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Lars Hamer

The Premier League said this week that Liverpool’s postponed trip to Everton would be played in Gameweek 24 – meaning the first Double Gameweek of the season kicks off on February 1.
Just days before that, FPL revealed prices for the new Assistant Manager chip, which also goes live on Gameweek 24.
So, with manager transfer fees ranging from £500,000 to £1.5m, a desire to have as many Liverpool or Everton players ahead of the double as possible, and teams still in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup – and their opponents – missing games soon, there is some serious planning to be done.
In this week’s FPL guide, I will share my ultimate chip strategy for the rest of the season, my Gameweek 22 tips and team selection, and how I rose to the top 200,000 in the world.
Chip strategy

If Liverpool somehow fail to finish in the top eight of the Champions League, then Gameweek 24 will be a double. If they do drop down the table, then it will be Double Gameweek 25.
If you still have your Triple Captain chip, put it on Mohamed Salah (£13.7m) in Double Gameweek 24 for his trip to Bournemouth before the Everton game.
Two away games are not ideal, but Salah is averaging more than 10 points a game, and has 18 goals and 13 assists so far this season.
Once Gameweek 24 is out the way, managers should focus their free transfers on building a team that can survive Gameweek 29.
Two of either Arsenal, Newcastle, Tottenham and Liverpool will make it to the final of the EFL Cup in Gameweek 29, meaning four teams will not play Premier League games that week.
Using free transfers to survive means you could use your Wildcard to rebuild your team in Gameweek 30.
Those matches cancelled for the EFL Cup final are likely to go ahead in Gameweek 33, which is the best Bench Boost option, so you should keep that in mind when selecting your Wildcard team.
The final chip, Free Hit, would be best used in Gameweek 34, when more Premier League matches will be cancelled to make room for the FA Cup semi-finals.
I like the idea of playing the Assistant Manager chip in a Double Gameweek, so I will probably activate that in Gameweek 33.

Gameweek 22 tips
It’s hard to look away from Newcastle and Nottingham Forest players this week. Alexander Isak (£9.4m) should be in any sane manager’s team, especially as he has to be odds on to score in his ninth game in a row when he faces Bournemouth.
But aside from their attacking prowess, Newcastle have kept five clean sheets in six games. Defender Lewis Hall (£5m) has been ever present during that run and, since Gameweek 16, is the third-highest scoring player in FPL.
High-flying Forest host Southampton, who are on track to be the worst team in Premier League history. At just £4.8m, defender Nikola Milenkovic is a bargain.
The Serb kept four clean sheets in a row before Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool and scored against Aston Villa and Manchester United in Gameweek 15 and 16, respectively.

Lars’ line-up
A staggering 73 points in Gameweek 21 has seen me earn my second green arrow in as many weeks and rise to 207,000 in the world.
To stop my previous slide down the rankings, I brought in Isak in Gameweek 19, followed by Hall and Milenkovic a week later. Those three transfers have given me 44 additional points.
My side also benefited from a 19-point haul from Bryan Mbeumo (£7.8m) in Gameweek 19, and 12 points from Antoine Semenyo on Tuesday.
This week, I am targeting a Nottingham Forest triple-up, with Matz Sels (£5m) in goal, Milenkovic and Chris Wood (£6.9m).
I am also mulling over the controversial decision to drop Virgil van Dijk (£6.4m) as Liverpool head to Brentford, who have one of best home records in the league and average almost three goals per game at the Gtech Community Stadium.


Fantasy Premier League, Gameweek 22: go big on Forest, dump van Dijk, and of course, buy Isak

Fantasy Premier League: the upshot of my recent ranking falls? Do as I say, not as I do

Fantasy Premier League: splash your Saka cash on Isak, or bet on Foden, City getting better

Fantasy Premier League: tough choice for Gameweek captain, but Salah has earned his Spurs

Fantasy Premier League (FPL)

Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, seen here celebrating a goal against Wolves, should be in any sane fantasy manager’s team. Photo: Reuters

If you still have your Triple Captain chip, put it on Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in Double Gameweek 24. Photo: dpa

Nottingham Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic is a bargain at just £4.8m. Photo: Reuters

Three Nottingham Forest players, double up on Newcastle players are among Lars’ big calls for Gameweek 21. 

Denis Law dies at 84, Tony Mowbray returns to West Brom, and there’s no stopping Kipchoge

Manchester United’s Denis Law during a game at Old Trafford on September 30, 1967. Law has died at the age of 84. Photo: AP

England goalkeeper Gordon Banks (left) positions himself as Denis Law takes a shot during the first half of the Football Association Centenary game between England and the “Rest of the World” at Wembley Stadium on October 23, 1963. Photo: AP

Chinese table tennis fans outraged as Chen Meng, Fan Zhendong, Ma Long dropped from team

Chen Meng has been left out of the latest China team. Photo: EPA-EFE

Fan Zhendong, who had insisted he was not retiring, will not feature in the Asian Cup. Photo: AFP

Ma Long was also not named in the China team for the tournament in Shenzhen. Photo: AFP

Sport

Football

Plus, with a Double Gameweek looming and an Assistant Manager chip to be played, and cups galore, there is some serious planning to be done


Plus, with a Double Gameweek looming and an Assistant Manager chip to be played, and cups galore, there is some serious planning to be done.
