With Gameweek 1 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) days away, we’re welcoming back our stellar team of Pro Pundits, Hall of Famers and guest contributors for the new campaign.
Our writers will be providing regular articles and team reveals throughout the new season, with only Premium Members able to access every single one.
Next up is three-time top 200 finisher and two-time champion of India, Lateriser, who talks through his latest Gameweek 1 plans.
We’re almost there! It really feels like Christmas and I’m very excited about this new season. I feel like it is going to be very interesting because as things stand, there are just so many good Fantasy Premier League (FPL) options to consider.
Until last night, I felt so unsure about my Gameweek 1 draft and while I’ve had a proper tinker session this morning, I just feel like come Friday, I might land in a different place.
It is the nature of the season, I think. Liverpool and Manchester City now have more traditional number nines in their armoury. Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have strengthened. It possibly can’t get worse for my club Manchester United (who have impressed me in pre-season, but it is only pre-season), while the likes of Chelsea still have good FPL assets at their disposal and some great fixtures to start the season. I feel like more so than any other year, there are way more ways than one to skin this FPL cat.
So, let’s talk about this morning’s tinker I have had and where my current draft is. It is worth pointing out that this is my draft as of Sunday and plenty could change by the time we get to Friday’s deadline.
LIVERPOOL PICKS
Let’s start with the primary talking point and that is Liverpool.
I think there might be a fair few of us that are thinking, ‘I wish we could have five from that team’. For me, Trent-Alexander Arnold (£7.5m) and Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) are not going anywhere. I won’t talk about them for too long but Alexander-Arnold looks like he’s basically playing as a midfielder in the half-spaces for Liverpool and I expect him to get a few more goals than usual this season (just like he did in the Community Shield).
READ MORE: Haaland, Darwin, Salah: How the big FPL names fared in the Community Shield
Going without Salah in Gameweek 1 in a previous season completely dismantled my campaign and I was never able to recover from that. As much as the theory might have legs at present (because of other value picks from Liverpool and premiums from Manchester City and Spurs rotating well), it simply is something I’m not wired to consider as an FPL manager right now.
When it comes to the third Liverpool spot, my thinking is that you can’t go wrong with Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) or Luis Diaz (£8.0m). Robertson was so close to goal on so many occasions against Manchester City, which is him basically carrying forward last season’s form. Diaz, meanwhile, looks first choice on that left-hand side. Against Manchester City yesterday, he played the Mane role, drifting a lot more central than I remember him previously. I think the presence of Roberto Firmino (£8.0m) has a lot to do with that, of course, as the Brazilian tends to make others around him better FPL assets.
Now the punt that I’m currently taking is Darwin Nunez (£9.0m). No, I don’t think he’s nailed or a sure starter but I’m not a very risk-averse manager and I just think his ceiling is very high. If, come Friday, we get the sense that he’s not going to start, I’ll go back to Robertson or Diaz but as things stand I’m going with Nunez. I just think that whenever I’ve seen Liverpool play so far, he tends to hog a high percentage of expected goals (xG) in that Liverpool team and if that continues and he starts versus Fulham, I like his ceiling. My back-up plan is Robertson, who I currently prefer to Diaz because of the goalscoring positions the Scot is taking up.
KANE TO HAALAND IN GAMEWEEK 2
That’s it from me for now but I’m interested to see where I land on Friday. I just want to reiterate that this season there are a lot of good FPL options so don’t be afraid to play your own game. Good luck and see you next week!
We’ve covered the promoted teams, midfielders, forwards and defence in depth on The FPL Wire and will be doing our Gameweek 1 pod on Monday in case you fancy watching.
