As we reach the halfway point with 18 Gameweeks completed and 20 remaining. The festive fixtures are in full swing with a quick turnaround. With the Gameweek 19 deadline approaching at 6:00 AM ET on Tuesday, December 26. It is starting with the clash between Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, managers should be prepared for a lack of fitness updates due to the early deadline.
It’s advisable to have a robust bench in place, considering the potential uncertainties in player availability. A key situation to monitor is Erling Haaland’s fitness; although he didn’t participate in the Club World Cup. His presence in training photos during Manchester City’s time in Saudi Arabia raises questions about his potential involvement in upcoming game weeks.
Let’s have a look at the top 5 forwards one can pick for the upcoming Gameweek 19 in the Fantasy Premier League.
Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth)
Dominic Solanke of Bournemouth continues to shine in the Fantasy Premier League. He is maintaining his impressive form in Gameweek 18 with a stellar hat-trick against Nottingham Forest. It brings his season goal tally to 11. Only Erling Haaland (14) and Mohamed Salah (12) have scored more goals in the league.
Bournemouth is actively working to create opportunities for their in-form striker, as evident from the underlying data. Solanke’s 54 shots on goal rank third in the league, trailing only Haaland and Salah. He stands 25 shots ahead of any teammate, with Antoine Semenyo as the next in line.
In Gameweek 19, Solanke faces Fulham, one of the leakiest away sides in the division, having conceded 20 goals in nine away games. Moreover, the Vitality Stadium sets the stage for this fixture. It presented a favorable opportunity for Solanke to continue his goal-scoring exploits.
Priced at £6.9m with an impressive points total of 90, Solanke stands as a noteworthy option for Fantasy managers heading into the upcoming clash against Fulham at home.
Also Read: Fantasy Premier League: Top Five Captains for FPL Gameweek 19
Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)
Priced at £7.2m, Cody Gakpo has been given the nod in Liverpool’s forward role in their last two matches across all competitions. Following his goal in the EFL Cup win over West Ham, Gakpo retained his starting position ahead of Darwin Nunez (£7.5m) in the recent clash against Arsenal. Despite a goalless outing against Arsenal, Gakpo is in contention to make a third consecutive start, especially with Luis Diaz (£7.4m) facing doubts.
If Nunez is shifted to the left flank due to Diaz’s uncertainty, Gakpo could once again lead Liverpool’s attack in the upcoming match against Burnley on Tuesday evening. However, despite Burnley securing a morale-boosting 2-0 win at Fulham over the weekend, the Clarets rank among the bottom three sides for conceding goals, shots on target, and big chances at home.
This presents a favorable scenario for Gakpo to potentially deliver a significant points haul at Turf Moor if he continues to lead Liverpool’s frontline.
Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)
Julian Alvarez has been priced at £6.8m and plays as a forward for Manchester City. With a total of 82 points, he has demonstrated good form with an average of 4.8 points per match. In the last game week (GW18), he scored zero points. However, his overall performance has earned him 11 bonus points. He boasts an impressive ICT Index of 128.0, ranking him 4th out of 98 players.
Alvarez has gained a significant level of popularity among Fantasy managers, with a Teams Selected By percentage (TSB%) of 27.2%. It positioned him at 3rd out of 98 players in terms of ownership.
Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea)
Back in contention, Christopher Nkunku, the Chelsea forward, is priced at £7.3m. With a total of 7 points, he has a current form rating of 1.2 and averages 7.0 points per match. In the recent Gameweek 18 (GW18), Nkunku earned 7 points.
He has accumulated 2 bonus points in total and has an ICT Index of 10.3, ranking him 48th out of 98 players. In terms of ownership, he has a Teams Selected By percentage (TSB%) of 2.0%, placing him at 22nd out of 98 players.
Also Read: Fantasy Premier League: Top Five Defenders Picks for FPL Gameweek 19
Alexander Isak (Newcastle)
Alexander Isak, the forward for Newcastle, is currently priced at £7.6m. He stands as the 7th most selected forward out of 98 players. With a current form rating of 2.5, Isak averages 4.5 points per match. It placed him 6th in that category among forwards. In the recent Gameweek 18 (GW18), he earned 1 point. So far, Isak has accumulated a total of 59 points, including 8 bonus points.
His performance is reflected in an ICT Index of 70.7, ranking him 13th among the forwards. Demonstrating a notable level of popularity among Fantasy managers, Isak has a Teams Selected By percentage (TSB%) of 15.1%. However, It positioned him as the 5th most selected forward in the league. With the next game against Nottingham Forest, who are sitting just above the relegation zone. The Swedish forward has a good chance to regain his scoring boots.