Should Haaland Be Your Captain All Season? A Discussion in FPL

Dominance of Erling Haaland

The Manchester City forward, Erling Haaland, continues to impress without any signs of slowing down. After clinching the Premier League Golden Boot for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, he is currently leading again this year with 14 goals—six ahead of his nearest competitor. He notably netted four goals during the recent international break, helping Norway secure a place in the 2026 World Cup.

In Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Haaland stands out as the highest point earner with 102 points, leading Arsenal’s Gabriel by 21 points, and outscoring the next best forward, Brentford’s Igor Thiago, by 42 points. Remarkably, Haaland has achieved 99 goals in just 108 Premier League matches, making him poised to reach the century mark during Saturday’s match against Newcastle.

Thus, a pertinent question arises: Is Haaland a reliable captain for the entire season, or should managers explore other options weekly? This week’s FPL specialists and pundits from The FPL Podcast weigh in on the topic.

Haaland’s Stats Are Unmatched

“My approach this season hinges on supporting Erling Haaland consistently,” commented former Premier League-winning striker Chris Sutton. FPL expert Statman Dave added, “There’s no reason to part ways with Haaland right now. He has scored eight in his last five matches and his performance metrics are miles ahead of the rest. There may come a time when we evaluate Haaland against a team that defends deeply, but currently, he and Manchester City have shown strong form, especially against Liverpool.”

It’s no surprise that Haaland is featured in 71% of all FPL teams. For those without him or seeking alternatives, Statman Dave suggested, “Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United should be the captain pick this week if you’re not relying on Haaland. United is facing Everton at home, where they have shown significantly improved performances compared to their away games.”

Assessing the Risk of Choosing Alternatives

For many, Haaland has become a default captain choice lately, yet some managers are willing to take risks, particularly this week with Newcastle as the upcoming opponent. However, after witnessing City’s dominant performance against Liverpool, it seems unwise to bet against Haaland right now.

It’s important to note, however, that in six previous encounters with Newcastle—across league and cup competitions—Haaland has only managed one goal. Playing at St. James’ Park is known as one of the tougher assignments, particularly as Arsenal, Manchester United, and Crystal Palace have appealing fixtures this week against Spurs, Everton, and Wolves, respectively. Hence, players like Bukayo Saka, Mbeumo, or Jean-Philippe Mateta could be viable captain alternatives for the risk-takers.

Looking ahead at the busy holiday schedule, some matches may present opportunities to deviate from Haaland as captain, such as gameweeks against Fulham and Crystal Palace. In the upcoming matches, Saka and Mbeumo have been performing well and could present alternative captaincy choices, especially with their home games against Brentford and Wolves.

Historically, Mohamed Salah has been a captain for those not backing Haaland, and with Liverpool’s current fixtures, he remains a potential consideration even for those who have recently moved on from him. The dynamic nature of the season means that Salah could again become a premium captaincy option.

The table below summarizes potential captain alternatives over the next six weeks, with bolded names indicating the likely captain picks:

Captaincy Alternatives for the Upcoming Gameweeks

In conclusion, the decision of whether to stick with Haaland as captain remains a critical topic of discussion in FPL circles. His phenomenal form and scoring record undoubtedly make him a prime candidate, but alternatives exist for those willing to take risks.