If you’re in a rush and need some last-minute Fantasy Premier League (FPL) advice, here’s a quick round-up of what you need to know about Gameweek 2.
WHEN’S THE FPL GAMEWEEK 2 DEADLINE?
All transfers and team selections need to be done by 11:00 BST on Saturday 24 August.
SOLANKE INJURED – WHO ARE THE BEST REPLACEMENTS?
Ultimately, FPL is – partly – a game of luck.
Around 30% of managers bought new Spurs forward Dominic Solanke (£7.5m) in time for Gameweek 1, watched him miss three shots on target at Leicester City and now have the news that he’ll be absent this weekend because of a knock to his ankle.
“Dom picked up a knock in the last game. He got through the game but it kind of flared up the day after and he’ll miss tomorrow. He copped a knock really early, somebody went across his ankle. He’s definitely out tomorrow and then it just depends on the recovery. Obviously next week, then there’s the international break. But it’s not serious, we know that.” – Ange Postecoglou
Naturally, Solanke’s last three seasons at Bournemouth saw him miss only three matches due to injury.
With Newcastle and Arsenal lined up as upcoming opponents, many are torn between waiting to collect a second free transfer or immediately selling him for the likes of Rodrigo Muniz (£6.0m).
- READ MORE: Best Solanke replacements in FPL
WHAT TO DO WITH QUANSAH + BARCO?
Perhaps they’ve already used this week’s transaction to sell Jarell Quansah (£4.4m) or Valentin Barco (£4.0m). Fairly popular defenders, this is typical FPL: spend the summer making drafts and promising to be calm with transfers, only for there to be a mass panic about the future of two cheap enablers.
Quansah was hauled off at half-time in Gameweek 1 because he lost too many aerial duels and Barco was surprisingly unused, before news broke that a loan move to Sevilla was imminent.
So we’ve asked what the owners of these should do. The Liverpool man has already dropped in price but we can use past instances to predict whether Brighton and Hove Albion’s full-back will lock at £4.0m.
TRIPLE CAPTAIN HAALAND?
Meanwhile, with more chips and fewer Double Gameweeks this season, numerous FPL managers are looking at using their Triple Captain on Erling Haaland (£15.0m).
It makes logical sense. The league’s best scorer is at home to newly-promoted Ipswich Town, without any rotation threat from Julian Alvarez. Additionally, both of his previous Premier League campaigns featured an early home hat-trick.
FPL General says he’s the closest he’s ever been to playing it in a single Gameweek and is seriously thinking about it. Yet Zophar thinks it’s too early for an activation, as we don’t know enough about Ipswich. Expect the community to remain split over this, right up to deadline.
EARLY WILDCARD?
Knee jerking so much that it accidentally hit the Wildcard button? If you’re overhauling your squad, here are three team drafts to consider – one with Haaland, one without, and one with him and a certain Egyptian.
BEST FPL GAMEWEEK 2 CAPTAIN
Not everyone has Erling Haaland, mind. It’ll be of no surprise that the Norwegian is the recommended armband recipient from both Captain Sensible and our Rate My Team (RMT) algorithm.
But nervous non-owners can put up a fight with Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) or third-placed Kevin De Bruyne (£9.5m).
TEAM REVEALS
- FPL General’s Gameweek 2 team reveal
- FPL Milanista: Gameweek 2 team reveal
- Tom Freeman’s Gameweek 2 team reveal
SCOUT PICKS + DIFFERENTIALS
Our weekly selection – which is essentially a Free Hit in all but name – has made a late adaptation to the Solanke news.
It’s managed to squeeze in Son Heung-min (£10.0m) and likes the prospects for Jeremy Doku (£6.5m) versus Ipswich. The Manchester City attacker joins Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.5m) and Andreas Pereira (£5.5m) in this week’s trio of differential picks.
PREDICTED LINE-UPS
We’ve predicted the starting XIs of all 20 Premier League teams.
Whatever you decide to do, good luck with FPL Gameweek 2!
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