For a large majority of Fantasy Premier League players, Gameweek 1 could not have gone much better.
The average score in week one was 69, so it was nice to see all those headaches and stresses eased with a blockbuster opening week.
While the top scorer saw one player net 150 points, those that followed our game plan would have netted 90 points.
It wasn’t enjoyable to see Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez only tally two points, but he has the chance to redeem himself this weekend.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Konstantinos Tsimikas grabbed clean sheets, while Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick against Leeds. Mohamed Salah was the captaincy choice and scored 34, while Michail Antonio managed to add 13, despite missing a penalty.
So what to do in Gameweek 2? It seems sensible to stick with a similar team, but there’s a decision to make when it comes to the captain’s armband.
Goalkeeper – Robert Sanchez
The Brighton stopper gave us so much hope, but our clean sheet dreams were dashed after two minutes. In fairness, Brighton’s defence let him down from a corner and with Watford coming to town, he may be in for a busy afternoon. Hopefully, that means he could pick up some extra points for making numerous saves.
Defence – Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luke Shaw, Konstantinos Tsimikas
Patience, my friends. There’s no need to panic at the back this week, with Liverpool facing Burnley at Anfield. While the Clarets won this fixture last season, they looked a little toothless in attack against the Seagulls.
Manchester United may have conceded to Leeds United, but I am not sure all 20 first-choice goalkeepers in the PL would have stopped Luke Ayling’s piledriver. Even if Southampton do bag against the Red Devils, Shaw’s ability to score points in the final third make him an automatic pick.
Midfielders – Bruno Fernandes, Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Raphinha and Harvey Barnes
If anyone reading this is planning to swap out Fernandes or Salah, then FPL may not be for you. The duo should be at the forefront of everyone’s team for the first few weeks and both players can add to their impressive scores from week one.
The headache with captaincy arises from Manchester City’s fixture with Norwich. The Citizens were a mixed bag against Tottenham, but it doesn’t take certificates in rocket science to work out that Norwich and Tottenham are not on the same wavelength. Liverpool hit three past the Canaries, and City could follow suit, and over 3.5 goals is one to consider at 20/23.
Due to his form, Salah is marginally the better pick than Mahrez, but those that select the latter should be confident of picking up some extra points.
Forwards – Michail Antonio and Ivan Toney
While Antonio hit the ground running, Toney blanked in week one, but fear not. The Bees ace faces Crystal Palace this week and the Eagles’ confidence is likely to be low after Chelsea thumped them.
For the first few months, Antonio is another ‘set and forget’ player, with the West Ham ace such a handful for opposition defences. Fortunately, he is also the Hammers’ only striker, so it makes selection much easier.
It is worth giving Toney another week or two in your FPL team, though. He is usually at the heart of every Brentford attack and Thomas Frank’s men are one to consider for weekend accumulators at odds of 37/20.
Here’s your FPL Gameweek 2 team in full:
*All odds correct at time of writing.