Best Captain for Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 3
With Liverpool playing Arsenal and Cole Palmer a doubt, the FPL captaincy debate for Gameweek 3 feels more open than usual. This is a week where going against the grain could pay off, and there are a handful of strong options to consider.
Bruno Fernandes, My Pick
I'll be handing the armband to Bruno Fernandes this week.
Yes, he missed a penalty in Gameweek 2, and yes, that has caused many managers to lose faith in him. But that penalty miss shouldn't cloud the bigger picture. Manchester United host Burnley at Old Trafford, and according to the odds, Fernandes is the most likely player in the league to deliver a goal or an assist this Gameweek.
What makes Fernandes such a strong FPL asset is his variety of scoring avenues. He's on penalties (assumed), takes a share of set pieces, creates a lot in open play and under the new rules his defensive contributions add an extra dimension to his points ceiling.
Had he scored against Fulham, the narrative would be completely different, and it's possible people would be rushing to captain him. One miss doesn't suddenly make him a poor pick.
He's still central to everything United do, and in a week where many managers will hesitate, I see this as the perfect opportunity to back him.
A favourable fixture at home combined with relatively modest effective rostership makes Fernandes the standout captain for me.
Matheus Cunha, The Alternative United Pick
If you already have Bruno, or simply don't trust him with the armband, then Cunha offers a viable alternative.
The Brazilian forward has arguably been United's most dangerous attacker in the early season. His pace, directness and willingness to shoot make him well-suited to capitalise on United's transitions, particularly in a winnable home fixture against Burnley.
At £8.0m, Cunha is also one of the best-value forwards in the game, particularly for those who have sold Bukayo Saka or Palmer and are redistributing funds.
He may not have Bruno's set-piece duties or bonus potential, but he certainly has the explosiveness to make him a strong short-term captaincy punt.
Odds found in our Gameweek 3 FPL cheat sheet and our GW3 FPL Rankings can also help deciding who to captain
Erling Haaland, The Default Option
It would be wrong to talk captaincy without mentioning Haaland. The prolific Norwegian has a trip to Brighton, which is not the easiest fixture but also not the most difficult.
Brighton's attacking style often leaves space in behind, and Haaland is exactly the type of striker who can exploit that. Even in a tricky game, you'd still back him for at least one attacking return.
For managers who want the safer route, Haaland will always remain a perfectly fine captain.
Mohamed Salah, The Risk-Averse Pick
Salah is always in the conversation, but this week the fixture makes him less appealing.
Liverpool face Arsenal, who have been one of the strongest defenses in the league for expected goals conceded over the past few seasons. They haven't allowed a goal through two matches, which naturally caps Salah's upside.
While Salah is never a poor option, the ceiling isn't as high as usual this week and he ranks behind the others.
Final Word
For me, this is exactly the type of Gameweek where trusting a slightly less obvious captain can make all the difference. Haaland and Salah remain solid, but the upside lies with a United attacker.
