As Fantasy Premier League managers can now select their 15-man squads, The Scout analyses standout budget and premium players in each position.
Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) LIV
Fantasy managers are already banking on a repeat performance from last season's top scorer.
Salah is the most popular player in FPL, despite a hefty rise in price from £9.0m to £13.0m.
The midfielder is owned by 46.2 per cent of managers, who will be hoping his consistency and ability to produce big points hauls will again make him one of the most reliable captain options.
FPL record breaker
Salah returned a goal or an assist in 27 of his 36 Gameweek appearances during his first season at Liverpool.
He produced 32 goals and 12 assists in 2017/18, with his total of 303 points the highest ever in FPL.
He also delivered double-digit hauls on 15 occasions.
The underlying statistics strengthen his appeal.
Salah's 43 big chances last season were the most of any player in the league. These are defined as chances where the player receiving the pass is expected to score.
And only Harry Kane (£12.5m) bettered his totals of 144 shots, 113 of which were inside the penalty area, and 67 on target.
The clincher for many is Liverpool's kind opening run of opponents.
Only one of their first six matches scores more than three in the Fixture Difficulty Ranking (FDR).
Liverpool's opening six Gameweeks
| GW | Opponent | Venue | FDR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Ham | H | 2 |
| 2 | Crystal Palace | A | 3 |
| 3 | Brighton | H | 2 |
| 4 | Leicester | A | 3 |
| 5 | Spurs | A | 4 |
| 6 | Southampton | H | 2 |
This provides Salah with the platform to make his mark immediately and secure a place as a must-have option in FPL squads once again.