The 2022/23 Premier League kicks off today with Crystal Palace vs Arsenal, signalling the start of the Fantasy Premier League campaign.
Players have had weeks to try and construct the perfect team for the start of the FPL season, spreading their £100m budget across their 15-man squad. Last season saw the likes of Mohamed Salah, Heung-Min Son and Trent Alexander-Arnold shine, but with Gabriel Jesus now at Arsenal and Erling Haaland in the Premier League, some new options have caught the eye.
In the first gameweek of the season, some of the FPL big-hitters have some favourable fixtures. Liverpool face a trip to newly promoted Fulham, Tottenham play Southampton at home, whilst Man United take on Brighton at Old Trafford following a promising pre-season.
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So, what's the best way to spend your £100m in GW1? Here's Mirror Football's best FPL side for the first gameweek of the 2022/23 FPL season.
Best FPL Gameweek 1 squad
GW1 starting XI (4-4-2): Martinez; Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Doherty, Trippier; Salah (C), Bailey, Mahrez, Rashford; Kane, Jesus.
Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez (£5.0m) - Martinez has proven himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the league over the last few seasons, with his fantastic shot-stopping ability also earning him some big FPL bonus points. With Villa facing Bournemouth in GW1, there's a high likelihood of a clean sheet.
Defender: Trent Alexander Arnold (£7.5m) - An FPL must, Alexander-Arnold has outscored most midfielders and forwards over the last few FPL seasons due to his incredible attacking input in a defensively solid Liverpool side. The Reds have won eight and drew one in their last nine opening day fixtures, so expect Alexander-Arnold to put in a good performance against newly-promoted Fulham.
Defender: Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) - The same as Alexander-Arnold, Robertson gets those big attacking points whilst keeping a lot of clean sheets - the perfect combination. Robertson outperformed Alexander-Arnold towards the end of last season, but both could grab an assist or two on Saturday afternoon.
Defender: Matt Doherty (£5.0m) - Despite Ivan Perisic being the common FPL pick of the Spurs defence, the Croatian barely played in pre-season, making Doherty a great differential pick. Selected by just 1.1% of players, the Ireland international could be a great shout given how high up Antonio Conte pushes his wing-backs.
Defender: Kieran Trippier (£5.0m) - After making some defensive reinforcements, Newcastle look defensively solid on paper this season, making them a good pick in FPL. Trippier is the standout pick due to his danger on set-pieces, and one moment of magic from the full-back could provide you with a big point-haul.
Midfielder: Mohamed Salah (C) (£13.0m) - If you don't have Salah in your team, what are you doing? The Egyptian has scored in each of Liverpool's last five opening day fixtures, and it could easily become six against Fulham.
Midfielder: Leon Bailey (£5.0m) - Bailey showed sparks of what he could produce in an injury-ridden campaign last season, and the Jamaican could prove a bargain this season. With three goals and two assists in pre-season, Bailey looks back to his best, and with Villa facing Bournemouth, the £5.0m player looks very tempting
Midfielder: Riyad Mahrez (£8.0m) - Mahrez has always been a major threat in FPL, but the Algerian always falls victim to Pep roulette, sometimes being benched for weeks on the run. But, with Jesus gone, Mahrez is the only recognised right-winger at the club, so we expect the £8.0m player to get a lot more game time this season - starting with a strong performance against West Ham in GW1.
Midfielder: Marcus Rashford (£6.5m) - After being reported that Anthony Martial is injured and with Ronaldo still in Erik ten Hag's bad books, Rashford could start GW1 as a striker for United. At just £6.5m, it seems a risk worth taking, especially after a strong showing in pre-season.
Forward: Harry Kane (£11.5m) - It was a tough choice between Kane or Haaland, but we opted for Kane due to Spurs facing Southampton at home in GW1. A player who is almost guaranteed to bag 15+ goals each season, Kane is a premium, low-risk option with just 28.2% ownership.
Forward: Gabriel Jesus (£8.0m) - On course to be the most selected player for GW1 in FPL history, 75.8% owned Jesus is a must this season. The striker scored for fun in pre-season, and if he can finish the chances that Alexandre Lacazette missed last season, the Brazilian could potentially be in the running for the Golden Boot.
Who will you be picking for your FPL team this season? Let us know in the comments below!
