Gianni Buttice Offers Five Stats To Make You Re-Think Your FPL Gameweek 3 Picks

Gianni Buttice here, and I’ve teamed up with SportsCasting to provide you with weekly FPL tips and analysis. Kicking off with Gameweek 3, I’ve prepared five statistics to make you re-think your selections.

As seen weekly on Sky Sports News and the Premier League’s Fantasy Show, I offer Fantasy Premier League tips, insight, and analysis.

Now teaming up with SportsCasting, our weekly series will help gear you up for the season ahead, kicking things off with some statistics to help aid your FPL Gameweek 3 picks.

Gianni Buttice: Five Stats To Make You Re-Think Your FPL Gameweek 3 Picks

Eyes On Rico

Defender Rico Lewis (4.5 million) had as many penalty area touches (11) as Erling Haaland in Gameweek 2. The Norwegian may have earned the headlines for his hat trick, but it was the young Englishman who was considered player of the match by many Manchester City fans despite only earning 2 points compared to Haalands 17.

Lewis has played every minute so far in the Premier League this season and has hit the bar and had a goal ruled out. Surely attacking returns are due?

Mbeumo Bangs Without Toney

Bryan Mbeumo (7.0 million) is owned by only 5% of managers, and since 2022, his numbers when playing with and without Ivan Toney in the XI are like night and day.

Playing alongside Toney, Mbeumo averages 3.37 points per game. 12 attacking returns in 35 matches. Without Toney however, where Mbeumo often plays more centrally and takes penalties, he averages 6.56 points per game. 23 attacking returns in 25 matches.

With Southampton at home up next, this week feels like a good entry point for the Cameroonian.

Don’t Sell Eze

Eberechi Eze (7.0 million) has had more shots than any other player this season and ranks fifth of all players in the league for the biggest underperformance of his Expected Goal total.

Whilst he has blanked in both his games, owners should be encouraged by his shot volume and not that he scored and assisted in the Carabao Cup midweek.

You Get What You Pay For

Premium players have been delivering in every position.

The three 5.5 million goalkeepers are all ranked in the top four, with big points coming from David Raya and Alisson Becker in particular.

The game’s most expensive defender, Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.0 million), has produced an 8 and 6 pointer, and the four midfielders priced at 10.0 million or more have all produced huge points so far, with Mohamed Salah (24 points), Cole Palmer (19 points), Bukayo Saka (18 points), and Son Heung-min (18 points) all ranking in the top 5 midfielders so far.

Up top, Erling Haaland has four goals already and is the highest-ranked forward.

Newcastle Not So Solid

Newcastle’s defence is looking shaky, and they rank 19th best for expected goals conceded with 4.03 XGC. Only Ipswich should have conceded fewer (6.00 XGC).

Both Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento were popular 4.5 million options but, with Newcastle looking poor at the back and both players now

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