Saturday’s matches on the south coast were highlighted by contrasting penalty outcomes. While Joao Pedro (£5.6m) successfully converted both of his penalties at the Amex, Marco Asensio (£6.2m) missed twice from the spot at St Mary’s.
As we analyze the results from Brighton and Hove Albion 2-2 Leicester City and Southampton 0-3 Aston Villa, here are our latest Gameweek 32 Scout Notes.
EMERY ON VILLA’S PENALTY TAKERS
Fantasy managers who chose Asensio for Gameweek 32 were right in expecting a start and his likely role as a penalty taker, given his recent experience in the UEFA Champions League.
However, they may not have anticipated his unfortunate achievement of being one of the few players to miss two penalties in a Premier League match.
Marco Asensio just the fourth player to miss two penalties in a Premier League match, two decades after Juan Pablo Angel became the first in a 1-1 draw with Fulham. Darren Bent for Sunderland and Saido Berahino for #wba the others. #avfc
— matt maher (@mjmarr_star) April 12, 2025
Despite his misses, Asensio did manage to assist on one of John McGinn‘s (£5.2m) penalties, avoiding a negative point score.
Unai Emery’s comments post-game revealed that Marcus Rashford (£6.7m) is the first-choice penalty taker moving forward, which may frustrate his owners after he was substituted just before the first penalty was awarded.
NO REST FOR ROGERS YET
Emery made some rotation choices from the midweek PSG game, resting Lucas Digne (£4.5m), Pau Torres (£4.2m), McGinn, and Boubacar Kamara (£5.0m). However, Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) and Donyell Malen (£5.3m) did come off the bench to score, showcasing Villa’s depth.
Additionally, Morgan Rogers (£5.6m), Youri Tielemans (£5.5m), and Emiliano Martinez (£5.0m) continued to impress, with all three yet to be benched this season and contributing significantly to their team’s performance.
BRIGHTON FRUSTRATED
Brighton’s season appears to be losing momentum, similarly to Bournemouth’s. With both teams recently eliminated from the FA Cup and struggling in the league, the quest for a top-eight finish remains essential for potential European competition next season.
Despite the disappointment of a missed opportunity against Leicester, Brighton had chances to secure a win before settling for a draw, leaving coach Fabian Hurzeler concerned about the team’s lack of maturity and response to setbacks.
MAVIDIDI DAZZLES
While Leicester players may not catch the eye of many FPL managers, Stephy Mavididi (£5.0m) stood out for his exceptional performance, finally breaking his side’s goal drought after being reintroduced to the starting lineup. His impressive display raises questions about his previous benching.
With home matches against Southampton and Ipswich Town upcoming, Mavididi may continue to find the back of the net for Leicester.
