Midfielders have been quick to show why a 3-5-2 formation is the most-popular for managers in 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League.
Of the 31 players to deliver 20+ points in the first four Gameweeks, as many as 15 are midfielders.
See: All you need as FPL returns
Top-scoring players by position 2023/24
| Position | 25+ points | 20+ points |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | 0 | 2 |
| Defender | 1 | 5 |
| Midfielder | 8 | 15 |
| Forward | 4 | 9 |
Furthermore, eight of the 15 players to claim 25+ points are midfielders, highlighting their dominance of the player standings.
Although budget midfielders are currently outperforming their more expensive counterparts, the underlying goal threat numbers tell a different story.
Top midfielders for goal threat
| Player | Shots | Shots in box | Big chances | SOT* | G** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eze (£6.3m) | 19 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Rashford (£8.9m) | 14 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Salah (£12.5m) | 14 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| Danjuma (£5.5m) | 14 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| Odegaard (£8.5m) | 14 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| Maddison (£7.8m) | 13 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
| Bowen (£7.1m) | 13 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Fernandes (£8.4m) | 13 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
*Shots on target **Goals
Of the eight midfielders to produce at least 13 shots in the early stages of 2023/24, only two cost less than £7.0m.
Best premium midfielders to target
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) £12.5m
Liverpool’s Egyptian is one of only two players – along with Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Cristian Romero (£4.7m) – to both start and produce returns in each of the first four Gameweeks.
Salah has blanked only once in his last 14 matches, which coincides with a change of formation towards the end of last season.
Although he has yet to hit top form in 2023/24, the numbers indicate Salah can bring in major hauls over the upcoming schedule.
Salah's goal v Aston Villa
.@Darwinn99 and @MoSalah combining for today's third of the afternoon 🔗 pic.twitter.com/vPWvGFJAJ8
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 3, 2023
His 14 shots and seven shots on target both place second among midfielders and are more than any team-mate.
In addition, he has created four big chances, joint-top among all players in Fantasy.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), five of Liverpool’s next seven matches score only two.
Marcus Rashford (Man Utd) £8.9m
His recent displays have underlined why managers should afford their premium stars more patience.
Rashford was sold by 557,000 managers in Gameweek 3 after playing up front and blanking in Manchester United’s first two matches.
But since moving back to his favoured role on the left flank, he has produced one goal and two assists in his two subsequent outings.
Rashford’s total of 12 shots in the box is more than any other midfielder in the first four Gameweeks.
Three of his next five matches score only two in the FDR, giving him the chance to maintain his improving output.
James Maddison (Spurs) £7.8m
The Spurs playmaker has immediately settled into his new surroundings following his summer move from Leicester City.
Maddison’s all-round influence on his new club is highlighted by his two goals and two assists, with only a single blank in four appearances under Ange Postecoglou.
His 10 key passes, 13 shots and nine shots on target are all team-leading totals, with the latter placing second only to the 10 of Erling Haaland (£14.1m) this season.
Maddison has a very favourable run of fixtures to reward his growing 28 per cent ownership.
According to the FDR, four of Spurs’ next six matches score two.
Son Heung-min (Spurs) £9.1m
A move up front in Spurs’ 5-2 win at Burnley has transformed the South Korean’s fortunes.
Son ended a run of three straight blanks by scoring a hat-trick to claim a 20-point return.
That has made him the most-bought player ahead of Gameweek 5, earning over 403,000 new owners for a home encounter with Sheffield United.
If Son continues as Spurs’ lone forward for the rest of 2023/24, he can get back to his best in Postecoglou’s free-scoring side.
He delivered 220+ points in back-to-back seasons prior to his disappointing 2022/23 campaign.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) £8.7m
The Arsenal winger has started the season strongly, with two goals, an assist and only one blank in his first four outings.
Saka’s momentum will shortly be tested in Gameweek 6, when the Gunners embark on a six-match run that includes encounters with Spurs, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle United.
Nonetheless, the underlying numbers show the England international could be the key figure for Mikel Arteta’s side in that spell.
Saka has produced 10 shots in the box and 14 key passes, ranking second among midfielders for both statistics.
Raheem Sterling (Chelsea) £7.2m
A 19-point haul against Luton Town in Gameweek 3 has helped the Chelsea star’s ownership rise to 16 per cent.
Although Sterling disappointed those backers with a blank at home to Nottingham Forest, his fixtures still offer encouragement.
Chelsea face AFC Bournemouth, Fulham and Burnley in the next four Gameweeks before their schedule takes a turn for the worse.
Sterling’s nine shots in the box places second for Chelsea and is bettered by only three other midfielders.