Should Fantasy Premier League managers Triple Captain Erling Haaland in Gameweek 3?
A home fixture against promoted Coventry, encouraging underlying numbers and a 13-point haul in Gameweek 2 make this one of the best opportunities to use the chip.
Haaland is currently predicted to score 7.0 FPL points against Coventry by the Predicted Points & Stats tool. That would become 21 points with the Triple Captain chip activated.
Haaland heads into Gameweek 3 after scoring twice in Manchester City’s 4-1 victory at Crystal Palace. He also collected all three bonus points to finish on 13 FPL points.
His Gameweek 1 blank against Bournemouth should not be viewed as a major concern. The Norwegian attempted five shots, hit the target twice and recorded 0.68 expected goals (xG).
His record in this type of fixture is difficult to ignore.
As shown in the Opta Heatmaps tool, Haaland averaged 7.1 FPL points per home appearance during the 2025/26 season.
His record against promoted opposition is even stronger, averaging 9.4 points per start at the Etihad. This includes 17-point hauls against Nottingham Forest and Ipswich, as well as a 16-point return against Burnley.
At £15.5m, the Coventry fixture was one of the biggest reasons to start the season with Haaland. Gameweek 3 now offers everything managers normally look for when using Triple Captain:
Coventry have lost both of their opening Premier League matches.
Frank Lampard’s side were beaten 3-0 away to Arsenal in Gameweek 1 before losing 1-0 at home to fellow promoted club Hull in Gameweek 2.
They have therefore conceded four goals and scored none ahead of their trip to the Etihad.
Manchester City, meanwhile, arrive after scoring four times away to Palace.
Four managers featured in the Elite XI: Team Reveal tool — with 28 top-10k finishes between them — currently have the Triple Captain chip active:
Matt Corbidge explained why he is currently backing Haaland:
“My Triple Captain is active on Haaland. There’s a lot to like about this. He’s at home, playing a recently promoted team, and he’s fit."
“It was one of the key pros of starting with Haaland in Gameweek 1. The real alternative Triple Captain option is when Man City play Hull, but a lot can change between now and then.”
These selections are not final. The Triple Captain chip can be cancelled before the Gameweek deadline, so managers should check the latest Elite XI team reveals closer to the deadline.
Manchester City travel to Porto in the Champions League at 20:00 BST on Tuesday 8 September, only three days after hosting Coventry.
That creates some risk of Haaland being withdrawn early if City build a comfortable lead. However, he has eight days to recover between the Palace and Coventry matches, so the schedule alone should not be enough to put managers off.
The most realistic concern is an early substitution rather than being rested from the start. If Haaland has already returned against a vulnerable Coventry defence, reduced late-match minutes may not prove costly.
Managers should still wait for the pre-match press conference and any late team news before making their final decision.
Manchester City have two other standout home fixtures during the first half of the season:
Gameweek 3: Coventry (H)
Haaland is fit, in form and facing a side that have lost twice.
Gameweek 7: Ipswich (H)
This fixture falls between Champions League matches against Paris Saint-Germain and AEK Athens.
Gameweek 16: Hull (H)
A strong alternative, although Haaland’s form, fitness and availability could change before then.
Hull at home in Gameweek 16 may be the strongest reason to save the chip. It appears in a cleaner part of City’s schedule, but it is still more than three months away.
Injuries, rotation and changes in form can quickly alter even the best long-term plan.
Managers should also remember that the first Triple Captain chip must be used before Gameweek 19.
For a wider look at every chip, read our FPL chip strategy guide for 2026/27.
Yes. Haaland is our preferred Triple Captain for FPL Gameweek 3, provided there are no late fitness or starting concerns.
Coventry at home is an elite fixture, Haaland has just scored twice, his Gameweek 1 numbers were encouraging and several proven FPL managers are currently backing the same move.
The Porto fixture creates a slight early-substitution risk, while Hull in Gameweek 16 remains a legitimate alternative. However, waiting does not remove uncertainty — it simply exchanges the risks we know now for new ones later in the season.
Yes, if he is fit and expected to start. His home fixture against promoted Coventry, recent brace and strong record against promoted teams make him an excellent candidate.
Yes. The chip can be cancelled at any point before the Gameweek 3 deadline, so activating it early does not make the decision final.
Manchester City’s home matches against Ipswich in Gameweek 7 and Hull in Gameweek 16 are the clearest alternatives during the first half of the season.
Not necessarily. The first chip expires before Gameweek 19 and there is no guarantee of a better Double Gameweek opportunity before then.
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