Scout Notes

FPL pre-season: Injured Jota a Gameweek 1 doubt

We’re playing catch-up with our pre-season friendly round-ups as we look back on the main Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from Thursday and Friday’s warm-up matches.

We’ve got all the goal, assist and line-up information you need in this latest Scout Notes article.

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.


Melbourne Victory 1-4 Manchester United

  • Goals: Martial, McTominay, Rashford, own-goal
  • Assists: Elanga, Bailly, Chong

Match highlights

After the thumping win over Liverpool last week, Manchester United continued a positive start to pre-season with a 4-1 win over Melbourne Victory on Friday.

It’s United’s previously limp attack that has stood out so far under Erik ten Hag, with the tricky Jadon Sancho (£7.5m) arguably his side’s star of the summer to date and Anthony Martial (£7.0m) and Marcus Rashford (£6.5m) back scoring goals up top.

“I’m sure he can come back even better. I think when he has the right focus and the right motivation and he works hard he will have production because he is a good player.

“I say when he has the right focus and every day delivers then he will have production and it’s up to him.” – Erik ten Haag on Anthony Martial

The scoreline, as it did against Liverpool, flattered the Red Devils, who struggled to carve open a backs-to-the-wall Melbourne defence in the opening half an hour – although ten Hag has at least sought to address one of the main problems that his predecessors encountered by introducing attack v defence drills to help overcome bus-parking opposition.

Ten Hag also wants his side to get more bodies into the box, an encouraging sign for prospective owners of United’s attackers. Scott McTominay (£5.0m), for instance, had already had a handful of efforts before his deflected shot brought the Red Devils level on Friday.

“It’s cutbacks, it’s getting in the box, all of us, not just myself. I know I can score more goals and it’s all the players.

“The manager wants more players in the box, which is where you score goals and that’s the most important thing.” – Scott McTominay on his new manager

It’s not all positivity so far: United’s clean sheet against Liverpool owed more to luck than judgement, while Melbourne all too easily opened the scoring when bypassing Harry Maguire (£5.0m) and co.

“I don’t want to talk about the individual because I think it was from the start high up the pitch, the wrong choices and then it ends up like a pack of cards.

“It’s not one individual, it is more the team who made mistakes.” – Erik ten Hag on United’s goal concession

If United can become a bit more solid at the rear and don’t reinforce at right-back, then Diogo Dalot (£4.5m) is worth monitoring in FPL. His underlapping runs and relationship with Sancho have caught the eye in pre-season, with the full-back shooting against the woodwork against Liverpool and ‘assisting the assister’ against Melbourne when his cross was mishit by Anthony Elanga (£5.0m) to goalscorer Martial.

“David, you saw against Liverpool, he fell out [injured] but he trains already and is back on the training pitch. So no big worry. Rapha is also training but, yeah, something small, and I expect him back on the training pitch.” – Erik ten Hag on why David de Gea and Raphael Varane missed Friday’s game

Man Utd first-half XI: Heaton; Dalot, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw; McTominay, Fred; Elanga, Fernandes, Sancho; Martial

Man Utd second-half XI: Heaton; Malacia, Telles, Bailly, Laird; Iqbal, Savage, Van de Beek; Chong, Rashford, Amad


Liverpool 2-0 Crystal Palace

  • Goals: Henderson, Salah
  • Assists: Elliott, Alexander-Arnold

Match highlights

Diogo Jota (£9.0m) looks set to be a doubt for Liverpool in Gameweek 1, with Jurgen Klopp ruling out the striker’s involvement in the Community Shield in a fortnight’s time.

Any absence will ease the rotation risk slightly for owners of the Reds’ attacking assets, although there are still a couple of options through the middle for Klopp to ponder before he names his XI to face Fulham.

Jota hasn’t played a part in Liverpool’s pre-season to date after suffering a hamstring injury.

Also missing from the win over Palace on Friday was Alisson (£5.5m), who seems to stand a better chance of being involved against Manchester City in the traditional season curtain-raiser.

“Ali, I think, has the chance for City and Diogo not.

“Ali, he feels a muscle, abdominal. It’s nothing serious but, again, we prepare a full season. So he can train but just not like before, so he should not play in the moment. Not normal goalie training but he has a pre-season, so he doesn’t lose time. 

“But yeah, these kind of things happen. The boys have to travel a lot and train and you never know exactly. It’s only little things, nothing serious but we have to be careful because the rest of the season is much longer than the start.” – Jurgen Klopp

As for the on-field action, there was a familiar goal-assist combination for the Reds as Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) collected a pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) to fire a heavily deflected effort past Vicente Guaita (£4.5m).

The lively Salah’s strike was the second and final goal of the match, following on from Jordan Henderson‘s (£5.5m) first-half effort from a Harvey Elliott (£5.0m) lay-off.

Darwin Nunez (£9.0m) will be hoping to profit from Jota’s expected absence on the opening weekend but it’s fair to say that the unavoidable kneejerk reaction to the Uruguayan striker has so far been mixed at best.

It’s never a good sign when both the player himself and his teammates launch into a prickly defence after a couple of pre-season games but there was some more fuel for his critics against Palace, with an air-shot from an Alexander-Arnold cut-back being one lowlight. “Too eager to impress but still early days” seems to be the more measured take so far, with the Uruguay international’s game-time for his new club amounting to little more than one hour.

Palace can shrug this defeat off as little more than fitness-building, as they were under-strength against Liverpool. Wilfried Zaha (£7.0m), Eberechi Eze (£5.5m), Michael Olise (£5.5m) and Marc Guehi (£4.5m) are among the first-team regulars not involved in the tour of Asia and Australia due to either injury or travel requirements.


Newcastle United 3-0 1860 Munich

  • Goals: Willock, S Longstaff, Guimaraes
  • Assists: Shelvey, Guimaraes, Wood

Match highlights

Bruno Guimaraes (£6.0m) appeared for the first time this summer and crammed a goal and an assist into a half-hour cameo against 1860 Munich, teeing up Sean Longstaff (£4.5m) for a drilled effort before finishing off a one-two with fellow substitute Chris Wood (£6.0m).

Owned by more than 20% of FPL managers at the time of writing, Guimaraes was the classiest player on show in Austria in an otherwise unremarkable match.

The attractively priced Joe Willock (£5.0m) lashed in Newcastle’s opener but he, like Longstaff, faces stiff competition for his place, with Guimaraes, Jonjo Shelvey (£5.0m) and Joelinton (£6.0m) seeming to be Eddie Howe’s first-choice midfield three at present.

Sven Botman (£4.5m) looked classy on his Newcastle bow but there were no real clues as to who Howe favours as his partner, with the Dutchman lining up as both the left-sided (his natural position) and right-sided centre-half alongside Fabian Schar (£4.5m) and Dan Burn (£4.5m).

Howe hasn’t even definitely confirmed that fellow debutant Nick Pope (£5.0m) will be his undisputed number one, only saying that there is “real competition for the goalkeeping place”, but the expectation is that the former Burnley man will be between the posts in Gameweek 1.

Newcastle United XI (first 60 mins): Pope, Krafth, Lascelles (Botman 46), Burn, Targett, Willock, Shelvey, Anderson, Murphy, Wilson, Saint-Maximin

Newcastle United XI (last 30 mins): Dubravka, Trippier, Botman, Schar, Dummett, Bruno, Joelinton, Sean Longstaff, Almiron, Fraser, Wood


BOURNEMOUTH 2-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

  • Goals: Cook, Solanke
  • Assists: Christie

Match highlights

There wasn’t a great deal of information that came out of Bournemouth’s pre-season win over Sheffield Wednesday, with the action taking place behind closed doors.

We’re not even sure of starting formation but the starting XI did look to be pointing us in the direction of a wing-back system; Scott Parker had similarly switched to a more conservative shape when previously coming up from the Championship with Fulham.

A rare Lewis Cook (£5.0m) strike after a half-cleared corner was followed by a much more common Dominic Solanke (£6.0m) effort, with the forward – who hit 29 goals in the Championship in 2021/22 – finishing smartly in the Wednesday box.

Parker later told the media that Solanke had hit a hat-trick in a training ground game the previous week, too.

“Dom got three in the training game last week too. I’m really pleased and I thought Dom was really sharp today.” – Scott Parker on Dominic Solanke

Bournemouth first-half XI: Travers, Smith, Kelly, Mepham, Stacey, Cook, Rothwell, Zemura, Lowe, Moore, Dembele.

Bournemouth second-half XI: Lossl, Fredericks, Greenwood, Hill, Lerma, Marcondes, Pearson, Billing, Christie, Solanke, Anthony.


BRISBANE ROAR 1-2 LEEDS UNITED

  • Goals: James, Gelhardt
  • Assists: Forshaw, James

Match highlights

Daniel James (£6.0m), suspended for Leeds in Gameweek 1 thanks to a late-season dismissal in the previous campaign, played a part in both of his side’s goals in Australia on Thursday.

Lashing home the opener, James then teed up Joe Gelhardt (£5.5m) to head home with a chipped cross before being replaced in a planned 30th-minute substitution.

We won’t dwell too much on this match as Leeds have played twice since our last Scout Notes round-up, and their meeting with Aston Villa on Sunday will come under more scrutiny in our forthcoming article.

FPL midfielder Jack Harrison (£6.0m) unconvincingly deputising at left-back in the absence of Junior Firpo (£4.5m) was one notable takeaway from Thursday’s game, as was the first official pre-season appearance of Patrick Bamford (£7.5m) after his injury-ravaged 2021/22.

Leeds United XI: Klaesson, Kristensen (Drameh 45’), Koch (Llorente 61’), Struijk, Harrison (Davis 45’), Roca (Gyabi 45’), Forshaw (Klich 45’), James (Sinisterra 31’ (Summerville 61’)), Rodrigo (Adams 45’ (Gray 81’)), Aaronson (Greenwood 45’), Gelhardt (Bamford 61’).

PRE-SEASON MINUTES TRACKER

Who played the most minutes over the March international break?

623 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Thomas Jerome Newton
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Deciding on my two 8m mids. Have Salah and Jesus so not going with Saka or Diaz.
    I'm on Mount and Kulu for now.
    Having some doubts on Kulu as a along term pick.
    Will he be good for GW1 though, so I can reassess then?

    1. Uncle Baby Billy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Let me get this right... if I reply "yes he is good for GW1 so you can reassess then" that'll convince you to pick him? On the other hand if I say "no, he isn't a good pick for GW1 with a view to reassessing him" you won't?

      That's a shiiiiiiiiiit load of responsibility you're dumping on me here mate - can I think about it and get back to you?

      1. Thomas Jerome Newton
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        Yep. Take your time. 🙂

      2. Thomas Jerome Newton
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        My heads spinning round with all these 8m options. Be glad to have a couple sorted for GW1 then see how it goes.

      3. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        Hello mate - I've got a FPL-related project I think you may be interested in that a number on here are involved with - don't worry, we're not selling anything or any shite like that - can you drop me a line if interested? Kurt-grohl@gmx.com cheers 🙂

        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          Seconded

        2. Uncle Baby Billy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          Was this meant for me? Hard to tell.

          1. George Sillett
            • 8 Years
            1 year, 8 months ago

            Yes.

          2. NorCal Villan
            • 2 Years
            1 year, 8 months ago

            Come as you are, just don’t bring Aunt Tiffany

    2. Nate(U)dog(ie)
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Richarlison is suspended so he should be fine, but this is why I ditched the idea of going with him. If you're already doubting him as a choice for GW2 then I don't think it's worth the risk or the headache

    3. Predator
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Diaz for me

    4. Jambot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      With Rich out you’d expect Kulu to start and he’s a good GW1 option. Not sure medium term though

    5. RichieW
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      If you can keep 0.5itb

      Kulu for GW1 then switch to Bowen?

      1. Thomas Jerome Newton
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        Yep. Got 0.5.
        Like the idea.
        Just need to decide whether to start with Bowen or wait for GW2

  2. Bambi
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    442

    Mendy
    TAA - James - Perisic - Tripper
    Salah - Diaz - Son - Eriksen
    Jesus - Mitrovic

    Andreas, Neco, Greenwood

    Hows it looking?

    1. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Pretty good. Don't see the appeal to Eriksen though

    2. Jambot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      My concern is If Haaland does go off gameweek 1 and you want to get to him for Bournemouth then you have to take a hit

  3. ZTF
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    RMT

    Raya (Olsen)
    Cash TAA James Perisic Walker
    L. Diaz Son (C) Sterling (Neto, 4.5)
    Haaland Mitrovic (4.0)

  4. Bavarian
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Is Trippier worth the 0.5 extra over Botman?

    1. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Absolutely

    2. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      100%

    3. Nate(U)dog(ie)
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      If you can afford it then I think so, on set-pieces and can be a big threat from free-kicks

    4. Jambot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Yes

  5. Bambi
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Lots of people going for the premium pair of Salah and Haaland. Understand this but how can you overlook Son who scored 23 goals from open play last season begs belief

    1. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Haaland will score more than 23 (don't even have him in my team)

      1. Bambi
        • 12 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        that is a strong statement. Looking at City's goal distribution makes me doubt that (assuming he isn't on penalties)

        1. TheBiffas
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          Aguero hit those numbers back in the day. Not saying Haaland is as good as Aguero (yet) but as a team they're stronger than they've ever been

        2. TheBiffas
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          And he probably will be on penalties

        3. Nate(U)dog(ie)
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          I'd be surprised if he doesn't take penalties, scored his last 13 in a row. Mahrez has been the taker if on the pitch but missed his last one and City have missed 6 of the last 24 IIRC

    2. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Can’t have em all

    3. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      I'm overlooking him because Kane is on pens and his total was depressed last season due to his early season funk.

    4. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      More to the point S&H don't rotate well for the captaincy for the first 8 weeks or so, after which most will be thinking of WildCarding.

  6. royals forever
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    In your opinion who are the best 4.5 DFs to have

    1. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Justin, Henry, Botman, Jonny, Tomiyasu, Mings

    2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      White and Jansson

  7. Yip Jaap Stam
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Thoughts on this draft?

    Mendy
    TAA cancelo Trippier Chilwell
    Son De Brunye Diaz Neto
    Jimenez Jesus

    Forster Andreas N.Williams Greenwood

    Thanks for any advice

    1. Cheeky Onion
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      It's different, but I don't hate it as much as I initially thought

    2. Boberella
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Like Son and KDB combo.
      Jimenez is a bit left field though. Never been prolific and has a low ceiling

    3. Batman1983
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Jimenez looks a strange choice, especially considering you've got Neto in midfield as well. Two players from a team that doesn't score many goals...

  8. ZTF
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    A) Diaz, Raya, TAA, Mitrovic

    B) Salah, Mendy, N.Williams, 4.5

  9. Emiliano Sala
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Madness?

    Meslier
    TAA Cancelo James
    Sterling Foden Sancho Rashford
    Haaland Jesus Martial

    1. ZTF
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Have to have either Son or Salah

    2. Batman1983
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Come on, even you must know that doesn't look that great 😉

      So reliant on Man Utd and their team selections, which isn't a good thing.

  10. Cheeky Onion
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    I like this draft, only missing Spurs:

    Mendy
    TAA - Cancelo - Chilly - Tomi
    Salah - Saka - Diaz - Neto
    Haaland - Toney
    4.0 - Neco - Andres - 4.5

    A) Chilwell + Toney > Cash/Doherty/Trippier + Jesus

    B) Chilwell + Neco > C/D/T + Coutinho/Rashy

    C) Keep as is

    1. Cheeky Onion
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      B is Neto, not Neco

  11. Zimo
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    U know I don't hate this

    Meslier
    TAA Cancelo James Botman
    Salah Bailey Dasilva
    Kane Haaland Jesus
    Gazzaniga Pereira Neco Lavia

    1. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Me neither, would just have Diaz over Jesus and play 442

      1. Zimo
        • 5 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        I am 50/50 on that. Might switch to him

        1. TheBiffas
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          Yeah probably gonna copy this draft tbh

          1. Zimo
            • 5 Years
            1 year, 8 months ago

            Go for it 😉

        2. Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          My 3mium draft requires a lot of bargain-basement shopping too. Bailey and DaSilva may not be nailed so Neco and Andreas might be called up more than you'd like.
          Minor point, but you might as well get the 4,0 backup Leeds keeper.

          1. Zimo
            • 5 Years
            1 year, 8 months ago

            Coolio thanks

    2. Stranger Mings
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Mine is similar but have
      Mendy (4m sub)
      James, Trent, Laporte, zinchenko & neco
      Salah, Bailey & da silva (Cafu & Andrea’s)
      Jesus, Kane, haaland

    3. Batman1983
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      I've taken a similar approach, with;

      Raya
      Robertson, Trippier, Chilwell
      Salah, Bruno G, Maddison, Neto, Andreas
      Kane, Haaland
      Subs; Lamptey, Williams, Enciso, Balcombe (though need to sort out my £4.5m / £4.0m keeper due after Brentford signed Strakosha)

  12. adstomko
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Could triple Liverpool defence be worth having if without Salah?

    1. Boberella
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      No. Trent and Robbo is enough, but Diaz should be in your team if no Salah imo. Or maybe even Nunez but see how they line up.

    2. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Crazy

    3. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      If you're determined to go without Salah, I do think TAA, Robbo and Alisson probably works, but it's a huge mistake to forego Salah imo.

  13. Emiliano Sala
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Isn’t liverpool weaker this season?
    Mane gone
    Nunez not good enough
    Jota injured

    1. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Couple of easy fixtures to get up to speed though.

    2. Mixed Bag
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Mané is a miss for sure, but Jota is only out for the first game or 2.

      Nunez is going to be put under a lot of pressure to start strong. But not by Liverpool.

      He will get there if the press and rival supporters don't get in his head.

      Everyone's forgetting Firmino is still there - the guy is a pretty solid backup.

  14. Emiliano Sala
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Thoughts on castagne?

    1. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Might leave

  15. TheBiffas
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    I will definitely have Maxwel Cornet for £6m or less if he gets a move, anyone else?

  16. Bavarian
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    A-Ederson-Dias
    B-Raya-Cancelo