Best FPL team for Gameweek 3
For managers building a one-week benchmark, Wildcard draft or Free Hit shortlist, this is the strongest core XI for GW3 based on fixtures, current roles and early-season attacking or defensive indicators.
| Position | Player | Price | GW3 reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Konstantinos Tzolakis | £4.6m | Hull have started with two clean sheets and face a low-shot Aston Villa attack |
| DEF | Virgil van Dijk | £6.5m | Strong fixture plus Liverpool set-piece threat |
| DEF | Nathan Collins | £5.5m | Brentford clean-sheet potential plus aerial upside |
| DEF | Maxim De Cuyper | £4.7m | Attacking role and a favourable home fixture |
| MID | Morgan Gibbs-White | £7.9m | Penalty involvement adds upside |
| MID | Rayan Cherki | £7.7m | City's form midfielder in the best attacking fixture |
| MID | Phil Foden | £7.0m | Strong underlying chance involvement and explosive ceiling |
| MID | Dominik Szoboszlai | £7.0m | Corners and penalty involvement |
| FWD | Erling Haaland | £15.5m | Best captain of the Gameweek |
| FWD | Alexander Isak | £9.0m | Strong box threat against Ipswich |
| FWD | Igor Thiago | £8.0m | Good penalty-box involvement in Brentford's favourable fixture |
Captain: Erling Haaland Vice-captain: Rayan Cherki
This XI closely reflects the strongest fixture and role signals highlighted by the official FPL Scout. The useful question for your own team is not whether you can copy all eleven, but which parts of the structure improve your squad without creating problems next week.
Goalkeeper: Tzolakis
Tzolakis has opened the season with two clean sheets and 20 FPL points.
Hull now face Aston Villa, who have produced only 13 shots and five shots in the box across their opening two fixtures while failing to score.
For managers already owning a playing goalkeeper, however, a goalkeeper transfer is rarely a priority.
Verdict: Excellent one-week pick; do not spend a transfer unnecessarily.
Defence
Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool visit Ipswich and Van Dijk offers both clean-sheet and set-piece routes.
Liverpool have already accumulated 12 shots from set plays, while Van Dijk remains one of the league's most reliable aerial targets.
Nathan Collins
Brentford are among the strongest teams for GW3 clean-sheet probability.
Collins also adds attacking potential: Brentford have produced a high volume of set-piece attempts, and his aerial involvement gives him a route to points beyond the clean sheet.
Maxim De Cuyper
De Cuyper's appeal is role-based as much as fixture-based.
His advanced positioning has already produced attacking returns, making him more interesting than a defender whose ceiling depends almost entirely on a clean sheet.
Use the OneFPL Fixtures page to compare defensive runs beyond GW3.
Midfield
Rayan Cherki
Cherki combines form with the best attacking fixture of the week.
For most managers, he is the Manchester City midfielder to prioritise.
Phil Foden
Foden is the more aggressive City double-up.
He has been involved in five big chances across the opening two matches, including three created. His output has not fully matched those numbers yet, which is precisely why his ceiling remains interesting.
The risk is minutes. Check OneFPL Team News before committing.
Dominik Szoboszlai
Set pieces transform Szoboszlai's FPL profile.
He has taken Liverpool's corners and their early penalty, adding routes to points against Ipswich.
Morgan Gibbs-White
Gibbs-White's penalty involvement keeps him in the conversation even when open-play output is quieter.
He is not as urgent a transfer as Cherki, but he fits a balanced XI.
Forwards
Erling Haaland
Haaland is the first name in the XI and our captain.
He has registered 10 attempts, nine inside the box, across City's opening two matches.
Alexander Isak
Isak has seven shots in the box and three big chances. That profile is strong enough to justify a premium forward slot against Ipswich.
Igor Thiago
Thiago provides a second route into Brentford's favourable home fixture.
His seven shots in the box and three big chances through the first two Gameweeks make him more than a fixture-only punt.
If you cannot afford this XI
Do not rebuild your team just to mirror a weekly best XI.
Instead, prioritise the spine:
- Haaland.
- One strong Manchester City midfielder.
- One Liverpool attacker or set-piece route.
- Defenders with both clean-sheet and attacking potential.
- Players you are happy to keep beyond GW3.
The Transfer Planner is designed for exactly this: test the GW3 move and then look ahead before confirming it.
Wildcard or Free Hit?
This XI is useful as a reference for both chips, but the decision is different.
- A Free Hit can lean heavily into the best one-week fixtures.
- A Wildcard should care much more about GW4 onward.
Do not build a Wildcard purely for Coventry at home or Ipswich away.
Read the Wildcard strategy and Free Hit strategy before using either chip.
OneFPL verdict
The ideal GW3 structure is aggressive in attack but selective in defence.
Haaland is essential to the one-week template, Cherki is the best midfield route into City, and Liverpool remain worth investing in against Ipswich.
The main trap is making several short-term transfers for a single Gameweek and leaving yourself with a weaker GW4 squad.
FAQ
What is the best FPL formation for GW3?
A 3-4-3 works well for the current pool of attractive forwards and midfielders, but formation should follow your players rather than dictate transfers.
Who should captain the best GW3 team?
Erling Haaland is the preferred captain, with Rayan Cherki the vice-captain.
Is this a Wildcard team?
It can act as a starting point, but a Wildcard should place more weight on future fixtures and secure minutes than a one-week best XI.
Should I take hits to copy the best GW3 team?
No. A weekly best XI is a benchmark, not a reason to take multiple hits for players you may want to sell again next week.
Sources
OneFPL analysis. OneFPL is an independent Fantasy Premier League companion and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Premier League or Fantasy Premier League.
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