The second weekend of the Premier League season was feast or famine for FPL managers, as Erling Haaland grabbed his first hat-trick of the new term against Ipswich, Cole Palmer chalked up four attacking returns at Molineux and Mohamed Salah scored again during Liverpool‘s 2-0 win over Brentford.
Meanwhile, those who took a punt on the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Christopher Nkunku and Marcus Rashford have been starved of FPL returns and have already endured frustrating price drops in what has been a volatile week of ups and downs in the transfer market.
As Gameweek 3 approaches, all eyes are on whether the premium quintet of Haaland, Salah, Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Son Heung-min can continue firing on all cylinders are fruitful starts to the season from each of them.
The Gunners take on high-flying Brighton ahead of the first international break of the season, while Man City travel to West Ham, Tottenham head to Newcastle and Liverpool host bitter rivals Manchester United in what is, for many, the most eagerly-anticipated clash of the weekend.
Mail Sport’s panel – including experts from FPL gurus Fantasy Football Hub – have predicted the full-time result of each match in Gameweek 3, detailing the players they expect to score the most points in each fixture.
FPL managers have until 11am on Saturday morning to finalise their teams for Gameweek 3
Arsenal vs Brighton
Wes Prickett (FPL Heisenberg), Fantasy Football Hub expert
I could go for the obvious Arsenal win with goal contributions from Bukayo Saka (£10m) and Kai Havertz (£8.1m) – a real possibility, of course. However, I’m backing Brighton to cause an upset at The Emirates in Gameweek 3.
If the Seagulls do manage to cause an upset, there’s every chance Kaoru Mitoma (£6.6m) and Danny Welbeck (£5.6m) continue their FPL returns – but I’m backing the two cheaper alternatives in Yankuba Minteh (£5.5m) and Joao Pedro (£5.5m).
Both Minteh and Pedro have looked really lively in the opening two games of the season. I’m backing them to punish an Arsenal team who were lucky to keep a clean sheet in Gameweek 2 – they have Ollie Watkins to thank for that after the Englishman spurned two big chances.
If you do bring Brighton players in this Gameweek and they blank, all is not lost as they face Ipswich and Nottingham Forest at home in Gameweeks 4 and 5, so they should repay your faith after the international break.
Prediction: Brighton to win 2-1
Yankuba Minteh has looked a bright spark for the Seagulls since his summer move to the Amex
Nottingham Forest vs Wolves
James Sharpe, Mail Sport football writer and co-host of the Fantasy Island podcast
If you’re looking for a replacement for Christopher Nkunku, as many of us are, Morgan Gibbs-White (£6.5m) should be right near the top of your list.
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A 10-point haul in GW2, nailed in Nottingham Forest’s starting line-up, played 90 minutes in the first two games and is on penalties. He now faces a Wolves side that shipped six goals at home to Chelsea and have the worst defence in the division so far.
What’s not to love? Well, other than the fact you might not be able to afford him anymore if Nkunku’s drop to £6.4m priced you out.
Chris Wood (£6.1m) has already enjoyed a price rise after his goal in Forest’s opening game against Bournemouth and will fancy adding to his tally against Wolves.
With some managers losing patience with Alexander Isak and looking for a way to fund a move for Mohammed Salah, Wood could be a decent option if you want to free up some cash.
At the back, Ola Aina (£4.4m) has already dropped in price but racked up a clean sheet and three bonus points against Southampton in GW2. It’s a shame Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah (£4.3m) dropped in price again otherwise Aina would have been a decent option at the same price if you couldn’t get to a £4.5m.
If you’re in the market for a Wolves player, first ask yourself why. They’ve been rubbish, though a 2-0 win in the League Cup against Burnley is not to be sniffed at, and face Newcastle, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Man City in their six games. If, for some reason, you decide you still want one then maybe look at Jorgen Strand Larsen (£5.5m) after the summer loan signing scored his first goal of the season against Chelsea.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest to win 2-0
Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood have both opened their accounts for Nottingham Forest
Leicester vs Aston Villa
Lewis Steele, Merseyside football reporter
Aston Villa will count themselves unlucky after last weekend’s 2-0 defeat against Arsenal, having given the title hopefuls a run for their money.
Morgan Rogers (£5.1m) has rightly become a popular transfer in ahead of Gameweek 3 after his impressive display against the Gunners, and you’d expect him to keep his place in Unai Emery’s starting XI until Champions League rotation becomes a factor.
However, fresh off the back of his call-up to Lee Carsley’s first England squad on Thursday, it’s hard to look past Ollie Watkins (£9.0m) as the highest scorer in this one.
Even despite their valiant 1-1 draw against Tottenham on the opening weekend, Leicester have been prone to giving up plenty of chances – expect Watkins to be on the end of several goal-scoring opportunities at the King Power.
While it’s perhaps too early to buy him, keep a close eye on Leicester’s new man Jordan Ayew (£5.4m). The ex-Crystal Palace star opened his account with a stunning goal from distance in the Carabao Cup in midweek and could emerge a cheap enabler if he can secure regular game time in the league.
Finally, a word on the Aston Villa defence. Fewer budget defenders look better value than the likes of Ezri Konsa (£4.5m) and Pau Torres (£4.5m) at the moment given they play Leicester, Everton, Wolves and Ipswich in their next four matches.
There’s every chance Kosta Nedeljkovic (£4.0m) becomes a permanent cheap option in FPL too, now right-back Matty Cash is out with a hamstring injury.
Prediction: Aston Villa to win 2-0
Fewer teams have a better run of fixtures from a defensive point of view than Aston Villa
Ipswich vs Fulham
Matthew Lambert, Tennis reporter
A good chance for Ipswich to get their first points on the board and perhaps an opportunity for Leif Davis (£4.5m) to put his hand up as an affordable defender we ought to be considering.
As for Fulham, Emile Smith Rowe (£5.6m) has become the early leader among budget midfielders and could reward his many new owners here. Rodrigo Muniz (£6.0m) was a popular pick but has yet to return and, if Raul Jimenez starts to eat into his minutes, he could become a questionable asset.
Antonee Robinson (£4.6m) has also proved a popular transfer in. A potential worry is competition with Ryan Sessegnon when he returns to fitness, but to me Robinson is playing too well to lose his place.
Good luck this gameweek.
Prediction: 2-2 draw
Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz has had the most shots in the box over the first two weekends
Brentford vs Southampton
Jian Batra, Fantasy Football Hub expert
The Bees’ primarily use two different systems in the Premier League. The first, their ‘big game structure’, sees Thomas Frank operate with a back five, utilising wing backs and the transitional threat of Yoane Wissa (£6.1m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£7.0m) as a fairly narrow strike force.
The second structure sees them line up in a back four with Kevin Schade (£5.5m) coming into the side to pose a wider attacking threat.
You can expect the latter against Southampton, and from what we have seen, they are well equipped to score goals.
Brentford have consistently demonstrated their ability to create chances within a game, whether through open play or set pieces – and Mbeumo is at the heart of that.
He’s comfortably my favourite pick, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wissa get in on the act as well.
That being said, with the talent that Brereton Diaz (£5.5m), Adam Armstrong (£5.5m) and Cameron Archer (£5.0m) possess, I expect Southampton will have a goal in them too.
Prediction: Brentford to win 3-1
Adam Armstrong has had six shots compared to Ben Brereton-Diaz’s two for Southampton
Everton vs Bournemouth
Nathan Salt, Manchester United correspondent
A Carabao Cup win over League Two Doncaster Rovers will do little to inspire confidence in Everton, objectively the biggest disappointment in the Premier League so far this season.
Fans let rip at the players before they boarded a train at London Euston after the 4-0 thrashing by Tottenham, and Everton assets are not your friend in the short term… or maybe the long term.
Bournemouth were robbed – the only way to describe it – of victory against Newcastle by VAR, and Antoine Semenyo (£5.5m) showed then why he is an asset worth picking up.
Alternatively look to Marcus Tavernier (£5.5m) as a clever differential given his just 0-2 per cent ownership, while new boy Evanilson (£6.0m) represents a risk in attack, if you feel like rolling the dice.
Either way, it is hard to look past it being a day for cherries, rather than toffees.
Prediction: Bournemouth win 3-0
No player has had more shots so far this season than Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo
West Ham vs Man City
Aadam Patel, Sports Reporter and Content Creator
With four goals in two games already, Erling Haaland (£15.1m) is an absolute banker for Man City’s trip to the capital. His value has already gone up a notch to a ridiculous high but at this rate, can you really afford to keep him out of your FPL eleven?
No player has more points than him in FPL this season, with his 24 points in two gameweeks level with only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
Meanwhile, Kevin De Bruyne (£9.6m) got on the board with a goal and assist against Ipswich, culminating in a 12-point haul – and with West Ham and Brentford up next for Pep Guardiola’s side, he could be worth going for simply because he isn’t as popular as he has been in recent seasons.
Only 11 per cent of FPL managers own him, as opposed to the 59 per cent who own Haaland.
For West Ham, Tomas Soucek (£5.0m) is providing FPL managers with some serious value with an attacking return in both gameweeks. After an assist against Aston Villa, he got on the scoresheet against Crystal Palace and already has 13 points from two games.
Prediction: Man City to win 3-1
Kevin De Bruyne may be an exciting differential given he’s already scored and assisted for City
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace
Ben Willcocks, Senior Sports Reporter
Enzo Maresca breathed a huge sigh of relief after his new-look Chelsea side ran riot over Wolves in last weekend’s 6-2 triumph at Molineux and, while it would be naive to expect nothing but sunshine and rainbows at Stamford Bridge from here on out, I’m backing the Blues to win narrowly over Crystal Palace in Gameweek 3.
That being said, as Christopher Nkunku owners have learned to their detriment, backing a Chelsea player this early in the season is a risky game. Predicting which mid-priced Blues assets start each match is almost impossible given the size of Maresca’s bloated squad and therefore I would only be tempted by Cole Palmer (£10.5m).
With a goal and three assists to his name against Wolves, Palmer reminded FPL managers exactly what he is capable of when he plays in central areas or is given freedom to roam off the right wing. He’s my standout pick for most points in this fixture, and I would strongly consider captaining him if I owned him.
It’s been a turbulent summer window for Crystal Palace, who may lose Marc Guehi to Newcastle ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge, so I’m expecting them to improve once the transfer deadline passes. Eberechi Eze (£7.0m), Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m) and Daniel Munoz (£5.0m) are still all good long-term holds for me, even if I wouldn’t be particularly keen on buying them this week.
Prediction: Chelsea to win 2-1
Cole Palmer is predicted to score the most points in Gameweek 3 among midfielders in FPL
Newcastle vs Tottenham
Abdul Rehman (FPL Salah), Fantasy Football Hub expert
I think this fixture is the one we are most likely to see a high scoring affair. Both teams are great going forward and Ange Postecoglou’s philosophy is to just attack regardless of the fixture.
Spurs’ will be especially buoyed by their 4-0 thumping of Everton last week and Son Heung-min (£10.0m) will be the one to watch again if Dominic Solanke (£7.5m) is ruled out again.
The South Korean could play as the No 9 again especially given his brace against the Toffees. Richarlison (£7.0m) doesn’t seem to be fully fit yet either according to the manager’s comments last gameweek.
James Maddison (£7.0m) is going under the radar slightly – he has two assists in his first two games and looks to be nearing his best again. He has created five chances with three shots in the box so I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes away with a haul.
Anthony Gordon (£7.5m) scored a goal and two assists against Tottenham last season in the same fixture and he will no doubt get chances to add to those tallies.
However, my pick for this game is Alexander Isak (£8.5m). He hasn’t had the start to the season most expected but there is no doubt he will be Newcastle’s top scorer this season and with Callum Wilson (£6.9m) still out injured the Swede will be on penalties too.
Prediction: 2-2 draw
A£7.5m, stats show James Maddison is the creator while Anthony Gordon is the goal-scorer
Man United vs Liverpool
Sami Mokbel, Chief Football Reporter
Always one of the biggest dates in the football calendar and one of the most hotly anticipated games in Europe.
Manchester United have confirmed that Mason Mount is unavailable after suffering a hamstring. Having started the first two games of the season, the news will come as a blow to Erik ten Hag.
The issue may open the door to Joshua Zirkzee (£7.1m) making his first start for United since arriving from Bologna in the summer. Matthijs De Ligt is pushing for his first start since arriving from Bayern Munich.
After two wins on the spin, Liverpool will arrive at Old Trafford with tonnes of confidence. Curtis Jones is struggling with calf issue and is a doubt. You’d imagine Arne Slot won’t be making too many changes after last week’s win over Brentford.
Scoring in his both matches so far, Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) will travel to Old Trafford with the bit between his teeth – and could well leave with another goal or two to his name.
Prediction: Liverpool to win 2-1
Mohamed Salah has a rosy run of fixtures after Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford on Sunday
FPL Salah, FPL Heisenberg and FPL Jian Batra are all Fantasy Football Hub contributors and have joined Mail Sport’s expert panel to kickstart the FPL season.
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