FPL experts' MUST-HAVES for start of 2024/25

The Scout's panel of Fantasy Premier League experts reveal their top four picks and then explain their choices.

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Lee Bonfield (@FPLFamily)

With 67 of his 78 shots last season coming from inside the box, Alexander Isak (£8.5m) is a constant threat and should lead the line this season, whether Callum Wilson (£7.0m) is fit or not. Erling Haaland (£15.0m) feels necessary. With many of the premium midfielders likely to be eased back in after the Euros, the budget is there to go with Manchester City's No 9. I'll also likely play it safe, knowing it's easier to downgrade from Haaland than need to find significant funds to get to him.

Ollie Watkins (£9.0m) scored 19 goals without penalties last season and was Aston Villa's main man. Add 18 assists and he's everything you want in an FPL asset. He could easily have been £10.0m, so at £9.0m, he feels like a bargain. Without Michael Olise in the side, I can see Crystal Palace building around Eberechi Eze (£7.0m). I loved the addition of Adam Wharton (£5.0m) in midfield as well, which is the insurance policy Eze needs to do what he does best in attack. 

Pranil Sheth (@lateriser12)

Newcastle United have two home matches in the first three Gameweeks, both of whom are against relatively poor defences. Isak, along with Anthony Gordon (£7.5m), should do really well in those encounters, particularly with Wilson's fitness in doubt.

Under Arne Slot, I am expecting Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) to play as more inside forward. He is fully rested and has a great run of fixtures. Being a strong captaincy option in four out of the first five fixtures, I don't see myself going without Salah.

Utkarsh Dalmia (@ZopharFPL)

With Wilson a doubt for the start of the season, I really like Isak for Newcastle's first three fixtures. Meanwhile, Liverpool have the best five opening matches in the league and Slot's wingers traditionally play as inside forwards, meaning Salah should get loads of chances.

Daniel Munoz (£5.0m) plays as a wing-back for a Palace side who ranked among the top six defences last season for underlying data. He offers a huge attacking threat and has good opening fixtures. Josko Gvardiol (£6.0m) is nailed-on in the left-back berth for Man City and often operated like a left winger at the end of last season. He provides a goal threat from both open play and set-pieces.

Nick Harris (@WGTA_Nick)

Isak starts the season with a home match against Southampton and looks a huge force in a position with few options. At £8.5m, he doesn't break the bank either. Haaland may be £15.0m, but his explosive potential and eye for goal means to go without him represents a massive risk.

Newcastle have some excellent fixtures, so doubling up with Gordon looks good as he should be extremely dangerous down the wing. Gordon was unfortunate to not be involved more in the Euros, but that should mean he remains relatively fresh for the new season. At Chelsea, Christopher Nkunku (£6.5m) didn't have too many opportunities last season due to injury, but the Frenchman is raring to go as per pre-season and represents an exceptional attacking threat, having scored 47 goals in 119 Bundesliga appearances before moving to Stamford Bridge.

Gianni Buttice (@GianniButtice)

Isak ended the season so well, has had a summer break and the fixtures offer a high points ceiling. Nkunku has been favourably priced and offers some security to those that can't afford Cole Palmer (£10.5m). Regardless of owning the Englishman, I want Nkunku in my team.

Palace are a better defence than many give them credit for and I think Dean Henderson (£4.5m) is the best £4.5m goalkeeper in the game, especially given the early season fixtures. Like Palace, Everton have very good defensive data from last season and have lots of affordable defensive options. At £4.5m, Vitalii Mykolenko (£4.5m) feels like the best value. 

Pras (@Pras_FPL)

I think Isak with great fixtures is the best forward to start with, based on value and potential. Eze is rumoured with a move away from Palace, but subject to staying, he is again a great pick who should be even more of a talisman and also on penalties for an Eagles side that finished last season so well.

I also think Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) is the standout Arsenal attacker with penalties and corners, despite Martin Odegaard (£8.5m) and Kai Havertz (£8.0m) offering good value. Finally, I am expecting Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) to be just as attacking under Slot, and with the best opening fixtures, I want a part of the upside Trent can bring.

Harry Daniels (@FPL_Harry)

Isak looks a fantastic option and with Newcastle's opening fixtures combined with the form he has shown when given minutes, £8.5m is a steal. Mykolenko may seem a strange second choice, but given the pricing of the attackers making Salah v Haaland v Phil Foden (£9.5m) v Palmer a difficult decision, it's hard to say any of these are must-haves. Mykolenko looks great value in that Everton defence given their short-term fixtures.

Salah is third given Liverpool's fixtures and offering a reliable captaincy option early on. My final pick is Nkunku. Some managers will be put off based on his injury record last season, but before that it was never a problem. He looks like a great option in Gameweek 1 when the budget is tight.

Oscar (@FPLFocal) 

Alexander-Arnold is at his cheapest price in five seasons, while Liverpool have the best opening fixtures and face Ipswich Town in Gameweek 1. I am finding him impossible to resist!

Isak returned 21 goals and four assists in 27 starts last season. Newcastle are a force at St. James' Park, only Liverpool had a higher Expected Goals (xG) in home fixtures in 2023/24. To top it off they're home to promoted Southampton in Gameweek 1, so I'm expecting lots of goals in.

At Palace, Eze had a better minutes per Expected Goal Involvement (xGI) last season than the likes of Son Heung-min (£10.0m), Watkins and Foden, to name a few. He has reasonably good opening fixtures - though if Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m) misses the start of the season due to a deep run at the Olympics, I'll have to rethink the pick.

Brighton's Joao Pedro (£5.5m) withdrew from Brighton's pre-season tour with an injury, but if he's fit ahead of Gameweek 1, he's an immense pick for only £5.5m, compared with the likes of Rodrigo Muniz (£6.0m), Yoane Wissa (£6.0m) and Matheus Cunha (£6.5m).

Mark McGettigan (@FPLGeneral)

Isak is a must-have for Gameweek 1 given Newcastle's opening favorable fixtures. It's a big risk to go without Haaland from the start as he's the best captaincy candidate for Gameweek 2 at home to promoted Ipswich.

If Palace can manage to hold on to Eze, I'm expecting a big season from him as their talisman. The opening fixtures are good for the Eagles. Munoz will be overlooked by many due to his £0.5m price rise, but he was one of the best attacking defenders in the league towards the end of last season. 

Az Phillips (@FPLBlackBox_Az)

I'm actually surprised that at the time of writing, nearly half the game (46 per cent of managers) don't currently own Isak. Liverpool's Salah against Ipswich is obviously a tempting captain choice, but an opening fixture at St. James' Park cannot be ignored. It's about the toughest place to go and I'm expecting Newcastle to score at least a couple goals, with Isak heavily involved. If he goes big in Gameweek 1, it may be hard for those without him to snap him without fairly major surgery.

Palmer actually has a slightly higher ownership than Isak at the time of writing (55 per cent), but I'm seeing quite a few trying to "cover" the Chelsea man with the cheaper Nkunku. While Nkunku could be in for a good campaign, Chelsea's opening fixtures beyond Gameweek 1 at home to Man City are incredibly promising and last season's highest-scoring player feels like a priority to me, rather than a bit of an unknown entity in the Frenchman.

Sam Bonfield (@FPLFamily)

Newcastle won't have the added pressure of European football this season, and with great fixtures to start the campaign, as well as no international football this summer, Isak feels an important pick.

A lot of managers will go without Haaland due to his price. The pricing scares me too, however within a couple of weeks, he could be downgraded to Foden to free-up funds. I don't want to start the season with Foden over Haaland, though, as Haaland has had a summer off while Foden went all the way to the final of the Euros with England.

Salah also had the summer off and I am expecting him to be important for Slot in the early weeks, especially with the likes of Darwin Nunez (£7.5m), Cody Gakpo (£7.5m) and Luis Diaz (£7.5m) going deep into their international competitions over the summer. Finally, an Aston Villa defender feels important. Ezri Konsa (£4.5m) is my preferred pick simply because he is cheaper than most of the others and should perform well in the new Bonus Points System (BPS). 

Ben Crabtree (@FC_CrabDogg)

Gordon really stepped up last season and I expect him to be raring to go after being snubbed for so much of the Euros. He has brilliant goal and assist potential without taking up much budget. Meanwhile, Gordon's team-mate Isak could be in my team all season if he stays fit.

While it'll be possible to do really well without Haaland at the start, I don't want to have to rip up my team to find the money for him. Better to own him and sell when the time is right. A fully fit Kevin De Bruyne (£9.5m) looks great to start the season with. A few Man City players have become key as well, but no one makes them tick like De Bruyne. 

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