More pre-season friendlies took place on Tuesday, so we’re bringing you the headline Fantasy Premier League (FPL) updates from each one.
This time it’s the outings of Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
We’re also keeping tabs on the minutes played in all of these warm-up fixtures, with Premium Members of Fantasy Football Scout able to access this information at the bottom of this article.
- READ MORE: FPL pre-season 2023/24 guide: Tips, best players, fixtures + more
- READ MORE: FPL pre-season: Havertz makes Arsenal debut
- READ MORE: FPL pre-season: Bowen + Watkins on target
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TOTTENHAM 2-3 WEST HAM
- Goals: Lo Celso, Udogie | Ings, Mubama, Scamacca
- Assists: Sanchez, Perisic | Bowen, Emerson, Fornals
The new eras of Spurs and Chelsea under Ange Postecoglou and Mauricio Pochettino hold a lot of FPL curiosity. With questions about adventurous full-backs and attacking personnel, the north London side were the first to begin their pre-season.
Whilst they may have lost to West Ham in Perth, it was a performance full of positivity. 31 shots compared to the Hammers’ five, alongside 71% possession. Postecoglou likes his sides to entertain, press and use inverted full-backs to attack the inside channels, so all early glimpses are appreciated.
Yet it was difficult to read too much into this outing, as both halves featured an entirely different XI.
Free transfer Manor Solomon (£5.5m) looked lively and often cut inside onto his right foot, with James Maddison (£7.5m) promising. After the break, forgotten man Giovani Lo Celso (£5.0m) suggested that – should the Argentinian remain at the club – he could be a bargain in an advanced number eight role. FPL defender Ivan Perisic (£5.0m) was used in the front three but things were quiet for Harry Kane (£12.5m).
“There are lot of positives, the first thing for me was to see the players’ willingness to try and implement some of the things we’ve been working on, their endeavours to try and play the football we want to play, particularly our pressing.
“The main thing for me is that every player out there was trying to do what we’ve been working on. Obviously they’re disappointed with the outcome but, in terms of the football, they’ll be at least getting encouragement that if they continue to play the way we do, the rewards will come.” – Ange Postecoglou
Meanwhile, new left-back Destiny Udogie (£4.5m) starred during his cameo, topped off with a headed goal. With the future unknown for Perisic and Sergio Reguilon (£4.5m), this 20-year-old could cement his starting place during Ryan Sessegnon‘s (£4.5m) latest injury. A handy saving over Pedro Porro (£5.0m), let’s see how his pre-season develops.
Not that Spurs defenders will be backed for many clean sheets. Ranked 15th for 2022/23 goals conceded, the consequence of Postecoglou’s attacking football could be obvious. They went 2-0 down to West Ham here, firstly through Jarrod Bowen‘s (£7.0m) sixth pre-season goal involvement.
He crossed for a Danny Ings (£6.0m) goal, before £4.5m option Divan Mubama headed home. Another forward netted the winner, Gianluca Scamacca (£6.0m).
“He makes us a completely different side with his running, his pressure and the work he does off the ball for the team and we needed it.” – David Moyes on Divin Mubama
Interestingly, there was still no sight of Alphonse Areola (£4.0m), with Lukasz Fabianski (£4.5m) making some good saves. Spurs midfielder Son Heung-min (£9.0m) is one of several late arrivals to Australia and didn’t take part.
Tottenham’s first-half XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Tanganga, Reguilon; Skipp, Bissouma, Maddison; Kulusevski, Kane, Solomon
Tottenham’s second-half XI: Austin; Emerson, Sanchez, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Hojbjerg, Lo Cels; Devine, Richarlison, Perisic
West Ham XI: Fabianski; Laing, Zouma (Luizao 85), Ogbonna, Emerson; Bowen (Earthy 85), Potts, Downes (Chesters 69), Fornals; Mubama (Swyer 59), Ings (Scamacca 59)
RANGERS 1-2 NEWCASTLE
- Goals: Almiron, Ashby
- Assists: Anderson, Isak
Team news from Allan McGregor’s testimonial suggested that the absent Allan Saint-Maximin (£6.0m) was about to complete a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli. Afterwards, Eddie Howe confirmed this reluctant decision.
“Nothing is confirmed, nothing is done at these stages but that’s why he wasn’t here today. With financial fair play (FFP) you have to trade otherwise, for us, this summer we would be stuck in a position where we couldn’t recruit players.
“We definitely don’t want to lose him but sometimes these things happen and we have to accept that. They (the supporters) love him and we love him and certainly, if he does go, it will be a difficult moment for all of us.” – Eddie Howe on Allan Saint-Maximin
Another headline was the first appearance of £55 million signing Sandro Tonali (£5.5m). Before being one of many half-time substitutions, the Italian midfielder played a nice one-two with Elliot Anderson (£4.5m) in the build-up to Miguel Almiron‘s (£6.5m) opener.
“He brought everything I thought he would bring in that first 45 minutes. Calm, composed, technically high level, good relationships with the players around him. He looked at home in a black and white shirt so it was a great start for him.” – Eddie Howe on Sandro Tonali
A short pass from Karl Darlow‘s (£4.0m) allowed Sam Lammers’ equaliser before Alexander Isak (£7.5m) crossed for a headed Harrison Ashby (£4.0m) winner.
While there were starts for Kieran Trippier (£6.5m), Fabian Schar (£5.0m), Sven Botman (£4.5m) and Callum Wilson (£8.0m), neither Nick Pope (£5.5m), Joelinton (£6.0m) nor Joe Willock (£5.5m) were around.
Newcastle XI: Karius (Darlow 46); Trippier (Manquillo 46), Schar (Dummett 62), Botman (Burn 46), Targett (Gordon 46); Longstaff (Miley 46), Tonali (Guimaraes 46), Anderson (Murphy 62); Almiron (White 62), Wilson (Isak 46), Lewis (Ashby 62)
VALENCIA 1-0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Finally, Nottingham Forest lost their behind-closed-doors friendly against Spanish side Valencia. Defender Moussa Niakhate (£4.5m) missed lots of last season with a hamstring injury and landed awkwardly onto his arm here, forcing an early substitution.
“He dislocated his elbow, so it’s obviously a difficult moment for him. You hope that with a dislocation, you can put them back into place and the damage may not be as severe as what it might be, but we don’t know. It might still be an injury that can keep him for a little while, or it might be a quicker recovery than what it first looked. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.” – Steve Cooper on Moussa Niakhate’s injury
Forward Taiwo Awoniyi (£6.5m) was unable to play because of a visa issue and newly reclassified midfielder Brennan Johnson (£6.0m) is recovering from an ankle problem. There was also a rest for Morgan Gibbs-White (£6.0m) after being on England Under-21s duty.
Forest’s ongoing quest to sign Dean Henderson (£4.5m) allowed George Shelvey to play in goal again.
Nottingham Forest XI: G Shelvey; Boly (Drager 62), Worrall, McKenna (Donnelly 76); N Williams, Mangala (Kouyate 62), Freuler, Niakhate (Powell 40); Yates, Ui-Jo, Danilo
