Do you want to seal a dominant victory, perhaps a fourth in a row? Or are you desperately hoping to avoid wandering the streets in a fancy dress as punishment for a forgettable season? Good, Fantasy Premier League the latest chip could be your answer for the rest of the campaign.
The brand new Assistant Manager chip will allow FPL players to choose their current one Premier League manager to earn points based on wins, draws, goals and clean sheets. It will be available for use as early as Gameweek 24, which arrives on February 1st. However, unlike other tokens, the Assistant Manager will be locked for three consecutive game weeks, so timing is more important than ever.
Like players, managers also cost money. You won’t get a new cash injection, but prices range from £0.5m to £1.5m – while you can also use your transfer amount to change managers while the chip is active.
While it may sound as simple as picking a manager who is likely to enjoy a three-game winning streak, where there is risk, there is reward. Any manager tasked with beating a side five places above them will earn 10 bonus points for a win and 5 bonus points for a draw on top of the points earned after such results, as you can see below.
|
Assistant Manager Points Schedule |
According to the result |
|---|---|
|
Win |
6 points |
|
Draw |
3 points |
|
Goals |
1 point per goal |
|
A clean sheet |
2 points |
With that said, we’ve looked at the best candidates for using your Assistant Manager chip and when to deploy them in the coming months.
5
Nuno Espirito Santo (£1.1m)
Nottingham Forest
If you want to keep things safe and avoid any risks, then Nuno Espirito Santo is among the strongest options to choose from when it comes to the Assistant Manager chip.
Nottingham Forest they have shocked the rest of the Premier League with a top-four run in the current campaign and set the course for a Champions League run that looks unlikely to end any time soon.
With eight games unbeaten and seven wins in all competitions during that run, Forest are no longer just a flash in the pan, they are a serious top-4 contender that could only boost your quest for FPL glory.
What’s also important to note is that the Midlands giants have kept five clean sheets during their recent eight-game run, three of which would have earned them crucial FPL points had they been won in back-to-back Premier League games.
The ideal time to use Espirito Santo in this situation could be towards the end of the campaign in GW34 when Forest have Brentford at home, Crystal Palace away and Leicester City at home – all of whom may have sealed their fate by the end of April.
4
Mikel Arteta (£1.5m)
Arsenal
I just found a way past Tottenham Hotspur to get back on track, Mikel Arteta one should watch out for the assistant manager’s chip. The Spaniard has quite favorable schedules compared to others of his ilk Arsenal side view to complete a sensational return to the title and steal in front Liverpool.
Although they have been far from their defensive best in recent weeks, no side has conceded fewer goals than the Gunners during the current campaign so far.
Pick Arteta at the right moment and every clean sheet could quickly prove valuable. The only question that remains is when exactly to use the Spaniard in the coming months.
Looking at the fixtures, the best bet could be between GWs 33-35, when Arsenal travel to struggling Ipswich Town, host Crystal Palace and take on Bournemouth at the Emirates in three winnable games.
3
Arne Slot (£1.5m)
Liverpool
Similar to Espirito Santo, Arne Slott are among the safest picks for this chip, losing just one Premier League game all season which ironically came against Nottingham Forest.
Moreover, only Forest have kept more clean sheets than Liverpool’s eight during the current campaign, and no side in the English top flight has managed to score more than the Reds’ 48 goals.
The only reason not to pick Slot could be the fact that he can’t play against a side five places above him – or even one as it stands now, for that matter. So by choosing the Dutch you would miss out on all the major bonus points.
However, as a safe option, Slot could be your man, and the best time to secure his services is probably in GW30 when they play Everton at Anfield – which often ends in defeat – Fulham away in their toughest game in this particular run, and then West Ham United returned to Anfield again.
The Cottagers can provide the key to the job, but the Reds then go on to face three of the so-called big six in their final six Premier League games of the season in a run you’d want to avoid.
Alternatively, by activating the chip straight away in GW24 you’ll enjoy Sloto’s help for four games, with Liverpool v Everton giving managers a guaranteed double game week.
2
Ruben Amorim (£0.8m)
Manchester United
Hear us out on this one, as this is where the risk factor could come into play and make all the difference in your quest for FPL glory.
While Reuben Amorim had a rather disastrous start to life in Manchester Unitedhe managed a win over Manchester City and a draw against leaders Liverpool.
In the context of United’s season those results didn’t go too far, but in the context of FPL those results would have given Amorim 18 points against Manchester City and 10 against Liverpool.
Sitting deep in the bottom half of the Premier League, there are plenty of sides five or more places above them that Manchester United will be up against in the coming months, and if the assistant manager’s chip is used at the same time as their potential resurgence, the points would could make a big difference.
1
Graham Potter (£0.5m)
West Ham United
Between title-contending sides likely to enjoy impressive winning runs and a Manchester United side hoping to turn the corner, Graham Potter they may enjoy the ultimate rebound from a new manager West Ham United.
And FPL players should take full advantage. Already, the former Chelsea boss stunned Fulham in a dramatic 3-2 win, which could only signal the start of an improved run at the London Stadium.
Once again, like Amorim, there is a risk factor at play here. With West Ham as low as 13th at the time of writing, there is every chance they will face sides five or more places above them for the remainder of the campaign.
That said, the best time to sign Potter could be from GW28 in early March when the Hammers host Newcastle United – which could end up with as many as 10 bonus points given how the table is currently standing – before they travel to Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers in two winnable games for Potter’s new side.
This would be even sweeter considering Potter is among the cheapest bosses in the Premier League.
