@FPL_Banger FPL Gameweek 1 Tips: Chris Wood Can Continue Purple Patch Under Nuno Espirito Santo

Welcome to a new series for the 2o24/25 season, provided by the minds behind popular two-person podcast FPL Banger. Below we take you through our FPL gameweek 1 tips in time for the first round of the campaign.

FPL_Banger FPL Gameweek 1 Tips

Captain Pick – Alexander Isak (£8.5m)

• Fixture: Southampton (Home)

Newcastle have the easiest game this week by some distance, at home against a promoted side who conceded 63 goals last season (for context, Birmingham conceded 65 in the same league and were relegated).

Saints’ porous defence combined with Newcastle’s impressive home form (2nd highest for goals scored at home last season just behind Man City) makes this a fixture that must be targeted.

Alexander Isak has had a full rest over the summer with Sweden failing to qualify for the Euros, and he looks primed for a top season. We all remember what Newcastle did to Sheffield United last season, and I’ll happily take another 8-0..

Goalkeeper – Nick Pope (£5m)

• Fixture: Southampton (Home)

Newcastle fans have been at odds over the past week, debating if Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento will keep their starting positions with Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier lurking in the shadows. While Burn has been playing at center back in pre-season, the possible signing of Marc Guehi could push Burn back to the left, forcing Hall out. 

With so much uncertainty over the identity of the Newcastle back four (despite some tantalizing fixtures), the logical pick is Nick Pope.

An ever-reliable FPL asset when fit, since Pope arrived on Tyneside, Newcastle have averaged 1.9 points and 0.92 goals conceded per game when Pope has played.

Without Pope, Newcastle have averaged 1.3 points and 1.9 goals conceded in the same period. His return changes everything.

Defender – Jarell Quansah (£4.5m)

• Fixture: Ipswich (Away)

Before you ask “who??” Quansah has started all four games in pre-season for Liverpool, looking assured and ready for GW1.

Liverpool have great fixtures, and while Ibou Konate is lurking in the background, even if Quansah is occasionally benched, as a center back he is unlikely to come on as a substitute (so no dreaded 1-pointers).

If Quansah can hold down his place from pre-season, you’re getting a cheap defender who plays Ipswich, Brentford, Forest and Bournemouth in the first five GWs.

Midfielder – Jacob Murphy (£5.5m)

• Fixture: Southampton (Home)

If they gave out awards for pre-season, Jacob Murphy would have taken home the lot. Five goals and three assists for the man who has claimed the starting berth on Newcastle’s right wing. And he’s £2m cheaper than Anthony Gordon.

With everyone you know already owning Alexander Isak in anticipation of GW1, a second route into the Newcastle attack just makes sense. With plenty of other decent £5.5m midfielders including Emile Smith Rowe, Yankuba Minteh and Daichi Kamada, there are plenty of alternatives when Murphy’s time is up.

Forward – Chris Wood (£6m)

• Fixture: Bournemouth (Home)

If you weren’t paying attention to Nottingham Forest last season then you might have missed the mini-renaissance that Chris Wood experienced under Nuno Espirito Santo.

11 goals in 16 since the Portuguese coach arrived at the City Ground (including an unforgettable hattrick against Newcastle) and persistent injury troubles suffered by Taiwo Awoniyi have seen Wood establish himself as the clear No.1 forward at Forest.

Three goals and two assists in pre-season sets him up nicely to start the season as Forest face just one top four team in their first 10 games.

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