Gameweek 2 of the new Fantasy Premier League season kicks off this Friday, and FPL managers are already strategising based on insights from the opening weekend.
Whether you’re reacting to underperforming assets or planning ahead, now is the time to heed our free FPL advice and refine your squad.
Some managers may already be contemplating an early wildcard, especially if key players failed to get substantial minutes in Gameweek 1.
Others might opt for a single free transfer to make a minor adjustment, while a more patient group could be saving their transfer to stack flexibility for future weeks.
Wherever you stand, staying up to date with the latest FPL news is crucial for making smart, informed decisions.
In this FPL analysis, we’ll review the standout performers from the opening weekend, assess how the premium picks fared, and highlight some of the exciting new faces making their mark in the Premier League.
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FPL Gameweek 2 Deadline
The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 2 deadline is Friday, 22 August 2025 at 19:30 GMT.
FPL Gameweek 2 Fixtures
West Ham are at home to Chelsea.
Spurs will visit Manchester City.
Bournemouth welcomes Wolves.
Aston Villa will travel to Brentford.
Burnley will host Sunderland.
Arsenal face Leeds at the Emirates.
Nottingham Forest are away to Crystal Palace.
Everton have a home game against Brighton.
Manchester United face Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Newcastle are hosting Liverpool.
FPL Assets Leading On Form For Gameweek 2
Let’s start by looking at the current form amongst the best FPL players for Matchweek 2 before getting into our free fantasy football tips.
Goalkeepers:
- David Raya is first with 10 points
- Nick Pope is tied for second with 9 points
- Guglielmo Vicario rivals him with 9 points
Defenders:
- Daniel Ballard is first with 17 points
- Riccardo Calafiori is second with 13 points
- Rico Lewis is third with 11 points
Midfielders:
- Antoine Semenyo is first with 15 points
- Tijjani Reijnders is tied for second with 10 points
- Mohammed Kudus rivals him 10 points
Forwards:
- Erling Haaland is tied for first with 13 points
- Chris Wood matches him with 13 points
- Richarlison rivals them both with 13 points
Which Of The Premium Assets Paid Off In GW1?
When looking at the premium FPL options this season, we can place five players into this bracket.
Mohamed Salah from Liverpool comes in at £14.5m.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland is the second-most expensive asset at £14.0m.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer is the third-most expensive option at £10.5m.
Alexander Isak, having already gone down in price, is now the fourth-most expensive player, with a price tag of £10.4m.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka is the only other asset reaching the £10.0m price point, coming in at exactly that amount.
How did these assets perform in FPL Gameweek 1?
Mohamed Salah FPL Points
Liverpool’s start to the campaign was anything but smooth.
After going 2-0 up against Bournemouth, they conceded two goals courtesy of Antoine Semenyo.
As late drama unfolded, Federico Chiesa scored for Liverpool with a well-timed volley.
Everyone expected the game to end 3-2 for the Reds, but an emotional Mohamed Salah had the final say.
He ran down the left wing, cut inside, and scored with his right foot.
Salah continued his incredible streak of scoring on the opening day, netting his 10th opening day goal for Liverpool.
He delivered 8 FPL points, which resulted in 16 points for managers who captained him in Gameweek 1.
Erling Haaland FPL Points
Manchester City had a tough campaign last season, but their striker remained consistent in front of goal.
After opening last season’s FPL campaign at £15.0m, Haaland has dropped to £14.0m and continues to be a popular pick among FPL managers.
In Gameweek 1, he scored two goals, played 72 minutes, and received 3 bonus points, finishing with 13 points.
Those who captained him were rewarded with 26 points in total.
Cole Palmer FPL Points
Chelsea’s main man was the highest-owned asset heading into the new FPL season, with expectations high following a strong showing in the Club World Cup, where Chelsea were crowned as the winners of the competition.
A week ago, Chelsea’s opening run of fixtures looked promising.
However, after a frustrating display against Crystal Palace, some FPL managers might be reconsidering some of their Chelsea assets.
The match ended 0-0, although Palace’s Eberechi Eze did find the net in the first half with a stunning free kick, which was disallowed after a push in the wall by club captain Marc Guéhi.
Palmer finished the game with 3 FPL points, doubling to 6 for those who captained the England star.
Alexander Isak FPL Points
Newcastle’s striker has been at the centre of controversy in recent weeks, with the player reportedly refusing to play for the club.
Liverpool has publicly expressed interest in him, and rumours of a record-breaking bid being rejected by Newcastle surfaced earlier in the transfer window.
The Swedish striker released a statement last night following his inclusion in the PFA Team of the Season.
He said:
“I’m proud to be recognised by my fellow professionals with a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season for 2024/25.
First and foremost, I want to thank my teammates and everyone at Newcastle United who have supported me along the way.
I’m not at the ceremony tonight.
With everything going on, it didn’t feel right to be there.
I’ve kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken.
That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn’t reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.
The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time.
To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.
When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue.
That’s where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself.”
Although Isak is still owned by 5.4% of all FPL managers, it seems unlikely that he will be playing any Premier League football in the near future.
Bukayo Saka FPL Points
Arsenal secured a 1-0 win over Manchester United in their opening game of the season, thanks to a goal from Ricardo Calafiori.
It was far from a dominant performance by the Gunners, as Manchester United controlled much of the possession and had more shots throughout the match.
United fans will likely be left frustrated, while Arsenal supporters will feel relieved.
However, FPL managers who own Bukayo Saka would have been hoping for more points.
The English winger played the full 90 minutes and ended the match with 3 FPL points, which doubled to 6 for those who captained him.
Is Josh Acheampong A Brilliant Budget Pick Or A Short-Term Stopgap?
Chelsea’s Levi Colwill has been hit with an injury ahead of the new season, and a player unfamiliar to many FPL managers took his place in Chelsea’s defence in the opening game.
Goal.com gave the young centre-back, who can also play at right-back, a match rating of 7/10, stating: “The 19-year-old was a bit sloppy with his passing but made up for that with some crunching, full-blooded challenges.”
Chelsea has a host of defensive options when everyone is fit, including Malo Gusto, new signing Jorrel Hato, Benoît Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, and Tosin Adarabioyo.
Considering all of these players can step into the centre-back role in the coming weeks, the likelihood of Josh Acheampong keeping his place in the starting lineup seems minimal.
However, if he does manage to gain regular minutes and establish himself in Chelsea’s backline, his £4.0m price tag could prove to be one of the best budget picks in the coming months.
Currently, being owned by just 1.6% of FPL managers suggests that the community remains cautious about the minutes he might receive.
While the best course of action is to wait before considering him as a legitimate option, keeping an eye on this player could lead to an excellent budget opportunity later in the campaign.
Two New Faces Shine On The Opening Weekend
Both Liverpool and Manchester City have been active in the transfer market as they look to replace key players who have departed and strengthen their squads in the pursuit of the Premier League title.
One of Manchester City’s new signings, Tijjani Reijnders, was brought in from AC Milan and has already impressed fans with his performances during pre-season.
However, it was his display on the opening weekend that caught the attention of FPL managers.
Reijnders, priced at £5.5 million before Gameweek 1, delivered a goal and an assist against Wolves, which led to a price rise to £5.6 million.
He would have finished with 11 FPL points if not for a yellow card, ultimately ending his debut Premier League match with a solid 10 FPL points.
As a result, he is currently the most transferred-in player ahead of Gameweek 2.
Liverpool, on the other hand, parted ways with Darwin Núñez after a string of underwhelming performances across previous seasons.
In response, they signed Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Unlike Reijnders, Ekitike did not arrive with a budget-friendly price tag, starting the season at £8.5m.
Despite this, he wasted no time justifying his value.
After scoring in the Community Shield and again against Bournemouth in Gameweek 1, where he also provided an assist, we see a price increase for the French forward, now standing at £8.6m.
Our recommended differential captain last week is now the third most transferred-in player ahead of the upcoming round, after securing a total of 11 FPL points in GW1.
His early impact and growing popularity among FPL managers suggest he is expected to remain a key figure in Liverpool’s attack moving forward.
Top 3 FPL Gameweek 2 Captain Picks:
- Bukayo Saka vs Leeds
- Mohamed Salah vs Newcastle
- Cole Palmer vs West Ham
Differential Captain Pick Of The Week
Antoine Semenyo
Although Bournemouth suffered a late defeat against Liverpool, Antoine Semenyo delivered an exceptional performance.
He scored two goals and finished with 15 FPL points, the highest among all midfielders in Gameweek 1.
Semenyo is currently the second most transferred-in player ahead of the upcoming fixtures.
With Bournemouth set to play at home against Wolves, he could be an excellent differential captaincy option this week.
Playing Your Free Hit?
Some FPL managers may be considering using their Free Hit chip this weekend, especially if their squads are heavily reliant on assets from Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Newcastle.
With City set to face Tottenham and Liverpool going up against Newcastle, these high-stakes fixtures could cause uncertainty regarding returns across all four teams, making the Free Hit a tempting option to navigate the week more effectively.
Those who are considering activating it might find some value below in our FPL Tips for GW2:
GK: David Raya (£5.5m)
DEF: Riccardo Calafiori (£5.5m)
DEF: Tyrick Mitchell (£5.0m)
DEF: Reinildo Mandava (£4.0m)
MID: Cole Palmer (£10.5m)
MID: Bukayo Saka (£10.0m)
MID: Mohamed Salah (£14.5m)
MID: Iliman Ndiaye (£6.5m)
MID: Antoine Semenyo (£7.1m)
FWD: João Pedro (£7.5m)
FWD: Evanilson (£7.0m)
BENCH: Martin Dúbravka (£4.0m)
BENCH: Josh Acheampong (£4.0m)
BENCH: Maxime Estève (£4.0m)
BENCH: Marc Guiu (£4.5m)
Final Thoughts
With the first round of matches now complete, Gameweek 2 presents a chance for FPL managers to reflect and make measured adjustments.
A disappointing start does not mean your season is off track, and reacting too quickly can often do more harm than good.
Try to remain patient with your key players, especially those with strong upcoming fixtures.
At the same time, pay attention to early signs of form and potential price rises, as identifying value early can be a real advantage.
It is easy to be drawn in by players who performed well in Gameweek 1, but chasing points from the past can often lead to frustration.
Instead, base your decisions on consistent playing time, overall performance, and fixture difficulty.
Make sure you stay informed by following injury updates, press conferences, and transfer news.
These are all crucial in helping you make smart, timely decisions.
Wishing you the best of luck for Gameweek 2.
May your transfers pay off and your captain deliver big points.
