Are Haaland and Salah BOTH must-haves in FPL?

The Scout shows managers how to build a Fantasy Premier League squad including Erling Haaland (£15.2m) AND Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) after their strong starts to the season.

Haaland and Salah have underlined their importance in Fantasy by each producing a record-breaking 41 points over the first three Gameweeks of 2024/25.

The premium-priced pair have eclipsed the previous high of 40 points set by Michail Antonio (£5.5m) between Gameweeks 1-3 at the start of the 2021/22 season.

Most points after three Gameweeks

Manchester City’s Haaland has scored seven goals and collected eight bonus points, delivering back-to-back hat-tricks and 17-point hauls against Ipswich Town and West Ham United. 

Haaland is the most-bought player in 2024/25 Fantasy, earning 1.3million transfers in already, while he is also the most-popular asset in the game, with an ownership now approaching 65 per cent. 

When assessed against his previous two Fantasy campaigns, it's clear that Haaland's incredible start has mainly been down to a huge upturn in his finishing - he has converted an astounding 50 PER CENT of his 14 shots. 

For example, his 12 shots in the box are four fewer than at this point in 2023/24, while his seven big chances equal his start to the 2022/23 season. 

Haaland's first three Gameweeks of each season

Meanwhile, Salah’s three goals and three assists attest to his fine all-round showings under new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot. 

The underlying numbers also back this up - Salah's five big chances are second only to the seven of Haaland, while his four big chances created are joint-top along with Cole Palmer (£10.6m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£7.1m). 

Salah also fares well when compared with previous campaigns - his total of six goal involvements is at least two more than any of his seven seasons under Jurgen Klopp.

Bringing in both Haaland and Salah will set you back a hefty £27.8m, though, which only serves to highlight the need to seek out value across the rest of the positions in your squad. 

Aston Villa and Brighton among four double-ups

Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion have the schedules to immediately reward investors in Fantasy.

According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), each of Villa’s next three matches - at home to Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers and away to Ipswich - score only two.

Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) collected his first attacking returns of 2024/25 Fantasy with an assist in Gameweek 3. After a late return to pre-season due to his involvement in UEFA EURO 2024, the forward will surely now step up his match sharpness over the international break.

Brighton also resume domestic action with two home matches, entertaining Ipswich and Nottingham Forest. Forwards Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro (both £5.7m) have enjoyed productive starts to 2024/25 and have both risen £0.2m due to their kind starting prices.

See: Most-bought and most-sold players for Gameweek 4

Certainly, Welbeck has the edge over the Brazilian according to the underlying numbers, leading him by six shots in the box to three, and by four key passes to three.   

At the back, Villa’s Pau Torres offers a big threat at set-pieces and costs only £4.5m, the same price as Brighton No 1 Bart Verbruggen. 

Salah’s team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) joins him in the squad on the back of his trio of clean sheets. The right-back has produced seven key passes and created three big chances this season, both more than any other defender in Fantasy. 

Elsewhere, Max Kilman (£4.5m) and Jarrod Bowen (£7.5m) can deliver over West Ham’s favourable upcoming schedule.

Centre-back Kilman has an assist and clean sheet to his name across the Hammers’ first three matches under Julen Lopetegui. Bowen has a goal and an assist over the last two Gameweeks and has created eight chances so far, more than twice the total of any team-mate. 

Semenyo, Eze and Davis can offer good value

AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo (£5.5m) and Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze (£6.9m) have been among the very best midfielders for goal threat this season.

Semenyo’s 17 shots and 11 shots in the box both rank TOP in his position over the first three Gameweeks. 

The Cherries' Ghanaian has scored twice and supplied an assist during that run, showing why managers should have him in place ahead of encounters with promoted pair Southampton and Leicester City in Gameweeks 6 and 7 respectively. 

Eagles’ talisman Eze entertains Leicester in Gameweek 4 on the back of a goal and 10 points against Chelsea last weekend. 

His 15 shots rank second among midfielders, while his five shots on target place joint-fourth. 

Meanwhile, Ipswich’s Leif Davis (£4.5m) has the schedule to be a standout bargain buy in defence. 

After two difficult matches against Liverpool and Man City, the left-back – who produced two goals and 18 assists in the Championship last season - showcased his attacking ability with an assist and two bonus points against Fulham at the weekend.

According to the FDR, six of Ipswich's next seven matches score a mere two.

Ipswich's schedule from Gameweek 4

*1 = easiest possible fixture, 5 = hardest possible fixture