Members
28 October 2022 493 comments
Lateriser 12 Lateriser 12
Share:

Throughout the 2022/23 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season, our team of Pro Pundits, Hall of Famers and guest contributors will be sharing their thoughts, tips and own transfer plans.

Only Premium Members are able to read every single one of these pieces, so sign up today to get full access not just to the editorial content but all of the other benefits, from hundreds of Opta stats to a transfer planner.

Here, two-time Indian FPL champion Lateriser assesses the Manchester United squad ahead of a favourable fixture swing.

The FFS Pro Pundits 34

Not often in the last few years have I been asked to write specifically about Manchester United, which in itself is quite encouraging.

In the next three Gameweeks, the Red Devils face West Ham United at home followed by two trips to Aston Villa and Fulham.

It’s worth noting that both West Ham and Aston Villa have the best expected goals conceded (xGC) record over the last six matches. So, if opting for a United attacker, the expectation should be more ‘steady stream’ rather than an explosion of points. Their underlying attacking stats haven’t been great (ranking near the middle) but it is worth noting that a bad start was then followed by better results against tougher teams.

The last five games have been against Manchester City, Everton, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, a selection of the league’s stingiest defences.

READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 14 live team news: Haaland injury latest

THE ATTACK

Gameweek 9 brought Antony‘s (£7.6m) first full game, so it’s worth looking at the data since then to identify trends as Erik ten Hag’s side has finally settled into a rhythm.

Let us look at goal threat first.

For more on Gameweek 14, my fellow Pro Pundit Zophar and I did a short comprehensive podcast where we discuss Liverpool, Arsenal and the short-term flings we like for the final pre-World Cup weeks. You can watch it below:

493 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Mirror Man
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Arteta's head has been tarred for quite some time now. Why has nobody feathered it?

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      For quite some time?

  2. tryf88
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Mount to Martinelli or Almiron?

    Have Trippier, Zaha, Saka, Foden

    1. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Rashford.

  3. Hy liverpool
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Guardiola on Haaland foot injury: "...[it won't be] 24 hours [when I know if Erling is available or not].

    "I will know it in two hours if he is able to play [against Leicester] or not."

    1. GENERATION X
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      You know when you've been Pepped...

      1. Hy liverpool
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

  4. Zidane's Floor
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    When is Arsenal's presser?

    1. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Last night

      1. Zidane's Floor
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Wasn't that post match for PSV?

  5. Shultan
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Pep comments
    He feels better, we have training this afternoon & we will assess. We will see how he feels in his foot & after we will decide

    1. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Good ol’ Pep.

    2. Shultan
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      *pep comments on haaland

  6. Weak Become Heros
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Anything on Cancelo?

  7. Nate(U)dog(ie)
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    https://mobile.twitter.com/SamLee/status/1585971941428453377

    @SamLee

    Guardiola on Haaland: "He feels better, we have training this afternoon and we will assess. We will see how he feels in his foot and after we will decide."

    As expected

    1. FPL Brains
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Cheers, the vagueness bodes well for me.

      1. Deulofail
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        So, should I sell? 😀

        1. FPL Brains
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Oh crap haha. I'd wait till 10mins before the deadline to see if there are leaks.

      2. Nate(U)dog(ie)
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Yeah I think I'm just going to stick on captaincy and see. Would be surprised if he's benched and comes on if there's any risk

    2. Bavarian
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      so he's fine apparently

    3. El Presidente
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Pep Can't give a straight answer Guardiola

  8. banskt
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Roll FT?

    Pope
    Saliba, Trippier, Andersen
    Salah, KDB(vc), Saka, Martinelli
    Haaland(c), Toney, Mitrovic
    (Ward, Andreas, Struijk, Webster)

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Good as it gets! GL

      1. banskt
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Thanks mate. Good luck to you too.

    2. Crunchie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      looks great

      After your advice last week i ended up in the hospital high on morphine and took Kane out for a -4 ouch!

  9. Zidane's Floor
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Erling Haaland "feels better" and will be assessed after today's training session. A decision will then be made on his availability, according to Pep Guardiola.

    https://twitter.com/FFScout/status/1585973270809292800

    Are you capping him?

    1. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yes. Salah VC.

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      No. Even before his injury I was thinking of going Salah. This has 0 chance of backfiring ofc.

    3. Stimps
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Salah (c)

    4. FPL Brains
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Nope, I'll be swinging towards Salah this week. Feel like if there is a week to do it, this is the one. The last time I deviated away from Haaland (when he had a game), I picked KDB in GW8. Let's see if go 2 for 2.

      1. Zidane's Floor
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Was frightening to not (C) Haaland even when he had a blank GW... Imagine this

        Do you think it would be worth being around before the deadline for early team news?

        1. FPL Brains
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Definitely mate. Not sure if the reliable leak was a Liverpool based one last time, but we got some good information about Darwin 10mins before the deadline. Natedog is usually pretty good at finding it (among some others).

          1. Zidane's Floor
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Thanks champ - big decisions ahead

          2. El Presidente
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Yeah but that's LIV. I don't think we will have the same reliability with City

    5. Crunchie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I may go Jesus

  10. Zidane's Floor
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Clear as mud, cheers Pep

  11. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Pep Guardiola: "Play 90 minutes every game and he [Julian Alvarez] will score goals, maybe not like Erling [Haaland], but he will score goals..." @City_Xtra

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Missed the first part of the quote:

      Pep Guardiola: "If [Erling] Haaland doesn’t play, then [Julian] Alvarez is the natural first option to replace him. I don’t judge Julian on how many goals he has scored..."

      1. FPL Brains
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I snapped up Alvarez in my draft league, hopefully this bodes well.

    2. banskt
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Does Alvarez gets minutes in the next 3?

      How about him as the third City slot? Haaland - KDB - Alvarez?

      1. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I think only a good FPL option if Haaland gets injured (in which case he looks great). Otherwise hard to argue better value than KDB/Foden/Cancelo.

        1. banskt
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          I am thinking he will start getting more game time instead of Foden...

          Pep good at smelling, Foden mysterious benches, I am starting to think something is off about Foden. Too eager to play world cup and sidelined? Disciplinary?

  12. Phil Pino
    • 17 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Any and all suggestions for what I should do this GW are appreciated:

    a) play Andreas (roll FT)
    2) play Tross (roll FT)
    iii) Tross -> Rashford / Antony

    Currently on a) but feels like wasting an opportunity to be benching Tross

  13. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Perisic starts v BOU (a), yes no?..

    1. Shultan
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      No

    2. Rodney
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      No

    3. nerd_is_the_werd
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Ok great, thought that would be the case, 3rd on the bench he goes...

  14. Rodney
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Sanchez

    TAA - Cancelo - Trippier

    Saka - Martinelli - Foden - Andreas - Maddison

    Toney - Haaland

    Ward - Scamacca - Dalot - Patterson

    £3.3m itb

    A) Roll
    B) Sanchez to Allison
    C) Scamacca to Nunez

  15. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I've got the armband back on Salah and it feels good!

    1. Hy liverpool
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Shame on you... It had to be already on mo.

  16. Zidane's Floor
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Can we reset the captaincy poll?

    Stop the count

    1. El Presidente
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Well nothing substantial has happened tbh

  17. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Best 4.8m defender? A few on my list are Shaw, Dalot and White.

    Thanks

    1. PompeyUpNorth!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Cresswell

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Decent shout. Better than the 3 I mention?

        1. PompeyUpNorth!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Yes I think so. I got him 2 weeks ago n am happy. His underlying stats are great as well

      2. banskt
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        This. If I was buying a 4.8m defender, I would definitely go with Cresswell.

        But, O wouldn't spend my transfers on defenders unless absolutely required.

    2. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Tarkowski

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Interesting! Thanks

    3. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      If you can bench this week, Castagne looks good going forwards

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        This is the team so I’d probably save the FT if I could play one of the final defenders but they all look poor

      2. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Guaita
        
Cancelo - Tripps - Kilman
        
Salah - Foden - Saka - Zaha
        Haaland - Toney - Mitro
        (Ivo | Andreas - Webster - Neco)

        1. Sun Jihai
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Looks fine? Kilman not amazing but for some reason I don't think there are that many CSs this weekend

  18. Letsgo!
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    So will u still start haaland or bench?

    1. FPL Brains
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Won't bench, will take the 1pt if needed.

    2. Hy liverpool
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      City first game tomorrow.. This might help.

    3. N00B
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      so Haaland cameo or Andreas full 90?

      1. Letsgo!
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Of course andreas full 90

    4. Stimps
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Start and Salah (c)

    5. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Think I'll sell with Antony for DCL and Dé Bruyne - 4. Will lose value but get back in WC break.

      1. Hy liverpool
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Fulham and Brentford at home are scary.

        1. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Yeah. Andreas in form in a good time if Haaland doesn't start and just Antony to Almiron.

  19. The Mandalorian
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Based on Peps comments Haaland is deemed fit enough to train.

    Haaland must be close to a return either as a starter or as a sub.

    1. Zidane's Floor
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      My thinking too... He is a bit of a cyborg

      If he can train, surely he is within a shout

      Even if he is on in the 2nd half, wouldn't go against him

    2. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Or neither. They don't need to risk him if there's any doubt he's not 100% why would they risk him starting or from the bench?

      1. Zidane's Floor
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Well, Pep did start him in the CL vs BVB when he was fatigued and a slight fever

        1. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Another game he didn't need to be risked for. He could come on for 10 mins and get a long term injury and for sake of that game and CL midweek which he'll miss anyway, it's an unnecessary risk. I'd love him to play like but if he was my player wouldn't play him unless he's 100% then start him. Should be a Doctor deciding anyway not Pep.

      2. El Presidente
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Pep referred to next 3 PL fixtures as "finals" before WC break. So, if there is a player that can be "risked" is Haaland. I bet he will start every single one.

    3. Boss Hogg
      • 16 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Haaland will be doing some solitary in-the-woods training like Rocky in Rocky IV.

      1. Nanook
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        You’ve got it backwards there. Halaand has access to the best medical and training staff in the world, and he even resembles Rocky’s archenemy. The real life Ivan Drago . . . . he’s “not human”.

  20. Shultan
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    With city playing away surely we should know by tomorrow morning if haaland has travelled or not?
    If he's genuinely injured surely they wouldn't bother taking him to Leicester

    1. Shultan
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      If he travels then I think he starts

      1. Zidane's Floor
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        My thinking too

        Worth being around to see any early news before KO

        Even if he is on in the 2nd half - he can do damage

    2. banskt
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I believe we will definitely know whether he is traveling or not.

      We wouldn't know whether he plays or not.

  21. GENERATION X
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Darwin (C) ftw...

    1. SammoUK111
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      +1

  22. Cok3y5murf
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    The cool kids are selling Haaland.

    1. SammoUK111
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Madness

    2. Merlin the Wraith
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Well your 'cool kids' might just get their fingers burnt. You one of them? Singed fingers plus profit loss? GL with that

    3. El Presidente
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Cook kids are getting wrecked

  23. The Mandalorian
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Kane is going up against a Bournemouth who have lost their keeper due to injury.

    Great pick this week.

    1. Zidane's Floor
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Potentially scary

    2. Hy liverpool
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Tottenham have to attack and shoot first before they test the new GK, awful to watch atm.. But still would be tempted with liverpool and leeds high lines.

    3. TheTinman
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Spurs struggle vs low blocks

    4. Caravagio
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Moura likely to be played between now and WorldCup with Richarlison and Kulu out?

      1. GreennRed
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Gil should get some decent gametime.

  24. Boss Hogg
    • 16 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Any chance of Tsimikas starting against Leeds this week?

  25. Letsgo!
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Haha start haaland or bailey(really tempted to start bailey

    1. No Kane No Gain
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Great banter

      1. Letsgo!
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Whats wrong?

  26. Caravagio
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Are we getting a presser from TenHag today?

  27. Hy liverpool
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Jack Grealish: “[Using statistics] is the worst argument you can use in my case. As a winger, I've never scored many goals. During my final season with Villa, I only scored six in the #PL and before, I scored eight in the PL [2019/20] and six in the Championship [2018/19]..."

    Almiron is clear, you overrated b**ch

    1. Zidane's Floor
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      LMAO Almiron got him scrambling

    2. TheTinman
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Almiron living in his head

  28. NobodyF*cksWithTheJesus
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Play Dier or Guehi (or use ft to bring someone else in)?

    Not the most exciting question I know...

  29. DandyDon
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Travers last game the 9-0 loss against Pool...

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A bit better organised now under O'Neil. Best of luck to the Maynooth man.

  30. Letsgo!
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Start eduoard or bailey?