FPL experts' 2024/25 squads: FPL Focal explains his picks (2024)

The Scout's panel of Fantasy Premier League experts are revealing their current 15-man squads ahead of the Gameweek 1 deadline on Friday 16 August at 18:30 BST.

Oscar (@FPLFocal)

Goalkeepers

Mark Flekken (£4.5m): Brentford concede a higher percentage of shots outside the box relative to most teams, so Flekken should rack up save points. He was also the top-scoring £4.5m goalkeeper last season.

Hakon Valdimarsson (£4.0m): With Brentford's second goalkeeper as my back-up on the bench, I've got a guaranteed playing 'keeper whatever happens.

Defenders

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m): Liverpool's fixtures are irresistible, including Ipswich on the opening weekend, and three home fixtures in the four matches that follow. Alexander-Arnold has huge upside due to his attacking potential.

Josko Gvardiol (£6.0m): Like with Alexander-Arnold, Gvardiol offers significant upside. The Man City defender plays like a winger at times, has an eye for goal and finished last season really strongly. He has also been impressing during pre-season.

Lewis Hall (£4.5m): Hall is my super differential - this could be his breakout season. He's been immense in pre-season, producing one goal and an assist. He often pops up in central areas, which was where that goal came from. However, depending on Newcastle's transfer activity, I may yet swap the one per cent-owned Hall for Tino Livramento (£4.5m), if the latter looks a more secure starter.

Ezri Konsa (£4.5m): He rotates perfectly with Hall, but also offers some insurance just in case I'm wrong about Hall having a breakout season.

Jacob Greaves (£4.0m): Ipswich's Greaves provides further bench depth for £4.0m in case it all goes wrong. I am not planning to use him in the starting XI at any point. Wout Faes (£4.0m) and Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£4.0m) are solid £4.0m defenders too.

Midfielders

Mohamed Salah (£12.5m): It's so close, but I like what the extra £2.5m gives me going with Salah over Erling Haaland (£15.0m) as my big-hitter. Liverpool have impressed me in pre-season and Salah looks as good as ever. I am comfortable enough captaining him over the opening five Gameweeks. I could Wildcard him out in Gameweek 6 when the Reds' fixtures turn for the worse.

Bukayo Saka (£10.0m): My favourite of the premium midfielders after Salah. There's so much to like, with penalties, set-pieces and the fact he is still improving despite racking up 200+ points in each of the last two seasons.

Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m): Like Salah and Saka, Fernandes is also on penalties and set-pieces, while everything goes through him. I also love a home fixture in Gameweek 1, with the Red Devils hosting Fulham. Manchester United have a fairly solid block of opening matches, including Southampton in Gameweek 4.

Eberechi Eze (£7.0m): Crystal Palace have been immense under Oliver Glasner, although they have lost Michael Olise this summer and Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m) is still at the Olympics. Eze is another on penalty duties, while his 140 minutes per Expected Goal Involvement (xGI) last season was actually better than the likes of Son Heung-min (£10.0m), Ollie Watkins (£9.0m) and Dominic Solanke (£7.5m).

Morgan Rogers (£5.0m): Rogers has been excellent in pre-season for Aston Villa and ended the 2023/24 season on a high. A really nice option as the cheapest of my front eight.

Forwards

Alexander Isak (£8.5m): The most-owned player in the game, currently sitting at 55 per cent, for obvious reasons. Newcastle can be a force at home and host promoted Southampton in Gameweek 1, which feels like it could be a goal fest.

Kai Havertz (£8.0m): Another differential pick, owned by only 13 per cent of managers. I am fully expecting him to lead the line for Arsenal. Havertz scored eight goals and returned six assists in the final 13 games last season after he was deployed as a centre-forward.

Rodrigo Muniz (£6.0m): Muniz, who I plan to rotate with Rogers, has favourable fixtures against promoted Leicester and Ipswich in Gameweeks 2 and 3.

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