Sell Man Utd players already? FPL gameweek two dilemmas
August 28, 2026 05:21
One gameweek into the Fantasy Premier League season, a handful of unexpected results — notably poor showings from Manchester United and Liverpool — have left many managers weighing early moves. FPL analyst Pras advises restraint: a single blank or a single big score does not define a player's season and managers should use further match data before reshaping squads.
Pras runs through specific dilemmas: United assets Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo can be given the home fixture against Ipswich before any transfer decisions; there are suggested downgrade targets if they blank again. New signings and form players such as Brentford’s Mamadou Sangare and Chelsea’s Joao Pedro provoke interest, but the recommendation is to avoid knee-jerk buys this week.
KEY CONTEXT
- The early-season volatility means one match provides limited information; patterns emerge over multiple gameweeks.
- Sangare, a defensive midfielder, produced two assists in his debut vs Spurs and has seen his FPL value rise to £5.6m, but his position typically yields steady rather than explosive weekly points.
- Joao Pedro is widely owned, so managers seeking additional Chelsea exposure may prefer targets like Cole Palmer or Morgan Rogers instead.
- Injuries and fixture difficulty are factors flagged: Palmer picked up a minor issue against Fulham and Chelsea face Arsenal in gameweek three; Jeremy Doku’s absence has been noted as a factor in Manchester City’s cohesion.
WHY IT MATTERS
Early transfer decisions can waste limited free moves or hamper squad balance if made in reaction to a single match. Pras suggests that patience preserves flexibility — for example, waiting to use a wildcard to bring in emerging options such as Sangare. The captaincy call is also significant: Pras prefers Bruno Fernandes over Erling Haaland for the upcoming round because Fernandes has multiple avenues to score points (goals, potential clean-sheet contributions and defensive contribution points), whereas City are missing Doku and face a tougher away trip.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo at home to Ipswich: their returns will influence whether to keep or sell.
- Alexander Isak’s home match with Nottingham Forest — the assessment after an away debut at Newcastle.
- Cole Palmer’s fitness after his late niggle against Fulham and Chelsea’s subsequent trip to Arsenal in gameweek three.
- Whether Liverpool bring in attacking reinforcements (Pras cites Bradley Barcola as an example) and how that affects Mohamed Salah and other Liverpool attackers.
- The window to acquire Sangare more comfortably, for instance when using a wildcard rather than forcing him in immediately.
KEY FACTS
- Pras’ overarching advice: be patient and avoid reacting to a single gameweek.
- Bruno Fernandes (owned by many managers) has Ipswich at home next; a poor return there could prompt a move to Cole Palmer or Antoine Semenyo.
- Bryan Mbeumo could be swapped to Morgan Rogers or Phil Foden if he blanks again.
- Mamadou Sangare has two assists on debut, is priced about £5.6m, but is a defensive midfielder who may be better bought on a wildcard.
- Erling Haaland is away to Crystal Palace while Bruno is at home to Ipswich; Fernandes is preferred for captaincy this week by Pras.