RADIO
Welcome to the Gameweek 5 FPL Staff Roundtable, RotoBallers! This weekend, Man City hosts Arsenal in a colossal title battle. Each team will not want to lose that game, so it could be a cagey affair for FPL purposes.
Elsewhere, Liverpool looks to bounce back from its first defeat when it welcomes Bournemouth to Anfield. Man United wants to build on a 7-0 EFL Cup victory on Tuesday night when it heads to London on Saturday evening to face Crystal Palace.
The Gameweek 5 deadline of the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League season is Saturday, September 21, at 6:00 a.m. EDT, when West Ham and Chelsea meet in a London derby. Also, check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the squad gets you all set for every EPL and UCL slate with our DFS lineup picks and betting picks.
Fantasy Premier League Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 5 Preview
The Staff Roundtable is an attempt to get you inside the minds of our FPL writers. Our top soccer writers will answer questions each gameweek to give you an idea of how they view the games. So, without further ado, let’s kick off Gameweek 5!
Erling Haaland has nine goals through four games. Is a 300-point season incoming for the Norwegian?
Euan Leith: As someone who doesn't have Erling Haaland (£15.2M) in his squad, I hope not. However, it's looking ominous for Man City's main man. The pace is ludicrous, but a 40-goal season could be in the cards if the big man can stay healthy for the campaign.
Jamie Steed: Haaland scored 272 points in 33 starts two seasons ago. So, assuming he stays healthy all season, 300 points is very possible. Of course, he won’t keep up this pace, but he will surely set a record for points without any injury issues.
The FPL Manual (Wale): With Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) scoring 303 FPL points in his debut season, a 300-point milestone is rare but attainable. Given Haaland’s consistency and insatiable appetite for goals, if he continues at this pace, it’s not out of the question that he could reach it.
Two fast starts to the season 🔥
Only Wayne Rooney has scored more points in the opening four Gameweeks of a season than Erling Haaland 👏#FPL pic.twitter.com/CMGykvP5Td
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) September 18, 2024
What would you advise if an FPL manager didn’t have Haaland in their team?
Euan: Make a plan to get him in as quickly as possible, but maybe not this week. Arsenal has a rock-solid defense and can shut down anyone. While Haaland can break almost any defense, FPL managers shouldn't take hits to bring in the Norwegian.
Jamie: I’d ask them for advice if they're doing well! He’s already over a nice 69% rostered, and in truth, it’s got to the point that having Haaland on your team isn’t an advantage. Do whatever you must so he’s in your team, or pray he suddenly forgets how to score.
Wale: Get Haaland in, no questions asked! The man is in incredible form, scoring goals for fun, breaking records, and setting new ones in the Premier League. If you need to play your wildcard to fit Haaland in, do it now.
Liverpool had a surprise defeat at the weekend. Do you think this is just a blip or cause for concern?
Euan: It looked like a cause for concern when they went down 1-0 to AC Milan on Tuesday night, but they quickly steadied the ship. The defense seems stronger than in previous seasons, and Cody Gakpo put in a fantastic performance in Milan. It was just a blip.
Jamie: It is just a blip, but we should expect more blips. Liverpool aren’t quite at the level they want to be and are not in the same league as Manchester City. But I don’t expect many results similar to those we saw on Saturday.
Wale: It feels more like a blip than a long-term issue. Arne Slot was disappointed in how his squad lost possession in their last defeat, but their recent 3-1 win over Milan in the Champions League shows that they are bouncing back. Liverpool will put up a strong title challenge again this weekend.
Reports suggest Arsenal will miss Martin Odegaard for a few games. Does that affect your thinking about the Gunners?
Euan: Not too much. I probably wouldn't be transferring any Arsenal assets into my squad (especially with Man City this weekend), but there shouldn't be a fire sale either. Hold the course because good players can perform in any game and any situation.
Jamie: Not really. Of course, they will lose some of their creativity. But after this weekend’s game at the Etihad, Arsenal has a decent run of fixtures before facing Liverpool in late October. Odegaard should be back by then, so the impact of his loss will be minimal after this weekend.
Wale: Initially, I was concerned about how it might affect their attack, especially with players like Kai Havertz (£8.1m) potentially dropping deeper, but I don’t think it will significantly reduce the appeal of Arsenal’s assets. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta still has the depth to get results with the available players.
Euan: Monitor the minutes. Diogo Jota (£7.6M) and Cody Gakpo (£7.2M) came off at 68 minutes on Tuesday, and they should both be in line to start against Bournemouth on the weekend. However, any players with a full 90 under their belt during the week should be approached with caution heading into Gameweek 5.
Jamie: Monitor team selection closely for the first couple of games. Two extra games in the first round of competitions will pose a bigger dilemma for some teams when rotating their squads. At this stage, it’s more about hoping the players get through the midweek games unscathed.
Wale: I would advise staying cautious of key players who might see increased minutes in European competitions. There's always a risk of rotation or reduced playing time in the league after midweek fixtures. Additionally, look out for in-form players not involved in European football as potential replacements.
Have you made a move for any Aston Villa or Liverpool players after their Champions League performances on Tuesday? 🧐#FPL pic.twitter.com/HBcd3EGLkh
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) September 18, 2024
Who is keeping a clean sheet in Gameweek 5?
Euan: Liverpool has conceded one goal in four games. Unfortunately, it cost them a perfect start to the season. Regardless, the Anfield backline looked strong against AC Milan and will keep Bournemouth out of the net this weekend.
Jamie: I’m picking Aston Villa this week, although their Champions League tie on Tuesday may impact this choice. Wolves’ 4.4xG is the fourth lowest in the league, and one of Villa’s four home clean sheets last season came in this fixture.
Wale: Aston Villa fell short of their 40% clean sheet odds against Everton last weekend. However, following a solid 3-0 midweek win over Young Boys, signs suggest Villa could improve defensively when they face Wolves at home. I'm backing Villa for a clean sheet in Gameweek 5.
What defensive player is providing attacking returns?
Euan: Andy Robertson (£6.0M) got a rest versus AC Milan on Tuesday night. The Scotsman will return to the starting XI in Gameweek 5 and bag his first attacking return of the 2024/25 FPL season.
Jamie: Only three defenders have more shot-creating actions than Leif Davis (£4.5m). He assisted one of Ipswich’s two goals this season. Davis also scored and assisted in his one game against Southampton last season. Southampton’s defense looks leaky enough for Davis to bag a goal involvement this week.
Wale: Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0M) has seen an improvement in his expected assists under Arne Slot and has been unfortunate not to add a few assists in recent games. The upcoming fixture against Bournemouth could be a chance for Liverpool's wingback to deliver attacking returns.
Who's a midfielder or forward rostered on less than 10 percent of teams that will grab us those FPL points?
Euan: Bryan Mbeumo (£7.1M) is only rostered in 8.9 percent of squads but is about to explode for Brentford. Yoane Wissa (ankle) is out for a couple of months, and the Cameroonian international will have to pick up as much of the attacking responsibility for his club as possible.
Jamie: Jamie Vardy (£5.7m) is currently on 8.1% of FPL teams. He scored his second goal of the season at the weekend and now faces an Everton side that’s shipped in three or more goals in all four of their games. Losing consecutive matches in which they led 2-0 won’t help Everton’s confidence either.
Wale: My new mantra is to target any attacker facing Everton’s defense, as they’ve conceded the most goals so far. I believe Stephy Mavididi (£5.3M) of Leicester City could deliver solid FPL points for managers this week.
With two goals already and 5 of his 6 next opponents rated 2 in the Fixture Difficulty Ratings, is it time to join the Jamie Vardy #FPL party? 🎉
The @LCFC forward's price is on the rise! 📈 pic.twitter.com/GwpU3d9GPV
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) September 17, 2024
Who is one player you want to have but can’t for the Gameweek 5 fixtures in Fantasy Premier League?
Euan: Cody Gakpo looked phenomenal in the midweek game. Arne Slot said Gakpo would've started the game against Nottingham Forest last weekend but played too much for the Netherlands over the international break. The Dutchman is top of my wishlist for future gameweeks.
Jamie: For the same reasons I like Vardy this week, Wilfred Ndidi (£5.0m) is set for a solid game. He’s picked up three assists in his last two games and would be a perfect pairing with Vardy. But Leicester faces Arsenal in Gameweek 6, and I currently have three injuries and a non-playing defender I need to deal with.
Wale: At the moment, that player would be Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.4m), a reliable striker, especially in home fixtures. However, I’m unsure if I need him right now since he faces Manchester United next, while I’m looking for a replacement for Alexander Isak (£8.4m) in my team.
Who’s getting the Captain’s armband?
Euan: I don't have Erling Haaland, but I wouldn't give it to him anyway against Arsenal. That means Mohamed Salah gets the armband for his game against Bournemouth. The Egyptian King hit the crossbar twice on Tuesday and will look to get back on the scoresheet on Saturday.
Jamie: I’m torn between Kaoru Mitoma (£6.7m) and Emile Smith Rowe (£5.7m). Mitoma hurt me last weekend, and Smith Rowe gets a Newcastle side that has only conceded three goals so far. However, only six teams have a higher xGA than the Magpies, so Smith Rowe has more appeal right now.
Wale: With Manchester City and Arsenal clashing this weekend, I’ll be moving the captain’s armband from Haaland to Salah, who has a home fixture against Bournemouth. I like Salah’s chances of a huge FPL return this game week.
⚽️ 1 goal
🤝 1 assist
➕ 4 bonus
🛏 2 clean sheetsAfter four #FPL Gameweeks with @FulhamFC, Emile Smith Rowe is rising in price again! 📈 pic.twitter.com/3cLKHIqwT4
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) September 16, 2024
What’s your bold prediction for Gameweek 5?
Euan: Every away team in the primetime games gets a win. That's Chelsea over West Ham, Man United over Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest upsetting Brighton, and Arsneal defeating Man City.
Jamie: Southampton and Ipswich have the most fantasy-friendly game of the weekend, with five goals scored. On a player pick, Eberechi Eze bags a pair of goal involvements as Crystal Palace humble Manchester United at Selhurst Park for a second consecutive season.
Wale: Brighton have had a strong start to the season, but Nottingham Forest will be eager to make a statement when they face the Seagulls this weekend. I predict Morgan Gibbs-White will get an attacking return, and the match ends in a 1-1 draw.
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— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) July 18, 2024
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