Has MUST-HAVE Salah reclaimed crown as best player in FPL?

The Scout assesses whether Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) is now the MUST-HAVE player to own in 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League, after the Liverpool talisman extended his lead at the top of the overall standings.

In a Gameweek where a number of premium big-hitters disappointed, Salah continued his impressive start under Arne Slot by scoring the hosts’ winner in a 2-1 turnaround victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Egyptian has a mere TWO blanks across 10 appearances under the new head coach, averaging 9.3 points per match thanks to seven goals and five assists.

Salah has been far more consistent than his fellow big-hitters Erling Haaland (£15.3m) and Cole Palmer (£11.0m), who each suffered their FOURTH blank of the campaign at the weekend.

That highlights the Liverpool star’s growing appeal as the most trustworthy captaincy option in Fantasy right now, while his potential for huge points hauls only adds to Salah’s prospects. Indeed, his SIX double-figure scores are at least TWICE the total of any other player. 

The contrasting recent form of Salah and Haaland has made a big impact on the plans of managers ahead of Saturday’s 11:00 GMT deadline.

Whereas Salah is the second most-bought player in the Gameweek, with over 157,000 new owners, Haaland – who has blanked in four of his last five appearances – is the most-sold, moved on by 193,000+ managers as more shift their funds into midfield.

Premium stars' output compared

How Salah’s goal threat compares

The underlying statistics show that Haaland, as the focal point of Man City's attack, is far and away the player with the greatest goal threat in Fantasy.

The Norwegian's 48 shots, 44 shots in the box and 16 big chances – situations where the player is expected to score – are all league-leading totals. Despite his recent drought, Haaland's 11 goals give him a three-goal advantage over any rival in his quest for a third successive Golden Boot.

But Salah's numbers are also impressive – his 28 shots in the box and 23.3 per cent goal conversion each rank second in the analysis.

Notably, all but two of the Liverpool star's 30 efforts have come from inside the opposition penalty area, an indication he is concentrating his shots in key areas. 

Palmer has had two more shots than Salah's 30, but only 19 of the Chelsea midfielder's attempts have been from inside the box.

Premium stars' goal threat 24/25

How Salah’s creativity compares

By combining each player's goal threat with their creativity, you get a better idea of their all-round prospects for points in Fantasy.

Saka and Palmer's potential for assists is particularly impressive here, with 13 and 10 big chances created respectively. Added to his own eight big chances, this means that Palmer has been involved in 18 such opportunities, more than any other player this season.

Similarly, Salah's creativity also helps to lift his output. He has created five big chances on top of 11 of his own, giving him a total of 16 big-chance involvements. 

Haaland's statistics help to highlight the contrast in his attacking output. He drops from first for goal threat to LAST for assist potential in terms of key passes and big chances created.

Overall, when all of these factors are combined, Salah has either scored or assisted 63 per cent of the goals scored by his team while he has been on the pitch this season, the highest share among the premium players in Fantasy.

Premium stars' creativity 24/25

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*applies to time when player is selected

How does Salah compare with last season?

At face value, the underlying numbers per match suggest there's not much difference from last season, with Salah near-identical to his 2023/24 numbers for shots in the box, big chances and big chances created.

However, the Egyptian has clearly upped his finishing skills this time around, with his goal conversion rate rising from 15.8 per cent to 23.3 per cent.

Salah goal threat comparison

Salah's huge improvement in dribbling is also an indication that he is being afforded more freedom to impact matters. Indeed, he has already made more successful dribbles in the final third than he managed over the whole of last season.

What is also noticeable here is that Salah has not made a single through-ball this season, whereas his total of 18 from 2023/34 was a team-high.

When that factor is combined with his upturn in dribbles, it appears that the Egyptian is less focused on the runs of his team-mates in the final third and is back to being a little more single-minded when attacking.

Salah dribbles and through-balls comparison

How does Liverpool's goal threat compare under Slot?

Liverpool's team statistics can also help add more insight into their strong start under Slot.

Last season, Liverpool had a league-high 790 shots, but only 129 of those efforts – or 16.3 per cent – were big chances. That was their lowest ratio for this statistic across Klopp's seven-year tenure.

Now, after the opening 10 Gameweeks under Slot, the Reds lead the way on 37 big chances. This means that 26.2 per cent of their shots in 2024/25 have been big chances, higher than ANY of Klopp's seasons at the helm. 

There seems to be a definite move away from Liverpool's players producing more speculative efforts and a focus instead on waiting for more gilt-edged scoring opportunities. 

Slot v Klopp's Liverpool

Could Salah set single-season FPL record?

If Salah remains at the same pace of 9.3 points per match, he would finish on 353 points, a BIG increase on the record of 303 points in an FPL season, which the Egyptian himself set in his debut 2017/18 campaign for Liverpool.

While that is very much speculative at this early point of the season, a look at the statistics certainly show a steady decline in defensive resolve among Salah’s opponents since he made his debut.

In 2017/18, for example, only TWO clubs conceded at least 80 big chances. But last season, this applied to as many as 16 clubs.

Furthermore, in 2017/18, Bournemouth’s 79 big chances allowed was the THIRD-WORST total, whereas last season Newcastle’s 79 big chances was the FOURTH-BEST record. 

Clubs struggled to keep clean sheets last season as a result. Only seven of them managed at least 10, compared with 14 clubs in 2021/22.

This season already looks encouraging for attackers facing weaker defences. Ipswich Town and Leicester City have conceded 45 and 39 big chances over the opening 10 Gameweeks – more than the 38 of Sheffield United at this stage last season, and they went on to finish bottom.

Big chances (BC) conceded per season