In this FPL Bandwagons series we look at the highest chosen/transferred in players from gameweek 1 in line for gameweek 2. With many managers having an early panic after a string of surprising results we look at which players are most popular to bring in and analyse point performances and potential price changes.
Granit Xhaka – 10 points, 5.6m (+0.1m)
After Arsenals 4-3 game of the weekend against Leicester City, Granit Xhaka has become the top transferred in player in FPL, with 227,062 managers impressed by his performance. He picked up a respectable 10 points in gameweek 1 adding 2 assists to kick off his season. In gameweek 2, Arsenal play Stoke City (A) and I can see Arsenal winning this fixture with ease. I expect Wenger to continue playing Granit Xhaka to see if he maintains his performance, with Elneny and Aaron Ramsey all adding healthy competition for starting positions in centre midfield.
The performance from Xhaka has seen his price rise to 5.6m and if he bags another assist against Stoke it could increase again. Xhaka is definitely a player to watch.
Mohamed Salah – 11 points, 9.1m (+0.1m)
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is the 2nd most transferred midfielder for gameweek 2 with 127,167 managers opting to draft him in as an attacking threat. Scoring 11 points in gameweek 1 during their 3-3 draw with Watford which saw Salah grab both a goal and an assist to kick start his season. With a price of 9.0m at the start of FPL many managers questioned his worth, but surely now he could prove himself to be one of the must have players if Liverpool maintain their attacking threat against Crystal Palace (H). Palace themselves had a very shaky start conceding 3 goals against newly promoted Huddersfield Town.
Salah has increased to 9.1m for gameweek 2 and it will be interesting to see if he can keep up the standards from gameweek 1.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 11 points, 8.1m (+0.1m)
Manchester United’s dominating 4-0 performance over West Ham United in gameweek 1 showed their attacking potential for the new season. With Romelu Lukaku stealing the spotlight with his brace, Mkhitaryan’s performance was under the radar a little. In fact Mkhitaryan was one of the best players of the game which saw him grab both assists for Lukaku’s goals. Playing a central attacking role seemed to allow him to freely roam around West Ham’s defence, opening all kinds of space for attacking runs. Scoring 11 points he certainly looks to make an impression this season. 104,950 managers have brought him in for the gameweek 2 fixture against Swansea City (A).
Mkhitaryan is a great value midfielder if he maintains the performance from gameweek 1 and alongside Paul Pogba (8.0m), he could be that Manchester United midfielder that is in the ‘must have’ category.
Written by James Milburn (@jamesmilburn95)
