As the Premier League's imminent return draws near, so does the resurgence of FPL excitement. With this in mind, we're here to provide you with some valuable pointers for setting up your team, along with insightful betting tips in anticipation of the upcoming season. **The Obvious Players** If you can afford to spend a sizeable chunk of your FPL budget on big names, then there are certain individuals that should unquestionably feature on your team. At the forefront of this list is **Erling Haaland**, who secured an impressive league high 272 Fantasy Points last season, thanks to his remarkable tally of 36 goals and 8 assists. His price has now increased to 14.0, making him the most expensive player by a considerable margin. We don’t expect him to slow down this season and, in fact, we have two betting offers that suggest he will replicate last season's achievements by securing the golden boot award and leading Manchester City to victory in the Premier League. We have the best odds on this among all betting sites in Nigeria, and you can take advantage of them here:
Two more standout players to consider are former Golden Boot winners: **Harry Kane** and **Mo Salah**. While Erling Haaland understandably stole the spotlight last season, Kane (263) secured second place and Salah (239) landed in third on the points' leaderboard. Beyond their goal-scoring abilities, both players also serve as penalty takers for their respective teams and contribute assists. Priced at 12.5 apiece, they might not be budget-friendly options, but their performance justifies the investment. **Set-Piece Takers** When constructing your FPL teams, it's crucial to consider three pivotal attacking set-piece aspects: penalties, free kicks, and corner kicks. Penalties directly result in goals, free kicks have the potential to lead to both assists and goals, and corner kicks can lead to assists. The strategic approach when selecting the ideal player based on set-pieces involves choosing a player who is in charge of two of these three categories for his club. However, there are exceptional instances where a single player is primarily responsible for all three key set-pieces, rendering them an indispensable addition to your team. These players are **Bruno Fernandes** (Manchester United), **Eberechi Eze** (Crystal Palace), **Morgan Gibbs-White** (Nottingham Forest), **Oliver Norwood** (Sheffield United), and **Saïd Benrahma** (West Ham United). The significance of **Bruno Fernandes** (8.5) to Manchester United cannot be overstated. With the recent acquisition of Rasmus Højlund and the expected outstanding performance of Marcus Rashford, there is a potential for an uptick in Fernandes' assists count from open play, besides his involvement in set-pieces. Last season, he provided only 8 assists in the league because of the club's struggle to secure goals from their striking position. However, with this concern now addressed, we believe he’ll have a much improved performance this season. This expected improvement by the newly appointed club captain should keep Manchester United in the Top 4. At odds of 1.71, BetKing presents the best odds for this for our online sports betting enthusiasts.
Additional set-piece takers worth monitoring include **Martin Ødegaard** of Arsenal, who handles both corner kicks and free kicks; Chelsea’s new signing, **Christopher Nkunku**, responsible for penalties and free kicks; **Trent Alexander-Arnold** of Liverpool, adept at free kicks and corners; **Kieran Trippier** of Newcastle, managing free kicks and corners; and **James Madison** of Tottenham, in charge of free kicks and corners. **The Arsenal Trio** Within the realm of FPL, where statistics hold more weight than actual on-field performances, Arsenal boasts a roster filled with remarkable talents. Amidst this lineup, three players stand out as essential additions to your shortlist. **Martin Ødegaard**, tallying 212 points, clinched the 4th spot in FPL points for the season, trailing only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Mo Salah. Likewise, **Bukayo Saka** (202) and **Gabriel Martinelli** (198) made the top 10, securing the 6th and 7th ranks, respectively. Expectedly, their prices have risen this season after being available at budget-friendly rates last year. Ødegaard and Saka are priced at 8.5, while Martinelli is listed at 8.0. With Arsenal poised for a promising season, we not only project these three players to excel in their FPL campaigns, but we also believe they’ll have outstanding performances in the Premier League, making them a regular **Over 2.5 Goals** candidate, especially at the Emirates. Our bet of the day suggests that Arsenal will finish in second place, trailing Manchester City. This wager provides an opportunity to triple your investment, offering attractive odds for potential gains.
**Risks Worth Taking** Priced at 8.0, **Trent Alexander-Arnold** stands as this season's most expensive defender by a mile. However, his value could be justified for several reasons. Notably, he assumes the roles of Liverpool's primary free-kick and corner-kick taker, and his recent deployment in the midfield positions him for increased opportunities to contribute both goals and assists. With Alisson in goal and Virgil van Dijk in defense, Liverpool is expected to keep between 14 - 17 clean sheets this season, which means even more points for Trent Alexander Arnold. Last season was a down year for him by his standards as he only managed 156 fantasy points, but we expect an improvement this season. Similarly to Alexander-Arnold, **Kieran Trippier** stands out as a defender deserving of consideration given his potential to contribute to both offensive and defensive aspects of the game. Valued at 6.5, he comes at a high cost for a defender, but his significance in dead-ball scenarios, combined with Newcastle's robust defensive capabilities, positions him as a consistent contender for not only high points but also bonus points. Brentford’s **Bryan Mbeumo** is also a player who could be worth taking a bet on. Last season, Ivan Toney notched up 182 points (10th overall), but Mbeumo wasn’t far off with 150. This season, Ivan Toney will miss the first half of the season because of a suspension, meaning an increased role for Bryan Mbeumo. He’ll take charge of penalties, and we could see him take a few free kicks as well. At just 6.5, he could be worth having till Toney returns. **The Bargains (Below 6.5)** Last season, we saw multiple bargains below the 6.5 price. Most notable were Manchester United’s **Marcus Rashford** who had a fantastic return of 205 points, the aforementioned Arsenal trio of **Martin Ødegaard**, **Bukayo Saka** and **Gabriel Martinelli** and Aston Villa’s **Ollie Watkins** who had 175 points. This season, we have players below that could be worth a punt. Leading the list is **Anthony Martial**, who has a history of injuries but now comes at a reduced value of 6.5. Another option is **Julian Alvarez**, the World Cup-winning player from Man City, who is also available at this price point. Following his impressive performance from last season, where he had 103 points despite serving as a backup striker, he might provide good value for the investment this year. Brighton’s young striker, **Evan Ferguson** is also worth a look at 6.0. He had 65 points last season which is a decent return for an 18-year-old. We expect him to have more playing time this season which we believe would see him reach triple-digit points. **Dominic Calvert Lewin** is perhaps the most prominent name in this range. The Everton forward has faced a string of unfortunate injuries in the last 18 months, affecting his performance. However, during his peak condition, he has proven to be one of the league's top-notch goalscorers. If he maintains good health throughout this season, there's a possibility that he could prove to be a valuable investment.