GW2 is here and there is yet another tough captaincy decision to be made. We have a lot of good captain choices in gameweek 2, with the likes of Mo Salah, Kevin De Brunye(a very good differential GW2 captain pick) and Erling Haaland with nice fixtures, making it harder for us FPL managers to decide on who to go for.
With so many good GW2 captain picks, In this article we’d take a closer look at Erling Haaland and Mo Salah, we’d also look at some nice differential captain picks and then we’d decide who are gameweek 2 captain would be.
Are you looking to activate your wildcard in GW2, then check out this post: GW2 wildcard draft template: teams and players to target gameweek 2 wildcard draft
GW2 captain picks: Haaland VS Salah
One common gameweek 2 dilemma, is who to captain, and the two players that come to mind are Haaland or Salah. Haaland faces Bournemouth on Saturday in what is meant to be his first game at the Etihad, while Mo Salah comes up against a trickier opponent in Crystal Palace.
Let’s now compare these two players, and see which one would be the ideal GW2 captain.
Haaland VS Salah captaincy comparison
Who has the better fixture
The first metrics we’d be using in this captaincy comparison, would be their fixtures. Both players play at home and both of their fixtures have an FDR of two.
There’s no doubt that both teams can win their game and score a couple of goals against their opponents. Crystal Palace however, seem to be much more better defensively when compared to Bournemouth.
At the same time Crystal Palace are less likely to sit back and defend throughout the game. We all Patrick Vieira’s style of play and we know he’d like his Palace team to have a go at Liverpool.
And from an FPL perspective, that’d be good for Mo Salah.
Bournemouth on the other hand are more likely to sit back and defend against Man City. So Man City and Haaland would have to take their chances.
And as we’ve clearly seen, Erling Haaland doesn’t need too many chances to score a goal. So no matter the style Bournemouth play, Haaland is still a threat.
Who has the better fixture Mo Salah or Haaland?
Well, for us it’s a tie. Both players have quite similar fixtures and the potential for them to haul massively is high.
Stats watch
Both players performed really well in gameweek 1, Haaland was absolutely superb and Mo Salah was Mo Salah. Haaland ended up with 13 points in gameweek 1, getting himself two goals and three bonus points.
While Salah ended up with 12 points, he got himself an assist and a goal and collected two bonus points. Salah in this Liverpool side, is a creative outlet and also a goal scorer.
Haaland also in gameweek 1, managed to get himself 5 shots (2nd), he had 4 big chances (1st), 1.83 xG (1st) & 2 goals vs WHU. He’s given a 74% chance to score vs BOU & an 18% chance of a hat trick.
There’s no doubt he had an excellent PL debut and he is very much the focal point of Man City’s attack and another additional bonus, is that he is on pens!
Salah on the other hand has a really impressive record against Crystal Palace, with 4goals & 3assists in his last 5 matches. He is given a 58% chance of scoring in GW2 & presents a great opportunity to go against the most popular Haaland cap pick this week!
In terms of stats, we do think Mo Salah is the better player and that’s because of the threat Mo Salah carries. We know both players are elite finishers, but the one thing Mo Salah has over Erling Haaland is his ability to create goals as well.
Haaland might not be that effective if he’s not fed well by his teammates, while Salah isn’t that way – he can create and score goals.
The final and last question now is, who to captain in GW2, Haaland or Salah?
Who to captain in GW2, Haaland or Salah?
Haaland just edges it for us this gameweek. He really is a lethal finisher and he’d be handful for Bournemouth’s defense. He’s one of the most sort after FPL asset this gameweek, and there’s no doubt that he’d be one of the most captained as well.
He has been given a 74% chance to score vs BOU & an 18% chance of a hat trick. He’d be our captain as well – it’s really hard to ignore him and hopefully he delivers.
Salah on the other hand would be second on our list of captains. I don’t think the point gap between the two players would be that much.
Salah is a midfielder and he’d get additional points for cleansheet and scoring a goal. It’d just be as close as it was in gameweek 1, where Haaland outscored Salah by just 1 point.
If you don’t have Erling Haaland in your FPL team, then Mo Salah is the man for you. A good fixture and impressive stats makes him an ideal gameweek 2 captain as well.
Further GW2 reads:
GW2 transfer targets, team reveal and differential picks
GW2 wildcard draft template: teams and players to target gameweek 2 wildcard draft
GW2 differential captain picks: Kevin De Brunye
There’s no doubt that Kevin De Brunye would be another really good gameweek 2 captain. The Belgian midfielder is Man City’s creative outlet and he’s always involved in everything good at Man City.
He’s got himself an assist already this season and he could quite easily add to that this weekend. The Kevin De Brunye X Haaland partnership has only begun and it would get better and hopefully this weekend the duo can linkup once again.
If you’re looking to go down the differential route for your captaincy, then Kevin De Brunye is on top of that list.
GW2 differential captain picks: Darwin Nunez
The difference Darwin Nunez (FWD, £9.0m) made when he came on for Liverpool last weekend, was really remarkable. In 50 mins Firmino received 2/24 passes in the penalty area; in 40 mins Darwin received 6/9.
Salah also became more of threat, when Darwin Nunez was introduced into the game. Nunez’s desire, hunger and willingness to be involved in games and score goals makes him a really good player and an exciting FPL asset.
Darwin Nunez (£9.0m) played just 39 minutes in Gameweek 1, but still managed more shots on target (3) and a higher npxG (1.46) than any other player!
There’s no doubt that if he starts against Crystal Palace he’d be involved in goals. If you’re a manager who is willing to take a risk and captain him in gameweek 2, then yeah go for it.
Redeyedrae, is an FPL content writer with years of experience in playing and writing about FPL. He has written for major FPL blogs like ALLABOUTFPL, Fantasytipsters, FF Titans, and nevermanagealone. With his deep knowledge of the game, he has become a trusted source for FPL fans worldwide. His content is well-researched and always up-to-date. He’s passionate about helping FPL managers gain an edge in their leagues by sharing insights and analysis about everything fantasy football on raensports.
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