Fantasy Premier League: Haaland and Salah Essential for Success

Fantasy Premier League (FPL) enters its fourth gameweek and the international break provides a moment to evaluate team performance and strategies. Early predictions have had mixed results, particularly the notion of starting without Mohamed Salah. It has become evident that both Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah are essential players, each having accumulated 41 points so far, marking an unprecedented start for Fantasy Premier League stars.

They’re on pace for remarkable seasons, although such rates are unlikely to continue. The essential question for managers is whether to include both Haaland and Salah in their squads. Having both offers a strong captaincy option each week but can restrict room for other premium players. Alternatives like Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Son Heung-min offer potential but only a few weeks provide a realistic opportunity to captain them over Haaland or Salah.

Managers need to weigh whether to go all-in with Haaland and Salah or spread funds. For example, opting for Salah and a player like Morgan Rogers could shift resources toward players like Bryan Mbeumo. Conversely, skipping Haaland allows for a more varied squad, potentially including Salah, Saka and others like Kai Havertz. Liverpool’s defensive options also merit consideration.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk are top defenders with strong potential for clean sheets. Alexander-Arnold is a top choice offering solid value even without recent attacking returns. In the budget striker category, Brighton’s Joao Pedro and Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood present good options. Pedro at £5.7m, has penalty duties and a favorable upcoming fixture list while Wood priced at £6.1m offers consistent returns.

Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye, at £5.4m, also shows promise with his recent performances. Finally, patience with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is advisable. Despite a slow start, his underlying stats suggest goals are forthcoming making him a worthwhile consideration as Villa’s fixtures improve.