The Hard Tackle assesses the options with Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will be unavailable for a few weeks, in FPL.
The Premier League returns after over ten days, with the previous weekend featuring the FA Cup third round. Gameweek 21 is spread across two weekends, meaning managers need to be wary of what they do in FPL as they juggle several issues.
Several popular picks are on international duty for the Africa Cup of Nations and the AFC Asian Cup. In addition, Erling Haaland will return soon after resuming training. FPL managers now have a new issue, with Trent Alexander-Arnold out for the foreseeable future.
The English international has picked up a knee injury that will keep him on the sidelines for the next three weeks. So, Liverpool will be in a spot of bother, with the right-hand side becoming hollow after Mohamed Salah’s departure and Alexander-Arnold’s injury-enforced absence.
In addition, Jurgen Klopp’s full-back options are threadbare, as Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas were already on the sidelines. But FPL managers are also sweating, considering Alexander-Arnold’s increasing ownership numbers in the last few gameweeks.
The Englishman features in nearly 26% of the teams, meaning those managers have a difficult decision to consider. If they already have Salah and Son waiting for removal, they cannot afford to take too many hits and get rid of Alexander-Arnold. So, we contemplate whether you should keep the 25-year-old or remove him and discuss his potential replacements.
Keep Him?
If your team already has Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min, you will need to take at least one hit to remove Trent Alexander-Arnold. Add to that the issue surrounding Jarrod Bowen, another player on the sidelines for the foreseeable future, and FPL managers have an incredible headache.
Many might also be considering re-signing Erling Haaland in Gameweek 21, adding another transfer to the mix. So, it does not make sense to remove Alexander-Arnold if the hits are piling up, considering he will only miss three games at most for Liverpool.
With two of those fixtures being against Chelsea and Arsenal, Alexander-Arnold’s returns would have suffered anyway, meaning a hit might not be worth it. You might also struggle to bring Alexander-Arnold back into your team if you diversify the funds you recoup from his sale. So, if we consider those factors, it is worthwhile to keep hold of the Englishman.
Sell Him? Who are the Potential Replacements?
If, unlike those we discussed in the previous sections, you have already removed Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min before Gameweek 21, the decision becomes easier, even if your FPL team has Jarrod Bowen.
So, consider removing Alexander-Arnold for a short-term replacement while keeping the funds handy to bring him back around Gameweek 25 (unless you plan to play the Wildcard by then). But who are the options to replace Alexander-Arnold? Here are the potential replacements.
Conor Bradley
The first candidate is Alexander-Arnold’s replacement in the Liverpool starting lineup. We are talking about Conor Bradley, who produced an impressive performance in the FA Cup third round against Arsenal last weekend.
Bradley has many admirers at Liverpool FC, and with Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas on the sidelines, the youngster should feature in the next few games until Alexander-Arnold returns. Considering our next three picks, he will be a cost-effective alternative and act as a differential.
Pedro Porro
Up next is the most obvious option to replace Alexander-Arnold in your FPL teams. We are talking about Pedro Porro, who has overcome a slow start to the 2023/24 season to become a pivotal figure for Tottenham Hotspur under Ange Postecoglou.
The Spaniard has seen his price tag zoom from £5.0m to £5.8m, with his ownership numbers skyrocketing in the last few weeks. That is not without reason, with Porro amassing seven assists and 11 bonus points thus far. He is essential to Postecoglou’s system and is a vital cog in the offensive phases. So, consider bringing him into your teams to replace Alexander-Arnold.
Kyle Walker
Considering his falling productivity in the final third, our next pick might surprise you. But this defender might be your best bet for certain clean-sheet points in the next few games. We are talking about Kyle Walker.
Manchester City might have kept very few clean sheets this season. But with Pep Guardiola close to having a fully-fit squad, his team’s defensive output should improve. In addition, City’s next three games are attractive, even though Newcastle United will be one of the opponents. So, he is a wildcard option for your FPL teams.
Diogo Dalot
We end our list with another potentially surprising pick. But we are going ahead with this selection due to the potential offensive returns instead of clean-sheet potential. We are talking about Manchester United full-back Diogo Dalot.
The Portuguese international was on target as Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup third round. Meanwhile, Manchester United’s next three games have Fixture Difficulty Ratings of 3, 2, and 2 in FPL. So, even though the Red Devils have struggled this season, Dalot might spring a surprise with a few decent returns.