Everything you need for Gameweek 3
The deadline is Friday evening, an hour and a half before Ipswich host Liverpool. Here's the full package: who to bring in, who to sell, the differentials nobody has spotted – and the Free Hit team we would pick.
This gameweek's fixtures
| Day | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Friday | Ipswich – Liverpool |
| Saturday | Newcastle – Bournemouth, Brentford – Sunderland, Brighton – Leeds, Fulham – Crystal Palace, Man City – Coventry, Nottingham Forest – Tottenham, Hull – Aston Villa |
| Sunday | Everton – Man United, Arsenal – Chelsea |
Two matches define the gameweek: City at home to a Coventry side without a point, and Liverpool away to the league's worst defence on underlying numbers. Everything else is a sideshow.
The players to bring in
Alexander Isak (9.0)
Ipswich rank bottom on almost every defensive measure – xG conceded, goals conceded, big chances conceded. Isak has underlying numbers that justify his price, and his ownership is still below 17 per cent. That figure won't last the gameweek. Get him in before everyone else follows.
Rayan Cherki (7.7)
Nearly a million transfers in ahead of this gameweek alone. He has returned in both of the opening two matches, and City at home to Coventry is as good as it gets. If Haaland is your only City player, you're leaving points on the table.
Riccardo Calafiori (6.5)
The highest-scoring defender in the league after two gameweeks, two assists in two matches, and a role high up the pitch that conventional centre-backs don't have. Chelsea away is tougher than the first two assignments, but he is the most-owned defender for a reason.
The budget option: Yoane Wissa
Scored his first against Tottenham. If the three above eat up your budget, he and Calvert-Lewin offer the best value for money up front.
The players you should move on
Brian Brobbey – sell now
The Sunderland hype was all about the opening fixtures. Those are gone. Now it's Brentford, Arsenal and City. That's not a run you sit through with a 6.0 forward who has neither delivered nor impressed.
Igor Thiago – last chance
The only one of the top four forwards without a goal involvement. That said, Brentford have Sunderland at home, and that's a good enough fixture to earn him one more gameweek. If he blanks again, he's out next week regardless.
Bryan Mbeumo – don't follow the crowd
More than 350,000 managers have sold him this week. He delivered both a goal and an assist against Ipswich. Selling a player straight after a return is usually the wrong way to think – this looks like a delayed reaction to a slow start to the season, not a sign of poor form. Check the fixtures before you hit sell.
And Bruno?
23 points in Gameweek 2, yet around 200,000 have sold him. The reason isn't his form, it's the fixture: Everton away is tougher than Ipswich at home, and without guaranteed defensive contribution points, his returns fluctuate more with the quality of the opposition than those of players at the very best teams.
But selling straight after a 23-point comeback is a classic case of bad timing. If you own him: hold. If you're thinking of buying: wait for a better fixture, because his price is unlikely to fall after one middling match.
The differentials for Gameweek 3
Igor Thiago (Brentford) – last chance
His ownership isn't low, but it's heading that way: managers are offloading him after two gameweeks without a single goal involvement. That makes him the opposite kind of differential – holding firm while everyone else sells. Sunderland at home is the fixture in which he needs to deliver, and he has a couple of goals in him against that defence. If he fails to return now, the decision is made.
Phil Foden (City, 7.0) – 5% owned
Two assists in two matches, and everyone is flocking to Cherki instead. City are expected to score more than any other team this gameweek. Having only Haaland from their side could leave you short.
Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford) – 5% owned
27 defensive contributions in two matches, including 15 clearances against Leeds. Eight points against Tottenham in the opening gameweek. Sunderland at home is exactly the sort of fixture in which an out-and-out DEFCON machine delivers.
Anthony Elanga (Newcastle, 6.1) – 8% owned
A goal against Liverpool, a goal against Tottenham. Bournemouth at home is his third opportunity in a row.
Kevin Schade (Brentford, 6.0) – 4% owned
13 points in two gameweeks for six million, with Sunderland visiting.
Morgan Gibbs-White (Forest, 9% owned)
A blank against Leeds, 13 points against Liverpool. Tottenham at home is the sort of fixture in which he delivers.
The Free Hit team for Gameweek 3
Playing the Free Hit this early in the season is rarely the best use of the chip – it's worth more in double gameweeks later on. But this week's fixtures are good enough for us to indulge ourselves. Here's how the team would look.
4-4-2
| Pos | Player | Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| GK | Kelleher (BRE) | Sunderland (H) |
| DEF | Van Dijk (LIV) | Ipswich (A) |
| DEF | O'Reilly (MCI) | Coventry (H) |
| DEF | De Cuyper (BHA) | Leeds (H) |
| DEF | Egan (HUL) | Aston Villa (H) |
| MID | Saka (ARS) | Chelsea (H) |
| MID | Wirtz (LIV) | Ipswich (A) |
| MID | Cherki (MCI) | Coventry (H) |
| MID | Schade (BRE) | Sunderland (H) |
| FWD | Haaland (C) (MCI) | Coventry (H) |
| FWD | Isak (VC) (LIV) | Ipswich (A) |
Bench: Ajayi (HUL) plus three players priced at 4.0–4.5. The team comes in at around 99 million with a little left in the bank, but check the exact prices in the app – they change by the hour.
The thinking behind the team
Three from City, three from Liverpool – not four. A maximum of three per club forces a choice. From City, it's Haaland, Cherki and O'Reilly, which means Donnarumma misses out in goal despite having the gameweek's best chance of a clean sheet. From Liverpool, we take Van Dijk, Wirtz and Isak, which rules out a Liverpool goalkeeper.
Semenyo (8.5) is too expensive. Cherki gives you roughly the same City coverage for almost a million less, and you need that money further up the team.
O'Reilly over Foden. It's close between them, but O'Reilly gives you access to City's attack from a defensive position, and that's the hardest slot to fill. Foden is more your differential if you're not playing the Free Hit.
Saka against Chelsea. Chelsea conceded three against Brighton last gameweek. Arsenal at home to a leaky defence is worth 9.5, even if it's the gameweek's toughest fixture on paper.
No Bruno. 12 million for Everton away, in a gameweek when you have City at home to Coventry and Liverpool away to Ipswich to spend the money on. Keep him in your regular team – leave him out of the Free Hit.
No Villa. We'd have liked to squeeze in a Villa player, but they have no points, lost 4–0 to Brighton, and visit a Hull side who have won both of their opening two matches. It's the wrong week. If you absolutely want a way in, Bailey (5.4) is the cheapest punt – but we're not taking it.
Haaland is captain. At home to a Coventry side without a point, you take the highest projected scorer and don't overthink it. Isak is vice-captain.