As Fantasy Premier League managers can now select their 15-man squads, The Scout analyses standout budget and premium players in each position.
Mat Ryan (BHA) £4.5m
Brighton & Hove Albion’s early fixtures can make the Australia international a big target for FPL managers seeking a budget goalkeeper.
In the opening six Gameweeks, the Seagulls face just one of last season’s top nine teams.
That match takes place in Gameweek 4 when they travel to Manchester City.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Rankings (FDR), Brighton’s other five opponents in that period score three or fewer.
Brighton's first six Gameweeks
| GW | Opp | FDR | GW | Opp | FDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WAT (A) | 3 | 4 | MCI (A) | 5 |
| 2 | WHU (H) | 2 | 5 | BUR (H) | 2 |
| 3 | SOU (H) | 2 | 6 | NEW (A) | 3 |
Shane Duffy (£5.0m) was Brighton’s top-scoring player in defence last season with 115 points.
But his higher cost means many managers have turned to Ryan instead.
Indeed, Brighton boast two of the three most popular goalkeepers in FPL since the game launched last week.
Ryan is owned by 17.5 per cent, while his deputy David Button (£4.0m) sits in 22.1 per cent of squads.
Keeping busy
Although Ryan managed only six clean sheets last term, his prospects in FPL are boosted by his save points.
His total of 97 saves in 2018/19 was more than any goalkeeper priced under £5.0m in this season’s FPL game.
So even if the Seagulls concede, Ryan can still provide major value for managers from the beginning of the campaign.