Transfer recommendations ahead of Gameweek 23: Target FA Cup mismatches and midweek bonuses

GAMEWEEK 23 is a tricky one for Dream Team managers to navigate.

The bulk of the action comes in the form of the FA Cup fourth round which looks inviting on paper but the likelihood of rotation means many of the game’s most popular players will have their minutes slashed.

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The Champions League play-offs and a rearranged Merseyside derby have resulted in bonus midweek fixtures for Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton – the only three teams set to pull double duty.

In contrast, Arsenal, Brentford and West Ham have ZERO fixtures in Gameweek 23 having been dumped out of the FA Cup in the third round, hence why Bryan Mbeumo (£4.7m) and Gabriel (£5m) are among the most transferred-out players this week.

Allow us to put forward some transfer recommendations ahead of Friday’s 6:30pm deadline.

Daniel Munoz (£4.6m)

Dream Team

The fact Oliver Glasner tends to name relatively strong line-ups in the domestic cups should make him a popular man among Dream Team bosses.

While others don’t need a second invitation to rotate, Crystal Palace’s head coach has not shied away from giving his best players plenty of minutes no matter the competition since he arrived on English shores.

And so there’s a decent chance Munoz starts against Doncaster on Monday night – he played the full 90 minutes against Stockport in the third round.

The Colombian wing-back ranks third among Dream Team defenders right now having amassed 73 points in eight outings since Boxing Day.

The 28-year-old has registered five clean sheets and two assists in that time.

He’s also one of just two players to have made over 100 tackles this season – Noussair Mazraoui (£3m) is the other.

Iliman Ndiaye (£4.4m)

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Man City and Liverpool are likely to name second-string teams to face Leyton Orient and Plymouth respectively so that their first-team stars are raring to go in midweek.

David Moyes may follow a similar path but with Everton up against Bournemouth in the cup this weekend, he doesn’t have the same license to play the kids.

It’s not unthinkable that Ndiaye, the Toffees’ main man of late, plays 150+ minutes in Gameweek 23, making him a tempting option.

Granted, a double header of the Cherries and Arne Slot’s league leaders is far from favourable but Everton’s No10 is one of Dream Team’s most in-form players right now having banked 33 points from his last three games.

The Senegalese winger has scored five goals in his last eight appearances and is partial to a bonus point or three.

We tipped him in last week’s transfer recommendations and he instantly returned 11 points!

Conor Bradley (£2.6m)

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Many gaffers will be backing Liverpool’s familiar favourites to come good in Wednesday night’s Merseyside derby – Virgil van Dijk (£4.8m) and Cody Gakpo (£5m) are popular recruits this week.

But there’s another way of targeting the Reds’ double Gameweek.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m) has been ruled out of tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham and it seems highly unlikely he’ll be risked at Plymouth on Saturday, meaning Bradley is virtually guaranteed to start at right-back.

The Northern Irish defender usually impresses when called upon and given the Pilgrims are rooted to the bottom of the Championship table, he has to considered a strong clean sheet prospect.

Bradley offers a threat going forward too, a useful trait ahead of a meeting with a team that have conceded the most goals in the second tier this season.

Dream Team bosses keen on this ploy should acknowledge it is very much a one-week punt in search of short-terms gains.

Assuming Alexander-Arnold makes a quick recovery, Bradley’s backers will have to find a replacement for Gameweek 24.

Taiwo Awoniyi (£1.9m)

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Another short-term option here.

Chris Wood (£4m) is Nottingham Forest’s talismanic striker fresh off a hat-trick at Brighton’s expense but the big New Zealander will surely be rested against Exeter on Tuesday night.

That would leave the door open for Awoniyi to the lead the line against a League One side in freefall.

The Grecians have conceded 13 goals in their last three games and should be easy pickings for Forest’s No9.

Once again, gaffers who opt for this route will need to ditch Awoniyi next week as Wood will reclaim his place when Nuno Espirito Santo’s side face Fulham in Gameweek 24.

Don’t get caught out by the early deadline, confirm your transfers for Gameweek 23 by 6:30pm on Friday!

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