FPL Tips For Gameweek Three – FPL Banger Expert Fantasy Premier League Advice

Welcome to a new series for the 2024/25 season, provided by Siva & Sam, the minds behind the weekly podcast FPL Banger.  Below we take you through our FPL Gameweek 3 tips in time for the 3rd round of the campaign.

CAPTAIN

Cole Palmer (£10.5m)

• Fixture: Crystal Palace, Home

For captaincy I’m going with the player who scored 17 points last week. No, not the forward playing for Man City. I’m talking about Cole Palmer, who also managed 17 points from a goal and 3 assists in Chelsea’s 6-2 win over Wolves.

Palmer’s haul last week wasn’t a fluke. In 35 league games for Chelsea, Palmer has recorded 37 goal contributions (23 goals, 14 assists).

I fully expect him to add to that record against Crystal Palace, who travel to Stamford Bridge following back to back defeats to Brentford and West Ham. Talismanic center back Joachim Andersen has left for Fulham and his replacement, Chadi Riad, picked up an injury in midweek. It’s all lining up perfectly for (C)ole Palmer.

TOP PICKS 

Flekken (£4.5m)

• Fixture: Southampton, Home

Whisper it quietly, but Mark Flekken might just be the best 4.5m keeper in FPL. Despite Brentford failing to keep a clean sheet thus far, Flekken has scored 7 points in 2 games just by making lots of saves.

This week Brentford look primed to keep a clean sheet against a Southampton side who managed *checks notes* 1 shot on target against Nottingham Forest last week, following the Saints’ failure to score against Newcastle in Gameweek 1 despite playing against 10 men for more than 1 hour.

Antonee Robinson (£4.6m)

• Fixture: Ipswich, Away

“The way he started last week, he’s a great athlete. He’s a crucial player for us. If he keeps improving then it will be another big season ahead for him. A great assist, great decision to do it first time for Iwobi. He has to really like his performance.”

That’s Marco Silva speaking about Antonee Robinson, after the left back’s top performance in Fulham’s 2-1 win over Leicester last week, where Robinson set up Alex Iwobi’s winner with an inch-perfect pass. That assist netted Robinson 7 points (including 2 bonus points), which should come as no surprise. Robinson was also on course for bonus points in Gameweek 1 until Joshua Zirkzee’s late winner at Old Trafford. 

Since then Fulham have strengthened at the back, signing center back Joachim Andersen who debuted midweek with a clean sheet and an assist in the Carabao Cup, and defensive midfielder Sander Berge from Burnley. These new arrivals should certainly boost Robinson’s clean sheet prospects going forward.

Bryan Mbeumo (£7m)

• Fixture: Southampton, Home

We’re only 2 weeks into the season, but I feel confident in saying that Southampton will not be playing Premier League football next season.

The Saints’ 1-0 defeat at home against Nottingham Forest may have seemed like a close game based on the scoreline, but look deeper and you will see that Forest recorded 23 shots and 2.45 xG. That is a high number, especially for a Forest side who to put it charitably, have a fairly defensive-minded coach in Nuno Espirito Santo.

Bryan Mbeumo started the season in fine fettle with an assist on opening day. While Ivan Toney’s future remains uncertain at the time of writing, Thomas Frank has said that Toney will not play in this game. That means Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa will lead the line, with Mbeumo on penalties and set pieces. At £7m, it is almost too good to be true.

Kai Havertz (£8.1m)

• Fixture: Brighton, Home

Judging by his relatively modest ownership, Kai Havertz isn’t seen by most as a top Premier League center forward. Well news flash, he is.

With 17 goal involvements in his last 16 league games, Havertz has become the undisputed no.9 at Arsenal, showing a knack for arriving in the box at the right time for tap ins and headers. When he’s not scoring goals, Havertz is laying the ball off to guys like Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard who can then smash it in from 25 yards out. 

Brighton is not an easy fixture but they can be got at and would have conceded 2 goals against Manchester United last week, if Joshua Zirkzee hadn’t decided to touch a ball that was already going in while he was offside. Arsenal should win this one and I fully expect Havertz to come away with another return.s

Thanks for reading the article in this new series for Sportscasting. Be sure to follow @FPL_Banger for more FPL tips and hints including their weekly podcast.