FPL must-haves for start of 2024/25

The Scout highlights the players who have the fixtures to produce huge hauls in the opening Gameweeks of 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League.

Erling Haaland (Man City)

In addition to hosting promoted Ipswich Town, the Manchester City forward visits Chelsea and West Ham United, and also entertains Brentford in the opening four Gameweeks. Haaland scored in each of those latter three fixtures last season, totalling 30 points thanks to four goals and an assist. 

Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

A quick glance at the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR) shows why last season’s top-scoring player in Fantasy will again be a must-have. Five of Chelsea’s first six matches score only two in the FDR, giving Palmer the opportunity to find early form.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Liverpool’s favourable early run of opponents can allow the Egyptian the opportunity to thrive under new head coach Arne Slot. Salah will avoid all of last season’s top six sides in the first seven Gameweeks in a run that gets under way with a visit to promoted Ipswich on the opening weekend.

Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

Last season’s top-scoring forward in Fantasy has an extended run of kind opponents to make a similar impact on 2024/25. Aston Villa’s Watkins faces only one of last campaign’s top six sides in his first nine fixtures, when he hosts Arsenal in Gameweek 2. 

Son Heung-min (Spurs)

Tottenham Hotspur’s South Korean was among the most reliable players for big hauls in the previous campaign, delivering eight double-figure scores to collect 213 points. Son faces only two of last season’s top six in the opening 11 Gameweeks, entertaining Arsenal and Villa in Gameweeks 4 and 10 respectively.

Top picks' GW1-11 fixtures GW Haaland Palmer Salah Watkins Son 1 CHE (A) MCI (H) IPS (A) WHU (A) LEI (A) 2 IPS (H) WOL (A) BRE (H) ARS (H) EVE (H) 3 WHU (A) CRY (H) MUN (A) LEI (A) NEW (A) 4 BRE (H) BOU (A) NFO (H) EVE (H) ARS (H) 5 ARS (H) WHU (A) BOU (H) WOL (H) BRE (H) 6 NEW (A) BHA (H) WOL (A) IPS (A) MUN (A) 7 FUL (H) NFO (H) CRY (A) MUN (H) BHA (A) 8 WOL (A) LIV (A) CHE (H) FUL (A) WHU (H) 9 SOU (H) NEW (H) ARS (A) BOU (H) CRY (A) 10 BOU (A) MUN (A) BHA (H) TOT (A) AVL (H) 11 BHA (A) ARS (H) AVL (H) LIV (A) IPS (H)