We have compiled our early reconnaissance choices for Gameweek 3 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
With EFL Cup tires, a UEFA Conference League play-off game, scout squad nominations and pre-match press conferences to come, there is still enough time for our weekly selection that we will complete on Friday.
But at least this early XI gives a glimpse into the players and teams that are taken into consideration.
About the scout picks ‘bunch team’
As with the last reconnaissance choices, there are certain restrictions for our team:
- A budget of £ 83.0 million for our starting XI
- A total team limit of £ 100.0 million
- No more than three players per team
GameWeek 3 Luccons
Above: the Gameweek 3 -matches sorted by difficulty on our Ticker season.
The likely boys
The enormous investment in attack not surprising has not been a cure for the problems of Manchester United.
But the ongoing investigation may wait until after game week 3, when the luminaires stiffen again. Burnley Old Trafford will visit this weekend. Even at their absolute Nadir in 2024/25, United still scored three goals in five of their six meetings with the newly promoted trio of last season.
There have also been a glimpse of the new attack, even if they have not been an immediate smash hit. The Red Devils are top for shots (32) and efforts in the box (21), even though they are confronted with two defenses that did not have too many opportunities last season.
You can use reasoning to justify one of their £ 8.0 million midfielders this week.
Burnley has made twice as many opportunities (ie fit/crosses that led to shots) from their left flank as from the right. Good news for Bryan Mbeumo (£ 8.0 million) then?
But the majority of high-xg-shots (and the three goals that are permitted in spurs) come from the left-to-mid-zone. That’s more Matheus Cunha (£ 8.0 million) Territory.
Boven: Burnley’s XG -Schot attributed card in 2025/26
Against a block as deep as Burnley’s, Bruno Fernandes‘(£ 9.0 million) Sondering can be crucial to unleash the defense of the Clarets. Joint-Third Under all FPL Middepers for Defensive Contributions (DC/Defcon) In 2025/26 he is also the leading Chance Creator of United (six).
At the back there is the set piece threat and the DC magnetism of Matthijs de Ligt (£ 5.0 million), which this season brought Defcon points in both games, and Leny Yoro (£ 4.5 million), or the open-play attacking potential of Patrick Dorga (£ 4.5 million).
Away from United you can bet that your bottom dollar that Nottingham Forest players will appear prominently in the reconnaissance choices. A Sorry West Ham United side travel this weekend to the city, with Graham Potter under serious pressure. In 19th place for XG, they are also a mess at the back.
Their set piece misery runs interest in people like Nikola Milenkovic (£ 5.5 million) and Chris Wood (£ 7.7 million), especially:
Contrary
The likely loss of four players due to injuries or suspension can seriously damage the chances of Newcastle United on Elland Road.
They may still have enough to see Leeds United, but the absence of a first choice center half and two of their combative midfield three dents undoubtedly their clean leaf perspectives. And burn (£ 5.0 million) was still able to see his way in our Worms Worms reconnaissance choices: he will have looked at with interest because Leeds admitted two sets to Arsenal, while he received DC points in both performances in 2025/26.
Further ahead, Anthony Gordon‘s (£ 7.5 million) suspension the XMins will be on Anthony Luna (£ 7.0 million) and Harvey Barnes (£ 6.5 million). Barnes has his critics and there are sometimes questions about his broader contribution to the cause of Newcastle. But he has that alonso-like talent of delivering goals and assists, regardless of his overall achievements: there were almost as many attacking returns (14) as the start (17) last season.
Above: Newcastle players sorted by points per start in 2024/25
It is fair to say that, Newcastle and Brentford were at home of Leeds and Sunderland in Gamweek 3, we would have more confidence. We saw where both newly promoted clubs in Gamweek 1 were capable of when they had a raw home on their backs.
The Defcon-Montage Sepp van de Berg (£ 4.5 million) is nevertheless taken into consideration, together with String-puller Mikkel Damsgaard (£ 5.9 million), the success story of 11 goals from last year Kevin Damage (£ 7.0 million) and fine-targetman Igor Thiago (£ 6.0 million). Although they are confronted with two of the weakest teams of the division in game week 1 and 2, Sunderland arranges a low 17th for XG:
Above: Teams sorted by the lowest XG in 2025/26 so far
Wolves v Everton is a fixture with all the characteristics of an ‘El Crapico’ in the early season, but Sunday’s victory will buoy the Toffees. The hosts of this weekend, very much a team in transition without the men Cunha, Semedo and Ait-Nouri, are also aimless and pointless.
Revive a new life Jack Grealish (£ 6.5 million), fresh from two assists, is a candidate in midfield, but the interest rate is currently mainly in the more tried and tested defense. James Tarkowski (£ 5.5 million) It was continued where he had gone in 2024/25 and Defcon points in both game week.
Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur wear their unbeaten records in house luminaires that may not be simple tests. Indeed, Fulham and Bournemouth received something from these corresponding competitions last season. Yet at the moment there is a bit of a feel-good factor with the blues and the LilyWhites, so there is an argument to try to ride the top of the Golf, regardless of the opposition spurs went to the Etihad and won 2-0 last weekend last weekend.
Richarlison (£ 6.7 million), Pedro Porro (£ 5.5 million), Mohammed Kudus (£ 6.6 million), Joao Pedro (£ 7.6 million), Stem (6.5m), Pedro Neto (£ 7.0 million) and Marc Cucurella (£ 6.1 million) are not far from our thoughts, if not at the top of the shopping list.
In a week where we can overlook Mohamed is wrong (£ 14.5 million, see below) and the three other £ 10.0 million assets are all marked, Erling (£ 14.1 million) is the striking premium pick-as we want, of course. He is never empty in five meetings with Brighton and Hove Albion, scored five goals and assists another.
The longer photos
The Giants of Arsenal play host this weekend for the Titans of Liverpool, making them both normally in FPL terms. It is the kind of collision that you would usually avoid a free hit, what is essentially what the explorer chooses, but is it wrong to just ignore it?
Liverpool was dominated by 10-man Newcastle on Monday, after he also admitted two goals at home to Bournemouth.
The defense looks vulnerable and the holes seem too big between the lines, while Ibrahima Konate (£ 5.5 million) is currently struggling visibly for shape. That is effective who threatens left Viktor (£ 9.0 million) will compete against in Gameweek 2.
Above: Teams sorted by most big opportunities (BC) in the first two game week
Perhaps this fixture deserves a second look for everything.
Gameweek 3 Early reconnaissance choices
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