By HOLLY SHAND
Published: 04:50 EST, 19 December 2024 | Updated: 04:50 EST, 19 December 2024
Fantasy Premier League last week announced the identity of the Mystery Chip - and it promises to have a significant impact on how managers approach the game.
For months, we’ve tried to speculate what the mystery could be in FPL this season, but few had come close to the predicting the brand new 'Assistant Manager' chip, which is available from Gameweek 24.
So what is it and how should we approach playing it? Fantasy Football Hub expert Holly Shand takes a look at everything you need to know.
What does the 'Assistant Manager' chip do?
This new chip allows players to add a manager to their team to score points for a three gameweek window. Points are awarded for wins, draws, goals and clean sheets.
Managers will have set costs between £0.5m-£1.5m in the game and prices won’t fluctuate during the season. The cost will need to be paid for out of your existing FPL budget.
There’s also a table bonus mechanism: if your manager faces a club ranked at least five places higher in the Premier League table, you get additional points for a win or draw.
FPL's new mystery chip has been unveiled as the 'Assistant Manager', available from GW24
No Premier League team has created more expected goals than Enzo Maresca's Chelsea so far
Picking a 'Assistant Manager' near the top of the table, such as Arsenal's Mikel Arteta (above), would be the safest choice in terms of accruing points for wins, draws, goals and clean sheets
Who are Fantasy Football Hub?
Fantasy Football Hub is purpose-built to help fantasy managers win at FPL, using their industry-leading AI and experts who reveal their teams every gameweek.
Every player has an AI predicted point score for each gameweek and the Hub My Team tool optimises these to recommend the best team, which beat 99% of human managers last season.
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It’s possible to change manager while the chip is active by using transfers in the same way as when you change players. However, you can’t captain a manager and they count as part of the three-per-club quota.
Therefore, should FPL managers wish to recruit the services of Mikel Arteta for example, they could not do so with three Arsenal players such as Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and David Raya already in their squad.
It’s also important to note that you can only play one chip per gameweek in FPL - so the 'Assistant Manager' chip must be activated wisely. Activating it will block you from using another existing chip - such as a Wildcard or Triple Captain - during that three gameweek period.
When and how should you play the chip?
As with all chips, deploying a strategy should help to maximise points from the 'Assistant Manager'.
Because of the bonus points on offer with the new chip, backing managers in the bottom half of the table could present a tempting high risk and high reward strategy, particularly for those looking to chase down rivals in their mini leagues.
Again, there’s upside for using this chip in a double gameweek, which should become clearer going into 2025. We already know that Everton and Liverpool have a game to reschedule because of the Merseyside derby's postponement this month.
There will be further double gameweeks caused by the League Cup final and the FA Cup semi-finals. However, given the recent changes to the FA Cup's schedule, the calendar should be less disrupted than in previous seasons.
But the bonus points on offer based on a team's position in the table presents a high risk high reward strategy, if the likes of Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner earns a few upsets for example
Arne Slot's Liverpool team lead the way for clean sheets with seven to their name already
Personally, I’m more inclined to use the chip on a manager from one of the top clubs, with Liverpool’s Arne Slot the most consistent in the league this season when it comes to wins, goals and clean sheets.
There will be opportunities to also back under-performing clubs fighting to avoid relegation in the final gameweeks of the season, at a time where their opponents could be 'on the beach'.
Other opportunities may arise over the course of the season, including when there’s a managerial change. The infamous 'new manager bounce' could be perfect for this chip come Gameweek 24.
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