FPL Gameweek 28-team-news tips: Haaland is the captain

The fpl gameweek 28-team-news tips start with the obvious: Haaland wears the armband. Man City host Everton at the Etihad, and the 15.5 forward sits on 27 goals, 8 assists and 239 total points, which makes every other captaincy conversation feel like noise. The real work this week is finding the players around him who can close a gap in your mini-league.

FPL Gameweek 28-team-news tips: the fixtures table

All ten fixtures kick off at 20:00 on 3 March, so this is a true midweek round. With no deadline spread across days, you need 15 fit players, not 11.

Home	Away	Venue
Bournemouth	Spurs	Vitality Stadium
Brentford	Ipswich Town	Brentford Community Stadium
Brighton	Fulham	Amex Stadium
Chelsea	Coventry City	Stamford Bridge
Leeds	Hull City	Elland Road
Liverpool	Aston Villa	Anfield
Man City	Everton	Etihad Stadium
Nott'm Forest	Newcastle	City Ground
Arsenal	Crystal Palace	Emirates Stadium
Sunderland	Man Utd	Stadium of Light

The games that matter most for fantasy are Man City vs Everton, Arsenal vs Crystal Palace, Brentford vs Ipswich Town and Chelsea vs Coventry City. The rest of the card is playable, but those four carry the week's clean-sheet and goalscoring upside.

Captain picks (3 ranked)

1. Erling Haaland (Man City). The numbers are absurd: 27 goals, 8 assists, 239 points and a 6.8 points-per-game average. He is in 74.8% of squads, so the captaincy is the one place you can differentiate with him. Home to an Everton side that finished 13th last season, and he has 43 bonus points behind him. If there is a safe captaincy on the board, this is it.

2. Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd). The alternative armband has 9 goals and 24 assists, 235 points and a 6.7 points-per-game average. United travel to Sunderland, and Fernandes is the creative hub: his 24 assists lead every midfielder in the data. At 48.7% ownership he is not a differential, but he is the best fallback if you want to do something different without doing something stupid.

3. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal). Saka has 7 goals and 10 assists in 2,218 minutes and 157 points, at just 10.6% ownership. Arsenal host Crystal Palace in a game the champions won 26 times last season. He is the captaincy swing: high ceiling, lower ownership than Haaland and Fernandes, against a Palace defence that conceded 51 goals last season.

Players to bring in (4-5)

These are the players I am moving early for, in order of priority.

Gabriel (Arsenal, 8.0). The top-scoring defender in the data, with 18 clean sheets, 5 assists, 3 goals and 209 points. Arsenal face Crystal Palace at home, and Gabriel is the cheapest reliable route into the league's best defence. At 26.2% ownership, he is still not template enough.

João Pedro (Chelsea, 7.5). Fifteen goals and nine assists, 177 points and 30 bonus points. Chelsea host Coventry City, the softest fixture on the board, and João Pedro is the focal point at 54.2% ownership. If you already own him, he stays; if you do not, this is the week to fix that.

Antoine Semenyo (Man City, 8.5). Seventeen goals and six assists from midfield, 202 total points. He is the kind of asset that wins leagues: a midfielder who scores like a forward. Man City play Everton at the Etihad, and Semenyo at 22.6% ownership is not quite template, which is exactly where you want to be.

Nico O'Reilly (Man City, 6.5). Five goals and four assists from defence, 14 clean sheets and 160 points. He has 160 points and a defender's clean-sheet floor, and the Everton fixture gives him a route to more. At 22.7% ownership, he is a slight differential in a position where you rarely take risks.

Igor Thiago (Brentford, 8.0). Twenty-two goals, 181 points and an xG of 20.60. Brentford host Ipswich Town, and Thiago is the best forward in the sub-9.0 bracket. His ownership sits at 16.0%, which is low for a player with 22 goals. If you need a third forward, he is the answer.

Players to move on (2-3)

If you still hold any of these, sell before the 3 March deadline.

Hugo Ekitiké (Liverpool, 7.5). The forward is flagged with an Achilles injury and no return date. His 11 goals and 4 assists were useful, but an injured 7.5 forward is dead weight in a midweek round. Liverpool have enough options; you do not.

William Saliba (Arsenal, 6.0). Back injury, unknown return. He was a reliable starter, but a flagged 6.0 defender who is not playing is a wasted slot. If you want Arsenal defensive cover, Gabriel is fit and out-scoring him anyway.

Jurriën Timber (Arsenal, 6.5). Groin injury and flagged. Holding both Saliba and Timber means 12.5 sitting on your bench in a gameweek where every match kicks off at the same time. There is no staggered deadline to rescue you. Move to fit defenders.

The differential

Dango Ouattara (Brentford, 6.5). Seven goals and eight assists in 2,271 minutes, at 1.4% ownership. He is the cheapest route into a Brentford attack that scored 55 times last season, and the fixture is Ipswich Town at home. At 6.5, he solves the budget-midfielder problem without forcing you to play a 4.5 nobody. He is my favourite differential of the round.

Key takeaways

• Haaland is the Gameweek 28 captain: 27 goals, 8 assists, 239 points and a home game against Everton.
• Bruno Fernandes is the chase-play alternative: 24 assists, 235 points, away to Sunderland.
• Gabriel is the defender to own: 18 clean sheets, 209 points and a home game against Crystal Palace.
• Dango Ouattara is the differential: 1.4% owned, 7 goals and 8 assists, at home to Ipswich.
• Flagged assets should go: Ekitiké (Achilles), Saliba (back) and Timber (groin) are all injured.

FAQ

Who should I captain in FPL Gameweek 28?

Haaland, and it is not close. He has 27 goals, 8 assists and 239 points, and Man City host Everton at the Etihad. Bruno Fernandes is the alternative if you want to chase, with 24 assists and 235 points away at Sunderland.

Are Arsenal defenders worth buying for Gameweek 28?

Gabriel and Raya are the ones to own. Gabriel has 18 clean sheets and 209 points, while Raya has 19 clean sheets. Saliba and Timber are both flagged, so avoid the injured pairing and take Gabriel.

What should I do with Hugo Ekitiké?

Sell him. He is flagged with an Achilles injury and no return date, and you need a fit forward for a midweek round. His 11 goals helped, but a non-playing 7.5 asset blocks your transfers.

Who is the best low-owned player for Gameweek 28?

Dango Ouattara. He is 1.4% owned with 7 goals and 8 assists, and Brentford host Ipswich Town. That is the shape of the fpl gameweek 28-team-news tips: Haaland for the armband, Gabriel for the clean sheet, and Dango for the swing.