Our Fantasy Premier League tips Gameweek 2 defenders and goalkeepers round-up is here to help you build on what, with any luck, was a flying start for you in the weekend just gone.
Although our tips are based on FPL player prices, the principles should apply more or less across the board – so, even if you happen to be playing one of the other popular fantasy football games such as those at Sky Sports, the Telegraph or the Mirror, you could still find joy here.
As educated guesses go, rest assured that our Fantasy Premier League tips remain every bit as educated as they are guessed. If flat-out score predictions are what you seek, go see Mystic Megson.
MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL TIPS:
- Fantasy Premier League tips Gameweek 2: Midfielders
- Fantasy Premier League tips Gameweek 2: Forwards
Right, let’s get cracking…
Eric Dier, Tottenham Hotspur – £5.1m
The Spurs starlet had a dream debut as he scored a last-minute winner at West Ham United last week, so he should keep his place for Sunday’s match at home to Queens Park Rangers.
With Kyle Naughton suspended, he might even shift over to right-back to accommodate the return of either Jan Vertonghen or Vlad Chiriches.
Wherever Dier plays, his manager Mauricio Pochettino knows how to organise a defence – so we’re backing Tottenham for another clean sheet at home to a QPR side that lost 0-1 at home to Hull City on opening day.
Alan Hutton, Aston Villa – £4m
Once a marauding right-back for Rangers and Scotland, the extent to which Hutton seemed to be frozen out is reflected in his bargain basement price.
His performance in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Stoke City indicated he’s glad to have been thrown a lifeline and eager to capitalise on it.
Approach with caution, mind – Villa have tended to be stronger away from home under Paul Lambert, so counting on them for a clean sheet at home to Newcastle United is a gamble.
However, the presence of more wise old heads in Villa’s side this season suggests that their poor home form is a problem they could remedy. In which case, Hutton would be one helluva bargain.
If on the other hand you fancy Newcastle…
Paul Dummett, Newcastle United – £4m
…then do consider consider availing of this potential bargain.
If Alan Pardew’s first-choice left-back Davide Santon fails to recover from injury in time then Dummett can expect to keep his place following the Magpies’ spirited display against Manchester City last weekend.
Er, unless Pardew recalls Massadio Haidara in his place, which isn’t beyond the realms of possibility. Approach with caution.
Jordi Amat, Swansea City – £4.5m
Garry Monk is unlikely to change a side that won at Old Trafford, so expect the Spanish defender to feature at home to newly promoted Burnley on Saturday.
The Swans haven’t looked quite as solid defensively under Monk as they did under Michael Laudrup, the trade-off being that they look more dangerous going forward – but last week’s resolute display bodes well.
£5m Ashley Williams may have taken more plaudits for shackling Manchester United, but at that price Amat is Swansea’s cheapest likely-to-start defender.
Nathaniel Clyne, Southampton – £5m
Aside from lashing one into the roof of the net in front of the Kop last week and driving forward purposefully and skilfully in search of another, Clyne could well be party to the keeping of a clean sheet at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
It’s hard to predict clean sheets at this stage of the season, given how defences usually require a bit of time to settle into an understanding – but Saints boss Ronald Koeman is a strong organiser of back lines.
Brede Hangeland, Crystal Palace – £5m
Another goal-scoring defender on opening day, in his case the opener in an unfortunate 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, Hangeland will be at the heart of an Eagles defence playing at home to West Ham this weekend.
The Hammers hardly struck as being full of goals going into this season, so their 0-1 defeat at home to Spurs should provide hope for a Palace side that still looked resilient even without Tony Pulis.
Goalkeepers
Given this weekend’s fixture list, we like the look of the following as relatively inexpensive options with favourable-looking home games:
Julian Speroni, Crystal Palace – £5m
Allan McGregor, Hull City – £5m
Fraser Forster, Southampton – £5m
Łukasz Fabiański, Swansea City – £5m
Like we said, though, it’s an unpredictable time of the season.
Steer clear of…Arsenal defenders
Gameweek 2 takes the Gunners to an Everton side with a fearsome recent home record and a point to prove after their frustrating 2-2 draw at Leicester City.
With the Toffees’ 3-0 win in last season’s corresponding fixture still fresh in the memory, we’d be wary of including any of Koscielny, Debuchy and co.
Good luck and happy selecting!
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