Manchester City
Top Target
Kevin De Bruyne – £10.0 (TSB 27.9%)
De Bruyne is Mr Consistency. Over the past two seasons, he has averaged 204 points and 27 point returns (goals/assist) per season.
Differential/Punt
Benjamin Mendy– £6.0 (TSB 5.2%)
Before his injury last season, Mendy was in terrific form for the Citizens and heavily involved in the side’s attacking play, averaging 5+ crosses per game. Mendy returned to pre-season late, but should be a top FPL option once he is ready to start.
Monitor
Ikay Gündogan – £5.5 (TSB 1.5%)
Pep Guardiola has stated that David Silva will be rotated this season. So, could Gündogan take Silva’s starting spot, with Silva becoming the bench player that Gündogan was last season? Possibly. He is one to keep an eye on.
Be Wary of
David Silva – £8.5 (TSB 6.2%)
As mentioned above, with Silva set to be rotated more this season, he should probably be avoided.
Penalty Takers
1. Agüero; 2. Gündogan; 3. Jesus
Free Kick Takers
1. De Bruyne; 2. Mahrez; 3. D. Silva
Corner Takers
1. De Bruyne; 2. Mahrez; 3. D. Silva
Predicted Top Scorer
Agüero (19)
Predicted Top Assister
De Bruyne (20)
Predicted Starting Line Up
Additional Notes
- Guardiola may ease his World Cup stars into action at the start of the season, with Ederson (£5.5), Vincent Kompany (£5.5), John Stones (£5.5), Kyle Walker (£6.5), Benjamin Mendy (£6.0), David Silva (£8.5), Kevin De Bruyne (£10.0), Raheem Sterling (£11.0), Sergio Agüero (£11.0) and Gabriel Jesus (£10.5) all at risk of missing some action.
- To begin the season, Aymeric Laporte (£5.5), Bernardo Silva (£7.5), Riyad Mahrez (£9.0) appear near sure starters.
- Sergio Agüero (£11.0) and Gabriel Jesus (£10.5) will share minutes this season, so are both rotation risks. Expect both to still score very well though.
- Guardiola switched between a 4-3-3 and 4-1-4-1 last season. In pre-season, he has gone for a 4-1-4-1 so far. This bodes well for FPL, and possibly opens up a starting spots for both Sterling (£11.0) and Mahrez (£9.0)
Manchester United
Top Target
Alexis Sánchez – £10.5 (TSB 7.2%)
For the first time in many years, Alexis Sánchez is heading into a new season after an off season without football. He has now spent half a season adapting to Mourinho’s style of play, and given Romelu Lukaku’s absence to start the season, Sánchez will be granted a greater attacking licence.
Differential/Punt
Anthony Martial – £7.5 (TSB 1.4%)
Out of all regularly playing midfielders last season, Martial ranked 4th for least minutes per FPL return (one goal/assist every 104.8 minutes). With a starting spot seemingly his to start this season, if he can find some form, he will be hard to drop. If this happens, Martial is a destructive player and a top draw FPL asset.
Monitor
Luke Shaw – £5.0 (TSB 1.7%)
Mourinho has confirmed that Shaw is almost certain to be the side’s first choice left back to start the season. Should Shaw impress in pre-season and during the opening weeks of the EPL season, he could oust Ashley Young from the side and become an almost must have FPL asset.
Be Wary of
Chris Smalling – £6.0 (TSB 3.1%)
Whilst Phil Jones is returning to fitness after the World Cup, Smalling will start at central defence to the Red Devils. However, Jones should come back into the side and partner Eric Bailly in central defence, pushing Smalling to the bench.
Penalty Takers
1. Sánchez; 2. Pogba; 3. Lukaku
Free Kick Takers
1. Sánchez; 2. Pogba; 3. Young
Corner Takers
1. Young; 2. Mata; 3. Sánchez
Predicted Top Scorer
Lukaku (20)
Predicted Top Assister
Pogba (13)
Predicted Starting Line Up
Additional Notes
- José Mourinho will rest all of his World Cup stars at the beginning of the season. That will see Sergio Romero (£5.0), Luke Shaw (£5.0), Juan Mata (£6.5), Anthony Martial (£7.5), Ander Herrera (£5.0) all come into the starting side. Luke Shaw (£5.0) is a particularly interesting prospect if he wins the starting spot at left back.
- Once he returns, Jesse Lingard (£7.0) is a cheap route into the Manchester United attack.
- Paul Pogba (£8.0) may be granted a greater licence in attack this season.
Newcastle
Top Target
Jamaal Lascelles – £5.0 (TSB 9.2%)
Lascelles is always a threat from set pieces and when Newcastle keep a clean sheet, he usually picks up bonus points.
Differential/Punt
Kenedy – £5.0 (TSB 3.2%)
With two shots per game, Kenedy was Newcastle’s best player at the back end of last season. He has now experienced EPL football as a regular first team footballer, and will only get better this season.
Monitor
Ki Seung-yeung – £5.0 (TSB 0.3%)
Ki loves a late run into the box, and he’s really a South Korean version of Aaron Ramsey. If Ki can lock down a starting spot in central midfield, or better yet attacking midfield, he will become another great cheap option.
Be Wary of
Joselu – £5.0 (TSB 2.2%)
Joselu was very wasteful last season, missing numerous golden opportunities to score. This season, he most likely will not be a starter for the Magpies.
Penalty Takers
1. Ritchie; 2. Atsu; 3. Gayle
Free Kick Takers
1. Ritchie; 2. Shelvey; 3. Kenedy
Corner Takers
1. Ritchie; 2. Shelvey; 3. Kenedy
Predicted Top Scorer
Kenedy (10)
Predicted Top Assister
Ritchie (8)
Predicted Starting Line Up
Additional Notes
- Despite being classified as a forward, Ayoze Pérez (£6.5) played mainly at attacking midfield last season, and will most likely do the same this season.
- Christian Atsu (£5.5) may have to settle for a place on the bench.
Southampton
Top Target
Charlie Austin – £6.0 (TSB 2.6%)
Last season, Austin scored 0.70 points per minute (PPM), which is better than that of Jamie Vardy, Roberto Firmino, Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata, Alexandre Lacazette, and the same as Harry Kane. So, if Austin remains injury free, he has the potential to match the most premium forwards in FPL.
Differential/Punt
Mohamed Elyounoussi – £6.5 (TSB 0.7%)
A quality winger who loves to cut in from the left onto his right foot and weave through defenders. He may need a little bit of time to adjust, but with 21 goals and 28 assists in his last two seasons for Basel in the Swiss Super League, but he is easily Southampton’s best midfielder.
Monitor
Jan Bednarek – £4.0 (TSB 5.4%)
It seems unlikely that Bednarek will start after the signing of Jannik Vestergaard, but after a strong World Cup there is a chance that he could overtake Maya Yoshida or Jack Stephens in the central defensive pecking order.
Be Wary of
Ryan Bertrand – £5.0 (TSB 5.3%)
Bertrand has been playing at centre back in pre-season, and when Cédric is priced at £0.5 cheaper and playing at wing back, why wouldn’t you opt for the latter?
Penalty Takers
1. Austin; 2. Gabbiadini; 3. Bertrand
Free Kick Takers
1. Ward-Prowse; 2. Elyounoussi; 3. Yoshida
Corner Takers
1. Ward-Prowse; 2. Elyounoussi; 3. Bertrand
Predicted Top Scorer
Austin (14)
Predicted Top Assister
Elyounoussi (9)
Predicted Starting Line Up
Additional Notes
- Southampton have some quality cheap midfielders, with James Ward-Prowse (£5.5), Nathan Redmond (£5.5) and Stuart Armstrong (£5.5) all viable FPL options if they start.
- Manolo Gabbiadini (£6.0) has been playing very well in pre-season and may come into the thinking of FPL managers.
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