Crack the Code: Unveiling Insider Tips for Gameweek 3 in the Fantasy Premier League 2023/24

We are back with our weekly Fantasy Premier League column, featuring essential tips from the world's top managers. FPL experts Lee from FPL Family and Gianni Buttice will address the important questions leading up to the Friday 6.30pm deadline for Gameweek 3.

Man City have a great run for potential clean sheets - which defensive assets are you targeting?

Lee from FPL Family: The City defence has a standout option in Ruben Dias (£5.5m) who appears to have a secure place in the starting lineup. However, it's worth noting that Kyle Walker (£5.1m) has shown his attacking potential against Newcastle by venturing forward into those desired areas.

Not only is Walker a slightly cheaper alternative to Dias, but it is advisable to have a decent bench cover in case Pep decides to rest or rotate the Englishman. This becomes particularly crucial with European football on the horizon.

Gianni Buttice believes that despite the limited goal threat from Manchester City's defenders, it is still wise to prioritize their defence, as it is currently the best in the league. In the first two Gameweeks, only Man City has conceded less than one expected goal (0.66), which is why Buttice has decided to transfer in Josko Gvardiol (£5m). While Ruben Dias may provide more playing time certainty compared to other City defenders, he comes at an additional cost of 0.5.

Do Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford have to deliver this week to justify their places in teams?

Lee from FPL Family: Marcus Rashford's (£9m) predominant position in the central area of the field often results in him having his back towards the opposing goal, rather than operating on the left wing where he excels at direct confrontations with defenders.

Fans of Manchester United will be hopeful that their new acquisition, Rasmus Hojlund (£7m), can regain fitness quickly and seamlessly integrate into the starting lineup, thereby enabling Rashford to resume scoring goals from his favored position.

Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m) has been unfortunate in not delivering for his owners so far. He currently holds the highest expected goal involvement (xGI) among all midfielders at 2.1. Despite not getting returns in the first two games, I will continue to keep faith in him for the upcoming match against Nottingham Forest. However, it may become challenging to hold onto him for the following matches against Arsenal and Brighton in GW4.

Gianni Buttice: Absolutely! Those who are keeping him in their teams are banking on his favorable home fixture against Nottingham Forest. However, if he fails to produce once again, it is understandable that most managers will consider dropping him.

If James Maddison is out injured, who are the best replacements?

Recommendation from FPL Family: For those looking to stay within the £7.5m price range, Phil Foden (£7.6m) emerges as the standout choice. His exceptional performance in the central position, typically occupied by Kevin De Bruyne (£10.3m), during the match against Newcastle showcased his brilliance. Foden displayed his mastery in orchestrating the game and provided an assist for those who own him in FPL.

If you want to save some FPL currency, consider transferring one of the numerous attractive options in the £6.5m range. Bryan Mbeumo (£6.7m) has excellent non-penalty expected goal involvement statistics, ranking second only to Fernandes at 1.95. With the additional advantage of penalty-taking abilities and favorable upcoming fixtures, Mbeumo would be my top choice. Following closely behind are Brighton duo Kaoru Mitoma (£6.6m) and Solly March (£6.6m).

Regarding Foden, I took a risk on him before Gameweek 1, and I appreciate the fact that he has provided a point of differentiation for my team. However, many managers will likely consider acquiring him this week. Playing in a central role, Foden created six scoring opportunities against Newcastle. With the absence of De Bruyne, he appears to be the primary source of creativity in that team.

Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez are proving popular transfers, are you in or out on them?

Lee from FPL Family: I'm definitely on board with this. City's upcoming fixtures are fantastic, so I anticipate them taking an attacking approach. The partnership between Foden and Julian Alvarez (£6.6m) was truly captivating against Newcastle, who are known for their solid defensive capabilities.

Even if Erling Haaland (£14m) finds the back of the net, having him in your team is unlikely to significantly improve your ranking because he is already selected by more than 90 percent of managers. Therefore, if you're aiming to benefit from City's attacking prowess, Foden or Alvarez are the ideal choices, and perhaps even both! In particular, Alvarez should be seriously considered since there are plenty of appealing midfield options in FPL, but fewer in attack. Consequently, finding a spot for Alvarez might be easier than for Foden.

Gianni Buttice: I have a positive view on both players for Gameweeks 3 and 4. However, I anticipate that Man City might bring in a couple of attacking players, which could potentially reduce Alvarez's playing time after the international break.

Nevertheless, in terms of the upcoming matches, I believe there is a strong case to purchase either player, or even both. They have been performing well and have played a full 180 minutes in the first two weeks.

Is Nicolas Jackson someone we should be looking at or are there better options out there?

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Nicolas Jackson enjoyed a promising pre-season with Chelsea

Lee from FPL Family believes that Nicolas Jackson's (£7m) performance in the first two Gameweeks has been promising, despite not producing any results. Jackson may have struggled to convert his chances and adapt to his new team, but Lee appreciates the fact that he is positioning himself well to even have the opportunity to miss. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, Lee believes that Jackson's efforts are commendable and that he is likely to score his first goal soon.

Furthermore, Jackson's upcoming matches against Luton (H), Nottingham Forest (H), and Bournemouth (A) are highly favorable in the context of Fantasy Premier League (FPL). This makes him a worthwhile consideration and potential investment.

I am considering taking a risk and substituting Ollie Watkins, who has proven his worth with a hat-trick in Europe, with the wildcard Jackson. Despite his lack of goals in the Premier League, Jackson displayed exceptional skill during pre-season, and I believe he will find the back of the net on Friday night. Although consistency might be a concern, I am willing to take a chance because I believe Jackson has greater potential than Watkins over the next two weeks.

Is there anyone apart from Erling Haaland you would consider as captain this week?

Lee from FPL Family: Last week, I chose to give the armband to Mo Salah (£12.5m) and managed to secure a slight advantage over Haaland. However, it was quite uncomfortable to witness City's performance without the Norwegian as captain.

Upon observing Sheffield United's vulnerability against Forest, I have strong faith in Haaland's ability to score goals once again this weekend. Alternatively, consider Arsenal assets who will be playing at home against Fulham. It's worth noting that Fulham conceded three goals at home to Brentford in Gameweek 2.

Gianni Buttice is enticed by good teams that have favorable home fixtures, which sometimes leads him to consider other options instead of Haaland. He particularly fancies the Arsenal fixture, as Fulham's weak defense suggests that Arsenal will likely score multiple goals. However, there is uncertainty regarding which Arsenal player to support, especially with Bukayo Saka potentially no longer taking penalties. On the other hand, it is expected that if Manchester City scores, Haaland will be involved in the play. Stream Premier League matches on We with NOW for £26 per month for 12 months, with the option to cancel anytime.