Aston Villa have once again teamed up with the No.1 independent fantasy football site for the 2022/23 season.
Fantasy Football Scout provide regular reports packed with hints and tips to help you, hopefully, climb the ladder of fantasy football management and get the upper hand in your respective leagues.
Ahead of the opening weekend of the season and our Gameweek 1 clash against AFC Bournemouth, took a look at their advice.
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Heading into the opening Gameweek of the 2022/23 Premier League season, Aston Villa assets again look set to be excellent options for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers.
In defence
Villa have played five matches during pre-season, winning four and drawing one. In that time, the Villans have scored 10 goals and conceded just three, keeping a trio of clean sheets. Matty Cash (£5.0m) is currently the sixth-most popular defender in the game, with over 20% of managers selecting him.
During the 2021/22 season, Cash was the highest-scoring FPL defender outside the ‘big six’, coming in eighth for points scored. He registered 20 returns last campaign from a mix of clean sheets, goals and assists, alongside a range of highly-attractive underlying stats. Also, by starting all 38 matches of last season, it adds a layer of reliability for FPL managers.
Team-mate Lucas Digne (£5.0m) is currently a big differential. Owned by just 3.8% of the game, he could be an excellent pick for FPL managers. In his Premier League career, Digne has returned four goals, 26 assists, 38 clean sheets, 10 double-digit hauls and a total of 64 bonus points. As a corner taker, he has an additional route to points, which is valuable in FPL.
In attack
Leon Bailey (£5.0m) has been impressing both head coach Steven Gerrard and FPL managers alike. Last season’s injuries made the midfielder a difficult own in FPL as he averaged just 41.67 minutes in the games he played and was only on the field beyond 59 matches on five occasions.
However, in pre-season Bailey has shown the form that FPL managers were hoping for when he first signed. Therefore, his minutes and potential for FPL returns should improve, making him a good differential and outstanding value.
Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins (£7.5m) was Villa’s second-highest scoring FPL asset during the 2021/22 campaign, with only Cash returning more than the 131 points Watkins racked up.
Registering three assists, nine of his 11 goals were scored after Gerrard’s appointment ahead of Gameweek 12. Watkins’ increased output under Gerrard will encourage FPL managers to invest in the forward.
