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The Premier League has just got underway, and there is still plenty of time for the clubs themselves and for fantasy players to tinker with their selections and formations at this point.
It’s an early chance for Fantasy Premier League bosses to take stock, make changes to their squads and look back at the first weekend to make a couple of additions going forward.
Here are our five tips for the second round of fixtures on gameweek 2.
Nick Pope – Newcastle (£5.0m)
Pope spent a lot of last season out with a serious shoulder injury, that also ruled him out of the Euros. But he is back to fitness and is likely to keep plenty of clean sheets, especially with Newcastle almost back to full strength as well after their extensive injury woes last campaign. They also have a good run in in the next few weeks, with a trip to Bournemouth and Wolves either side of hosting Tottenham.
Cole Palmer – Chelsea (£10.5m)
Palmer was almost a guaranteed pick in fantasy managers’ teams towards the end of last season, where he enjoyed a stunning breakthrough campaign, finishing with 244 points. Although he didn’t get many in the first game, starting against Manchester City was always going to be a difficult proposition. Chelsea also have easy fixtures, according to the FPL’s own ranking system, with a trip to Wolves, the visit of Crystal Palace, and then trips to Bournemouth and West Ham to come.
Rodrigo Muniz – Fulham (£6m)
For managers looking for a less expensive forward option – especially with Erling Haaland costing a massive £15m – Rodrigo Muniz is a solid option. His price is good and he scored nine goals and recorded two assists last year, bringing in 97 points. But he only started 18 times, and is expected to feature more this season. Fulham also have matches to come against Leicester, Ipswich and West Ham.
Josko Gvardiol – Man City (£6m)
Picking Manchester City players can difficult because of Pep Guardiola’s squad rotation, but Gvardiol started against Chelsea and gave those who chose him six points. The defending champions are also notoriously difficult to score against making him a good solid option in defence.
Mohamed Salah – Liverpool (£12.5m)
Salah’s big selling point might be that he is less expensive than Erling Haaland, but it’s an important one. He performed well in the opening match, recording a goal and an assist against Ipswich and is a good option for those not willing to shell out more on the Man City striker. Liverpool also have matches against Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth in their next four games, along with a trip to Old Trafford.
