Saka, Palmer and Haaland – FPL tips & team of week

Don’t tell me you haven’t missed this; you have to choose between Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland, fretting about differentials, and having buckets of points left on your bench.

Fantasy football is back, and Thomas Woods, the regular BBC Sport FPL player, has taken a two-week break to start the season. For the next two weeks, I’ll be filling in for him.

Woodsy scored 86 points in Gameweek two last year. Whether or not I have a strong goal for this weekend, that will be my goal.

As if you were playing a Free Hit, the team of the week is chosen based on the current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget.

David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £5.5m – Leeds (h)

It’s a simple choice to begin with. Raya recorded his third-most clean sheets in the Premier League last year (13), added another against Manchester United in the opener, and has a more straightforward home game this weekend against a newly promoted club. He ought to succeed.

Arsenal defender Gabriel for £6 million (h) Leeds

Leeds only managed 0.95 xG from open play despite dominating much of their 1-0 victory over Everton. A double-Gunners’ defense appears to be a wise move because Arsenal are a clear improvement over Everton. For his aerial threat, I chose Gabriel. Nine of Leeds’ 30 goals in the Championship were set-pieces last season.

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella for £6 million at West Ham (a)

Chelsea should keep a clean sheet when they face West Ham, who lost to Sunderland 3-0 in Gameweek One. For his attacking potential, Cucurella is my go-to Blues defender. No defenseman last season scored five Premier League goals, equaling those of Nikola Milenkovic and Josko Gvardiol. The Spaniard made 12 final third passes, had one big chance, had two shots, and averaged 0.2% of the expected goal involvement total (xGI) against Crystal Palace last Saturday. Not bad for a defenseman.

Fulham defender Patrick Dorgu, Manchester United, is valued at £4.5 (a).

Arsenal midfielder Bukayo Saka for £10 million at Leeds (h)

I’m going triple Arsenal, Leeds fans. Saka may have been kept quiet by Manchester United during Gameweek One, but history indicates that he deserves a lot. Saka is likely to be involved if Arsenal do beat Leeds at the weekend because he averaged 127 points in only 25 games last year. Saka assisted or scored just under a quarter of Arsenal’s league goals last year (24.6%).

Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer for West Ham for £10.5 million (a)

Even though Palmer may have been better against Crystal Palace, the Blues face a West Ham side who did very poorly against Sunderland. Last week, Palmer made 18 final-third passes and four shots on penalties and free kicks. The numbers that are the foundation stack. Trust me, things will happen.

Bournemouth midfielder Antoine Semenyo, £7.1 million – Wolves (h)

In Gameweek One, Semenyo was simply brilliant against Liverpool, scoring twice from an xG of 0 – 1 – to bring in a whopping 15 points. If Semenyo becomes the most recently transferred player, I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t. Expect him to have chances against a Wolves side that last time out gave up four against Manchester City and has had a day’s rest.

Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks, £5 million signing for Wolves (h)

Manchester City’s forward, £14 million (captain) vs. Tottenham (h) Erling Haaland

Manchester City and Haaland performed best against Wolves. The City talisman will serve as our gameweek two captain after scoring twice in Gameweek One. Haaland has four goals and one assist in his six appearances so far against Spurs.

Forward Evanilson, Bournemouth, for £7 million to Wolves (h)

Evanilson is one more Bournemouth player I’m smuggling in. He added five assists from 31 games last year and had 10 goals. Not too shabby. There is a good chance that Justin Kluivert will be on penalty duty this weekend given that he has been sidelined. He’s either a class differential with only 2.1% ownership, or I’m a complete moron. I’ll decide what the comments will be for next week.

Nottingham Forest, £7.5 million, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Crystal Palace, forward (h)

Burnley defender Maxime Esteve, £4 million – Sunderland (h)

Burnley defender Quilindschy Hartman, £4 million Sunderland (h)

Manchester United (h): Josh King, Fulham midfielder, for £4.5 million (h)