FPL Head-to-Head: 2 Big Battles for Your GW1 Team

🥊 Mbeumo vs Cunha 🥊

🇨🇲 Mbeumo — £8.0m 🇧🇷 Cunha — £8.0m

Round 1: Last Season’s Numbers

Mbeumo: 1G, 3A | 1.98 xG | 4.99 xA | 148 pts Cunha: 11G, 3A | 1.98 xG | 4.99 xA | 148 pts

Round winner: 🇨🇲 Mbeumo

Round 2: FPL.team Expected Points

Mbeumo: 158.22 xP Cunha: 146.24 xP

Round winner: 🇨🇲 Mbeumo

Round 3: Routes to Points

Mbeumo: Open play | Some set pieces Cunha: Open play

Round winner: 🇨🇲 Mbeumo

Round 4: Expected Minutes

Mbeumo: 76 mins per match Cunha: 72 mins per match

Round winner: 🇨🇲 Mbeumo

Round 5: Ownership

Mbeumo: 23.3% Cunha: 12.8%

Round winner: 🇧🇷 Cunha

Round 6: Positioning

Mbeumo: Right wing or Striker Cunha: Left Wing

Round winner: 🇨🇲 Mbeumo

🏆 The Verdict

Winner: 🇨🇲 Mbeumo

This is an easy win for Mbeumo. He posted better numbers than Cunha last season, has stronger underlying expected data, and carries less minutes risk. Cunha’s minutes are more vulnerable given the number of options United have in his position, while Mbeumo has also featured as a striker in pre-season, giving him another route to consistent minutes.

🥊 Wirtz vs Szoboszlai 🥊

🇩🇪 Wirtz — £7.5m 🇭🇺 Szoboszlai — £7.0m

Round 1: Last Season’s Numbers

Wirtz: 5G, 3A | 6.59 xG | 6.7 xA | 117 pts Szoboszlai: 6G, 7A | 4.64 xG | 6.98 xA | 173 pts

Round winner: 🇭🇺 Szoboszlai

Round 2: FPL.team Expected Points

Wirtz: 152.32 xP Szoboszlai: 171.14 xP

Round winner: 🇭🇺 Szoboszlai

Round 3: Routes to Points

Wirtz: Open play Szoboszlai: Open play, set-pieces, penalties, DEFCON? (only actually hit DEFCON 2/16 midfield appearances)

Round winner: 🇭🇺 Szoboszlai

Round 4: Expected Minutes

Wirtz: 76 mins per match Szoboszlai: 88 mins per match

Round winner: 🇭🇺 Szoboszlai

Round 5: Ownership

Wirtz: 14.1% Szoboszlai: 44.3%

Round winner: 🇩🇪 Wirtz

Round 6: Positioning

Wirtz: Attacking midfielder 10 Szoboszlai: Box-to-Box 8 midfielder

Round winner: 🇩🇪 Wirtz

🏆 The Verdict

Winner: 🇭🇺 Szoboszlai

This one is much harder to call, and my advice would probably be to start with both players. Realistically, Wirtz’s numbers last season, in his first Premier League campaign, with regular appearances off the bench and plenty of minutes out wide, aren’t indicative of his potential output. I think Iraola’s system suits him much better, and I’m expecting plenty from both this season.