Isak and Gakpo Deliver: Now Do You Buy for Fulham?

• Isak scored both goals, in the sixth and ninth minutes. Gakpo assisted both.
• Isak: 13 points. Gakpo: 11. Alisson added 8 with a clean sheet, five saves and one bonus point.
• Two goals from 0.69 xG. The finishing was superb; the chance volume was modest.
• Isak played 63 FPL minutes. Gakpo completed the match and finished up front after the substitutions.
• Next: Fulham at Anfield on Saturday 12 September. Barcola's arrival makes the minutes discussion part of the transfer decision.

Gakpo supplies it. Isak finishes it.

Two early combinations did the damage. Gakpo found Isak for the opener, then supplied him again with the outside of his boot for the second. Liverpool had the lead before Ipswich could settle. Isak had another finish ruled out for offside before the break. Owners nearly got the hat-trick; the flag kept it at two.

For FPL, the distinction between the two picks matters. Isak is the central finisher taking up your forward slot at £9.0m. Gakpo is a £7.1m midfielder who can create for him, then move into the striker's position himself. You can want exposure to the same attack and still make very different transfers depending on where your squad needs help. Prices are those checked on 5 September.

Liverpool's starting XI: expected points v actual points

Isak and Gakpo took the attacking returns, while Szoboszlai and Wirtz finished on three apiece. At the back, Alisson and Araujo both returned eight. A clean sheet made this a rewarding night for Liverpool owners, provided they had the right players.

Two goals from 0.69 xG: enjoy it, don't budget for it

Ipswich finished slightly ahead on xG, despite losing 2-0. Liverpool's early lead changed the game: they could protect the advantage rather than keep pushing for goals. Isak's finishing settled it, but ten shots and 0.69 xG suggest a more measured afternoon than the early double might have promised.

Expected goals: quality of finish, not a siege

Liverpool's 1.94 xG on target, against 0.69 before the shots were struck, fits the story of strong finishing. Meanwhile, ten of Ipswich's fourteen shots came from outside the box. Alisson still earned his five saves, but raw shot totals would overstate the pressure on his goal. These figures help separate the keeper's useful save points from a reason to panic about the defence.

Gakpo's position is the interesting bit for GW4

Gakpo finished at No.9. Barcola came on, Isak came off and Gakpo stayed on the pitch. For a midfielder in FPL, that flexibility is worth watching: a change in the front three does not automatically mean his afternoon is over.

There is a catch, and the manager said it plainly: competition for minutes is strong. He named Barcola, Ngumoha and Munoz when discussing starts, substitute appearances and players missing out. Barcola was being eased back after playing no minutes since the World Cup. His debut does not make Gakpo an immediate sell, but two assists do not make Gakpo immune to rotation either.

Isak's 13 points came in just 63 minutes. The early substitution is worth remembering before the next deadline: he does not need a full match to haul, but an early rest can still cut short a promising afternoon. Check his likely playing time alongside the goal tally when comparing forwards.

Fulham at home: the transfer decisions

• Own Isak? Hold for Fulham at home, subject to team news. Selling a fit first-choice striker before that fixture needs a better reason than finding room for last week's other scorer.
• Need a midfielder? Gakpo belongs on the shortlist. Compare his price and minutes with your outgoing player; he fills a different squad slot from Isak.
• Own Wirtz or Szoboszlai? Their blanks alone are a poor reason to take a hit sideways to Gakpo. Put the next few fixtures and minutes forecasts alongside each other first.
• Want Liverpool defence? Van Dijk's six points and Alisson's eight offer encouragement. One clean sheet does not erase the four goals conceded across GW1 and GW2.
• Own Frimpong? Araujo started at right-back here. Check the next team selection before assuming the attacking full-back gets straight back in.

For Ipswich, Palace away comes next. Four shots inside Liverpool's box give little reason to rush for their attackers on this evidence, but selling a cheap bench player for a hit would be an expensive reaction to a difficult fixture. Fix the positions where the transfer can improve your starting XI.

The captaincy question also deserves a fresh look. Liverpool host Fulham while City go to Old Trafford. Read the City v Coventry review, compare the latest xPts, and choose the armband for GW4. Isak scoring thirteen in GW3 is evidence to consider, not thirteen points you can buy for next week.