a bunch of Manchester United and Chelsea players to ensure you have the maximum number of players from each club in your team, but its worthwhile taking a look at the next few couple of gameweeks before you go on a transfer spree.
After the international break (which happens at the end of this gameweek), Chelsea will be playing Brighton at home followed by an away trip to Leicester City, while Manchester United will face Liverpool at home before facing Crystal Palace. Manchester United vs Liverpool, for example, could prove a tricky fixture for the red devils, so you’ll need to hedge your bets.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on some of the other upcoming fixtures in the league before you get rid of all your best players to make space for Manchester United and Chelsea ones. Manchester City, for example, have some good fixtures coming up, with Leicester City at home on 8 December before an away trip to Everton on the 15th of the same month.
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