The Scout looks at how managers should react after Man City v Arsenal was rescheduled for Wednesday 11 March


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The rescheduling of Manchester City’s home match against Arsenal gives Fantasy Premier League managers another Double Gameweek to plan for.
The fixture at the Etihad Stadium, which was initially planned for Gameweek 28, was postponed as Man City instead faced Aston Villa in the EFL Cup final.

It has now been confirmed for Wednesday 11 March, giving Arsenal and Man City a Double Gameweek 29.

The Gunners have a very favourable home match against West Ham United before their visit to the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s men, meanwhile, have a derby duel at Manchester United prior to hosting Arsenal.

Target Arsenal trio?
Having scored six goals in seven Gameweek appearances, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) is among the key captain options.

The Gabon international has averaged 6.4 points per match since the Spaniard took charge.

Aubameyang is the most-bought player in the Gameweek, with over 230,000 new owners.

Nicolas Pepe (£9.2m) and Eddie Nketiah (£4.3m) are the big differentials.


Pepe has racked up 22 points in his last two Gameweek appearances, scoring once and providing three assists.

Nketiah costs only £4.3m and has started the last two Gameweeks up front.

Having scored in his last two matches in all competitions, he could offer major value.

Back brilliant Belgian
While Man City have a number of big hitters to consider, Kevin De Bruyne (£10.7m) is clearly the main attraction.

FPL’s top-scoring player, the Belgian produced his season-high haul of 19 points against Arsenal in Gameweek 17.

De Bruyne also appears to have been handed penalty duties, scoring from the spot against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League last week.

Sergio Aguero (£11.9m) offers a tempting option up front.

The Argentinian has averaged 83.9 minutes per goal this season, quicker than any other regular starter in FPL.

He has six goals and an assist over the last six Gameweeks, including 20 and 13-point returns against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace respectively.

Rotation risk
Raheem Sterling (£11.7m) and Riyad Mahrez (£8.4m) provide further options.

Both, however, could be regarded as risky picks.

Sterling has lacked form, blanking in his last five Gameweek appearances.

Mahrez, meanwhile, is more prone to rotation over back-to-back fixtures.

The match against Arsenal will be Man City’s seventh fixture in 22 days, and they face both Burnley and Real Madrid in the following six days.

Hold fire for now
Crucially, managers looking to take advantage of Double Gameweek 29 must also factor in this week’s FA Cup fifth-round results.

Arsenal’s win over Portsmouth on Monday means the Gunners are without a fixture in Gameweek 31, which coincides with the FA Cup quarter-finals.

And if Man City beat Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday night, they will also blank in Gameweek 31.

Therefore, the more players you bring in for Double Gameweek 29, the less you will have for Gameweek 31.

It is wise to wait until the FA Cup fifth round is concluded on Thursday night to get a clearer picture before making any transfers.

At present, only three matches are guaranteed to take place in Gameweek 31.

Depending on the state of their squads, managers could consider using the Free Hit or Wildcard chips to navigate these Gameweeks.

However, they are best kept for later in the season, when a number of sides are expected to have Double Gameweeks.