Can you captain Marmoush over Salah? FPL tips and team of the week

This is the first Fantasy Premier League gameweek in a while where I am confident going against Mohamed Salah as captain.

That might seem daft to say if you look at the Egyptian's past seven scores - 16, 13, 8, 12, 14, 6, 15.

But he has only scored in one of his past five matches in all competitions, has been quiet in those fixtures and faces a Merseyside derby - which always has the capacity to turn into a tight game.

Meanwhile, Manchester City face whipping boys Leicester City and, with Erling Haaland almost certainly out, it is a massive chance for their hot new striker Omar Marmoush to bag a hatful.

This would be a slightly easier call if Haaland - who hobbled out of City's FA Cup win at Bournemouth with his ankle in a protective boot - was fit.

Six months ago, nine out of 10 FPL players would have captained Haaland over Salah in this fixture scenario.

So you should back his deputy with confidence - Marmoush had 15 goals in 17 Bundesliga games this season and has scored four in seven league matches for City so far.

The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.

Lots of one and two-pointers but captain Bruno Fernandes (34 points), Diogo Dalot (11) and contributions from Haaland and Bryan Mbeumo led to a superb 75 points in a blank gameweek.

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David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £5.5m - Fulham (h)

Raya has four clean sheets in his past seven and Arsenal have the second-most clean sheets (11) this season. There could be a few clean sheets knocking about this week and this game is one of them.

Josko Gvardiol, Manchester City, £6m - Leicester City (h)

I know City can't keep a clean sheet this season but surely they will against a Leicester team who have scored in only three of their past 14 matches.

That's awful from the Foxes and Gvardiol could pop up with a goal and give you a 15-pointer.

Ruben Dias, Manchester City, £5.4m - Leicester City (h)

Double Manchester City defence this week for the reasons mentioned above. Dias has started the past three league games and appears to be first choice again.

If we're looking for a cheeky attacking return on top of a likely clean sheet, then Dias feels like the next best bet in City's defence.

No, he hasn't scored in the league in two seasons! But in 2021-22 he had seven attacking returns. There's a time for every drought to end.

Jarell Quansah, Liverpool, £3.9m - Everton (h)

£3.9m for a piece of defence that has kept the most clean sheets this season is a major bargain.

Derby games can go two ways but Liverpool are at home against Everton. They should dominate, will expect to win and could easily keep their rivals out.

Milos Kerkez, Bournemouth, £5.2m - Ipswich (h)

The Hungarian is rolling at the moment with assists in his past three games. No clean sheets in that time but if he can put the two together he'll have a haul.

Bournemouth's stout home defensive record has disappeared, but Ipswich present a good chance to put things right.

Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, £13.7m - Everton (h)

Salah is in without the armband this week. If you are going to follow my advice and bet against him you're just hoping he has a "quiet" game - which for him means just one goal or maybe even just an assist!

Justin Kluivert, Bournemouth, £6.3m - Ipswich (h)

On paper, this should be a great game for Bournemouth attacking assets but they have tailed off recently.

On top of that, their FA Cup tie against Manchester City on Sunday means this game feels prime for at least a couple of players being rotated by Andoni Iraola.

And that makes every Bournemouth player a slightly risky pick, but with Kluivert in form and on penalties, I'm punting on him.

Ismaila Sarr, Crystal Palace, £5.6m - Southampton (a)

Sarr has 26 points in his past two games and, with Jean-Philippe Mateta likely to be back up front, Palace will fancy a handsome win against struggling Saints.

Senegal midfielder Sarr is very efficient - he's had 43 shots this season (team-mate Eberechi Eze has taken 83) yet more than half (24) have been on target, which is the most by any Palace player.

Only Salah and Cole Palmer have had more big chances from midfield.

Christopher Nkunku, Chelsea, £5.7m - Tottenham (h)

Nkunku is showing glimpses of what many FPL players thought he'd offer coming into the season.

In the past four games, only Palmer has had more shots in the box for Chelsea than Nkunku.

The Frenchman only has one goal in that time but this week should start against a Spurs side who have lost their past three games to Chelsea, conceding 10.

Omar Marmoush (captain), Manchester City, £7.3m - Leicester (h)

Since his league debut in gameweek 23, Marmoush has four goals from six shots on target, four shots in the box and two big chances.

While those underlying statistics are efficient but not super impressive, you have to take in three more factors.

1 - Opportunity - he's certain to be playing up front for City in a game where they could score loads (and he's very affordable).

2 - Passes the eye test - go back and watch his hat-trick against Newcastle. Marmoush's finishing is top class.

3 - Leicester City - Beto (week 24, 13 points), Mikel Merino (week 25, 13 points), Bryan Mbeumo (week 26, 14 points), Bruno Fernandes (week 29, 17 points). These are all forward players who have hauled against Leicester in recent weeks. Marmoush can be the next.

Joao Pedro, Brighton, £5.6m - Aston Villa (h)

On penalties, on form (three goals in four), at home and facing a Villa side with just four clean sheets this season.

That's a lot of reasons to pick the Brazilian.

Jose Sa, Wolves, keeper, £4.4m - West Ham (h)

Cody Gakpo, Liverpool, striker, £7.4m - Everton (h)

Antoine Semenyo, Bournemouth, midfielder, £5.7m - Ipswich (h)

Chris Richards, Crystal Palace, defender, £4.4m - Southampton (a)

Team total coast = £92.1m

Taiwo Awoniyi, Nottingham Forest, striker, £5.5m

Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo says Chris Wood's injury is "not good", meaning Awoniyi might have a huge chance to fill the central striker's role for the Champions League-chasing side.

The Nigerian has produced in FPL in the past - once scoring in six straight games - and it is really injury and Wood's form that has kept him out of the side.

With double gameweeks on the horizon, Awoniyi could emerge as an end-of-season bargain, depending on the severity of Wood's injury.

Crystal Palace - Southampton (a), Brighton (h), Double gameweek: Newcastle and Manchester City (a)

Two good games, then a double - and Palace will potentially double again in gameweek 33.

If you are looking to replace an injured player this week - and especially if you have already used your second wildcard - then getting a Palace player into your team is a sensible choice.