FPL notes: Shot-shy Villa rotate + is Richarlison worth a punt?

Tottenham Hotspur significantly improved their chances of avoiding relegation by securing an impressive road win against Aston Villa on Sunday night.

Conor Gallagher (£5.0m) and Richarlison (£6.3m) found the net for Spurs, while Emiliano Buendía (£5.3m) scored a late consolation for Villa in stoppage time—too late to change the outcome.

VILLA RING THE CHANGES—SEVEN OF THEM
Unai Emery may have had one eye on European competition when picking his starting XI.

With his team sitting fifth and holding a six-point cushion over Bournemouth, the Spanish manager took a calculated risk by benching Ollie Watkins (£8.8m), Pau Torres (£4.3m), Ezri Konsa (£4.4m), and Lucas Digne (£4.5m).

Only two of his seven changes were forced: Amadou Onana (£4.8m) and, surprisingly, John McGinn (£5.3m) were sidelined through injury.

Emery seemed irritated by suggestions he had rested players ahead of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.

“Last week we lost against Fulham—and which players played against Fulham? We played against Nottingham Forest and we lost. Today we lost with different players.” – Unai Emery on his squad rotation for the Spurs match

There are growing concerns that Villa’s long season is beginning to wear down the squad. Their 11-match winning run in November and December now feels like a distant memory, and this defeat marked their third consecutive loss across all competitions.

The hosts failed to register a single attempt until the hour mark and didn’t manage a shot on target until the 96th minute.

Morgan Rogers (£7.5m) had two efforts, but both were speculative long-range shots that were blocked, combining for a total Statsbomb xG of just 0.04.

Meanwhile, Tammy Abraham (£5.8m) and Jadon Sancho (£5.8m) failed to impress, neither managing a single shot of consequence. Nearly every Villa starter ranged from poor to abysmal.

Watkins came on for a second-half cameo and looked relatively sharp, but Spurs’ defense used some clever tactical fouls to contain him, limiting him to just one off-target shot.

…BUT BURNLEY IS NEXT
McGinn and Watkins are expected to start against Forest on Thursday. Once Villa’s European fate becomes clearer, Fantasy managers will have a better sense of whether to invest in their players for the final stretch—or at least for Gameweek 36 specifically.

Keep in mind that the Europa League final falls between Gameweeks 37 and 38.

The silver lining to Sunday’s loss is that it may increase the likelihood of Emery fielding a strong side in Gameweek 36. The matchup against Burnley looks like their best opportunity to pick up points, and they desperately need a win as the chasing pack has narrowed the gap to fifth place over the past two Gameweeks.

Rogers owners may be tired of seeing him underperform, but there might be one final useful performance left before he becomes a Fantasy afterthought.

“In the first half we didn’t perform well. In the second half, we reacted, but it was not enough. After 35 games, things are very good, and we still have the advantage of being in the top five, but we must continue to be demanding.” – Unai Emery tries to find a positive angle

SPURS LOOK LIKE A DIFFERENT TEAM
Tottenham, by contrast, bore no resemblance to the side that has struggled all season. Their midfielders played with relentless energy—snapping into tackles, pressing high, and showing real aggression. They fought as if their survival depended on it, which, in footballing terms, it did.

From the opening minute, they controlled the field tilt. Once Gallagher brought down a ball with a clever touch and blasted it in from distance early on, they never looked back. With Gallagher, Rodrigo Bentancur (£5.2m), and João Palhinha (£5.5m) constantly winning second balls, Spurs’ direct approach paid off. Palhinha, hero of the previous win over Wolves, was unlucky to see a long-range effort come back off the post.

Given how he and Bentancur celebrated winning fouls with clenched fists and primal screams, only heaven knows how Palhinha would have reacted if he had scored.

“I love Palhinha like this. I don’t ask players to do it, but when I see this passion I become crazy.” – Roberto De Zerbi on Palhinha’s all-out attitude

TEL SHINES
The midfield’s ball-winning ability provided a platform for players like Mathys Tel (£6.2m)—one of Spurs’ few bright spots in recent weeks—to showcase his talent.

He delivered a match-high seven crosses in this game, also benefiting from sharing corner duties. No midfielder has created more ‘big chances’ this Gameweek than Tel’s two, including a pinpoint assist for Richarlison’s decisive header.

With Xavi Simons (£6.4m) unavailable, Tel could be a strong differential option worth considering for the upcoming matches.

RICHARLISON WORTH A LOOK
Spurs players were best avoided until very recently, but several are now making a case for inclusion on Fantasy managers’ radars. Richarlison is one such player, especially with Dominic Solanke (£7.1m) sidelined by Spurs’ seemingly cursed injury list.

The Brazilian stepped up with his 10th goal of the season and his second attacking return in two matches. With Spurs now providing a better foundation for their attackers to thrive, Richarlison could be a shrewd pick for managers looking to make moves in their mini-leagues.

Tottenham must keep winning to stave off relegation, and crucially, they now look capable of doing so.

It also helps that De Zerbi appears to be encouraging his players—unlike his predecessor, Igor Tudor, who seemed more focused on reminding them how poor they were.

“We have to stay focused for the next game. I think my biggest job is to help the players show their qualities. Their level is not to fight for relegation, but we have to accept that and be stronger than the people who talk too much. There was the right spirit and behaviour on the pitch. I’m pleased with the performances.” – Roberto De Zerbi

“I love playing football. Especially when you have these players in the squad, my job is to help them, to put them in the right condition to play, to show what they are capable of doing.” – Roberto De Zerbi

At the other end of the pitch, Spurs were unlucky not to keep a clean sheet. Pedro Porro (£5.2m) owners saw his points total cut from eight to four in the dying moments, but he still earned defensive contribution points and has now accumulated 22 points over the last three Gameweeks. The Spaniard remains a player capable of scoring points at both ends.

POSITIVE INJURY NEWS—FOR A CHANGE
Bentancur had to be substituted midway through the second half with an injury, but De Zerbi downplayed concerns about its severity, saying he was “just tired.”

Micky van de Ven (£4.4m) was also seen limping late on, but when asked about the Dutchman’s fitness, the Spurs head coach confirmed he was “okay.”

Spurs also welcomed back Destiny Udogie (£4.3m) and Pape Matar Sarr (£4.5m), with the former playing the full 90 minutes.