FPL pre-season watch: Jota and Eze add to midfield options

Diogo Jota (£8.0m) and Eberechi Eze (£6.5m) are the latest in-form midfielders to stake a claim for a place in managers’ opening squads in 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League.

Jota was Liverpool’s standout performer in their 4-2 win over Karlsruher on Wednesday afternoon.

The Portuguese was involved in three of his side’s goals, scoring twice and supplying an assist for Cody Gakpo (£7.5m).

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A host of the Reds’ attacking players impressed as Jurgen Klopp named a different XI for each half. 

Darwin Nunez (£7.5m) scored the opener, while Gakpo, Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) and Alexis Mac Allister (£6.0m) supplied an assist apiece.

Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.0m) played as a central midfielder in the first half, which suggests he is increasingly likely to reprise his position from the latter stages of last season.

Although Alexander-Arnold is listed as a defender in Fantasy and gets points for clean sheets, Klopp’s change of tactics allows him to move into central midfield as a deep-lying playmaker when his side have possession.

Crystal Palace’s Eze has quickly picked up where he left off last season.

The winger was involved in all of his side’s goals in their 4-0 win over Crawley Town, scoring one and assisting the other three, including two goals from forward Jean-Philippe Mateta (£5.0m). 

Eze's goal v Crawley

Eze was a huge success in Fantasy after the return of Roy Hodgson as manager in Gameweek 29 last term. 

Indeed, his total of 67 points from that point was second only to the 85 of Salah among midfielders.

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The form of Jota and Eze, as well as West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen (£7.0m), adds to the wealth of midfield options in Fantasy.

Given there is also a lack of budget midfield starters in Fantasy at present, managers are investing more funds in midfield and selecting a 3-5-2 formation for their opening squads.

See: Almiron set for another strong start in FPL?