Liverpool FC Fantasy Premier League Preview 2020/21

What can I say about my favourite team, I have to admit I was definitely one of the many, many few that shed a tear when Hendo lifted the trophy, I’ll even admit being in Australia waking up early to watch Manchester City lose against Chelsea, when Willian struck that penalty and the final whistle going, I shed tears of absolute joy. No one could wipe the smile off my face, I was grinning from ear to ear, I wasn’t even born the last time we won the league but after what we did the season before last to be 1 point behind the eventual champions and to win the champions league then the league it’s been a huge couple of seasons. I really hope this season we go back to back, but am frightened that we haven’t made much of an effort in the transfer market, but Jürgen Klopp knows what he’s doing. We finished 18 points of ahead of City and won the league with 7 games to go. I will say I was a little disappointed to lose 3-0 away to Watford to end our invincibility and then lose to Atletico at home in the Champions League R16. I love my team and will always support them no matter how well they are doing or how much they have dropped off, I am Liverpool till I Die. There hasn’t been a team like this Liverpool team for quite a while, No team has scored 197 points in two seasons, also lost only 4 games in two seasons,currently unbeaten in the Premier League at home since Palace beat us a few seasons back. We should be champions again I hope.

In Fantasy Premier League Mohamed Salah was our top scorer with 233 points. While Sadio Mane was close behind with 221 points. Then Trent Alexander-Arnold scored 210 points, being the top Defender and finishing 3rd in Liverpool’s rankings. Another 6 players scored over 100 points last season, they were Andrew Robertson with 181 points, Virgil Van Dijk with 178, Roberto Firmino with 155, Allison with 122, Jordan Henderson with 116 and Georginio Wijnaldum with 97 points. 

Liverpool opening 5 games are:

Leeds (H)

Chelsea (A)

Arsenal (H)

Aston Villa (A)

Everton (A)

Leeds at home to start the campaign will be fast paced electric game, as we have the premier league champions against the championship champions, do expect Leeds to make it difficult for us. Chelsea away has always been difficult but last season up stepped Trent and blasted an amazing free kick against them, plus the season before Sturridge came of the bench to rescue us a point in the last 10 minutes of the game and Rudiger’s reaction and face told us all the story. Arsenal at home has always produced plenty of goals for us, Villa away was one of the games of the season for us, down 1-0 into the last 10 minutes Robertson floated to the back post and tapped in for us then mane in the last couple minutes flicks his front post header from a corner through everyone into the back of the net, cue delirium from the away fans and the hashtag of #mentalitymonsters floating around. Then we have the Merseyside Derby away which is always very difficult and this one will be just as hard, if not harder with Everton having 4 games to gel their new signings with their current players and they can be very difficult to beat. I do see Liverpool’s front 3 getting their names on the scoresheet a few times along with plenty of points hopefully coming from Robbo and TAA. 

Goalkeeper:

Allison Becker (6.0): This shot stopper has saved us on numerous occasions and three will sit with me for a while, stopping Todd Cantwell at Carrow Road trying to round Allison and he used his big hand to push the ball away from Cantwell, Not diving early at the NOU Camp when we played Barcelona when Dembele was one on one with him and finally stopping Jesse Lingard from walking the ball into the net at Old Trafford, he’s produced saves aplenty and will continue to do so. Unfortunately he missed about 10 games last season due to injury sustained against Norwich on the opening day, but came back and produced 13 clean sheets, and one assist to Mo Salah against United at Anfield in the final minutes of the game, he also produced only 58 saves but Liverpool didn’t face many shots on goal last season as they were defensively strong. He can be your set and forget keeper and will score you over 140 points if he stays injury free and Liverpool keep plenty clean sheets. Currently in 12.0% of teams, I expected that to be lower due to the other value keepers. 

Defenders:

Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.5): Will he break Andy Robertson’s record of 213 points for a defender this season? He most probably will and to be honest you can’t count him as a defender this season. He scored the most points of any players that is priced 7.5 or lower last season. He produces more points than most midfielders, he must be in your team, if you don’t start without him and he gets 10+ points in the first gameweek then you are already behind the 8 ball. Last season he scored 210 points producing 4 goals and 15 assists FROM the RB position, expect something about the same if not more this season. He is on most set pieces and he can hit a deadly free kick. His first ever goal for Liverpool was a free kick and from then on we knew he was something special, he’s a born and bred scouser and plays every game with his heart on his sleeve, I would be lying if he I said he wasn’t my first picked, also expect him to be at least 8.0 next season as a defender. He’s only in 55% of teams, that should be close to 70% if I’m being honest. 

Andrew Robertson (7.0): This guy is an absolute star and probably in my opinion the BEST LB in the world currently, he will have Kostas Tsimikas challenging him for the LB position this season which will make Robertson work so much harder, I will never forget his pressing against Manchester City three seasons ago at Anfield when we beat them 4-3, the game was over and done with, it was the 70ish minute but this guy was so hungry to win the ball back, he had the crowd going wild, it just showed us as supporters what kind of player Robbo is. He holds the record for the most points as a defender in FPL with 213 two seasons ago, last season he scored 181 points producing 2 goals and 12 assists. He also puts up midfielder points as a defender and I would be considering him as well as TAA. He’s currently in my final team. Two defenders producing you 25 assists along with whoever you have in midfield and as your striker then your going to be up there. He is going to be close to the 200 point mark again and that is unheard of seeing two defenders score nearly 400 points for you between them. 

Virgil Van Dijk (6.5): As the song goes “calm as you like”, and as Troy Deeney said “smells amazing and seems like he doesn’t break a sweat”, I have to agree with both, apart from the smells amazing part as that would be weird haha, but honestly if you watch this guy closely he is very calm on the ball, very rarely makes mistakes and if he does he will make sure it doesn’t happen again. Imagine marking him at a corner, I sure wouldn’t want to. Last season he scored 178 points producing 5 goals and 2 assists while being involved in all 15 clean sheets for Liverpool. He played every minute last season and I expect him to do so again this season. Whoever he has along side him as his CB partner they learn from him and they play very well, from Gomez to Matip to even Lovren (moved to Zenit) and even to some of the young guys, he is one of the world’s best defenders. Will produce the same amount as last season give or take a few. 

Joe Gomez (5.5): Normally Virgil’s partner in crime and has excelled since having Big Virg in the team, he is a cheaper option but isn’t one to score many goals or produce assists but if TAA gets injured or subbed, he’s normally the one to move to RB and hopefully will do so as he is much better than Neco Williams, He only should be considered during a Liverpool DGW if Liverpool have a good percentage chance of keeping a clean sheet. He scored 93 points last season with not troubling the goal contribution column but being apart 12 clean sheets. Still hasn’t scored a premier league goal yet and I do reckon he will this season. 

Midfielders:

Mohamed Salah (12.0): Two time golden boot winner in his first two seasons. I remember he won the puskas award for his goal versus Everton, but it wasn’t even his best goal that season. He scored 233 points last season from 2879 minutes, scoring 13 goals and providing 10 assists. Hopefully he increases his output a bit more this season and can score at least 275 points if everything goes to plan. Currently in 30.3% of teams, unfortunately he’s not in mine at the moment.

Sadio Mane (12.0): Won the golden boot a couple seasons back with 22 goals. Last season he scored 18 goals and provided 10 assists for a score of 221 points. He will produce the same as last season for his owners this season, I’m choosing him over Salah to start this season and if Mane doesn’t perform then I’m behind the ball to start but I’m hoping not. Mane always gets the job done and is in my team due to that. 

Naby Keita (5.5): We still haven’t seen the best of Naby Keita in the premier league, could it possibly be third seasons the charm? We hope so, if he can produce what he did in the Bundesliga for Leipzig then Liverpool will have a good season, when watching him he does make the midfield look better when going forward, he is the one who can make that final pass to our front 3 something we have been missing when trying to break down teams who sit back. Last season he scored only 52 points from 806 minutes, he produced 2 goals and 3 assists. If he can play more minutes and somehow find himself in the starting XI then hopefully we can see the best of him.

Jordan Henderson (5.5): Asked the boss to see if he could play more advanced since we had Fabinho in our team playing as the number 6, and as soon as he played more advance he produced his best performance for 5 seasons, he scored 116 points contributing 4 goals and providing 5 assists. Unfortunately came off injured towards the end of the season and is currently doubtful for the first game of the season, if you’re looking for a consistent player who plays nearly every single minute and plays every game like it’s his last then consider this guy, but I won’t be, there are better options I reckon. 

Georginio Wijnaldum (5.5): Currently is linked to Barcelona due to Ronald Koeman taking over and trying to link up his Netherlands midfield. Will go down as a Liverpool legend too for his cameo off the bench against Barcelona in the Semi Final of the champions league two seasons ago. Last season he scored 107 points scoring 4 goals. He is known for only scoring at Anfield but last season produced a couple of goals away from home especially the winning goal against Sheffield at Bramall Lane. I hope he doesn’t leave as he is integral in our midfield. 

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (6.0): I’ll be honest when he moved from Arsenal, I was very surprised but Klopp saw something in him and boy has he improved a lot since joining us.  He has scored some outrageous goals in multiple competitions, especially he turns up against Manchester City, he was injured for some part of last season which meant he played only 1475 minutes but he scored 76 points scoring 4 goals and providing a single assist. Currently is nursing a knee injury and probably won’t be involved in the first few game weeks. He prefers playing CM and might replace Gino if we lose him to Barcelona. Might thrive and if he does then consider him but he has never ever had a season with over 100 points and a season playing over 2000 minutes. 

Forwards:

Roberto Firmino (9.0): He is our most important player in this team, he is the only box to box number 9 in the world I swear, he gets so much criticism because he doesn’t score many goals, but the thing is our goals come from different avenues, he is a team player and doesn’t care that he doesn’t score goals, he’s there to make the team score goals. I remember reading Wij say “playing in the bobby role in Barcelona was difficult, and couldn’t believe how much he runs and does for the team” it just shows how much of influencer Bobby is, last season he still got the job done scoring 155 points producing 9 goals and 9 assists, it may not of been his best haul of goals and assists to date but still was very influential, but unless he has huge purple patch where he is continuously on the score sheet he won’t be in my team this year.

Divock Origi (5.5): The club has a lot to thank this man for over the last couple of seasons, just build him a statue when he leaves or retires, he scores big, big goals. Header v Everton at a Anfield very late on, header v Newcastle two seasons ago to keep us in the title race till the very final day, “corner taken quickly.... ORIGIIIIIII!!!!” Versus Barcelona and then coming off the bench against Tottenham in the Champions League Final to win us the game, he is a legend, but back to FPL, played 699 minutes mainly off the bench for a score of 65, scoring 4 goals and producing 3 assists. Will be used the same this season just off the bench unless he gets a few starts here and there.