A home encounter with AFC Bournemouth earns Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) a place in the best XI for Gameweek 5 of Fantasy Premier League.
The Liverpool right-back has blanked just once in his first four outings under Arne Slot, collecting three clean sheets and two bonus points.
Alexander-Arnold also boasts strong potential for assists. His 11 key passes and three big chances created both rank among the Reds’ top two players.
The England star takes his place in a 3-4-3 formation, with Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) handed the captain's armband and Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) named vice-captain.
Bart Verbruggen (Brighton) £4.5m
Brighton & Hove Albion’s goalkeeper offers many routes to returns at home to Nottingham Forest. Verbruggen has produced a clean sheet and two save points in his two appearances this season, averaging 4.5 points per match.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) £7.0m
An ownership of 31 per cent makes Alexander-Arnold the third most-popular defender in Fantasy and the second most-selected Liverpool player.
Lucas Digne (Aston Villa) £4.6m
Aston Villa’s left-back offers potential at both ends of the pitch at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Digne has created four big chances - more than any other defender in Fantasy - and has earned an assist in each of the last two Gameweeks.
Ola Aina (Nott’m Forest) £4.4m
The Nott'm Forest full-back has proven an early-season gem in Fantasy thanks to his all-round style of play. Aina has amassed five bonus points across the two matches in which he has kept a clean sheet, including an eight-point haul at Liverpool last weekend.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) £12.7m
In a Gameweek where Erling Haaland (£15.2m) faces Arsenal’s resilient defence, Salah offers a ready-made solution for the captaincy. Despite his surprise blank in Gameweek 4 against Nott'm Forest, Salah has averaged 10.8 points per match since Slot took charge. His prospects for goals are highlighted by underlying statistics. He is Liverpool’s No 1 player for shots, shots in the box, big chances and shots on target this season.
Son Heung-min (Spurs) £10.0m
There’s no doubt the Tottenham Hotspur star has disappointed this season, with three blanks in four outings. However, Son’s one successful appearance - two goals and 16 points at home to Everton - provided a reminder of his ability to serve up major points hauls. The South Korean can return to top form at home against a Brentford side who have conceded 42 shots in the box, only one fewer than promoted Southampton.
Kevin Schade (Brentford) £5.4m
The German played up front in Brentford’s EFL Cup win over Leyton Orient in midweek after Yoane Wissa (£6.1m) was sidelined for two months with an injury. Listed as a midfielder in Fantasy and costing only £5.4m, Schade could prove a great source of value for many Gameweeks to come.
Dwight McNeil (Everton) £5.4m
The Everton winger visits Leicester City as the league’s No 1 creator this season, with his 17 key passes and five big chances created showing his big potential for assists. His dead-ball delivery will be a major weapon against Leicester, who have conceded more shots from set-pieces and more headed shots than any other side.
Erling Haaland (Man City) £15.2m
Nine goals in his first four appearances have made Haaland the must-have Fantasy asset of 2024/25, and his ownership of 69 per cent is 23 per cent more than any other player. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that his record against Arsenal adds a degree of risk to handing the Manchester City star the captaincy this time around. He has managed only two goals in his last four meetings with the Gunners, blanking on both occasions last season.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) £8.9m
The Villa forward is the top transfer target ahead of Saturday’s 11:00 BST deadline, earning over 235,000 new owners for his home derby against a Wolves side who have conceded 11 goals in four matches. Watkins’ involvement in big chances - situations where the player is expected to score - suggests he is another strong alternative to Haaland for the Gameweek 5 captaincy. Indeed, the pair rank joint-top after each getting eight big chances in their first four matches.
Liam Delap (Ipswich) £5.5m
Ipswich Town’s frontman is handed his first ever appearance in the Scout Selection thanks to a very attractive fixture at Southampton. Saints have conceded a league-high 18 big chances this season, increasing the appeal of investing in their opposition’s key attackers. Delap’s three shots in the box and two big chances both rank top for Ipswich, which indicates he is the player most likely to score for the visitors at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
