Fantasy Premier League Tips: Is Haaland Still Worth It and Team of the Week Suggestions

What to Do with Erling Haaland?

Erling Haaland started the season strong, averaging 12.6 points in his first five gameweeks, but he's since slowed to just two points per game in the past three weeks. At a hefty £15.4m, managers may start to question whether the City striker’s price tag is justified, particularly as other players offer greater consistency for their cost. Still, with a favorable matchup against Southampton (one of the league’s more vulnerable defenses) this weekend, FPL experts suggest giving Haaland another week as captain. If he blanks again, reallocating the funds tied up in Haaland might be worth considering.

The following team lineup fits within a £100m budget and is optimized based on recent performance, fixtures, and price value for a Free Hit strategy:

Goalkeeper and Defense

• Robert Sanchez (Chelsea, £4.7m) – Home to Newcastle, with Newcastle struggling offensively recently, Sanchez could secure clean sheet points, and his average of 4.5 saves per game is a bonus.
• Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City, £6.1m) – City faces Southampton, who have scored just six goals. Gvardiol’s recent attacking form makes him a promising pick.
• Rico Lewis (Manchester City, £4.8m) – Another City defensive asset, Lewis is solid for both minutes and offensive stats, providing consistency at a lower price.
• Nathan Collins (Brentford, £4.5m) – Facing Ipswich, Collins has shown attacking potential this season, making him a valuable budget defender with good fixtures.

Midfield

• Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford, £7.6m) – With 40 points in just four home games, Mbeumo is a high-value pick this week.
• Cole Palmer (Chelsea, £10.9m) – Palmer’s strong home form makes him an appealing choice, especially with Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah in a tough matchup this week.
• Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham, £6.2m) – Facing Crystal Palace, Kulusevski’s stats in key passes and box touches make him a great differential.
• Dwight McNeil (Everton, £5.8m) – With Everton facing Fulham, McNeil’s strong involvement in goal-scoring makes him a budget-friendly option.
• Georginio Rutter (Brighton, £5.5m) – Rutter has been in great form lately, and a matchup against Wolves should allow him to continue his recent streak of goals and assists.

Strikers

• Erling Haaland (Manchester City, £15.4m) – Set as captain, he remains a strong option this week against Southampton.
• Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa, £9.1m) – Watkins has been consistent, with five goals and an assist in his last five games. With Villa facing Bournemouth, he’s a standout pick.

Bench

• Matt Turner (Crystal Palace, £4.0m) – A budget-friendly goalkeeper option.
• Lucas Digne (Aston Villa, £4.6m) – Digne has held his starting position and has three assists, adding value off the bench.
• Iliman Ndiaye (Everton, £5.4m) – A good budget forward option for Fulham’s fixture.
• James Justin (Leicester, £4.6m) – Facing Nottingham Forest, who struggle on the road, Justin offers both defensive and attacking potential.

Total cost: £99.2m

Players and Teams to Watch

• Player to Watch: Jorgen Strand Larsen (Wolves, £5.5m) – With upcoming fixtures against Crystal Palace and Southampton, Larsen’s recent efficiency could make him a valuable budget striker.
• Team to Target: Fulham – With a favorable run of six games, Fulham options like Raul Jimenez (£5.7m) and Antonee Robinson (£4.7m) offer good budget-friendly additions.

For FPL managers, the coming weeks could be pivotal in optimizing both budget and points potential, especially with Haaland’s performance in question and favorable fixture runs for teams like Fulham and Wolves.