With gameweek five of the Fantasy Premier League season approaching, managers face several key decisions about their squads, from whether to invest in in-form Nottingham Forest assets to deciding the fate of Manchester City's Rayan Cherki.
Nottingham Forest have emerged as an attractive option given their upcoming fixture against Coventry, along with a run of favourable matches beyond that, aside from a testing trip to face Arsenal on 18 October. Morgan Gibbs-White remains the standout choice, given his near-guaranteed 90 minutes, penalty duties and central role in Forest's attacking build-up. New arrival Daniel Munoz has also caught the eye after narrowly missing out on an assist in his last outing, while full-back Neco Williams continues to offer solid attacking returns. Striker Liam Delap impressed against Aston Villa, though questions remain over how much playing time he will receive with Igor Jesus and Chris Wood also competing for a starting spot.
Newcastle United's promising fixture list has similarly drawn attention from FPL managers. Lewis Hall stands out as a strong pick at left-back, offering both assist potential and reliable defensive contributions, while his consistency under the bonus points system adds further appeal. Yoane Wissa, who takes penalties for the Magpies, is viewed as a near-guaranteed starter despite a recent dip in form, making him something of a gamble on a return to scoring ways during this kinder run of games. Winger Harvey Barnes is tipped as more of a differential option — capable of decisive goals and assists, but prone to inconsistency.
One of the trickier calls facing managers is what to do with Rayan Cherki. The Frenchman has underwhelmed in recent weeks, but with Phil Foden suspended, he is expected to start City's next two Premier League fixtures. Cherki showed his ceiling early in the season, contributing two goals and two assists in just 108 minutes across gameweeks one and two. With a favourable home fixture against Sunderland on the horizon, the recommendation is to hold onto him in hopes of a big return.
Elsewhere, Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo are both advised to be kept for gameweek five, with Fulham representing a good opportunity for goals. However, longer term, there are suggestions that Fernandes — priced at £12.0m — may be overvalued, and managers could benefit from redistributing funds elsewhere in their squad rather than continuing to invest heavily in the Portuguese midfielder.
Bournemouth assets, meanwhile, are best left alone for now despite strong early performances from players like Marcus Tavernier. The advice is to wait until gameweek seven, when the Cherries' schedule improves significantly, beginning with a home clash against Sunderland. At that stage, defenders Antonio Silva and Alex Scott, along with Tavernier and forward Evanilson, could all be worth reconsidering based on their form at the time.
Finally, Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai is highlighted as a player whose underlying performances belie his modest FPL returns over the past three gameweeks. He has found the net twice in Liverpool's last three matches across all competitions, including a goal against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and a long-range strike in the Carabao Cup victory over Tottenham. With responsibility for penalties and corners, plus a strong shot from distance and defensive contribution potential, Szoboszlai is expected to soon deliver improved fantasy returns.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.