FPL Scout: Hints, tips and advice for the third game week

Brentford have teamed up with Fantasy Football Scout to bring you hints, tips and advice throughout the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season.

Scout will use his expertise to provide information, advice and game week tips that can help you stay on top in your mini leagues.

The best of bees

It was a tough Sunday afternoon at Anfield, but some Bees played well. For example, goalkeeper Mark Flekken (£4.5m) scored three points as he made six saves.

Yoane Wissa (£6.0 million) and Bryan Mbeumo (£7.0m) are the Bees’ highest-scoring players in the first two weeks. The attacking duo have 13 and 10 points respectively and could become a popular buy in Gameweek 3 ahead of a match against newly promoted Southampton.

Mathias Jensen (£5.5m) may also have caught the attention of FPL managers as he was able to set up a great chance against Liverpool in the second game week.

The Spotlight

After a corner from Jensen, a cross came from Nathan Collins (£4.5m). This close-range shot was one of two attempts from the centre-back after providing an assist in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in Gameweek 1.

Collins’ two shots on goal are the best among defenders. Additionally, only a few defenders have had more shots in the box than Collins’ three.

Combine that with five goal-scoring opportunities created in the whole of last season, and the 23-year-old suddenly has the potential to be an FPL haul. In addition, Brentford had more shots from throw-ins (24) than any other team in 2023/24, and only Liverpool recorded a higher number from set pieces (164).

The Irish international, at 0.7%, will be pleased to see that his opponents Southampton have yet to score. As seen in recent seasons, Ethan Pinnock (£4.5 million) and Ben Mee (£4.5m) are highly ranked in their position in terms of underlying attacking stats – perhaps it is Collins’ turn now.

The best of the rest

An overall goal-rich FPL weekend brought hat-tricks for Erling Haaland (£15.1 million) and Noni Madueke (£6.5 million).

With more chips available and seemingly fewer Double Gameweeks to use them in, 477,386 clever managers decided to play their Triple Captain card on the Manchester City striker. It was a brave move to activate it so early and it paid off, earning the teams 51 points.

Further spectacular raids came from Son Heung-min (£10.0 million) and Cole Palmer (£10.5m) – The latter assisted all three of Madueke’s goals and also lobbed the Jose Sa (£4.5 million).

Arsenal and Liverpool have now recorded two wins without conceding a goal in two games.

In demand

Emile Smith Rowe (£5.6m) has taken first place for most purchases after the weekend, but Madueke is likely to overtake him by the Gameweek 3 deadline on Saturday, with many of these being straightforward moves from Chelsea colleagues. Christopher Nkunku (£6.4 million), who was limited to a cameo appearance.

The Brighton duo is also gaining importance Danny Welbeck (£5.6 million) and Joao Pedro (£5.5m); both goals came against Manchester United, with the former England striker securing maximum bonus points twice in a row.

Captaincy

The decision about the armband is not so easy this time, because Erling Haaland And Mohammed Salah (£12.5m) travel to West Ham and Man United.

However, the Egyptian has an astonishing record against Erik ten Hag’s side, scoring ten goals and providing four assists in the last seven meetings. Haaland has also scored three goals in two Premier League games away to West Ham.

Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) will face in-form Brighton and those with Palmer One might be tempted to captain him in the home game against Crystal Palace.