In this first episode of 2025, we go back in time ten years—Mikel Arteta is back on the menu! With the brand new Assistant Manager chip, FPL managers can earn points from having Mikel Arteta in their team again—though this time, it’s in a managerial capacity. (Speaking of Premier League managers who used to be players themselves, did you know that Andoni Iraola once played in a midfield trio with Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard at NYCFC, feeding balls through to Jack Harrison?) We take our first careful look at the chip, breaking down the two preeminent strategies: pick a manager from a top team and rely on victories by large margins, or pick a manager from a lower-ranked team and bet on upsets. The former is the safer option, while the latter is high risk, high reward. What whets your appetite? The answer may be more complicated than you think. And then there’s the question of when to play the chip—though playing it in a double gameweek gives you an extra fixture, it also precludes you from playing another chip. Much to consider…