FPL Fantasy Forecast 2025/26 Season: Gameweek 3

The 2025/26 Premier League season is back for a third round of fixtures, with the team at Hype Train providing an in-depth look at the week ahead. We have covered our top players selections, tips, differentials, and provided a scout picks squad of picks for a standalone Gameweek 3. All aboard.

Are there any lessons and takeaways to consider from Gameweek 2?:

The sequel is never as good as the original:

Gameweek 1 offered a clear route to points for many of the players, but as is the case, Gameweek 2 provided an immediate come down for most players. Sure, a lot of good scores somehow happened, but on the whole, the most highly selected players greatly reduced the overall average to 51 points, down from 54 points in Gameweek 1.

• Bruno Fernandes (20.9% ownership) missed a penalty at Fulham

• Erling Haaland (30.9%) blanked against Spurs, but had chances to score and assist

• Cole Palmer (48.2%) was injured for Chelsea in the warm-up and didn't feature in a 5-1 win

• Tijjani Reijnders (33.0%) was the most selected transfer in, didn't get close to any points in the 2-0 home loss to Spurs

• Mohammed Kudus (30.2%) was excellent against City, but didn't provide any value for points in the win at The Etihad

• Robert Sánchez (25.0%) conceded early against West Ham in a comfortable win, leading us to believe how many benched Martin Dubravka (34.2%) who kept a clean sheet for Burnley in their 2-0 win against Sunderland

• Rayan Aït-Nouri (19.9%), who was a popular transfer for the injured Frimpong (LIV), was injured in the first-half against Spurs

Where was the consistency from Gameweek 1 to 2?:

• Clean Sheets: Arsenal and Spurs kept back-to-back clean sheets and both have real talent for FPL players to consider, even against top opposition

• Wins: Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs are the only teams to win both their opening fixtures

• Draw Specialists: Crystal Palace & Fulham have both drawn their first 2 games 1-1

• Losses: Wolves & West Ham are the only teams to lose both their opening games

• Gameweek Record: Just as there was in Gameweek 1, Gameweek 2 offered up 5 home wins, 2 draws, and 3 away wins

• Defensive Contributions (Defenders): Virgil van Dijk (LIV, 24.5%) has not dropped below 15 contributions (15 vs. NEW, 21 vs. BOU) and leads Defcon attributes, whilst Marcos Senesi (BOU, 1.6%) has back-to-back Defcon points, as does Sepp van den Berg (BRE, 0.6%), James Tarkowski (EVE, 7.2%), Maxence Lacroix (CRY, 1.5%), Dan Burn (NEW, 4.6%), and Matthijs de Ligt (MUN, 3.0%) - totalling 7 defenders with the additional 2 points in each Gameweek

• Mohamed Salah (LIV, 53.7%) has returned in both Gameweek's, managing both a goal against Bournemouth (GW1), and an assist against Newcastle (GW2) after the 90th minute

• Brennan Johnson (TOT, 6.3%) was the first player to score in both Gameweek's, netting against both Burnley (3-0 W) and Man City (2-0 W)

• Antoine Semenyo (BOU, 20.4%) added an assist to his tally against Wolves in GW2, returning in both games of the season - with a good run of games upcoming

• Hugo Ekitiké (LIV, 24.7%) like Johnson, has managed to score in both Gameweek's, with Ekitike picking up 5 bonus points (2 vs. Bournemouth, 3 vs. Newcastle)

• Richarlison (TOT, 10.6%) scored a brilliant overhead kick against Burnley during GW1, and followed that up with an assist at City, earning 17 points so far

• Cody Gakpo (LIV, 10.5%) scored on the opening day against Bournemouth, and then during GW2 managed a brace of assists in Liverpool's 3-2 win at Newcastle

• Dan Ndoye (NFO, 2.0%) has flown massively under the radar, but scored on opening day against Brentford, before providing a brilliant assist against Crystal Palace), with the £6.0m midfielder on 16 points

The £5.5m goalkeepers are trumping their £5.0m rivals:

Before the start of the season, we looked at the template that FPL players were going by, with both Matz Sels (NFO) and Robert Sánchez (CHE) the chosen picks ahead of the premium £5.5m considerations - Jordan Pickford (EVE) and David Raya (ARS) - and well, Gameweek 2 showed exactly why they're worth their value.

Raya (21.5% ownership) kept a second clean sheet of the season and earned an easy 6 points against Leeds, whilst Jordan Pickford (11.4%) not only kept a clean sheet during Everton's first outing at Hill Dickinson Stadium in a 2-0 win against Brighton, but the penalty expert denied Danny Welbeck to amass a huge 15 points - with both GK's just behind Vicario (TOT, 6.0%) on 18 points at the summit of the points table for goalkeepers.

Meanwhile, Sels (4 points) hasn't got going at all with Forest failing to keep a clean sheet against Brentford (3-1 W) and Crystal Palace (1-1 D), whilst Sánchez (11 points) was wasted potential in an easy 5-1 rout against West Ham.

In the FPL Dream Team... twice

Riccardo Calafiori (ARS, 7.1%) ends Gameweek 2 as the top points scorer in the game, earning 13 points against both Man United (1-0 W) and Leeds (5-0 W), tally 2 clean sheets, 1 goal, 2 assists, and 3 bonus points. Calafiori is the only player to feature in the FPL Dream Team during both GW1 & GW2, ahead of a mammoth trip to Liverpool during Gameweek 3.

What should we expect during FPL Gameweek 3's fixtures?:

There are sure fire backing this week for Nottingham Forest's home fixture against West Ham from an FPL perspective. Chelsea will be favoured against Fulham, and Spurs hosting Bournemouth is a good opportunity to build on good early season form.

Liverpool hosting Arsenal is the one to watch, and our score predictions suggest a lot of people are divided on the outcome.

Gameweek 3 Score Predictions:

GW3 Score Predictions: Sam Austin

Chelsea 2-0 Fulham

Man Utd 2-1 Burnley

Spurs 3-1 Bournemouth

Sunderland 1-1 Brentford

Wolves 0-2 Everton

Leeds 1-3 Newcastle

Brighton 2-3 Man City

Nott Forest 3-0 West Ham

Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal

Aston Villa 1-0 Crystal Palace

GW3 Score Predictions: Phil Jones

Chelsea 3-0 Fulham

Man Utd 2-1 Burnley

Spurs 3-2 Bournemouth

Sunderland 1-0 Brentford

Wolves 0-1 Everton

Leeds 0-2 Newcastle

Brighton 2-1 Man City

Nott Forest 4-0 West Ham

Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal

Aston Villa 1-1 Crystal Palace

GW3 Score Predictions: Robert Austin

Chelsea 2-1 Fulham

Man Utd 0-1 Burnley

Spurs 3-1 Bournemouth

Sunderland 1-2 Brentford

Wolves 0-0 Everton

Leeds 1-2 Newcastle

Brighton 1-3 Man City

Nott Forest 2-0 West Ham

Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal

Aston Villa 1-1 Crystal Palace

FPL considerations and musings ahead of Gameweek 3:

"I've had a bad start to the season, should I wildcard for Gameweek 3?"

This is sure to be the question rattling on in everyone's heads right about now... and to be honest, internally at Hype Train towers we have also been pondering the question due to a host of injuries and ill form to start the season, but ultimately we believe that it is best to wait and hold your wildcard, for now, and with good reason.

After Gameweek 3 has ended, the first international break of the season is upon us, as will be the close of the summer transfer window. A combination of the two week break, last minute transfers both in and out of clubs, an injury to a player representing their national sides, gives us FPL players more time to consider the changes and price changes in the game to make better informed decisions on overhauling our squads... a luxury we do not have during Gameweek 3, however tempting.

By holding tight and sticking the course for Gameweek 3 without playing the chip will allow for a better transition of your side, particularly as FPL trends will be more established. Don't forget, August football in the Premier League largely feels isolated from the rest of the season in our opinion, it's a settling in period, whereas the remainder of the season FPL players are stuck with midweek games meddling with their squads and more consistency in the game.

What options are these to consider to replace Cole Palmer (CHE) or Bukayo Saka (ARS)?:

We would suggest to put in a cheaper midfielder to enable a 3rd forward (if you have been playing 3-5-2). Dropping Palmer/Saka to Semenyo (BOU) or Johnson (TOT), Gakpo (LIV) allows Chris Wood (NFO) against West Ham to come in, or if you're an Ekitike (LIV) admirer, you can cover Forest with Dan Ndoye (£6.0m).

Have Arsenal players proved their FPL in FPL despite a tough fixture list?:

Form always trumps fixtures. It's a tough run for Arsenal, but we'd back them to score points in most games - the Liverpool game is so open in terms of a potential result right now.

Does Man United's loss to Grimsby change our perspective of them in Gameweek 3?:

Yes. United are a shambles right now, and even if it is for a single Gameweek, we can't justify the price tags of Fernandes (£9.0m), Cunha (£8.1m) and Mbuemo (£8.0m) given the fact they haven't registered anything in FPL, and were hapless in their League Cup exit. A hard pass from us.

Antoine Semenyo - is he worth a transfer in during Gameweek 3?:

We'd back the call for the now £7.2m midfielder alongside the 890,370 to make the move ahead of the GW3 deadline, even if Spurs have back-to-back clean sheets. This is because Bournemouth's run of fixtures - Brighton (H), Newcastle (H), Leeds (A), Fulham (H) - is a safe bet for a player who has started the campaign strong.

Who are the top captaincy considerations ahead of FPL Gameweek 3?:

1) Chris Wood (NFO, £7.7m) vs. West Ham (H)

2) Erling Haaland (MCI, £14.1m) vs. Brighton (A)

3) Mohamed Salah (LIV, £14.5m) vs. Arsenal (H)

4) João Pedro (CHE, £7.6m) vs. Fulham (H)

Hype Train's Scout Picks for Gameweek 3:

Our Gameweek 3 squad picks utilise a £100.0m budget, and we have used this just for a squad of players for GW3's fixtures. Click the link here or below to see our picks on social media.

For more from Hype Train FC, follow the team on Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss a single moment on or off the field.