What did FPL managers learn in Gameweek 3? We round up the key talking points from the weekend.
MAN UTD ATTACKING ASSETS COME GOOD
After successive blanks for both Marcus Rashford (£9.0m) and Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m) in the first couple of gameweeks, many FPL managers had lost faith in the pair and had sold one of, if not both, ahead of the Red Devils’ fixture with Nottingham Forest in Gameweek 3. This urge to sell was exacerbated by the spate of mid-priced midfielders who had been producing points in the first couple of weeks. However, it turned out to be a good decision to hold, as the 3-2 victory yielded 12 points for Fernandes and seven for Rashford – a just reward for those that didn’t kneejerk the pair out of their teams.
STERLING CAN STILL BE EXPLOSIVE
Raheem Sterling’s (£7.1m) debut season at Stamford Bridge was a disappointing one by his standards, with just ten attacking returns to speak of. For a player who previously recorded 35 goal involvements in a Premier League season, that is obviously well below what he is capable of, but he reminded everyone of his talents in Gameweek 3. Sterling in fact showed plenty of FPL promise in the Gameweek 2 defeat to West Ham, but it wasn’t until last Friday’s victory over Luton that he delivered on that. Finding the net twice and also registering an assist, the Chelsea man returned 19 points – the highest of any player to date this season.
MADDISON IS A PERFECT FIT FOR SPURS
Given his obvious talent and the fact that he excelled in a relegated Leicester side last season, it’s hardly a surprise that James Maddison (£7.7m) has settled into life fairly seamlessly at Tottenham. Under a new manager and without the services of Harry Kane, Spurs are playing with a different style now, and Maddison looks like he is well-suited to it. After a pair of assists in Gameweek 1, the England international scored his first goal for his new club against Bournemouth on Saturday. If he continues in this manner, don’t be surprised if he is one of the most highly-owned FPL midfielders before long.