FPL TALKING POINT: Four Differential Players to Secure Your Final Stretch Surge

With only two Gameweeks remaining in the 2024/25 Premier League season, the Fantasy Premier League landscape has shifted. The template is tired. Your mini-league rivals are clinging to the same Mohamed Salah captaincies and Erling Haaland vice-captaincies. But here is the truth that separates the champions from the also-rans: differential ownership is the only path to a late surge. As FPL expert Wes Prickett identifies, there are four players who might just give you the edge over your rival managers in the final stretch. These aren’t the obvious picks. These are calculated risks with high ceilings.

The final two fixtures are a minefield of rotation, fatigue, and dead-rubber mentality. But they are also an opportunity. If you are sitting 50 points behind your mini-league leader, you cannot catch them by owning the same assets. You need players who are under 15% owned, who have fixtures that scream points, and who have the individual quality to deliver when it matters most. Let’s break down the four differentials that could define your season.

Why Low Ownership Players Are Your Secret Weapon in Gameweek 37 and 38

Conventional FPL wisdom says to follow the form and fixtures. But in the final two weeks, the game changes. Managers are conservative. They protect rank rather than attack it. This is where you strike. By selecting players with ownership below 15%, you create a direct points advantage against the field. If your differential hauls, you gain ground on every single manager who ignored them. If they blank, you lose minimal ground because the template likely blanked too.

Wes Prickett’s selections are built on three pillars: fixture quality, individual form, and motivation. A team fighting for European football or avoiding relegation is far more reliable than a mid-table side on the beach. Similarly, players with personal milestones—like a Golden Boot chase or a clean sheet record—offer a psychological edge that data alone cannot capture.

The four players we are about to discuss fit this profile perfectly. They are not the most expensive. They are not the most popular. But they are the most likely to produce a double-digit score in the final two Gameweeks. Let’s dive into the first pick, a striker who has been quietly prolific despite playing for a struggling side.

Viktor Gyokeres: The 14-Goal Machine with a Point to Prove

Fixtures: Sunderland (h); Tottenham (a) | Ownership: 13%

Let’s start with the most explosive differential on this list. Viktor Gyokeres has scored 14 Premier League goals in just 26 starts this season. That is a goal every 1.86 starts. For context, that ratio is comparable to some of the league’s elite strikers, yet he remains criminally under-owned. Why? Because his team, Coventry City—wait, no. The key fact here is that Gyokeres plays for a side that has been inconsistent, but his individual output has been anything but.

The Swedish international has been a penalty-box predator, thriving on crosses and through balls. His fixture against Sunderland at home is a golden opportunity. Sunderland have conceded the third-most goals away from home this season, and their defense has been leaky against physical strikers. Gyokeres’ combination of pace and strength makes him a nightmare for tired defenders in the final stretch.

Then comes the trip to Tottenham. While Spurs are a tougher opponent, they are also a side that plays a high defensive line. Gyokeres has the speed to exploit that space. In his last five starts, he has registered four goals and one assist, showing that his form is peaking at the perfect time. At 13% ownership, a brace against Sunderland and a goal at Tottenham would single-handedly win you your mini-league.

Prediction: Gyokeres scores in both games, with at least one double-digit haul. He is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward captaincy option for the brave.

Jordan Pickford: Backing a Goalkeeper When Clean Sheets Are Scarce

Fixtures: Sunderland (h); Tottenham (a) | Ownership: 13%

This is the pick that raises eyebrows. Jordan Pickford has not kept a clean sheet in his last five Gameweeks. His underlying numbers, however, tell a different story. Despite the blanks, Pickford has been making save points consistently, averaging 3.5 saves per game over that period. In FPL, a goalkeeper can still return 6-8 points without a clean sheet through saves, bonus points, and the occasional penalty save.

Why Pickford now? Because his final two fixtures are against Sunderland and Tottenham. The Sunderland match is a derby of sorts for Pickford, a former Sunderland academy product. He will be highly motivated to perform against his boyhood club. Sunderland’s attack has been blunt on the road, scoring only 1.1 goals per away game. There is a genuine chance for a clean sheet here.

Against Tottenham, the story is different. Spurs will likely create chances, but Pickford thrives in high-volume shot-stopping scenarios. He is the type of goalkeeper who can make 8 saves, earn a bonus point, and still concede once. That is a 5-6 point return from a player owned by only 13% of managers.

Furthermore, Pickford’s set-piece threat cannot be ignored. He has come close to scoring from corners in recent weeks. If he manages a goal or an assist, that is a season-defining moment for your FPL rank. Wes Prickett’s faith in Pickford is not blind optimism; it is data-driven belief in a goalkeeper who is statistically due for a return.

Prediction: One clean sheet, at least two bonus points across the two games, and a total return of 12-15 points. That is elite keeper output from a differential.

The Impact of Motivation: Players Fighting for Europe or Survival

Beyond individual talent, the final two weeks are about team motivation. Players on teams with something to play for—whether that is Champions League qualification, Europa League spots, or Premier League survival—tend to outperform those on mid-table sides. This is where the remaining two differentials come into play.

Consider a midfielder from a team chasing European football. Their fixtures are favorable, their form is strong, and they are under 10% owned. Or a defender from a side battling relegation, who knows that every tackle and block could mean millions of pounds for their club. These players play with an edge that cannot be quantified in xG or xA.

Wes Prickett emphasizes that motivation is the hidden variable in FPL. A player like Gyokeres, whose team is fighting for a top-half finish, is more reliable than a star player from a team that has already secured its position. Similarly, a goalkeeper like Pickford, who is competing for an England starting spot at the next major tournament, has personal motivation beyond club results.

When selecting your final two transfers, ask yourself: Does this player have a reason to give 100%? If the answer is yes, and their ownership is low, they are a worthy gamble.

How to Integrate These Differentials Into Your Current Squad

You cannot bring in all four players without taking hits. That is not the strategy. Instead, look at your current squad and identify the weakest links—the players who have blanked for three or more weeks, or who are flagged with injury doubts. Use your free transfer wisely in Gameweek 37, then consider a -4 hit in Gameweek 38 if necessary.

Here is a step-by-step approach:

• Assess your bench. If you have a non-playing asset, replace them with Pickford if you need goalkeeper differential.
• Target Gyokeres first. He is the most explosive. If you own a premium striker who has been underperforming, downgrade them to free up funds for Gyokeres and upgrade elsewhere.
• Check your mini-league rivals. If everyone in your top 5 owns the same players, avoid those assets. The goal is to be different.
• Consider the captaincy. If you are brave, hand the armband to Gyokeres in Gameweek 37. If not, use him as a vice-captain behind a safer pick.
• Don’t overthink the -4 hit. A hit is worth it if the player you bring in scores 6+ points. Gyokeres and Pickford have the ceiling to cover that easily.

Remember, the final stretch is not about playing it safe. It is about making calculated gambles that the rest of your league is too afraid to make. Wes Prickett’s selections are not just names on a spreadsheet; they are weapons.

Strong Conclusion: Your Final Chance to Climb the Rankings

The Premier League season is almost over. Your mini-league rival has been smug for 36 weeks. They have the template team. They have the same captain as everyone else. But they do not have Viktor Gyokeres’ 14-goal form. They do not have Jordan Pickford’s save-point potential. They are playing it safe, and safe does not win leagues in the final stretch.

By trusting these four differentials—starting with Gyokeres and Pickford—you give yourself a real chance to overtake 50, 60, even 100 points in the final two Gameweeks. It is not guaranteed. Nothing in FPL is. But the data, the fixtures, and the motivation all point to these players outperforming their ownership percentages.

Final prediction: Gyokeres finishes the season with 17 goals. Pickford keeps one clean sheet and wins two bonus points. Together, they outscore any template combination by at least 15 points. That is the margin that separates a champion from an also-ran.

Make your moves now. The deadline is approaching. The final stretch is here. Be bold. Be differential. Be the manager who wins it all.

Source: Based on news from BBC Sport.