In yet another gameweek with lots of free hits active, it is only right to look at some differential one-week punts.
We have picked out four options with under 5% ownership in defence, midfield and attack to take your free hit down a different path to the template.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
Ownership in FPL: 2.4%
Price: £4.4m
Position: Defender
Starting at the back, where West Ham’s Mavropanos is in the goalscoring form of his life. At an ownership of just 2.4%, he comes with plenty of reasons for optimism.
Firstly, the Hammers have improved massively defensively. Nuno’s stamp on the team is starting to show as they find themselves with the fifth-best expected goals conceded (xGC) in the league since gameweek 23. Their opponents, Everton, are in the bottom half for xG in that same spell.
The main appeal with the Greek centre back is his form in front of goal at the moment. He has an incredible three goals in his last six, which is the kind of form some strikers can only dream of. His three goals come from four big chances, showing that he has left some on the table.
If the goals and clean sheets were not enough, he also brings defcon potential. He has hit the threshold in three of his last six appearances. Against a cross-heavy team in Everton, there could be some defcon points on offer.
Neco Williams
Ownership in FPL: 4.8%
Price: £4.8m
Position: Defender
Picking a defender playing away from home is always tricky, but when they post the underlying attacking numbers that Neco Williams has this season, it may be worth the risk.
No defender has more shots or shots on target than the Welshman this campaign. He has gone about this quite quietly, with his first goal coming in gameweek five and his second in gameweek 32. This might explain why he has just shy of 5% ownership in FPL.
His creativity has also been excellent among defenders this season, where he ranks fourth for chances created. His two assists against Spurs in gameweek 31 were his first since gameweek 12, which is surprising considering his underlying data.
As Forest inch up the table and closer to safety, Vitor Pereira may afford his side slightly more freedom to attack. Williams could be given the license to get further forward and carry on his creative and shot-heavy performances.
His opponents, Sunderland, have not been prolific in front of goal this season. They rank third lowest for xG. Forest, on the other hand, have been creeping up the xGC table from their poor start and now find themselves respectably mid-table since the start of February.
If his attacking numbers can coincide with a clean sheet, as they did in gameweek 31, there could be another differential haul on offer on Friday night.
Xavi Simons
Ownership in FPL: 2.9%
Price: £6.5m
Position: Midfielder
Someone whose stock has risen considerably since gameweek 33 is Xavi Simons. Replacing Richarlison in the line-up, he may well have played his way into a starting role at Wolves in gameweek 34.
Simons featured in one of our articles a few weeks ago, but fell out of the team under Tudor. De Zerbi has only been in charge for a couple of games, but he trusted the young Dutchman in their crucial match against Brighton in gameweek 33.
He repaid his manager’s faith immediately, with a goal and an assist against a Brighton side that has been very solid defensively of late.
While one of his four shots did find the back of the net, he also missed two big chances, showing he was getting in the right areas and that more goals could be on their way.
He had a similarly impressive performance in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid in March, where he scored two goals and created five chances. His talent is not in doubt; De Zerbi just needs to find a way to get the best out of him more consistently.
His opponents, Wolves, have been bottom of the league for xGC since the end of January, and the form they showed at the start of Rob Edwards’ tenure has really slipped away. This fixture could not come at a better time for Xavi Simons.
Kai Havertz
Ownership in FPL: 0.8%
Price: £7.3m
Position: Forward
Completing our list of differentials this week is Arsenal forward, Kai Havertz. Off the back of an impressive performance leading the line in the loss to City, it is hard to ignore the 0.8% owned German.
While his goal was a stroke of good fortune, his all-round display against City provided lots of encouragement. Having battled injury all season, he also completed 90 minutes for the first time this season.
Havertz rattled off five shots on his way to 1.25 xG. He put up similarly impressive data in 54 minutes in gameweek 32, taking two shots and recording 0.96xG. Without many minutes or starts this season to draw data from, these two recent outings bode well for his future output if he can stay healthy.
Arsenal face a struggling Newcastle side at home in gameweek 34, who have been in the bottom three for xGC since the start of December. Havertz will be hoping for a repeat of his 23/24 performance at home to the Magpies, where he came away with a goal and an assist.
FPL Gameweek 34 Free Hit Punts: A Round Up
Konstantinos Mavropanos £4.4m is in incredible goalscoring form, with plenty more routes to points 2.4% Ownership.
Neco Williams £4.8m has the most shots of any defender this season and is hitting some form 4.8% Ownership.
Xavi Simons £6.5m put in a very impressive display in 33 and should start against strugglers Wolves 2.9% Ownership.
Kai Havertz £7.3m is looking healthy again, having taken five shots in 90 minutes against City 0.8% Ownership.
