The return of Premier League was a mixed bag of emotions for a lot of FPL managers. Salah scoring a hat-trick surely wasn’t a sight to enjoy for anyone who decided to go without him in order to spend elsewhere in the squad.

Captain favorite Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a goal but picked up a frustrating yellow card, earning 14 points after doubling for we who handed him the armband.

We have all 20 teams featuring this week after four of them sat out the opening week. Manchester United and Manchester City start their campaigns against Crystal Palace and Wolves respectively.

As they say, every week is a new opportunity in FPL, so regardless of how you did in GW1, we’ve got you covered with the picks for this week to help you gain ground in your mini-leagues.

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Goalkeepers

Illan Meslier - £4.5mil - vs Fulham (H)

Leeds will host Fulham at Elland Road after losing to Liverpool 4-3 at Anfield. The result didn’t do justice to the way Bielsa’s men played. Their French shot-stopper is priced well and faces a side that look to struggle to score goals this season. Although he made a couple of mistakes at Anfield, Bielsa usually doesn’t alter his line-ups that much, so Meslier should still be the preferred goalkeeper ahead of Kiko Casilla. Leeds’ defensive record in the Championship was commendable last season, so if their display against the champions is anything to go by, they should thrive against the Cottagers.

Jordan Pickford - £5.0mil - vs West Brom (H)

I wasn’t a fan of Pickford and his price before the first week, but my opinion has very much changed after Everton’s display against Spurs. Everton has a favorable schedule up until GW-10 except for matches against Liverpool and Manchester United. The Toffees seem to have tightened up after the arrivals of Allan and Doucoure, so I expect them to keep several clean sheets throughout the season.

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Defenders

Aaron Wan-Bissaka - £5.5mil - vs Crystal Palace (H)

AWB is reasonably priced given the fact that he plays for a United side that constantly improved throughout the last season and he is a bonus points magnet as well. He scored an impressive 16 bonus points last season and also provides a decent attacking threat, making him a very reliable pick. Although Crystal Palace won against Southampton at Selhurst Park, the Eagles looked far from convincing in attack, so Manchester United are expected to keep the back door shut and pick up all three points at Old Trafford.

Lucas Digne - £6.0mil - vs West Brom (H)

For all the above reasons to pick Jordan Pickford, Digne is an even better option from the Everton defense. Although we’ve only seen Everton play one game, early signs look promising. Investment in Toffee assets could pay dividends, especially if you move early for them. Digne hosts an underdog West Brom side, and with the attacking abilities of the French defender, a massive haul could be on the cards.

Hector Bellerin - £5.0mil - vs West Ham (H)

You must be thinking, “What is Bellerin doing here?” Well, Arteta’s men have shown continuous signs of improvements and now face a relegation quality West Ham side. For this season, I am hoping we will see the Bellerin from the best days of Arsene Wenger. The Gunners’ defense looks to be tightening up, and the Spanish defender plays as a RWB in Arteta’s system, making him a really intriguing FPL asset. He could also prove to be a massive differential at less than 5% ownership.

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Midfielders

Bruno Fernandes - £10.5mil - vs Crystal Palace (H)

This guy needs little explanation. He has been absolutely phenomenal since arriving at Old Trafford. He scored a whooping 117 points in just 1187 minutes last season. Whatever Manchester United do in attack mostly goes through him. He is basically an FPL dream with tremendous assist potential, immense goal threat, and an excellent penalty record. There is no reason why you shouldn’t include the Portuguese talisman in your squad ahead of the visit from a Crystal Palace side. Bruno Fernandes is a ‘must have’ in FPL this season in my opinion; if the past performances are anything to go by, he can deliver some serious points.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - £12.0mil - vs West Ham (H)

Aubameyang scored an impressive 205 FPL points last year as a forward in the game. This season, he has been reclassified as a midfielder which only means more points potential for the Gabonese star. Arsenal host a lackluster West Ham side at the Emirates this weekend, so Arteta’s men are expected to put the Hammers to the sword. He might even outscore the likes of Sterling and Mane this season which makes him an excellent prospect for FPL.

Sadio Mane - £12.0mil - at Chelsea (A)

Chelsea’s defense looked far from convincing against Brighton in their first game, the Seagulls able to get into dangerous positions all too frequently. Liverpool are a breed apart, so it’s hard to see Chelsea sorting out their defensive issues. Mane is already three goals behind Salah, so he will be extra motivated to get on the score-sheet. I am backing Mane to score at Stamford Bridge and reward us managers who took the risk of preferring him ahead of Salah.

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Forwards

Richarlison - £8.0mil - vs West Brom (H)

The Toffees looked impressive both offensively and defensively in their opening fixture against Spurs. James Rodriguez seems to have made a connection with Richarlison on the pitch, increasing the chance the Brazilian profits massively. The Baggies don’t look convincing, so it should be a relatively comfortable win for the hosts at Goodison park. I fully expect Richarlison to be score big this week and reward his owners in FPL.

Danny Ings - £8.5mil - vs Tottenham (H)

The Tottenham defense didn’t impress in their opening game against Everton, conceding way too many chances for the liking of fantasy managers. Everton had little trouble getting into goal-scoring positions, and Southampton away from home is going to be another tough one for Mourinho’s side. Ralph Hasenhüttl’s high-pressing approach will likely trouble Spurs, so I am predicting Danny Ings to capitalize.

Anthony Martial - £9.0mil - vs Crystal Palace (H)

The Frenchman finished last season strong, and he’ll be looking to continue that momentum as Manchester United begin their season at Old Trafford against Roy Hodgson’s Eagles. Martial scored 17 goals and provided 9 assists last season, his best campaign so far. The arrival of Donny Van De Beek means only that he’ll have more creative support and plenty of chances to score goals. Although he has been reclassified as a forward, the one point less for a goal scored shouldn’t affect his appeal too much.

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What do you think of our picks this week? Whom else do you think will do well this weekend? What are your predictions in this game-week? How many transfers are you making? Are you contemplating using an FPL chip already? Please let us know in the comments section below!

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