Choosing a goalkeeper is often the most difficult position to get right. FPL.
Do you spend your entire budget on a premium selection? Do you choose two cheaper options that you can rotate? Or do you spend the bare minimum?
He AI The points planned for the first four days make this point of discussion conclusive…
With just three days until Friday’s 6:30 p.m. deadline, Fantasy Football Hub Holly Shand Check out five goalkeepers you should consider for your 15-man squad.
=4. Jordan Pickford – 15.3 Points expected
England and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is fourth in terms of expected points, the highest of any player with a £5m price tag. He kept 13 clean sheets last season, the same as Manchester City; only Arsenal can boast a better record last season.
Jordan Pickford racked up the most bonus points last season, with 22 for Everton.
Selecting a reliable goalkeeper is often one of the most difficult positions to get right in FPL.
Five of Everton’s clean sheets came in the final ten of the season as the Toffees looked to get results in their fight to avoid relegation. We may see them play a little more openly at the start of this campaign, but Sean Dyche’s teams are renowned for their defensive qualities.
Pickford’s avenues for points are plentiful: He led all goalkeepers in bonus points with 22 and made 121 saves last season, ranking sixth.
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It’s important to note that he is currently part of the AI’s optimal team to start the season, being the favorite ahead of more expensive picks that have higher predictions.
=4. Emi Martinez – 15.3 points expected
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez is also priced at £5m and is level on points with Pickford through the first four matchdays. He is another player who has had a busy summer as Argentina successfully defended their Copa America title, but is now back in pre-season.
Martinez has been incredibly consistent in FPL since establishing himself as a Premier League regular in 2020, keeping an average of 11 clean sheets per season. We saw a dip in his form for 2023-24, keeping just eight clean sheets as Aston Villa were involved in a demanding European campaign.
Last season’s fourth-place finish has secured them a Champions League spot in 2024-25, which means another hectic schedule for the team. Martinez was second to Pickford in bonus points last season, which is important for his fantasy points potential, and he also boasts an enviable penalty-saving record.
3. Alisson Becker – 15.8 expected points
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker is in third place, one of four goalkeepers in the game priced at £5.5m.
The 2023-24 campaign was a rare injury-hit season for him, with his eight clean sheets a total well below his Premier League average of 14 clean sheets per season.
The changing of the guard at Liverpool leaves some unknowns heading into this campaign, especially over whether we can expect an improvement in their clean-sheet potential under Arne Slot. They are rumoured to be looking to sign a new defensive midfielder in this market, which would be a welcome boost.
Liverpool have fixtures that guarantee defensive success early in the season, having avoided last season’s top four in their first eight games. The opening weekend sees them visit newly promoted Ipswich Town, with home games against Brentford, Forest and Bournemouth in the first six fixtures all looking appealing for clean sheets.
Alisson Becker remains a promising option with Ipswich and Brentford in his first two games
2. Ederson – 16.4 expected points
After a summer of speculation, it looks like Ederson will remain a Manchester City player this season. FPL has set him and his deputy Stefan Ortega the top price of £5.5m for this campaign to avoid the possibility of them joining the champions’ defence on a shoestring budget.
Ederson has managed double-digit clean sheets in seven consecutive seasons with Manchester City, demonstrating his extraordinary consistency. The main concern is that, because he has a world-class attack in front of him, he rarely picks up bonus points, with six points being his most in any one game.
Last season, Manchester City only allowed 60 big-goal opportunities over the course of the season, with 34 goals conceded. It is frustrating that Ederson is prone to lapses in concentration, as City have incredibly high possession, so they sometimes struggle on the counter-attack.
1. David Raya – 16.9 points expected
At £5.5m, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has taken the lead as the most owned first-choice goalkeeper in the game, with the Spaniard featuring in more than 20 per cent of teams.
He finished last season as the game’s second-highest scoring goalkeeper, winning the Gold Glove with an impressive total of 16 clean sheets.
Seven of those clean sheets came in the Gunners’ final ten games of the season as Arsenal sought consistency in hopes of challenging Manchester City for the title.
Raya is cheaper than Arsenal’s likely starting defenders, with competition for top spots in their defence following the return of Jurrien Timber and summer signing Riccardo Calafiori.
David Raya won the Gold Glove last season and has the Wolves as the first to start the new season
Last season, the Gunners conceded 43 big-goal chances, the lowest in the league, with just 28.32 expected goals. Arsenal have two home games in their first three fixtures, against Wolves and Brighton, before their schedule gets even tougher with trips to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
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