Are De Cuyper and Gross essential? FPL gameweek seven dilemmas

What the report says

BBC Sport Fantasy Premier League columnist Gianni Buttice has highlighted a set of week-seven decisions for managers weighing whether to reshuffle their squads. The piece focuses on Brighton defender Maxim De Cuyper and midfielder Pascal Gross, Manchester United assets such as Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo, Chelsea attackers, and whether Erling Haaland is worth a Triple Captain chip this week.

Buttice suggests De Cuyper and Gross are near the top tier of FPL options, but says this may not be the ideal time to buy because Brighton face difficult away trips to Liverpool and Manchester City in the next three league matches. He gives the edge to De Cuyper over Gross, while also advising caution on Manchester United players, with Fernandes presented as an easy sell after a slow start to the season. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer are mentioned as possible replacements.

The analysis also argues that Chelsea’s attack deserves close attention, with Joao Pedro described as close to must-own and Palmer seen as the key route in if managers can afford him. On Haaland, Buttice notes that a future double gameweek appears unlikely before chips reset, which could make this weekend’s home fixture against Ipswich more attractive for those considering the Triple Captain chip. He also points to Arsenal’s defence and several budget defenders as longer-term set-and-forget options.