Taiwo Awoniyi’s (£6.5m) brilliant run of form continued on Friday, as he scored for the sixth consecutive Premier League match.
We look at the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) headlines from this game in our first Scout Notes summary of Gameweek 2.
Any numbers and graphics you see in this article are taken from our Premium Members Area, where you can access Opta player and team data from every single Premier League fixture.
AWONIYI CAN’T STOP SCORING
It took Taiwo Awoniyi just three minutes to score at the City Ground on Friday night, meaning he has now netted eight goals in his last six Premier League games.
The run, which started in Gameweek 35 of 2022/23, has seen him secure bonus each time, averaging 8.6 points per match.
Given his form/price, he’s a potentially attractive option, though it is worth noting the Reds have a wretched run of fixtures on the horizon and, as a result, sit near the bottom of the ticker from Gameweeks 3 to 10.
Both of Forest’s goals against Sheffield United were headers from Serge Aurier (£4.5m) crosses.
Meanwhile, Anthony Elanga (£5.0m) made an impressive cameo for the second week running, which coincided with Steve Cooper’s decision to switch to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation.
As for Morgan Gibbs-White (£6.0m), he made four passes which led to shots and registered two efforts of his own, but failed to return.
TURNER’S BLANK
Nottingham Forest only conceded 24 home goals last season, one fewer than Arsenal, but a Gustavo Hamer (£5.0m) screamer wiped out Matt Turner’s (£4.0m) clean sheet in Gameweek 2.
In truth, there wasn’t a lot the budget ‘keeper could do about the equaliser and he did make a couple of decent saves.
However, his two-point return is a hugely disappointing result for those who started him over the likes of Andre Onana (£5.0m) and Jordan Pickford (£4.5m).
Above: Matt Turner’s effective ownership among LiveFPL’s legendary managers was 90.8%
“I really liked how we stuck to the task, because there was only one team that deserved to win. But at the same time, we took our foot off the gas and gave Sheffield United hope in the game – and when you do that, you can get punished. I didn’t like the complacency that kicked into our game in the last 15 minutes of the first half, with too much casual play and lack of concentration that seeped into our game.
Half-time came at a good time to rev the lads up a bit. I hoped it wouldn’t have been the case, but that [complacency] seeped into the second half. We conceded some territory and they scored a good goal from a set-piece. But we regrouped and I thought the last 30 minutes of the game we were by far the superior team again. In saying that, we gifted them a massive chance. It was a pivotal save from Matt [Turner, to deny Benie Traore].” – Steve Cooper
WHY BALDOCK MISSED OUT
It’s two defeats in a row for Sheffield United, who were denied a point by Chris Wood’s (£5.0m) late goal at the City Ground.
However, in their matches against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, there have been problems at both ends of the pitch.
They’ve only registered four efforts on target and 1.02 expected goals (xG) in 180+ minutes, whilst conceding 40 shots, a worrying statistic with Manchester City and Erling Haaland (£14.0m) up next in Gameweek 3.
They did at least come out with a lot more purpose in the second half on Friday, with Hamer scoring on his debut. The £5.0m midfielder had an incredible 2022/23 season at Coventry City, scoring nine and assisting 10 in the Championship, and could be one to watch.
“I got all the space, took a touch and just wanted to curve it in the top corner. The boss wants my energy, my desire in forcing the centre-backs to play long balls. I don’t have 100% completion but I try to open their back three or four for the strikers.”
Elsewhere, £4.5m forward William Osula started again and played 74 minutes, with Oliver McBurnie (£5.5m) and Daniel Jebbison (£5.0m) still nursing knocks.
George Baldock (£4.0m) also missed out with a “slight issue” to his calf that was not worth risking, according to Paul Heckingbottom.
Nottingham Forest XI (3-4-3): Turner; Boly (Elanga 69), Worrall, McKenna; Aurier, Danilo (Kouyate 90+1), Mangala (Yates 69), Williams; Johnson (Niakhate 90+1), Gibbs-White, Awoniyi (Wood 84)
Sheffield United XI (3-4-3): Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson; Osborn, Norwood, Souza (Basham 58), Lowe (Larouci 45); Hamer, Traore (Hackford 82), Osula (Brooks 74)
