Cast your mind back to the last time you needed to think about Fantasy Premier League, before the international break. It feels like an age ago, but it was less than a fortnight.
In the time since, England has rejoiced at seeing tactical genius (but non-national anthem singer) Lee Carsley play all of Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer at once, and subsequently watched England lose to Greece for the first time at Wembley.
Then fans have decided it was obvious all along that Carsley was not up to the permanent job, actually, and heralded with joy the blockbuster arrival of tactical genius Thomas Tuchel to the role, before questioning anxiously whether he’ll sing the anthem. It’s nice to be back to the Premier League.
A bit of a low-scoring gameweek last time out, with Erling Haaland, Mo Salah, Luis Diaz and Ollie Watkins all failing to score big returns while Bukayo Saka swept up against Southampton.
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This week is a really horrible one, a vexer, a real grim series of coin tosses. So we’re going to get a little bit bold with it. There are no straightforward, no-brainer picks (other than Haaland at Molineux, obviously, obviously) so what follows is a set of real differentials (seriously, I cannot stress enough how much Haaland should be your first pick, but I am contractually obliged to not recommend a striker owned by nearly three quarters of the game).
Arsenal travelling to Bournemouth could yield points for the Gunners, Nottingham Forest could continue their early season form against Crystal Palace at home, and Tottenham Hotspur hosting West Ham could show some virtual promise for Ange Postecoglou’s men, and obviously the aforementioned Manchester City at Wolves. These are about the only games where you’d stick your neck out for one of the sides with any degree of confidence. All the rest are a bit too close for comfort. We’re here to help.
The Gameweek 8 deadline is at 11am on Saturday 19 October.
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Gameweek 8 fixtures
Saturday 19 October
*3pm unless otherwise stated
- Spurs v West Ham (12.30pm)
- Fulham v Aston Villa
- Ipswich v Everton
- Manchester United v Brentford
- Newcastle v Brighton
- Southampton v Leicester
- Bournemouth v Arsenal (5.30pm)
Sunday 20 October
- Wolves v Manchester City (2pm)
- Liverpool v Chelsea (4.30pm)
Monday 21 October
- Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace (4.30pm)
Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)
The temptation to lead with Bryan Mbeumo for a third week running, this time at Manchester United, was overwhelming. In the interest of variation we’ve decided that is too obvious and opted for another striker with excellent facial hair.
West Ham have been a bit shaky under new boss Julen Lopetegui. A 4-1 win over Ipswich last time out suggests things aren’t a total calamity, but they’ve only taken two points from games at Palace, Fulham and Brentford this season. Another trip to another part of London beckons, and this one is decidedly less friendly – Spurs have only lost to Arsenal at home and scored freely in wins over Everton and Brentford.
Postecoglou will have spent the international break putting a rocket up his squad after a horrific loss to Brighton, so they’ll be looking to prove a point. Spurs and West Ham fans don’t like each other and it’s a derby at home. Dominic Solanke has found his shooting boots in the early season. It all feels a bit pointsy.
Price: £7.6m Points: 21 Gameweek 8 fixture: West Ham (h)
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Most of the picks on this list are quite “out there”. Sometimes you need to keep it simple, see that Saka is owned by less than 35 per cent of players, and pick the most obvious collector of Arsenal’s points as they travel to face a Bournemouth side who have lost three of their last four league games.
He tweaked a hamstring for England but a positive injury update has since followed with Carsley suggesting he was merely not going to push him against Finland and noises coming out of Arsenal suggesting they are optimistic he will face Bournemouth.
Otherwise the omens are good. Last time out he got a goal and two assists. He’s on set-pieces and the bonus point system loves him. When it comes to points return form he’s seventh in the league. For Saka’s standards he’s had a rest, having not been played with a frail hamstring against Finland.
Sometimes you just need to pick a powerhouse midfielder to build the side around (after Salah/Haaland), and that is Palmer next week when he isn’t playing Liverpool. For now it’s your boy, Bukayo.
Price: £10.1m Points: 54 Gameweek 8 fixture: Bournemouth (a)
Rasmus Hojlund (Manchester United)
Manchester United are staring down the barrel of a third straight league defeat at Old Trafford. Brentford are flying. Erik ten Hag’s job security is at an all-time low and that is really saying something. It’s time to go big on United forwards, against all narrative, because change is the only constant and because Brentford games are chaotic and despite winning lots the Bees also concede lots.
United have accrued an average of 1.59 xG (4.76 total, it is loathsome how much this sounds like a Ten Hag post-match speech) over three games at home this season and scored precisely one goal. Some people, I am not pointing any fingers (Joshua Zirkzee, Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes), are not finishing their chances at the moment.
Rasmus Hojlund is back from injury, and you can say what you like about the pacey Dane’s first touch, but the man takes his chances and engineers a lot of them. Owned by less than 1 per cent of players. Go on, you know it’s a fun differential.
Price: £6.9m Points: 4 Gameweek 8 fixture: Brentford (h)
Emile Smith Rowe (Fulham)
There is some debate as to whether Rodrigo Muniz or Raul Jimenez offers more to Fulham’s attack. Jimenez is scoring more frequently, Muniz arguably brings more productivity in the build-up and helps the team more collectively. Jimenez is dramatically overperforming his xG, so a regression will come at some point, probably here, and Muniz may not start.
The thing is, Aston Villa have been fairly quick to concede on the road. One each to the not-exactly-prolific West Ham and Leicester, and two to Ipswich. There’s goals here for Fulham, who are definitely a better side at Craven Cottage with wins over Leicester and Newcastle this season.
Emile Smith Rowe is crucial to Marco Silva’s side. Everything flows through him, and he can pop up with a goal or two. He’s had an international break to bed in further with his new side and really start pulling the strings. It could be the game it all comes together for 70 minutes before Jhon Duran scores two total screamers.
Price: £5.7m Points: 34 Gameweek 8 fixture: Aston Villa (h)
James Justin (Leicester)
It’s a real relegation six-pointer, a humdinger, a thigh-slapper this one. Leicester, who won the Championship last season with Enzo Maresca and have stuttered a little under Steve Cooper but at least showed the ability to grit down and secure points early this season, visit Southampton, who look in danger already under Russell Martin.
James Justin’s FPL form is wildly skewed by him scoring two goals against Arsenal and getting an assist and a clean sheet against Bournemouth. However, if there’s ever a game where he will continue the run, it’s here against a Southampton side who has only rippled the net four times in the Premier League this season and shipped 15 goals already.
In a game that already feels “must-win” for the Saints in October, if Leicester get an early lead, heads could drop and it could get a bit ugly. Facundo Buonanotte and Jamie Vardy are other excellent picks to get in the mix in this match.
Price: £4.6m Points: 29 Gameweek 8 fixture: Southampton (a)
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