FPL Top Picks for Gameweek 3
We feel obligated to let you know if you do not already know that Erling Haaland’s price tag has increased from £15.0m to £15.1m. It was already difficult to get the Norwegian into many teams alongside other key premiums but now, he seems almost unattainable for those who do not already have him.
Luckily, you have us here at EPLNews to give you all the expert insights, tips, analysis and information that you need to make FPL top picks as you compete to win your mini-leagues and even stand a chance of going ahead of the FPL world beaters in the global league!
Gameweek Analysis
The summer transfer window ends on August 30, 2024, a day before the first match of game week 3, which is Arsenal taking on Brighton and Hove Albion.
Below you can see what all the matches look like this weekend.
Fans of the world’s most popular league understand how exciting the transfer window can get and also understand that many deadline-day transfers end up becoming key additions to the team. This means that some managers will keep their patience and work with more differentials this week while they monitor the news to see who has been added.
Between gameweeks 2 and 3, a few more players have been added, though. Players that have now become available FPL assets in the past week thanks to their transfers to a Premier League side include:
● Kepa Arrizabalaga – AFC Bournemouth (on loan from Chelsea)
● Chiedozie Ogbene – Ipswich Town
● Gustavo Nunes – Brentford
● Mikel Merino – Arsenal
● Ferdi Kadıoğlu – Brighton and Hove Albion
● Matt O’Riley – Brighton and Hove Albion
● Dara O’Shea – Ipswich Town
Ipswich’s Jack Clarke and Brighton’s Matt O’Riley are the most expensive from this list with their £5.5m price tags in the game. Clarke could get a run against Fulham, but O’Riley is not expected to get right into the action in gameweek 3, especially with the Seagulls travelling to the Emirates to face Arsenal.
That being said, here are some games you can take a look at as you prepare your strategy for week 3!
Ipswich Town vs Fulham: Clarke has already been mentioned as a good differential asset, but Fulham have Emile Smith-Rowe (£5.6m), Alex Iwobi (£5.5m), Antonee Robinson (£4.5m) and the top creator so far in FPL 24/25, Andreas Pereira (£5.5m).
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace: Cole Palmer (£10.5m), Pedro Neto (£6.5m), João Felix (£6.5m) and Nicolas Jackson (£7.5m) all present excellent opportunities for points up front in this gameweek. Last week’s hattrick hero Noni Madueke (£6.5m) is already the week’s most transferred-in player, while there’s Eberechi Eze (£7.0m) at Palace to consider thanks to his shooting (most in the league this season).
Best FPL Players for Week 3
It goes without saying that Erling Haaland is the most valuable FPL pick to make, so we will not be including him in our top three picks going forward unless we see a reason to. Having said that, here are our best selections for the upcoming week 3!
Ollie Watkins (£9.0m) – Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins has been the most disappointing player in the first two weeks of the 2024/25 season but we believe all that is about to change. Aston Villa have a run of four games that could see the striker back to his devastating goalscoring form, starting with their game week 3 trip to the King Power Stadium to face Leicester City. After this match, Villa will take on Everton, Wolves, and Ipswich. This means that Watkins is a long-term asset to have (at least for the next few weeks).
Antoine Semenyo (£5.5m) – AFC Bournemouth
Ghanaian forward Antoine Semenyo is the standout asset this season not because he has produced the most returns, but because he has shown the most promise of being the most exciting differential.
Semenyo is the player with the second most shots taken in the league so far and is joint-second for shots in the box with Liverpool pair Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) and Diogo Jota (£7.6m). He is also classified as a midfielder for the 2024/25 season, which makes him a more attractive asset thanks to the game awarding extra points to midfielders for goals scored. Bournemouth face Everton in week 3, which makes this a no-brainer selection.
Kai Havertz (£8.1m) – Arsenal
The Gunners will face Brighton in week 3, which means that every manager worth their salt should have Kai Havertz. The German’s home form is impeccable and with Arsenal’s defensive solidity and ability to make the Emirates into a ground that many are starting to dread, transferring him in is a wise choice.
Havertz has four goals, two assists and no blanks in his last four appearances at Emirates Stadium, tallying 37 points. He also has 20 shots from inside the box in those games, which means that managers can count on him for those bonus points which now come with the new FPL rules for the 2024/25 season.