Fantasy Premier League (FPL) 2020/21 - 5 must have players for the early stages

With the Premier League season getting underway in less than 2 weeks, a lot of fans have started working on their Fantasy Premier League (FPL) teams.

For those of you who don't know, Fantasy Premier League is a game in which participants assemble an imaginary team of real-life Premier League footballers and score points based on those players' actual statistical performance or their contributions on the field.

It is a very interesting and engrossing game where you can either try to maintain a good global rank or try to win the mini-leagues, which have your friends or co-workers.

The total budget is set at a 100m euros and player prices range from 4m to 12m. So let's look at players that FPL players must include in their squad for the first few weeks.

#5 Alex McCarthy

A starter at 4.5 mil, Alex McCarthy deserves everyone's attention in the game. He's very reliable and Southampton have a feel good factor about them this season, off the back of an excellent end to last season, where McCarthy was instrumental.

McCarthy will not get as many clean sheets an Allison or Ederson, but he represents excellent value for his price and will also be likely to get bonus points. Matt Ryan of Brighton is also available for the same price, and behind Brighton's promising looking defence, he too can be a good choice.

#4 Ruben Vinagre

Vinagre offers a cheap inlet into the Wolves backline,

Wolves are one of most consistent sides in the PL and they will again be looking to be in and around the top 6. They play a 3 at the back formation with immensely attacking fullbacks. Jonny and Doherty were excellent at these wingback positions last season.

But with Doherty gone and Jonny's long term injury, Vinagre can offer an outlet into the Wolves defence for a very cheap 4.5m. He can provide attacking returns for FPL players given how high up the Wolves wingbacks play, and given that they are defensively solid, he should be getting clean sheets too.

#3 Mohamed Salah

Even with all of City's and Chelsea's options, Salah remains the best choice.

Only Kevin De Bruyne managed more FPL points and goal contributions than Mohamed Salah last season. Although he is the joint costliest player in the game, Salah is simply a must have over similiarly priced players like De Bruyne, Mane or Sterling.

Salah gets more than his teammate Mane, and it's highly doubtful that Kevin De Bruyne will hit 20 assists again this season, especially if Lionel Messi does come to City. The Egyptian is exceptionally consistent and FPL players all over the world will hope he will replicate or even better his 19 goals and 10 assists from last season.

#2 Trent Alexander-Arnold

Trent's assist record makes him a must have for FPL managers.

Simply put, Alexander-Arnold is FPL royalty. A defender for a defensively sound team, who gets 10+ assists every season, who wouldn't want him in their team? Alexander-Arnold managed 210 points past season, and even at 7.5 million, he is a must have for any FPL team.

Another key factor is that he will almost always play. Alexander-Arnold's backup is young academy graduate Neco Williams, who isn't quite ready for the Premier League yet.

On the other hand, despite having similiar assist numbers, it looks like Andy Robertson will be rested more frequently this season, given the signing of Kostas Tsimikas from Olympiacos.

#1 Pierre-Emrick Aubameyang

Aubameyang being classed as a midfielder will boost his chances of getting even more FPL points.

In the last two seasons, Pierre-Emrick Aubameyang has scored an impressive 44 goals for Arsenal in the league. As he is usually deployed on the left of the front three, the FPL have decided to categorise him as a midfielder this season. This makes him even more attractive as a pick.

Aubameyang is one of, if not the league's most efficient finisher, and as he has been categorised as a midfielder, he will get more points in the FPL on scoring. Also unlike Liverpool or City, where the attacking players share the goals, most of Arsenal's goalscoring comes through the Gabonese international.