Fantasy Premier League

The Scout’s FPL Gameweek 1 Ones to watch

By The Scout 9 Aug 2023

See the five players backed to deliver big hauls in the opening round of fixtures

The Scout is tipping five players for big success in Gameweek 1 of 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League.

Eberechi Eze (CRY) £6.5m

The Crystal Palace star visits promoted Sheffield United on the back of an excellent pre-season.

SHU

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CRY

Eze was involved in seven goals over the summer, scoring twice and supplying five assists.

That continued his output from 2022/23 after the return of Roy Hodgson as manager.

Eze produced six of his 10 goals for the season, and two of his five assists, from Gameweek 29 onwards.

He just makes it look too Eze 🤯 pic.twitter.com/WPtFF7Xbrc
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) July 31, 2023

He amassed 67 points across that period, second only to the 85 of Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) among midfielders in Fantasy.

Julian Alvarez (MCI) £6.5m

Manchester City’s Argentinian forward can offer major value for their opening fixture against Championship-winners Burnley on Friday.

BUR

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MCI

Alvarez was among the most reliable players in 2022/23 in matches against promoted sides.

See: FPL experts: Who are the best Man City picks?

He averaged 11 points per start over four such matches, scoring five goals and supplying two assists.

Indeed, his total of 46 points against promoted teams was just one behind Erling Haaland (£14.0m) and Martin Odegaard (£8.5m) among all players.

Alvarez is one of only two players, along with centre-back Ruben Dias (£5.5m), to play 90 minutes in each of Man City’s last two pre-season matches, increasing his chances of another start at Turf Moor.

James Maddison (TOT) £7.5m

The summer signing offers a mid-price route into an attack-minded Tottenham Hotspur side under Ange Postecoglou.

BRE

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TOT

Maddison produced two assists against Shakhtar Donetsk last Sunday, as Spurs scored five goals for the second successive match for their new head coach.

The midfielder also has a reliable recording against his hosts Brentford. He supplied an assist in both his meetings with the Bees for Leicester City last season.

Gabriel (ARS) £5.0m

A home encounter with Nottingham Forest looks encouraging for the Arsenal centre-back’s prospects at both ends of the pitch.

ARS

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NFO

Gabriel was the fourth top-scoring defender in 2022/23 Fantasy, combining three goals with 14 clean sheets.

The centre-back boasted a far greater goal threat than any defensive team-mate.

His total of 26 shots in the box was more than the combined 19 of the rest of Mikel Arteta’s first-choice back four.

Joao Pedro (BHA) £5.5m

The Brazilian has emerged as a popular candidate in the budget forward bracket after appearing to secure a starting role for Brighton & Hove Albion over pre-season.

BHA

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LUT

Joao Pedro also looks to be the Seagulls’ new first-choice penalty-taker after converting a spot-kick against Spanish side Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, when Pascal Gross (£6.5m), his main rival, was on the pitch.

A run of four home matches in the first six Gameweeks, starting with a home encounter against promoted Luton Town this weekend, gives the summer signing from Watford the chance to offer huge value from the outset.