The Irish international had an opening day to remember, scoring and assisting; not bad for a player usually played in defence. The former Sligo Rovers defender also picked up a 2 bonus to end up with 13 Fantasy Premier League points; a promising opening day performance. Listed as a defender, he's an excellent signing to make, and with West Brom at home next week, he's definitely worth the £5 million price tag. Whether he continues to be first-choice is another question, but if he does, he'll be an essential player to have.
1. Simon Mignolet (Liverpool) - 15 points
The new Liverpool netminder had a fantastic match, saving a penalty for 5 points, making 5 saves for 1 point, getting a clean sheet for 4 points, and playing the full game for the mandatory 2 points. At £5.5 million, he's still a steal of a purchase, and will appeal to anyone looking to dump Petr Cech ahead of their blank in week 3. However, their next 2 matches are tough. First up are Aston Villa away, fresh from their victory at the Emirates. After that, they host reigning champions Manchester United, who were imperious in their defeat of Swansea on Saturday. Two tough matches, perhaps a clean sheet is out of the question in the latter.
Diarmuid is a freelance student and studious sports journalist operating out of the wilds of Dublin, Ireland. His specialist subjects include the English Premier League, the GAA, and track and field athletics.
