28 Oct, 2024

Game Week 9: Monday FPL Round-Up

Monday FPL Round-Up

Arsenal v Liverpool

Sunday evening featured one of the season’s standout clashes as Arsenal hosted Liverpool in a heated encounter.

FPL managers were unsure if Saka (£10.0m) would make the line-up due to Arteta’s somewhat ambiguous injury report.

However, those who held onto Saka were quickly rewarded when the England star scored his third goal of the season. Even more notably, he now boasts 10 goal involvements in 9 matches, cementing his status as a top asset. Consider Saka a fixture-proof FPL lock going forward.

Speaking of reliable FPL wingers, Salah (£12.6m) found the back of the net again, securing his sixth goal and 11th goal involvement of the season. Despite a relatively quiet game, Salah only needs one chance to make an impact. He currently leads all Premier League players in FPL points with 84.

Costing nearly £3m less than Haaland (£15.4m), it might be time to consider switching to Salah if you haven’t already—especially given his 39.9% ownership compared to Haaland’s 73.5%.

Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m) also showcased his quality with a superb pass in the build-up to Liverpool’s goal. Although he’s only managed one attacking return so far, his xGI of 3.2 suggests he’s been unlucky not to have more. Given his set-piece duties and Liverpool’s clean sheet potential, he remains a strong hold.

Diaz (£7.9m), Nunez (£7.1m), Martinelli (£7.0m), and Havertz (£8.2m) also showed promise. Martinelli and Havertz appear to have secured their spots in Arsenal’s starting line-up, offering cheaper routes into the team’s attack.

With Jota still side-lined, Nunez and Diaz should continue to see ample playing time, making them solid holds.

There are plenty of options in attack and midfield at this price range however, so check out our Transfer Wizard and Hot Picks to view them.

Cold Palmer’s Hot Streak

Palmer (£10.9m) is in sensational form, and he could have scored twice this week if not for an offside call. He now leads the league with 12 goal involvements (7 goals, 5 assists) and shows no signs of slowing down. Aside from a challenging fixture against Arsenal in Gameweek 11, Palmer has one of the most favourable schedules in the league over the next 10 weeks. Palmer is as close to a must-own as it gets.

History of de Tottenham?

Right on cue, just as enthusiasm was building around Tottenham assets, they delivered one of their worst performances of the season. Even without their talisman Son Heung-Min (£9.9m), expectations were higher for a team that had previously led the league in xG. Check out the prem xG table here.

Crystal Palace could have easily scored a few themselves, highlighting Tottenham’s ongoing defensive struggles. For now, Spurs defenders seem sub-optimal for FPL purposes, and even their attacking assets look volatile with upcoming matches against Villa and City in the next three.

Bowen’s on Fire

West Ham’s 2-1 victory over United proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Ten-Hag, following a stoppage time winner from Jarrod Bowen (£7.4m).

Bowen continues to quietly excel, with 6 goal involvements in 9 games for the Hammers. He also registered his highest xGI of the season against Man United, at 1.15. Given he is the focal point of West Ham’s attack, only £7.4m, on penalty duties and has a great set of fixtures over the next 9 game weeks, he can be considered a quality FPL option.

He’s also the only player among the top 19 FPL points scorers with an ownership below 6%, making him a fantastic differential pick.

By: George Lean

Last Updated: 28/10