Fanasty football scout tips gameweek 2: Mohamed Salah, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ryan Bertrand and other picks

With the always-unpredictable opening weekend out the way, fantasy managers have had a week to assess the damage and start planning ahead.

It’s still far too early to tell who the form players are, whose price is too high and whose price is too low but even so, many managers will planning their first transfers of the new season.

Who should you be looking at this weekend? We’ve picked out six players who could be line for a decent points haul.

By the way, Romelu Lukaku would have made this list but the chances are that you already own him. Over half of managers in the game now have the Manchester United striker among their ranks after his opening weekend brace.

Tipped in our ’20 players’ preview ahead of the opening weekend, Ryan Bertrand not only kept a clean sheet in Southampton’s 0-0 draw with Swansea at St Mary’s but claimed two valuable bonus points. This week, Mauricio Pellegrino’s side have another home game, with West Ham United down on the south coast after their 4-0 thrashing at Old Trafford. Expect defensive and maybe even attacking returns from Bertrand.

While not among the goals in United’s win, Henrikh Mkhitaryan was at the centre of just about everything else. The modestly-priced Armenian’s two assists was twice his tally for the whole of the 2016/17 campaign and he is all but certain to retain his place for this weekend’s trip to Swansea. If you interested, move quickly. Mkhitaryan has already jumped up in price to £8.1m.

After a quiet opening 45 minutes at Vicarage Road, Mohamed Salah rewarded 27.8 per cent ownership with a goal and an assist. The summer signing’s opening 11-point haul promised much ahead of this weekend’s visit from Crystal Palace, who could barely have had a worse start, going down 3-0 to Huddersfield. Salah, along with Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, could put Frank de Boer’s side to the sword but buyer beware: Palace have beaten Liverpool on each of their last three trips to Anfield.

A return of just two points may not be too enticing but Christian Atsu showed glimpses of why he could be a budget asset during Newcastle’s defeat to Tottenham. The opener against last season’s runners-was a tough start, but Rafael Benitez’s side are now about to embark on a string of favourable fixtures. At £5.0m, Atsu could be a steal.

Overlooked by many in the build-up to the new season, Jamie Vardy reminded fantasy managers of what he is capable of with two goals at the Emirates. The Leicester City striker has already risen £0.1m in price with an enticing home fixture against newly-promoted Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend, but a word of warning: the Foxes’ schedule gets tough in the coming weeks.

Bournemouth went down to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the Hawthorns last week but there were positive signs from Nathan Ake, who picked up a precious bonus point. Better things are expected this time around with Marco Silva’s Watford visiting the Vitality Stadium, and let’s not forget that Ake showed an eye for goal while on loan with the Cherries last season.