Manchester United
Old Trafford
Manchester United FPL: Who To Own, Captain And Avoid
The call — United's attack and United's defence are living two different lives. Our model has them as the fifth-sharpest attack in the league — and the 16th-meanest defence. That's the whole story of this page: every pound of value at Old Trafford sits at one end of the pitch, and it isn't the end Harry Maguire plays at.
What has not being with FFIQ cost you this season?
One squad, picked before a ball was kicked and run for six gameweeks on three transfers — no hits taken. Scored on FPL’s own results.
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Start with the awkward bit. Bruno Fernandes tops our order, and he should — penalties, free-kicks, corners, never rested, never subbed. But at £11.9m you're paying nearly four million more than Mbeumo for barely half a point extra over the next six gameweeks. That's a price built for his ceiling, and about 4 in 10 managers are already paying it. Mbeumo at £7.9m is on the same set pieces as second taker, just as nailed, and only about 2 in 10 own him. Same attack, same fixtures, £4m change to spend elsewhere. I know which receipt I'd rather keep.
Cunha is the quiet one — same price as Mbeumo, projected within a point of him, owned by fewer than 1 in 10. If you want a United attacker nobody else has, he's the honest version of a punt: he starts every week, which is more than most "differentials" can say.
The defence? Lammens and Maguire are cheap and they play — that's genuinely worth something at £4.9m and £4.8m when half the budget options in this league don't see 60 minutes. But a back line our model ranks 16th for keeping the ball out is a back line you buy to fill a bench slot, not to score points. Shaw, Dalot and Martinez are all hovering around four starts from five, which is exactly the kind of mild rotation that gets you a blank the one week you play them.
The fixtures are a mixed bag rather than a green wall: TOT (H), LEE (A) and BOU (H) are the window, before CHE (A), AVL (H) and LIV (A) turn the screw. Attackers can score in any of those. Clean sheets at Stamford Bridge and Anfield? I'll pass.
The call: buy into United through the attack, and do it through Mbeumo — Fernandes's output at £4m off. Cunha if you want the cheaper second route in. Leave the defenders for someone more romantic than me. Buy Mbeumo.