The relentless goal-scoring form of Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min has created a headache for FPL managers in recent weeks, as the premium duo are difficult to combine with Erling Haaland due to budget restrictions.
What’s more, Bukayo Saka and James Maddison are continuing to shine within their price bracket, while premium defender Kieran Trippier is proving an excellent return on investment.
Of course, it’s impossible to have everyone. But with so many expensive options to choose from, managers will be eager to have at least three, maybe four, of these players in their starting lineups, and that means budget assets are as important as they’ve ever been.
And fortunately, while value picks were somewhat limited at the start of the campaign, a handful of cheap enablers have emerged during the last few weeks.
As FPL’s GW10 deadline approaches, Mail Sport takes a look at the best budget options in the game right now.
Mohamed Salah is enjoying a purple patch of form as is FPL’s highest scoring player so far
Alongside Salah and Erling Haaland, FPL managers will also be keen to have in-form Tottenham star Son Heung-mon (left) and Arsenal talisman Bukayo Saka (right) in their fantasy teams
Highest xG in 2023-24 so far
Erling Haaland, MCI – 8.20
Mohamed Salah, LIV – 6.59
Alexander Isak , NEW- 5.41
Bryan Mbeumo, BRE – 5.12
Yoane Wissa, BRE – 4.35
Callum Wilson, NEW – 4.34
Ollie Watkins , AVL – 4.22
Nicolas Jackson, CHE – 4.12
Bukayo Saka, ARS – 4.05
Jarrod Bowen, WHU – 3.68
*xG = Expected goals
Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland continues to lead the expected goals charts
Pedro Neto – (Wolves, Midfielder, £5.8m)
The most expensive player on the list, but coming in at a mere £5.8m, is Wolves‘ talisman Pedro Neto.
The winger has returned in every match since GW3 and is leading the Premier League’s assist charts with six alongside Trippier.
Although he faces a tough defence in Newcastle this week, Neto faces struggling Sheffield United in GW11 and continues to look a reliable long-term hold.
Upcoming fixtures: Newcastle (H), Sheffield United (A), Tottenham (H), Fulham (A)
Anthony Gordon (Newcastle, Midfielder, £5.6m)
Fresh off his suspension before the international break, Anthony Gordon returned to score for Newcastle during their 4-0 triumph over Crystal Palace last weekend.
The initial rotation risk facing Gordon at the start of the season has significantly improved since Harvey Barnes’ toe injury, which is set to sideline the former Leicester star until the end of December.
While he could still occasionally miss out, Gordon has emerged a first-team regular for one of the most in-form sides in the league and, at just £5.6m, he offers exceptional value.
Upcoming fixtures: Wolves (A), Arsenal (H), Bournemouth (A), Chelsea (H)
No Premier League player has produced more assists so far than Wolves’ talisman Pedro Neto
Anthony Gordon is set for an extended run in the first team in the absence of Harvey Barnes
Odsonne Edouard (Crystal Palace, Forward, £5.5m)
There is often a dearth of options in the forward value bracket, but Odsonne Edouard could be a shrewd pick for those looking to skimp out on their attacking line and prioritise funds in midfield.
The Crystal Palace striker was often ignored last season as he regularly shared minutes with Jean-Philippe Mateta, but Edouard is now firmly Roy Hodgson’s first-choice pick up front and starts every time he’s available.
With a solid run of fixtures to come, and boasting the highest xG stats among Crystal Palace players so far this season, Edouard has the potential to punch well above his price tag.
Upcoming fixtures: Tottenham (H), Burnley (A), Everton (H), Luton (A)
Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa, Midfielder, £5.5m)
Traditionally a poor FPL pick in bygone seasons due to his defensive role in midfield, Douglas Luiz has emerged a solid value option in FPL this campaign.
Boubacar Kamara’s arrival at Villa Park has unshackled the Brazilian, who has now been given licence to push on into more goal scoring positions, and he demonstrated this again at the weekend with a goal from open play against West Ham, before doubling his tally from the penalty spot.
Of course, being Villa’s first-choice penalty taker, Luiz has a means of scoring in any given game – and he also has a glorious run of matches to come.
Upcoming fixtures: Luton (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Fulham (A), Tottenham (A)
Odsonne Edouard is Crystal Palace’s first choice striker and is reasonably priced at just £5.5m
Profiting from penalty-taking duty, Douglas Luiz is continuing to score plenty for Aston Villa
Cole Palmer (Chelsea, Midfielder, £5.0m)
Perhaps the most exciting FPL asset to emerge from GW9, Cole Palmer impressed in attack for Chelsea during their 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Saturday.
Although Raheem Sterling didn’t appear happy with the decision, Palmer seems to be the No 1 penalty taker for the Blues after slotting home a spot-kick at Stamford Bridge, and if he’s on penalties and playing up front for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, he has the potential to break the game at £5.0m.
That being said, Chelsea’s fixtures are far from ideal in the short-term, so there’s an argument to hold fire for now on the highly-rated English youngster.
Upcoming fixtures: Brentford (H), Tottenham (A), Man City (H), Newcastle (A)
Lyle Foster (Burnley, Forward, £5.0m)
Burnley’s fixtures have turned ahead of GW10, and now the struggling Clarets are set to face just one top six side between now and Christmas.
Despite his side’s poor start to the season, Lyle Foster has enjoyed a comparatively strong start as far as FPL is concerned, producing five returns and averaging a solid 4.7 points per match.
At just £5.0m, Foster appears the perfect budget player to hold in your front line between now and GW19, especially if deploying the 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 formation.
Upcoming fixtures: Bournemouth (A), Crystal Palace (H), Arsenal (A), West Ham (H)
Cole Palmer’s superb display against Arsenal proved what the youngster’s capable of at £5.0m
Although Burnley have struggled so far, Lyle Foster has continued to tick over with FPL points
Tomas Soucek (West Ham, Midfielder, £4.9m)
Long-serving FPL bosses will remember Tomas Soucek’s goal-scoring heroics during the 2020-21 season, when he netted 10 times and chalked up 147 FPL points by the end of the campaign.
He took more a backseat in terms of attacking returns over the last two years, partnering Declan Rice in a double pivot rather than bombing forward, but David Moyes has recently played the Czech further forward since the arrivals of James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez.
Since, the £4.9m midfielder has scored two goals in three matches and shown flashes of the form he boasted during his first full season in the league. At that price, he could well be worth a punt.
Upcoming fixtures: Everton (H), Brentford (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Burnley (A)
Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace, Defender, £4.5m)
As defenders are significantly cheaper than midfielders and forwards in general, it’s often hard to determine what a budget defender looks like. For the purpose of this list, we’ve gone for a £4.5m cut-off point.
While Arsenal’s £4.7m defender Gabriel Magalhaes perhaps offers better value if you can stretch to his price, Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi is a solid alternative. The Eagles have a kind run of fixtures after GW10 and Roy Hodgson’s side, barring their 4-0 hiccup against Newcastle last weekend, are usually a reliable and well-organised defence.
His team-mate Tyrick Mitchell also comes in at £4.5m and, as neither offer a significant goal or assist threat from defence, there’s little to split the Palace pair.
Upcoming fixtures: Tottenham (H), Burnley (A), Everton (H), Luton (A)
Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa, Defender, £4.5m)
While his Aston Villa team-mate Matty Cash has soared in price, and with good reason, Ezri Konsa has continued to tick over with FPL points at £4.5m.
The centre-back, having picked up an assist against West Ham, was unlucky not to come away with a double-digit haul on Monday, as Jarrod Bowen was rather fortunate to score his deflected effort from outside the box.
Cash is far superior in terms of attacking threat, with an xGI of 3.85 compared to Konsa’s 0.64, but the centre-back is still a solid route into a top team with great fixtures.
Upcoming fixtures: Luton (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Fulham (A), Tottenham (A)
David Moyes has started to deploy Tomas Soucek (above) further forward in recent matches
Despite the defeat by Newcastle, Marc Guehi and Crystal Palace are usually solid at the back
Ezri Konsa (left, £4.5m) and Alphonse Areola (right, £4.2m) are two more solid budget options
Alphonse Areola (West Ham, Goalkeeper, £4.2m)
Finally, as highlighted on Mail Sport’s GW9 Wildcard special last week, Alphonse Areola is a superb long-term option thanks to his cheap £4.2m price.
Goalkeeper points are the hardest to predict across a season, as there’s a fine line between accruing a hatful of save points and conceding a clean sheet, so sticking with a first choice keeper in a reliable defence is often the favourable strategy.
A bonus for FPL managers is that West Ham also hold a kind run of fixtures, with only one top six side to play between now and Christmas.
Upcoming fixtures: Everton (H), Brentford (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Burnley (A)
