After a bit of a stuttering start, with big breaks between gameweeks, the Saudi Pro League season is well and truly off and running now.

There have been no fewer than 84 goals scored in the first three rounds, 25 of them coming last weekend. Five alone were scored by league leaders Al Nassr in their handsome victory in the derby with Al Riyadh.

We’ll cover this and all the other games in our round-up below.

If you’re looking for more, you can see the latest up-to-date league table on the official website, peruse our introductory strategy guide, keep tabs on set-piece takers and join the FFS mini-league (with £500+ worth of prizes) here.

As usual, Premium FFS members get even more – you can browse all the underlying Statsbomb data tables relating to the game in a dedicated part of the Members Area, play around with an editable fixture ticker for forward planning, and look out for extra team reveals and articles for each game week.

N.B: Scout is not being paid to promote this game, either by the RSL or Saudi Pro League (SPL).

Al Nassr 5 – 1 Al Riyadh

• GOALS: Ronaldo (2), Felix (2), Coman – Sylla
• ASSISTS: Coman (2), Felix – Teddy Okou
• NOTABLE POINTS: Felix (22), Coman (20), Ronaldo (14), Simakan (8), Sylla (7)

Once again, Al Nassr had the privilege of playing in the final match of the round, and once again, it was worth the wait, raining down an avalanche of Fantasy points in the Saudi capital.

Much captained Cristiano Ronaldo (14.0m) returned to form for his 43% of owners, delivering 14 points via two goals and six shots on target, although he was comfortably outscored (and outselected) by Joao Felix (7.7m), who also scored a brace, along with an assist, three bonus points and another two for the fan-voted man of the match, among others, bringing him to an incredible 22 for the round, and a game-leading 51 points overall. No wonder he remains the top-backed asset with almost 64% of managers selecting him.

Kingsley Coman (8.0m) wasn’t too far behind, with two assists, a goal and a share of the bonus leading to a 20-point return, whilst Mohamed Simakan (5.5m) was the top defensive asset. His 18 defensive actions helped him to an eight-point return, his third in a row, adding up to 27 points overall.

Goalscorer Mamdou Sylla (5.5m) was the only real returnee of note for Al Riyadh, the forward adding seven points this week to the eight he recorded in the week before.

Al Najmah 0 – 1 Al Ittihad

• GOALS: Kante
• ASSISTS: Al Obud
• NOTABLE POINTS: Pereira (13), Kante (12), Al Mosa (10), Mitaj (8)

Al-Ittihad secured a narrow late win thanks to a goal from Kanté (7.5m) on his way to a 12-point haul. The team did not show much attacking power and their attack, featuring the likes of Diaby (9.0m) and Bergwijn (9.6m) disappointed, but they kept a clean sheet with goalkeeper Absi excelling.

Likewise, defensive assets excelled, with Pereira (5.5m) the standout, earning 13 points, ahead of Al Mosa (5.0m) on 10 and Mitaj (5.0m) with 8. Muhannad Al Shanqiti (5.1m) didn’t share in the spoils, coming off on 24 minutes with a knock that makes him a doubt for Round 4.

Al Kholood 2 – 1 Damac

• GOALS: Buckley, Enrique – Vada
• ASSISTS: Enrique, Al Elawa – Medina
• NOTABLE POINTS: Buckley (14), Enrique (11), Vada (11), Media (6)

Al-Kholood registered their first win of the season, with a 2-1 home victory over fellow strugglers Damac. The latter have just a single point from the first three games.

John Buckley (5.5m) scored a goal from a brilliant free-kick, and as it was the ‘winning goal’, this, plus the fan-voted man of the match award and a couple of bonus points, saw him to a 14-point haul. Whilst his team-mate Ramiro Enrique (5.5m) also weighed in with double digits, thanks to a goal, assist and bonus point.

This haul was matched by Damac’s Vada (5.0m), a budget-friendly midfielder who scored from a penalty, took five shots and topped the performance index to seal all three bonus points, taking him up to a respectable 22 points so far this campaign. Jesus Medina (5.5m) was the only other player to get more than five points, weighing in with six thanks to an assist and four shots on target.

Al Taawoun 4 – 1 Al-Ettifaq

• GOALS: Buckley, Enrique – Vada
• ASSISTS: Enrique, Al Elawa – Medina
• NOTABLE POINTS: Al Ahmed (13), Fulgina (13), Kuwaykibi (8), Martinez (8), Mandash (7), Barrow (6)

Al-Taawoun earned a sizeable shock win over Al Ettifaq to propel them into the top six.

The home side created seven big chances and conceded just two big chances, with Roger Martinez (6.5m) scoring for the second time in a row to return eight points, and there were also goals for Mohammed Al Kuwaykibi (6.0m) and Mandash (5.0m).

Defender Waleed Al Ahmed (5.0m) would have hit the highest score via 13 points for the winning goal, fan-voted man of the match and two bonus… were it not for a late yellow card!

In the end, he was matched for top points scorer by Angelo Fulgini (6.0m), who chipped in with a brace of assists and topped the performance index to secure all three bonus. Last week’s huge scoring hero Musa Barrow (7.1m) also returned again, an assist getting him six points and bringing his overall return to 32.

Budget midfielder Khalid Al Ghannam (4.5m) scored Ettifaq’s only goal to secure a six-point return, but otherwise it was a disappointing day for those backing the visitors, with well-owned Wijnaldum (7.5m) blanking for a second match in a row.

Neom 1 – 0 Al-Okhdood

• GOALS: Malik
• ASSISTS: Doucouré
• NOTABLE POINTS: Malik (19), Maximiano (10), Zeze (9), Hegazi (9), Abdi (8), Doucoure (8)

Neom secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against Al-Okhdood thanks to a strike from defender Malik (4.5m), who scored a massive 19 points with bonuses for man of the match, winning goal, maximum performance bonus, a clean sheet and 10 defensive actions!

Ex-Everton man Abdoulaye Doucouré (6.0m) bagged the assist en route to an eight-point return, and there were decent returns for other defensive options, with Zeze (4.5m) and Hegazi (5.0m) on 9, Faris Abdi (5.0m) on 8, and keeper Maximiano (4.5m) delivering a 10-pointer.

In terms of familiar names, after last week’s monster haul, Lacazette (7.1m) was quiet in a game with very few chances and Said Benrahma missed the match.

Al-Qadsiah 2 – 1 Al-Khaleej

• GOALS: Retegui, Al Salem – King
• ASSISTS: Al Ammar – Fortounis
• NOTABLE POINTS: Al Shamat (11), Al Salem (9), Retegui (9), King (7), Konstantinos (6)

Al-Qadsiah prevailed 2-1 over Al-Khaleej with a late winner, with much-backed Marco Retegui (9.6m) scoring from a beautiful free kick en route to a nine-point return. The more budget-friendly forward Abdullah Al Salem (5.5m) matched his colleague with a goal and bonus points for winning goal, but Mohammed Waheeb Abu Al Shamat (5.6m) top-scored with an 11-pointer by securing a clean sheet (before being subbed off on 68 minutes), and notching top bonus points.

There were a number of four and five-pointers elsewhere but the favoured Julian Quinones (9.0m) didn’t contribute much, returning just three points.

For Al Khaleej, Joshua King (6.3m) continued his scoring form, with a goal and seven-point return that took the well-owned (28.7%) forward onto 37 points for the season, despite a late yellow! Konstantinos Fortounis (7.0m) served up six points thanks to his assist for the goal and three shots on target.

Al Fayha 0 – 0 Al Shabab

• GOALS: NA
• ASSISTS: NA
• NOTABLE POINTS: Smalling (12), Grohe (12), Bamasud (11), Villaneuva (8), Hoedt (8)

One for the defensive purists this, with very few chances, and each team managing just one shot on target en route to a goalless draw.

Al Fayha’s Chris Smalling (5.0m), a familiar name to PL fans, led the way with 12 points, slightly ahead of his colleague Ahmed Bamasud (4.5m) with 11, and well ahead of the next-best Mikel Villanueva (4.5m) on eigjt and keeper Mosquera (5.0m) on seven.

For Al Shabab, well-backed premium defender Wesley Hoedt (6.0m) returned eight points for his 14% owners, one ahead of Mohammed Al Shwirekh (5.0m), Mubarak Abdulrahman Al Rajeh (4.5m) and Saad Balobaid (4.5m). Yet it was Al Shabab’s keeper Marcelo Grohe (4.5m), who stole the show for the visitors, recording his second clean sheet and securing 10 defensive actions, two bonus and the fans’ man of the match award.

Much fancied forward Hamdallah (11.0m) has now gone three games without scoring — a major absence this season, whilst Carrasco (7.1m) followed by his previous two hauls with a blank here.

Al-Hilal 3 – 3 Al-Ahli

• GOALS: Toney (2), Demiral – Malcom (2), Hernandez
• ASSISTS: Mahrez (2), Feras – Nunez, Malcolm, Salem
• NOTABLE POINTS: Malcolm (22), Hernandez (16), Toney (14), Mahrez (13), Demiral (9)

The round’s biggest game well and truly lived up to its billing, with Al-Ahli coming back from 3-0 down to draw level late in a thrilling encounter. It was a genuine attacking spectacle: Al-Hilal created seven big chances, while Al-Ahli created six, both sides netting half of them!

Al Hilal’s Malcom (9.5m) scored twice and assisted once, finishing with a massive 22 points after various bonuses, whilst Ivan Toney (10.5m) scored two goals to bring Al-Ahli back and secure a hard-earned draw, as well as 14 points for his owners.

Riyad Mahrez (10.0m) also returned double digits, with 13 points, thanks to two assists and two bonus, whilst Merih Demiral (5.5m) notched a respectable nine thanks to his goal.

Al-Hilal relied on counterattacks, while Al-Ahli leaned on their strength in set pieces, and neither defence really shone – with the notable exception of Theo Hernandez (6.6m), who delivered a monster 16-point return to his managers thanks to a goal and clean sheet, being subbed on 74 before the Al-Hilal fight back.

In terms of other notable and well-backed assets, Salem Al Dawsari (13.0m) just about passed muster with an assist for six points, whilst Edouard Mendy (5.5m), Bono (5.0m), Ruben Neves (7.5m), Darwin Nunez (10.0m) and Roger Ibanez (6.0m) disappointed, with one, one, two, three and four points respectively.

Al Hazem 0 – 0 Al Fateh

• GOALS: NA
• ASSISTS: NA
• NOTABLE POINTS: Varela (15), Pacheco (12), Tanker (7), Al Harbi (7) Ali Qasheesh (7), Saadane (7), Baattia (7)

Another goalless draw, though Al Fateh backers can consider themselves most unlucky, having missed seven big chances.

Varela (4.5m), Al Hazem’s goalkeeper, shone with 15 points via a clean sheet and a clean sweep of bonuses, whilst his opposite number Pacheco (4.5m) also delivered a sizeable 12-pointer.

Despite the clean sheet, there weren’t many huge defensive hauls as Al Hazem’s budget defence rewarded differential backers, Tanker (4.0m) and Al Harbi (7.0m) delivering seven points, ahead of Al Rashed (4.5m) and Al Shanqiti (4.0m) on six.

Likewise, for Al Fateh, Saadane (5.0m), Ali Qasheesh (4.0m) and Baattia (4.5m) all hit seven, with Fernandes (4.5m) on six and five-point returns for Al Othman (4.5m) and Vargas (7.5m) in midfield.