FPL tips and team of the week: Eze, Fernandes and Mateta should shine this week

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, midfielder, £8.4m – away at Southampton

The underlying statistics are screaming out for us to pick Fernandes this week.

The Manchester United talisman has been unlucky to have no returns so far this season.

His xGI is two, he has had eight shots (Salah has had just nine and scored three times), four in the box and two big chances.

Couple that with Southampton’s defence, which is bottom six for shots conceded, shots in the box conceded, shots on target conceded, expected goals conceded (xGC) and has given up 13 big chances!

Points incoming for Bruno.

Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, midfielder, £12.7m – home to Nottingham Forest

Salah is in this team until his form dips or the fixtures change and this week he is captain over Erling Haaland.

Both juggernauts could get double-digit returns, but Salah edges it with his goals earning more points as a midfielder.

Forest are actually a top-three defence so far based on xGC and shots conceded – and they have allowed a league-lowest 12 shots in the box – so there is a small concern they manage to cramp Liverpool’s attacking flair.

That, plus a Champions League away game in Milan after this (potential rotation) and a tight budget are why there’s no Liverpool triple-up in this team of the week.

Eberechi Eze, Crystal Palace, midfielder, £6.9m – home to Leicester City

Eze is a steal at £6.9m. He scored last time out at Chelsea with maximum bonus and, bar a refereeing howler on the opening day, should have had two goals in three games.

The England player is a shot monster – 15 this season is the second-most of all midfielders – and we think he is on penalties too.

Leicester have conceded 18 shots on target in three games, Eze has five on target – that equals a decent chance of another goal.

Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, midfielder, £5.1m – home to Everton

Having a Villa asset feels important this week and Rogers is the next best pick if you can’t afford Ollie Watkins (£8.9m).

His two-goal performance for England Under-21s in midweek is a sign of his potential.

Unlike most of the players in this week’s team, there are no underlying stats to back-up Rogers’ inclusion – sometimes you have to go with your gut and the eye test!