Best defenders to pick in YOUR fantasy teams: Arsenal and Liverpool each boast TWO of the top five for predicted points, but who is No 1 according to FPL experts?
FPL managers are spoilt for choice when it comes to picking defenders, with a never-ending battle between consistent centre-backs and explosive full-backs.
The premium picks provide the lure of regular clean sheet points and they look hard to ignore in terms of AI predicted points across the opening four gameweeks.
With just three days left until Friday’s 6.30pm deadline, Fantasy Football Hub’s Holly Shand takes a look at five defenders you should consider for your 15-man squads.
5. Ben White – 19.1 predicted points
Arsenal defenders are very popular for this campaign, having been the standout defence last season, with many managers doubling up for their 18 clean sheets.
The key trend is to pick just one for FPL Gameweek 1, with the top performing defender from 2023-24, Ben White, in around 12 per cent of sides.
FPL managers have until 6.30pm on Friday evening to lock in their teams for Gameweek 1
Gabriel Magalhaes had significantly higher xG than his Arsenal team-mate Ben White last term
Priced at £6.5million, he’s the most expensive entry point into the Gunners’ back-line, but crucially he’s had a full pre-season and fellow right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu is nursing a knee injury, meaning White is perhaps the most nailed-on Arsenal defender to start the season with.
He’s also among the most attacking, with nine goal involvements last campaign, including four goals. He often benefits from early substitutions, locking in a clean sheet after the 60 minute mark, before his side concedes. Wolves and Brighton at home in the opening three gameweeks are appealing fixtures.
4. Gabriel – 19.5 predicted points
Sticking with Arsenal and centre-back Gabriel, who comes in £0.5 million cheaper at £6.0m, is actually favoured by the predicted points model.
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Significantly, he’s also preferred to his centre-back partner William Saliba, who at 40 per cent owned, looks set to start the campaign as the highest owned defender in the game.
We do need to be mindful with Gabriel that he failed to start the first three games of last season after being linked with a move away from the Emirates, although this uncertainty isn’t present this time around.
Arsenal do, however, have a wealth of talent at their disposal in their defence, having strengthened this summer.
Gabriel has taken part in some pre-season friendlies after being in Brazil’s squad at the Copa America, scoring in the Emirates Cup.
He offers the best attacking threat of Arsenal’s defence, with 31 shots last season – 11 of those were shots on target, which will add to Gabriel’s bonus point potential.
3. Trent Alexander-Arnold – 20.0 predicted points
Liverpool defenders are never far from our thoughts in FPL, with Trent Alexander-Arnold seeing a £1.0m price drop for this season, down to £7.0m. That’s his cheapest starting price since the 2019-20 season, when he broke the 200 point barrier.
His most recent season wasn’t his most prolific, being the first in six seasons that he failed to hit double digits for goal involvements, or clean sheets. However, he still carries high potential – second for shots on goal among defenders with 47 and top for big chances created with 17.
His late return to training following a busy summer with England at the Euros means that we haven’t had much opportunity to scout his role under new manager Arne Slot, including his positioning and set piece potential – a lack of certainty is not something that FPL managers relish.
Trent Alexander-Arnold created seven more chances than Andrew Robertson last campaign
2. Andrew Robertson – 20.6 predicted points
Liverpool’s full-back on the opposite flank, Andrew Robertson, is actually preferred in the predicted points race.
Robertson comes in £1.0m cheaper at £6.0m and significantly, his ownership is lower too. He’s in 6 per cent of sides, which makes him a big differential to start the season with.
The Scotsman didn’t start in a close to full-strength Liverpool side against Sevilla on Sunday, instead featuring in their later game on the same day against Las Palmas, as he works his way back to full fitness.
Kostas Tsimikas, a £5.0m asset, has done a great job deputising across Liverpool’s US pre-season tour, getting himself on the scoresheet.
Robertson has so much potential if he is fully fit, with five goal involvements from just 18 starts last season. He led the way on 2.7 key passes per appearance among defenders.
Liverpool have an attractive opening schedule, kicking off with a trip to promoted Ipswich Town in Gameweek 1.
1. Josko Gvardiol – 20.6 Predicted Points
Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol was redefined under Pep Guardiola last season from centre-back to flying left-back, notching six goal involvements in his final ten games to become the top performing defender over the season run-in. That’s earned him a £1.0m price hike to £6.0m.
City’s Josko Gvardiol is predicted to score the most points until Gameweek 4, according to AI
Around a third of managers have picked him in their initial Gameweek 1 drafts, with the potential to be a nailed attacking route into one of the best defences in the league.
There are some question marks though with Joao Cancelo returning from his loan exile to provide more depth in that left back spot.
Gvardiol has been forced to play much of pre-season at centre-back, given late arrivals back from summer tournaments. He did start at left-back in the Community Shield, but the absence of Kyle Walker saw Rico Lewis on the opposite flank inverting, leaving Gvardiol deeper.
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