Gameweek Seven FPL Dilemmas: Brighton and Chelsea Players to Consider

As we head into gameweek seven, FPL managers are facing some tough calls. BBC Sport's FPL expert, Gianni Buttice, breaks down the pressing dilemmas surrounding players from Brighton and Chelsea. While Brighton's assets are tempting, it's worth noting their challenging upcoming fixtures, including matches against Liverpool and Manchester City. Sure, they have a derby against Crystal Palace at home this weekend, but it might not be the right time to overhaul your team for them. If you’re looking for a solid pick, defender De Cuyper at £5.1m stands out as a priority. On the other hand, Bruno Fernandes, priced at £11.9m, is in the teams of about one-third of FPL managers. However, with five blank games out of six, he’s an easy candidate to offload this week. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (£9.6m) and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (£9.7m) could be wise alternatives to consider. United’s defensive options also raise eyebrows, and it might be best to let go of them. But Bryan Mbeumo priced at £7.9m is worth holding onto. He’s been performing well, ranking 10th among midfielders with 33 points so far this season. With Xabi Alonso at the helm, Chelsea is looking lively. They’ve got no European distractions and a whole week to prepare, making them capable of netting two or three goals in a match. Striker Joao Pedro (£7.8m) is becoming a must-have, but it creates a dilemma between choosing Palmer or Morgan Rogers (£7.9m). The decision will likely boil down to budget and how many penalties or set-pieces you expect Chelsea to convert, with Palmer likely reaping the rewards. When it comes to open play, both Palmer and Rogers are closely matched, but Rogers has slightly better underlying statistics and FPL points after six games. If you still have your chips, keep in mind that a double gameweek before the reset in gameweek 19 seems unlikely. Looking ahead, Erling Haaland has three enticing home fixtures before the year's end: Ipswich this weekend, Fulham in gameweek 11, and Hull in gameweek 16. None are particularly easy, but Ipswich tends to play more openly away from home, having already faced a hefty defeat against Manchester United this season. De Cuyper has emerged as a top choice, but don’t overlook Arsenal’s defense either. Under Mikel Arteta, they’re likely to maintain their status as the league's best defensive unit, with Riccardo Calafiori (£5.9m) appearing as a strong option. Additionally, consider defensive stalwarts like Leeds’ Tarik Muharemovic (£5m), Brighton’s Luka Vuskovic (£5.1m), Bournemouth’s Antonio Silva (£5m), and Everton’s James Tarkowski (£6.2m). All four are reliable contributors and play for teams that don’t concede easily. These eight players could be your ticket to FPL success!