As the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 3 deadline gets nearer, we’re hearing from our team of guest contributors.
After doing likewise last week, FPL Meerkat talks us through five players who have blanked in both Gameweeks so far but who could prosper this weekend.
After a very successful Gameweek 2 article, with four of the five picks finding the net, I’m going one step further and selecting five players who have now blanked twice in a row to return points!
1. Igor Thiago (£8.0m) – Brentford
The Brentford talisman was the second-highest goalscorer in the league last season but has struggled to fire so far.
A missed Gameweek 1 penalty can’t have done his confidence any good but Thiago has had plenty of chances in the first two games.
Of the top 10 forwards for expected goals (xG), the Brazilian is the only one who hasn’t scored yet:
Even stripping away Thiago’s penalty miss, the Brentford number nine is still in excess of 1.0 xG. Goals imminent, indeed.
Brentford look like they mean business. Ranked first for shots in the box (37) and second for xG (5.55), they’ve started 2026/27 in menacing mood. Creating chances for their goalless centre-forward will not be a problem.
I expect the goals to start coming Thiago’s way, and a home match against Sunderland could be the moment he’s looking for.
The Black Cats’ joint-heaviest defeat of 2025/26 came away at the Brentford Community Stadium (3-0) – and Thiago scored twice en route to a 12-point haul.
2. Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) – Newcastle United
Barnes has barely had a sniff of goal in the first two games, but I think things are on the up for the Newcastle winger.
What’s been promising is that he has played 90 minutes in both matches so far, which shows manager Matthias Jaissle’s faith in him.
Game-time had been a bit of a concern with the signing of Bazoumana Toure (£5.9m) but Jaissle has gone with Premier League experience to date.
I expect he’ll have an impact at home against Bournemouth, who typically look more suspect down their right flank, where 35-year-old Adam Smith (£4.5m) is currently stationed. Tyrique George (£5.5m) – more on whom below – got some joy cutting inside of the veteran full-back last weekend.
Barnes also had a share of corners in Gameweek 2, and the Cherries have looked suspect at set plays. Indeed, Marco Rose’s troops have conceded goals from corner kicks in both Gameweeks so far.
3. Emiliano Buendia (£6.0m) – Aston Villa
Aston Villa are yet to score a goal, and to be honest, looking at this next fixture, you’d argue Hull City are looking the more likely to win on current form.
But with the transfer window now closed, and the Villans making the signings they wanted and badly needed, I think their form will start to pick up the same way it did last season.
Buendia is heavily involved with set pieces at the Villa, taking corners and free-kicks. He may also be in line to take penalties; he is the only surviving Villan who took a spot-kick in 2025/26.
Fond of (and adept at) shooting from distance, he cracked the bar with a long-range effort against Arsenal on Monday. Three of his six Premier League goals last season, indeed, came from outside the area.
Above: Emi Buendia’s xG shotmap in 2025/26 (green = goal)
No Villa player has had more shots (four) than Buendia in the opening two Gameweeks, and with Hull likely to sit deep again, the Argentine playmaker’s ability to conjure something from outside the area might come into play.
His place looks fairly secure for the time being, with Johan Manzambi (£5.9m) still sidelined.
4. Nico O’Reilly (£6.5m) – Manchester City
It’s hard to believe that O’Reilly has blanked twice, with how advanced he has looked, but somehow this is the case.
Above: Nico O’Reilly’s touch heatmap in the opening two Gameweeks
Now, the recent signings of Ayyoub Bouaddi (£5.5m) and Enzo Fernandez (£6.9m) do throw into question where his role in the team is in the medium term. O’Reilly has only featured in midfield in the opening two Gameweeks, and if Enzo Maresca is intent on fielding Josko Gvardiol (£5.6m) at left-back, we’re running out of spots to accommodate O’Reilly and City’s wealth of new midfield signings.
But for Gameweek 3, O’Reilly is exactly the type of player that Maresca needs. A player who excels at making runs into the box and finding space in tight quarters, as well as alleviating the goalscoring burden on Erling Haaland (£15.5m). Few City players have the eye for goal that O’Reilly has.
Whether O’Reilly is an on-paper midfielder, or inverting into the box from full-back, I expect Coventry City to sit back, and Man City’s deeper midfielders to have plenty of opportunities for goal contributions.
5. Tyrique George (£5.5m) – Everton
Iliman Ndiaye (£6.0m) is now out of the picture at Everton, although Jack Grealish (£6.5m) is now on board to redress the balance out wide.
For George, that actually may not be a great trade-off, as the left flank is where both he and the returning Grealish are most at home.
George does have some experience of playing on the right wing with Chelsea, at least, and David Moyes seems to trust him more than Tyler Dibling (£5.4m).
Regardless of the medium term, George should keep his place this weekend, with Grealish short of match sharpness.
A clash with Gameweek 3 opponents Manchester United isn’t the best fixture on paper but the Red Devils have been extremely vulnerable defensively, conceding twice to both Hull City and Ipswich Town. They’ve allowed the newly promoted sides a combined seven big chances, too.
United especially look weak in transition, and I expect Everton to look for George to work his magic after winning the ball back.
Above: Tyrique George is Everton’s leading shot-taker so far this season
He’s a very low-owned punt who I think could spark into life this Gameweek.
