Mail Sport’s FPL predictions: Who is the ‘key player’ to target from Man United? Which Newcastle star will be this season’s ‘gift’? And which TWO teams do our experts tip to win 3-0 in Gameweek 1?
The 2024-25 season is almost upon us, with Manchester United and Fulham set to kickstart the new Premier League campaign at Old Trafford on Friday.
Manchester City, who kick off the season against Enzo Maresca‘s Chelsea on Sunday, head into the new term full of confidence off the back of four consecutive title triumphs and a Community Shield victory over rivals United at Wembley last weekend.
Title hopefuls Arsenal kickstart the campaign against Wolves at the Emirates, while Liverpool begin their new era under Arne Slot against newly-promoted outfit Ipswich.
With so many players to choose from, Fantasy Premier League managers have plenty to ponder ahead of the opening weekend, with popular premiums as expensive as they’ve ever been and an abundance of budget options to choose from.
With that in mind, Mail Sport — with help from our friends over at Fantasy Football Hub — have forged a panel of experts to predict each game’s full-time result and the players they expect to score the most points in Gameweek 1.
Which teams will kick their campaign off with a win? Who will score the most points in Fantasy Premier League? Mail Sport’s expert panel predicts the opening weekend of the season
Manchester United vs Fulham
Nathan Salt, Manchester United Correspondent
Despite losing on penalties at Wembley in the Community Shield there was a lot to like about Manchester United’s display, particularly in the second half. Alejandro Garnacho (£6.5m) came off the bench and scored, and he will almost certainly get the nod to start the season opener against Fulham which makes him a key player to target at his price.
The dilemma with United assets is that so few in attacking areas look guaranteed to play outside of Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m) and Garnacho. Fernandes will be on penalties and, should he be deployed in a false 9 role again with Rasmus Hojlund out injured and Joshua Zirkzee building up fitness, he is one to consider.
Fulham’s signing of Emile Smith Rowe (£5.5m) is an intriguing one, while Andreas Pereira (£5.5m) and Rodrigo Muniz (£6.0m) look to be the biggest goal-threats for Marco Silva’s side.
Fulham won 2-1 back in February when these sides last met at Old Trafford thanks to a 97th-minute winner by Alex Iwobi, and eight of Man United’s starters could well be the same, so there will be no fear for the London side.
Others are not so high on United but I have seen enough in pre-season to suggest they will be improved on last year and I believe they will start the season with a win, with Garnacho my pick for the most points.
Prediction: Man United to win 2-1
Alejandro Garnacho finished last season with more goals and assists than Marcus Rashford
Ipswich vs Liverpool
Lewis Steele, Merseyside Football Reporter
Liverpool have looked on fire in pre-season and Arne Slot’s possession-based system seems to be working a treat — with them creating chances at will at one end and defending with much less vulnerability at the other.
My tip to pick from the Liverpool lot is selected by just 4.3 per cent of players at the time of writing. Jarell Quansah (£4.5m) has started every game of pre-season and has made a significant case to be Virgil van Dijk’s partner this season. He scored three goals last term, too, so could grab you some points in that regard.
Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) is still the main man – that goes without saying – so leave him out at your peril. He had a poor second half of last season but looks on top form after snubbing Egypt’s request for him to play in the Olympics. He is 32 but showing no signs of slowing down.
And finally I would consider Diogo Jota (£7.5m), who has been playing as a No 9 in pre-season but is classed as a midfielder in FPL. Darwin Nunez will do well to earn his starting place back but, even if he does, Jota is adept on both wings.
If you wanted an Ipswich player, I watched a lot of Leif Davis (£4.5m) in the Championship last term. He loves bombing down the wings from full back. The atmosphere at Portman Road will make it tough for Liverpool but they should have too much for the Tractor Boys.
Prediction: Liverpool to win 2-0
Jarell Quansah, Mohamed Salah and Leif Davis (left to right) are ones to watch this weekend
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Arsenal vs Wolves
Abdul Rehman (FPL Salah), Fantasy Football Hub Expert
Arsenal will no doubt be in contention for the Premier League title alongside Manchester City again. They were by far the best defence in the league last season conceding 29 goals (first) and keeping the most clean sheets (18) – five more than second placed Man City and Everton.
The Gunners also scored the second most goals (91), so it looks like it’ll be a long night for Wolves as they head to the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta’s side have impressed in pre-season also with wins over Lyon and Bayer Leverkusen. Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) looks fit after starting against the former and coming on as a sub against Leverkusen. I can see him getting plenty of chances to score and assist and looks to be a captaincy contender in FPL too.
While Kai Havertz (£8.0m) would be a great option if he starts as the centre forward most are expecting, my pick for this fixture would be Gabriel (£6.0m). The defender scored three goals last season with the highest expected goals (xG) among defenders (4.48). The Brazilian even scored against Lyon in the Emirates Cup final along with fellow centre-back William Saliba (£6.0m) in their 2-0 win.
Arsenal are the bookmakers’ favourites to keep a clean sheet in this Gameweek and also to score the most goals. Therefore, Gabriel has ample opportunity to profit at both ends of the pitch in the form of a clean sheet and attacking returns.
Prediction: Arsenal to win 3-0
Gabriel Magalhaes statistically offers more goal threat than Arsenal team-mate William Saliba
Everton vs Brighton
Ben Willcocks, Senior Sports Reporter
Brighton have looked sharp in preseason under new manager Fabian Hurzeler, with summer signing Yankuba Minteh (£5.5m) showing plenty of promise with three goals in his last four matches.
Off the back of their 4-0 win over Villarreal, I expect the Seagulls to go to Goodison Park on the offensive and dominate possession, testing Jordan Pickford (£5.0m) — a solid FPL option among goalkeepers — with plenty of shots on target.
If you like a hidden gem for the short-term, Valentin Barco (£4.0m) could be just that after deputising superbly for the injured Pervis Estupinan in preseason. Long-term, I like Everton left back Vitalii Mykolenko (£4.5m) too.
But my pick for the most points in this fixture would be Joao Pedro (£5.5m). Back in the team and the goals against Villarreal after a minor injury scare, he’s highly likely to start GW1 and pose plenty of problems for Everton.
He could prove an FPL bargain, especially given he’s on penalties.
Prediction: Brighton to win 2-0
If he starts, Brighton’s Joao Pedro has the potential to break the game at his low price of £5.5m
Newcastle vs Southampton
James Sharpe, Mail On Sunday Football Reporter
Even in an FPL world that includes Erling Haaland and Mohammed Salah, it’s Alexander Isak (£8.5m) who is the most selected player in the game. At the last count, the Newcastle striker was in nearly 58 per cent of teams.
There’s good reason for that. Isak scored 21 goals last season from just 27 starts and will make a mockery of his price tag. He’s bagged three in pre-season. That, right there, is an FPL gift. He’s a genuine captaincy contender for GW1, too, against a newly-promoted Southampton side that conceded 63 goals in the Championship last season, only three fewer than relegated Birmingham.
Another Magpie who offers super value is midfielder Anthony Gordon (£7.5m). An excellent price for a player who racked up 11 goals and 16 assists last season ahead of enticing opening run of fixtures. For those who needs some cheaper options to help crowbar Salah and Haaland in your team, Jacob Murphy (£5.5m) in midfield and defender Lewis Hall (£4.5m) both offer value.
The same applies to Southampton striker Adam Armstrong (£5.5m) for your third striker spot. He was prolific for Saints last term with 21 goals and 13 assists in the Championship, with three more in the play-offs. He’s on penalties too. It’s either him or Brighton’s Joao Pedro in the same price bracket.
At the back, Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£4.0m) is one of a handful of decent defender options in the lowest price bracket. Nailed in the Saints defence and chipped in with a couple of goals and a few assists in the Championship.
Prediction: Newcastle to win 3-0
No player had more big chances in the last eight Premier League games than Alexander Isak
Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth
Wes Prickett (FPL Heisenberg), Fantasy Football Hub Expert
Nottingham Forest’s preseason has been fairly decent, with their centre forward Chris Wood (£6.0m) scoring three and assisting a further two goals across their six preseason fixtures.
Wood is my short-term FPL pick from these teams, a forward who will cost you just £6.0m and should be nailed-on while Taiwo Awoniyi regains his fitness following injury.
The Kiwi will be a differential too, as he’s selected by less than 5 per cent of FPL managers. This is somewhat surprising considering he scored 14 league goals in just 20 starts last season.
The opening three games look ripe for points too, with Wood set for home fixtures against Bournemouth and Wolves as well as a tempting clash with newly-promoted Southampton at St Mary’s in Gameweek 2.
After their recent 4-3 win over Olympiacos, I expect Forest – who are usually pretty solid at the City Ground – to win at home against a Bournemouth side who recently sold their talisman Dominic Solanke to Spurs.
Prediction: Forest to win 2-1
Few strikers begin the season with a better fixture run than Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood
West Ham vs Aston Villa
Matthew Lambert, Tennis correspondent
Not an easy game to call given the number of new West Ham signings. Despite a stronger squad, the Hammers’ poor opening fixtures make me uninterested in their FPL assets initially. Villa, however, have a very nice run starting in GW3 and plenty of options with which to start the season.
Ezri Konsa (£4.5m) is one of many good defenders in his price bracket and may well make my GW1 squad. Villa are a solid defence and here’s a tip: if you rotate Konsa with a Spurs defender, such as Pedro Porro, that gives the following fixture run for the first four: Leicester (a), Everton (h), Leicester (a), Everton (h).
The player who I will be watching most closely in this fixture, whether I start with him or not, is Morgan Rogers (£5.0m). The attacker played his way into the team in the second half of last season and manager Unai Emery seems to be a fan – if Rogers starts consistently, he should be in almost every FPL team at his price.
One player I am unlikely to own is the third-highest FPL scorer from last season: Ollie Watkins (£9.0m). He has not played a minute of pre-season for Villa after being at the Euros with England so could well be eased back in. At 9m, he also looks a touch expensive compared to Newcastle forward Alexander Isak at 8.5m.
A caveat is that, with Douglas Luis gone, penalties are up for grabs at Villa and if Watkins is the new designated taker that would significantly boost his appeal. It seems more likely than John McGinn will be on pens so hopefully they get one at the London Stadium so we can have some clarity.
Prediction: 1-1 draw
Ezri Konsa comes in at an affordable £4.5m and could be well worth the value at Aston Villa
Brentford vs Crystal Palace
Jian Batra, Fantasy Football Hub Expert
I’m expecting a tight affair, with both sides experiencing some issues in particular areas. Brentford’s poor season had a lot to do with the fact their pivot struggled with progression.
Having not recruited in this area, I don’t expect them to be able to create a multitude of chances throughout the game, especially when you consider how solid Glasner has got Palace looking defensively — and they also look very fluid in attack.
However, with Palace having key players missing and a shortened pre-season, I still expect Brentford to cause them some problems and for both teams to score.
Bryan Mbeumo (£7.0m) and Eberechi Eze (£7.0m) are the standout assets to choose from in this one. Both have many of the fundamentals needed to flourish in FPL.
This is a game where both should find themselves in dangerous positions, especially with the latter getting in between the lines.
Prediction: Palace to win 2-1
Eberechi Eze and Bryan Mbeumo are £7.0m… and it’s a close call based on last season’s data
Chelsea vs Manchester City
Sami Mokbel, Chief Football Reporter
As ever in post-tournament seasons, team selections and how many minutes those players can achieve will fluctuate according to each individual’s pre-season progress following their late returns.
With that in mind, it remains to be seen how the likes of Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden, Rodri, Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer will feature – if at all – at Stamford Bridge following their maximum stints at Euro 2024. Enzo Fernandez’s involvement, too, is unclear after he helped Argentina win the Copa America.
Selecting any of these assets in FPL could well be a risk given the lack of clarity over game time, and monitoring their status over the first few weeks of the season is a strategy that will likely pay dividends.
All eyes will be on how Enzo Maresca sets up his team in what will be his first competitive game in charge since replacing Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea and, inevitably, his selections will change over the next few weeks as he tries to nail down his strongest starting XI.
Man City’s Erling Haaland is fit to start the season and is top for expected goals by a distance
After a full summer off following Norway’s failure to qualify for Euro 2024, Erling Haaland (£15.0m) will be primed and champing at the bit to get his season underway in goalscoring fashion, while goalkeeper Ederson (£5.5m) – despite a summer of speculation over his future at the Etihad – remains at the club and is expected to maintain his position as City’s No 1.
Prediction: Man City to win 2-0
Leicester vs Tottenham
Aadam Patel, Sports Reporter & Content Creator
Spurs have had a mixed pre-season but in Dominic Solanke (£7.5m) they have a statement signing, and he will be licking his lips at the prospect of a debut against newly-promoted Leicester.
There’s a reason why he’s a popular choice among FPL managers. At just £7.5m, around a quarter of FPL managers have him and with a combined 38 goal involvements across the last two seasons, you’d expect Solanke to give you instant returns in a side filled with attacking depth.
Pedro Porro offers impressive attacking threat in the Spurs back line and comes in at £5.5m
A word too for Pedro Porro (£5.5m), who is a steal when you consider he made eight Premier League assists last season. Yet, for all his attacking prowess, Spurs have a problem with defending set-pieces (Bayern scored twice through them last weekend), so a clean sheet would be an added bonus.
With that said, the likes of Wout Faes (£4m) and Jannik Vestergaard (£4m) may be worth a punt in the Leicester backline if they get a goal. At the back, however, it’s hard to see them keeping Spurs out.
Prediction: Tottenham to win 3-1
Fantasy Football Hub’s AI prediction tool forecasts the best team to start with in Gameweek 1
FPL Salah, FPL Heisenberg and FPL Jian Batra are all Fantasy Football Hub contributors and have joined Mail Sport’s expert panel to kickstart the FPL season.
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