153. GW2 Recap: Bruno's Week

Gameweek 2 is done. The average was 82 points. Forty managers in our league hit triple figures. Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick. Wissa and Elanga are unstoppable at Newcastle. And if you removed Bruno before this game — well.

The Numbers First

I got 102 points this week. I don't think I got 100 in a single gameweek last season — including double gameweeks. That tells you everything about what kind of week this was.

The average was 82 points. In our group of 167 managers, 40 people got 100 or more points. Forty. That might be the most I have ever seen in a single gameweek. If you were below 82, you were below average — and that is just a reflection of how much this league relies on Haaland and Bruno. One got a hat-trick. The other scored 13. Between the two of them, they carried a huge portion of the group to triple figures.

The global high score this week was 161 points, scored by a manager who triple-captained Bruno Fernandes and picked up 69 points from him alone. Even after losing 28 points from transfers, they still hit 161.

The Week That Was

Let me take you through the key moments before we get into the matches properly.

Haaland opened the weekend with two goals on Friday night, alongside Cherki, who also scored twice. Morgan Gibbs-White had a resurrection. Isak announced himself. Hull kept another clean sheet. Elanga and Wissa struck again for Newcastle — how long can they keep this going? Palmer, João Pedro, and Rogers continued contributing at Chelsea. Pascal Groß is back. Dominic Calvert-Lewin returned to goals. And then — the big one.

Bruno Fernandes. Hat-trick.

That is what single-handedly saved many people's weekends. For those who triple-captained him: that is arguably the best triple captain return you can get. Three goals in a hat-trick from a single gameweek, giving him 23 FPL points and triple-captain managers a staggering 69. Arsenal rounded off the weekend with a clean sheet.

All the Matches

Man United 5–2 Ipswich

As I said before the season: Enciso and Emersonn are Ipswich's most dangerous players. Emersonn was nowhere to be seen in this game. Enciso eventually got an assist and was dangerous — they started well when Davis scored — but then Nunez slipped, and the game went with it. Man United never stopped pressing after that.

Bruno. Bruno. Bruno. There was an own goal somewhere in between. Cunha had two assists. Maguire had an assist. Fernandes had an assist. Mbeumo had an assist and hit the post. Manchester United completely dominated this game. It really could have been more. Apkom scored a consolation and Davis could have had two goals but shot like a defender when the second chance came.

Bruno got three bonus points, Mbeumo two, and Cunha one.

I am very glad I did not remove Bruno. I was planning to — thinking about how to bring in Cherki and Palmer — but I kept him. That was the right call.

Newcastle 2–0 Spurs

The most marquee match on paper. The most disappointing in reality.

Spurs spent over £300 million in the summer. This is how they have been playing for two seasons. More of the same. The only real chance I can remember was from Van Hecke. Spurs were largely second best.

Elanga still looking like Sonic the Hedgehog. Wissa looking exactly like the player who lit up Brentford before this move. Nico González slotted into that Newcastle midfield and was excellent — the first goal came from a delivery that found Dedić, who headed it to Elanga, who spun beautifully for a finesse finish. Please watch that goal. It was one of the best of the weekend. A substitute then set up Wissa for a cool finish shortly after.

Hall got three bonus points, Wissa two, Dedić two.

Spurs still have nothing going on. I cannot recommend them until they show me something.

Chelsea 4–3 Brighton

An extraordinary game. Chelsea finished it with 25.6% possession and 67% pass accuracy — the lowest in a home game since 2004 against Charlton. Brighton were arguably the better team for large stretches. Yet Chelsea had the goals.

João Pedro was the sixth player in PL history to score a goal, assist a goal, and score an own goal in the same match. Chelsea have now gone 18 games without a clean sheet in the Premier League. Palmer scored against Brighton and loves scoring against them — six goals against them now, his highest against any single club.

Arsenal 1–0 Aston Villa

The clean sheet sealed what was already a composed Arsenal performance. This was their 14th time in five seasons conceding zero shots on target. Liverpool, their closest rival in that stat, have managed it eight times. Defence matters.

Raya made his 50th appearance for Arsenal and has kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper across Europe's big five leagues since joining. The records keep coming.

Aston Villa are the first team to finish in the top four the season before and then lose their opening two games since QPR in 1976/77. They are also only the second team since 2003/04 to fail to register a single shot across their first two Premier League games in a season.

Hull and the Clean Sheet

Hull kept another clean sheet. Millar scored — becoming the ninth Canadian to score in the Premier League. And only four newly promoted teams in history have won their first two Premier League matches: Bolton Wanderers in 2001/02, Hull City in 2016/17, Huddersfield Town in 2017/18 — and now Hull City in 2026/27.

Liverpool's Draw

Liverpool are now only the second Premier League side to start a season with two 2–2 draws, along with Everton in 2014/15. Morgan Gibbs-White had 13 points and has been directly involved in 20 goals in 2026 across all competitions — 15 goals, five assists — level with Haaland for the most of any player. His 13 Premier League goals in 2026 are the most of any player in that period alone.

GW2 Top Performers

Goalkeepers:

Defenders:

Midfielders:

Forwards:

GW2 Records and Numbers

GW2 Transfer Market

Transfers In

Transfers Out

*Numbers correct at time of recording and subject to change.

Cherki crossing the million mark tells you everything. Over a million people brought him in after that performance. Wissa and Elanga at Newcastle are following, and De Cuyper remains popular despite getting zero points this week — because he is a defender playing as a left winger, and that formula has not changed.

Most selected player GW2: João Pedro. Most captained: Haaland. Most vice-captained: Raya.

Our League: GW2 Breakdown

Top 5 This Gameweek

Marto FC — managed by Martin — used their bench boost and topped our group with 137 points. Here's how they did it:

Verbruggen (0) in goal. Shaw (2), Calafiori (11), Mosquera (6) across the back. Bruno as captain — 46 points. Mbeumo (11), Enzo Le Fée (3) in midfield. Calvert-Lewin (8), Haaland (13), João Pedro (9) up front. Kinsky (1) on the bench, with Groß (13), van Ewijk (2), and Thomas (8) also on the bench — all counting. That bench boost made a 50-something week into a 137.

Bottom 5 This Gameweek

Hillary Malik — team name "Dust Is Constant" — had Watkins as captain (zero points), Pickford as vice-captain, no Fernandes, no Haaland. The team speaks for itself and it is going to be a long season if it stays this way.

The average was 82 points. 40 managers in this group of 167 got 100 or more. If you were below 82, you know what needs to change.

Biggest Movers Up

Biggest Movers Down

Captain Choices in Our Group

Haaland and Bruno together were captained by 107 out of 167 managers. This is how centralised the league is around those two. Our collective rises and falls with their performances. This week: it rose. The three people who triple-captained Bruno in our group had the best single gameweek returns imaginable.

And for those captaining Rya, Brobby, Yokeres, and Van Dijk — we need to talk. There is no reason to be gambling on those players when Haaland and Bruno exist.

Chips and Bench Points

Chips played this week:

• 7 managers used their bench boost
• 3 used their triple captain

Most points on the bench:

Telvin Mudonga had 34 points sitting on the bench and still got 85 for the week. Pascal Groß (13), Mukiele (9), Neco Williams (6), and Roefs (6) were among those sitting unused. That is too many points to lose. This would have been a great bench boost week — but hindsight is a perfect tool.

Transfer Penalties

Squad Value

Highest: Papichulo and Amos Langat — both at £100.4m, tied at the top.

Lowest: Aron Mundi at £99.7m, having lost £0.3m. Lawrence Agyapong, Harry Potter, and Hillary Malik are all sitting at £99.8m.

Our League Overall Table (After GW2)

View the full league table →

It is still very early. Between position 1 and position 153, the gap is only 100 points — and we have seen how fast 40 people can get 100 points in a single gameweek. Nothing is over. Nothing is decided. Keep fighting.

The Global Picture

Here is where the world stands after two gameweeks:

The global number one is Abdullah H Rasull — team name "Abdullah h rasull Kurdistan" — with 249 total points after using their triple captain this week. Here's the squad that got them there:

Lammens in goal. White (7), Gabriel (8), Calafiori (11) across the back. Bruno Fernandes triple-captained for 69 points. Foden (9), Palmer (7), Enzo Le Fée (3) in midfield. Wissa (8), João Pedro (9), Barry (2) up front. Rogers (5) off the bench. An Arsenal-heavy defensive spine, triple captain Bruno, and the Chelsea trio doing what they do. Three Arsenal defenders, triple Bruno, João Pedro, Wissa — that is a masterclass in constructing a week.

GW3 Fixture Guide

Liverpool vs Ipswich

Both teams had difficult weekends. Liverpool were lucky not to lose. Ipswich were soundly beaten by Man United. Liverpool will be favourites.

From Liverpool: Gakpo and Isak are their two best players. I would hesitate to take a third one.

From Ipswich: Enciso again. Give Emersonn another try. Give Davis a look too. Liverpool's defence has been shaky, so I wouldn't back their defenders too heavily.

Newcastle vs Bournemouth

Newcastle beat Spurs convincingly. Elanga and Wissa shone through. Bournemouth are not easy — they drew their last game, conceded a late equaliser to Everton, and proved they can score against anyone.

From Newcastle: Elanga and Wissa are my clear favourites. Dedić if you want more exposure.

From Bournemouth: Scott, Evanilson, and Raya. Those are the three best bets from their side.

Brentford vs Sunderland

Brentford drew last time out. Sunderland got a 1–0 win thanks to Isidor.

From Sunderland: Their defence held up. Roefs looked good. Isidor was sharp. Hume is an interesting one — classified as a defender but plays as a midfielder, meaning you get midfielder output on a defender's price. Mukiele was solid in defence too.

From Brentford: Schade and Thiago. Thiago hasn't scored yet but has looked threatening consistently. Lewis-Potter as well. At £8.0 I would rather go to Wissa. But if you have Brentford exposure, Thiago and Schade are the names.

Brighton vs Leeds

Brighton were very impressive against Chelsea. They started poorly but finished brilliantly. If they can put two solid halves together, they should beat Leeds.

Yalcouye — who scored at £4.5 — is very interesting. If he starts again this weekend, he is entering my squad. At that price, you get attacking output at the cheapest possible entry.

From Brighton: Groß, De Cuyper, Kostoulas — and watch Yalcouye.

From Leeds: Stach, Okafor, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. DCL scored last time out and will be their biggest attacking threat.

Fulham vs Crystal Palace

I'm not confident in either team. Both could be in a relegation fight if they don't improve. Fulham are still signing players from Real Madrid — let's see if that adds up to anything meaningful.

From Fulham: Castagne, King, and García.

From Crystal Palace: Yeremy Pino is standing out the most to me. Their new signing is also worth watching — he recorded 10 tackles on his first Premier League start, the most since N'Golo Kanté in 2015. Promising. But I would lean Fulham in terms of returns if you're not picking Pino.

Man City vs Coventry

Don't even think about a Coventry player. Not yet. They need to go through the kind of revolution Leeds did last season — Lampard needs to make decisions quickly because there is a genuine opportunity here with so many teams in transition, but he needs to move faster.

From Man City: Cherki and Haaland. Those are the clearest options. Gvardiol or Guéhi if you want a defender from this fixture — this should be a clean sheet.

Forest vs Spurs

From Forest: Gibbs-White first. Then consider the defensive options — they tend to be solid.

From Spurs: Do not put a Spurs defender in your team until you have seen two clean sheets in a row. Do not. I have Kinsky and I have been suffering. Get out. Pedro Porro could score or assist so he is the one exception, but even then — until Spurs show you something, there are better options everywhere.

Hull vs Aston Villa

You could convince me Hull will win three in a row. But Villa are improving. They have made new signings and that depth will add confidence. They should be better than Hull. Emphasis on should — Man United should have been too.

From Hull: Ajayi, Egan, or Mendy in defence. Tzolakis in goal — 10 points in each of the first two gameweeks, rising to every challenge. Millar up front if you want the attacking angle.

From Aston Villa: Wait. Don't rush into Villa players. They will become good but it is not yet time. If you must go in, Buendia and Jackson are the options. No defenders yet.

Everton vs Man United

This is Moyes vs his former club. Everton will have lost Ndiaye to Man City by this point, which makes them less appealing. But Man United have the advantage — their last five head-to-heads show United winning 4–0, drawing twice, then alternating wins.

From Man United: Bruno Fernandes. Mbeumo. Cunha.

From Everton: Armstrong, Tarkowski, and Dewsbury-Hall. It becomes harder to recommend Everton right now. They have lost Beto, gained Balagan from Monaco — Balagan was good there but we don't know yet what that means in England. Just wait a little. Even Grealish who is arriving — give it time.

Arsenal vs Chelsea

The marquee game of the gameweek. Arsenal are champions. Arsenal played well last game. Chelsea won — but with 25% possession and 67% pass accuracy. You are looking at the best defence against one of the more leaky defences in the division.

From Arsenal: Raya, Calafiori, Saka. Those three have been consistent over both gameweeks. No one else has been.

From Chelsea: João Pedro, Palmer, and Rogers. If you want to be creative, Pedroto. Chelsea will start strong and I think Arsenal will concede in this game — but Arsenal have more in them. My prediction is 2–1 or 3–1 in Arsenal's favour.

After this Chelsea game, Arsenal's fixtures open up: Sunderland, Brighton, Leeds, Forest. That is when I would be loading up on Arsenal players. This week still has the Chelsea test.

FDR Outlook: Next 5 Fixtures by Team

GW3 Captain Picks

1. 01
   Haaland (Man City vs Coventry) — the standard captain. Coventry are not looking good. This could be very comfortable for Haaland. If you want the safe option, it starts and ends here.
2. 02
   Bruno Fernandes (Man United vs Everton) — off the back of a hat-trick, and Everton have lost Ndiaye. If Bruno performs against them, the hat-trick nerves dissipate and he becomes even harder to remove.
3. 03
   Cherki (Man City vs Coventry) — if he starts, the ceiling is enormous. His form since joining Man City has been extraordinary. Same fixture as Haaland, different kind of output.
4. 04
   Isak (Liverpool vs Ipswich) — the differential captain. Liverpool need a response. If Isak gets going, this could be a big week. Gakpo is the alternative from Liverpool.
5. 05
   Wissa (Newcastle vs Bournemouth) — has been in sensational form. Two consecutive standout weeks. Newcastle are flying and this is a very playable home fixture.
6. 06
   Groß (Brighton vs Leeds) — if you want the sneaky pick, Brighton at home against Leeds in good form. Groß has 13 points this week and has been consistently involved.
7. 07
   Enciso (Ipswich vs Liverpool) — the bold, differential captain. Ipswich at home after a tough loss, Liverpool's defence still shaky. If you are feeling brave, this is the pick.
8. 08
   Tzolakis (Hull vs Villa) — 10 points in each of the first two gameweeks. He is not a joke pick. If you believe in Hull's defensive solidity, the goalkeeper is genuinely in captain conversation.
9. 09
   Saka / Calafiori / Raya (Arsenal vs Chelsea) — Arsenal at home. The best defence against a Chelsea side that struggled with 25% possession last week. All three Arsenal assets are viable.
10. 10
    Calvert-Lewin (Leeds vs Brighton) — if you want something different. He scored last time out and Leeds will need him to carry attacking threat in a difficult run of fixtures.

One Last Word

The average for gameweek two was 82 points. That might be the highest we ever see this season. Between position 1 and position 153 in our league, there are only 100 points — and we just watched 40 managers in the same group all score over 100 in a single week.

So if you are sitting at the bottom, or near the bottom, or just below average: it only takes one week.