Teams to target: Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea
Fulham vs. Liverpool
Liverpool again start the season off with a newly promoted side and they are huge favourites to secure all three points at Craven Cottage.
Trent Alexander Arnold and Andrew Robertson were point magnets from full-back last year and having at least one going into the new campaign is a must.
Mohamed Salah is the second highest owned player in the game ahead of GW1 and having scored more points than anyone last year, he is surely worth the £12.5m.
Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have been relative recent additions to the Liverpool side, but both have hit the ground running since joining the club and are also good options, especially with Diogo Jota set to miss the opening weekend.
Owning at least two Liverpool players for Fulham away seems a must.
Tottenham vs. Southampton
Tottenham have added real quality to their squad going into the new season and open off against a Southampton side that ended 21-22 in horrible form.
A Spurs win is one of the big bankers of the weekend and going into the game without either Harry Kane or last season’s golden boot winner Heung Min Son would be very risky.
Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system ensures the wing-backs are great FPL options, with Matt Doherty and Ivan Perisic favourites to start on Saturday.
Neither of these are guaranteed though and there is always the risk of rotation given the amount of wing-backs at Conte’s disposal.
Perisic has an incredible scoring record from wing-back though and at £5.5m he could well be worth the risk here.
Everton vs. Chelsea
Chelsea haven’t had the best of pre-seasons; however will be big favourites to claim three points at Goodison Park in Saturday’s evening fixture.
Raheem Sterling should be an excellent addition for the Blues and at less than 7% owned, he is a real differential option to start the season.
Reece James was quite the enigma last term for FPL managers, producing ridiculous hauls, before going on a run of incredible blanks.
He is nearly 40% owned going into the new season and if he is deployed in the wing-back role, he will again be a superb pick.
Opposition to target: Bournemouth
Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa
Bournemouth manager Scott Parker hasn’t portrayed confidence heading into the new campaign, claiming his promotion winning side is stronger than the one he currently has.
Defensively they have numerous absentees going into the opening game and a continuously improving Aston Villa side will be big favourites here.
Phillipe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia are seemingly fighting for one spot in the side, meaning the rotation risk is probably too much until either cements their spot in the side.
Ollie Watkins is favourite to lead the line and could be one of the best bargain forwards on the game this season.
Elsewhere Leon Bailey enjoyed a superb pre-season for Villa and is expected to start their opener; for a short-term bet he could be a real good option.
Other options
Arsenal: Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli
Arsenal have looked superb in pre-season and new signing Gabriel Jesus is the highest owned player in the game going into the new season.
They do have a nice start to the season; however a trip to Crystal Palace isn’t the easiest of openers, with Arsenal losing the fixture 3-0 last term.
As a result I’d probably air on the side of caution to start, picking just one of the Gunners, but if they start well, then their decent priced assets will be well owned.
Manchester City: Joao Cancelo, Kevin de Bruyne and Erling Haaland
Going into GW1 without any Manchester City players would be very risky; however if you were picking a team for just one week, you would probably dodge them here.
A trip to West Ham is a difficult start, with City struggling in the match last season, needing two second half goals to recover a point.
Joao Cancelo and Erling Haaland are perhaps the best bets though and if you are going without, then signing them in GW2 ahead of Bournemouth is almost a must.
Manchester United: Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial
Manchester United under Erik Ten Haag may well be a wait and see project for FPL managers, despite all their major assets going down in price.
A home fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion isn’t the worst of starts though and any of the above trio could be worth a punt.
GW1 Dream Team: Martinez; James, Perisic, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson; Mount, Salah, Bailey, Rashford; Jesus, Kane
