“These are the best times for Arabanko FC and Victor Orie” said Micah Richards. “It’s a bit like when I was at City, and a bit like where Newcastle are now. You’re on the way up, you’re playing fantastic football - you’ve not won anything yet but you know it’s coming. You’re everyone’s second team, it feels like the whole football world is behind you - I just hope these Arabankos fans enjoy it.”

Bruno G., N.Williams and Collins miss defcon bonus by a single point

Rue Chapel fans were disappointed to watch Bruno Guimaraes Rodriguez Moura, Neco Williams and Nathan Collins each miss out on crucial “defensive contribution” points by a mere header, tackle or waft of a foot.

“Gutted” said Ezekiel Anozie. “That’s six points we’ve missed out on there - plus probably some bonus as well.”

Despite this, compared to their usual standards it was a great 50 point gameweek for Ezekiel Anozie’s side.

Fans criticise Siwoku substitutions

Igor Thiago scored a magnificent 17 points for Shalaye United this gameweek…or he would have, had manager Femi Siwoku not decided to leave him on the bench.

Siwoku’s bench has accrued 58 points over the last five gameweeks - the fifth highest in the league, but some way behind the 74 points benched by Emperor FC manager Olatunde Ogunsiji.

Samurai FC start the new year with a bang

Declan Rice and Igor Thiago put in an outstanding performance for Samurais this week, contributing a combined thirty-four points of a magnificent sixty-three total points haul. However, Samurai FC’s form has been disastrous so far and Adeolu Adewole’s side are in thirty-third after twenty matches played.

The headlines

• The tinkerman runs out of time: Reports suggest that Ruben Amorim has been sacked as manager of Manchester United with immediate effect. Darren Fletcher will act as interim manager.

• Rice and Thiago won’t quit: Igor Thiago was the most-transferred-out player last gameweek and he punished non-believers in the most emphatic way possible - A season-high points haul. Igor Thiago’s first premier league hat-rick means he now has 14 goals so far this season.
  

  Declan Rice is the second-highest points scorer and the most-transferred-out player for the past three gameweeks.

• Angel Gabriel: Gabriel Magalhães is the highest-scoring defender in FPL, and he’s missed six full games and 71 minutes!

• Look away if you own City defenders: Josko Gvardiol’s injury “doesn’t look good”, says Pep Guardiola, who also confirms that Ruben Dias sustained a second-half injury vs Chelsea

• Arne Slot on Hugo Ekitike: “Hugo picked up a slight hamstring injury because we had to play him more and more minutes. Hopefully he will be back for the Arsenal game.” 

• Bruno back?: Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount could be back for gameweek 21…when Man Utd face Burnley.

• Move over Marc Guiu and Kroupi.Jr!: There’s a new 4.5m forward in town. Mateus Mane (4.5m) had a 12 point haul from the win over West Ham, making successive starts after a string of substitute appearances, and unlike Marc Guiu (4.2m) and Kroupi.Jr (4.6m), he also doesn’t take up a third slot that you may wish to otherwise fill from the same club. 

One more thing…here’s our pick for the best players to own going forward.

• Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins (£8.7m) and Rogers (£7.6m) to cover the great Villa form

• Arsenal: Declan Rice (€7.2m)/Bukayo Saka (€10.2m) along with Gabriel Magalhães (£6.6m)/Jurriën Timber (£6.6m) cover the league leaders

• Man City: Erling Haaland (15.1m) and Ryan Cherki (£6.8m) cover City well

• Bruno Fernandes (£9.1m) is the best midfielder, enough said.

Good luck in gameweek 21!