The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 9 deadline arrives early this week at 18:30 BST on Friday, October 24, 2025, with Leeds versus West Ham kicking off the action under the Friday night lights. With the early deadline catching many managers off guard and multiple injury concerns clouding team selections, this comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to navigate one of the most strategically important gameweeks of the season.
Gameweek 9 Fixtures Overview
The fixtures present intriguing opportunities for FPL managers, with several standout matches offering premium captaincy options and differential potential:
Friday, October 24
- Leeds United vs West Ham United (20:00 BST)
Saturday, October 25
- Chelsea vs Sunderland (15:00 BST)
- Newcastle United vs Fulham (15:00 BST)
- Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion (17:30 BST)
- Brentford vs Liverpool (20:00 BST)
Sunday, October 26
- Arsenal vs Crystal Palace (14:00 BST)
- Aston Villa vs Manchester City (14:00 BST)
- Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest (14:00 BST)
- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Burnley (14:00 BST)
- Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur (16:30 BST)
The Captaincy Conundrum: Haaland Dominates But Alternatives Emerge
Erling Haaland (£14.7m) – The Safe Choice
The Norwegian goal machine remains the overwhelming captaincy favorite with over 75% of top managers handing him the armband for Gameweek 9. Despite three successive blanks in the Premier League before the international break, Haaland’s midweek Champions League brace against Sparta Prague signals a return to form at the perfect moment.
Aston Villa arrive at the Etihad Stadium having conceded eight goals in their last four matches, ranking in the bottom five for big chances conceded. The Match Centre data reveals Haaland’s unmatched pedigree: 11 goals this season (nearly double the next-best striker), 34 shots, 18 shots on target, 17 big chances, and an xG of 8.29. These numbers are simply seven times higher than any Villa player over the last five matches.
Bruno Fernandes (£8.9m) – The Value Alternative
Manchester United’s captain has finally started delivering returns that justify his selection, recording eight points in Gameweek 8 with an assist in the dramatic victory over Liverpool[8][9]. Data models surprisingly position Fernandes as a genuine captaincy contender this week, with Brighton’s defensive frailties offering substantial upside.
Fernandes remains United’s primary creator, averaging 2.8 chances created per 90 minutes – bettered only by Manchester City’s Jérémy Doku (3.0). He’s also secured on penalties, adding crucial floor security to his points potential. With Brighton conceding in every game and keeping zero clean sheets this season, the Portuguese midfielder could exploit their defensive vulnerability at Old Trafford.
Antoine Semenyo (£8.0m) – The Differential Punt
The Bournemouth sensation continues to fly under the radar despite ranking just behind Haaland for total FPL points this season. Semenyo has been sensational at the Vitality Stadium, averaging 10.5 points per home match. Nottingham Forest arrive under new management (Sean Dyche replacing the sacked Ange Postecoglou), creating uncertainty that Bournemouth should exploit.
With six goals in eight matches, an xG of 5.09, and penalty-taking potential, Semenyo offers a bold differential captaincy option at just 4-7% ownership in the top ranks. His home form, combined with Forest’s defensive struggles (14 big chances conceded in the last four gameweeks), makes him a tempting gamble.
Premium Midfield Decisions: The Salah Dilemma
Mohamed Salah (£14.4m) – Time to Sell?
The Egyptian King faces unprecedented scrutiny as over 600,000 managers have transferred him out ahead of Gameweek 9, making him the most-sold player this week. Salah’s form has nosedived, producing just six points in his last three matches despite an xFPL of 18.5. More concerningly, he was substituted against Manchester United and then benched for the midweek thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Recent social media activity has added fuel to speculation, with Salah removing Liverpool-associated imagery from his profile – though manager Arne Slot dismissed concerns, stating: “The last thing I worry about is Mo starting to score goals again because that’s what he’s done his whole life”.
The popular transfer move is Salah → Bukayo Saka (£10.0m), accounting for 7.4% of all transfers this gameweek. Saka has returned 17 points in his last three outings and faces favorable fixtures against Crystal Palace (H), Burnley (A), and Sunderland (A). This move frees up £4.4m for defensive or forward upgrades while maintaining premium midfield attacking threat.
Forward Line Frustrations: Pedro vs Woltemade vs Mateta
Joao Pedro (£7.5m) – Hold or Fold?
Chelsea’s Brazilian forward has become one of the most debated assets in FPL, owned by 58.7% of managers but blanking in his last four matches. His underlying numbers are alarming: just two shots, zero shots on target, zero big chances, and an xG of merely 0.07 across the last four gameweeks.
The case to hold centers on Chelsea’s favorable fixture against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, with the Black Cats having the joint-best defensive record recently but potentially vulnerable against Chelsea’s quality. Pedro also benefits from suspension for the midweek UCL fixture, ensuring he’ll be fresh and likely to play 90 minutes in Gameweek.
However, the counter-argument is compelling. Without Cole Palmer (groin injury, out until late November), Chelsea’s attack looks significantly less potent. Pedro has been forced into a more advanced striker role that doesn’t suit his preferred half-space exploiting style.
Nick Woltemade (£7.4m) – The Hot Streak Striker
Newcastle’s summer signing has become the breakout star of the season, scoring in four of his five Premier League appearances since Gameweek 4. Only Haaland and Jean-Philippe Mateta have registered more expected goals during this period among forwards.
The German forward faces Fulham at St James’ Park, with the Cottagers missing key defender Joachim Anderson and having conceded eight goals in their last four matches – the most of any team in the defensive comparison table. Newcastle have created 12 big chances at home already this season, ranking fourth-best domestically.
At £7.4m and 17.4% ownership, Woltemade represents excellent value with genuine differential appeal. His confidence is soaring, and he’s emerging as a potential penalty taker for Newcastle, adding further upside to an already attractive package.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.6m) – Wait One More Week
Crystal Palace’s target man has excellent form but faces the toughest fixture of the forward alternatives, traveling to Arsenal on Sunday. The Gunners have conceded just two goals in their last four matches, kept two clean sheets, and allowed only five big chances during that span.
The recommendation is to delay the popular Pedro → Mateta transfer by one gameweek. In Gameweek 10, Mateta faces Brentford at home while Pedro has Tottenham away, creating a more favorable switching point.
Defensive Considerations: Arsenal Dominance and Value Picks
Arsenal Double-Up Essential
Arsenal’s defensive metrics are historically elite. They’re averaging just 0.6 expected goals conceded (xGC) per game and have conceded only three goals despite facing Manchester United, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Manchester City. These are the best underlying defensive numbers since Opta began recording xG data.
Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.4m) is the priority Arsenal defender, combining clean sheet potential with attacking threat from set-pieces. However, he’s flagged as a doubt for Gameweek 9 after leaving the pitch against Atletico Madrid with an unspecified issue. Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed: “Big Gabi had to leave the pitch with an issue and he hasn’t been able to train yet, so let’s see how he evolves in the next 24 hours”.
If Gabriel is ruled out, Jurrien Timber (£6.0m) and Riccardo Calafiori (£5.8m) become the primary Arsenal defensive picks. Both offer attacking threat from their full-back positions, with Timber creating 1.76 chances per 90 minutes this season.
Marcos Senesi (£5.0m) – The Budget Gem
Bournemouth’s Argentine center-back has quietly amassed 37 points since Gameweek 3, with only five defenders scoring more. He combines elite defensive contribution points (completing 14 defensive contributions across seven games for an 87.5% success rate) with clean sheet potential at home.
At £5.0m, Senesi offers exceptional value for managers looking to downgrade premium defenders like Josko Gvardiol. Bournemouth’s home fortress mentality makes them significantly stronger defensively at the Vitality Stadium than on the road.
James Tarkowski (£5.5m) – Defensive Contribution King
Everton’s vice-captain is the undisputed leader for defensive contribution points in FPL this season. While Tottenham away isn’t the easiest fixture, Spurs have been lacklususter recently, and Tarkowski’s consistent floor of defensive actions guarantees reasonable returns regardless of clean sheets.
Since joining Everton from Burnley in 2022, Tarkowski has remarkably delivered around 10 clean sheets per season with several goal contributions, establishing himself as one of the most reliable and consistent defensive picks in the game[36].
The Gvardiol Rotation Concern
Manchester City’s Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol (£6.1m) has become a rotation concern after being unexpectedly benched in Gameweek 8 against Everton. The 16% of managers who own him were left frustrated as he watched from the sidelines during a routine victory.
Despite delivering attacking returns when selected (two goals across the last three gameweeks he’s played), the benching raises serious questions about his reliability moving forward. The popular downgrade routes are:
- Gvardiol → Michael Keane (£4.6m) – Frees maximum funds but Everton’s defensive appeal is limited
- Gvardiol → Kieran Trippier (£5.8m) – Short-term option until Tino Livramento returns from injury
- Gvardiol → Nordi Mukiele (£4.3m) – Sunderland’s budget enabler with decent underlying defensive stats
Midfield Value: The Enzo Fernandez Factor
Enzo Fernandez (£6.7m) has emerged as one of the most exciting mid-price midfield options, ranking joint-second for points gained in the last six gameweeks. The Argentine playmaker has returned to full fitness after missing Gameweek 8, playing 45 minutes in Chelsea’s midweek fixture.
Crucially, Enzo appears to have seized penalty-taking duties in Cole Palmer’s absence, converting his spot-kick against Fulham in Gameweek 3. At 100% conversion this season (1/1) and 88.89% career-long (8/9 scored), he offers elite floor security combined with attacking upside from his advanced role in Chelsea’s system.
The concern is rotation management, as Chelsea played Wednesday and Enzo wasn’t available in Gameweek 8 due to injury. However, manager Enzo Maresca indicated his readiness, and the Sunderland home fixture offers excellent opportunity for returns.
Transfer Strategy: The Five Free Transfer Trap
Many managers find themselves with accumulated free transfers heading into Gameweek 9, creating the temptation to execute multiple moves. However, the optimal strategy typically involves using just one or two transfers maximum to address urgent issues rather than attempting a mini-wildcard.
Priority Transfer Combinations:
- Gvardiol → Budget Defender + Reijnders/Stach → Enzo Fernandez
- Downgrades the rotation-prone Gvardiol to Mukiele (£4.3m), Keane (£4.6m), or Trippier (£5.8m)
- Upgrades injury-prone midfield enablers to premium coverage
- Salah → Saka
- Captures Arsenal’s favorable fixture run
- Frees £4.4m for defensive or forward upgrades
- Maintains premium midfield attacking coverage
- Pedro → Woltemade (Wait Until GW10 for Mateta)
- Capitalizes on Woltemade’s form and Fulham’s defensive issues
- Delays Mateta transfer to avoid Arsenal’s elite defense
Chip Strategy: Bench Boost Considerations
Gameweek 9 has emerged as a potential Bench Boost opportunity for managers with strong bench depth. With five teams having particularly favorable fixtures (Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle, Leeds, and Bournemouth), fielding 15 playing assets could yield significant returns.
However, the counter-argument suggests holding chips for double gameweeks later in the season when fixtures accumulate and premium assets play twice. The decision ultimately depends on individual squad construction and long-term strategic planning.
Injury Updates and Team News
Key Injuries to Monitor:
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – Out until late November with groin injury
- Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal) – Doubt for GW9, assessment ongoing
- Alexander Isak (Liverpool) – Groin concern, question mark for the weekend
- Jeremie Frimpong (Liverpool) – Hamstring injury, out for GW9 and beyond
- Omar Alderete (Sunderland) – Concussion protocol, expected to miss GW9
- Joachim Anderson (Fulham) – Hamstring injury, unavailable
Press Conference Updates:
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on Gabriel: “He hasn’t been able to train yet, so let’s see how he evolves in the next 24 hours to see whether he’s available or not for the weekend”.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Salah’s form: “The last thing I worry about is Mo starting to score goals again because that’s what he’s done his whole life and that’s what I expect him to do in the upcoming weeks and months”.
Differential Options for Rank Climbers
Danny Welbeck (£6.3m) – Just 3.3% owned, Brighton’s veteran striker has scored four goals in his last three gameweeks and faces his former club Manchester United at Old Trafford. United rank bottom five for shots on target conceded and big chances allowed, while Welbeck has six career goals against them.
Reece James (£5.5m) – The Chelsea captain is averaging 1.92 chances created per 90 minutes this season, ranking second among defenders[34]. At 5.3% ownership, he offers differential appeal with both defensive and attacking upside against Sunderland.
Sean Longstaff (£4.9m) – Leeds’ midfielder has quietly created 16 chances this campaign and offers budget-enabling potential with attacking threat. West Ham’s defensive vulnerabilities in the Friday night fixture make him an intriguing punt.
Final Recommendations
Optimal Gameweek 9 Strategy:
- Captain Haaland unless seeking differential rank gains, in which case Semenyo (home fixture) or Fernandes (value option) provide viable alternatives
- Hold Joao Pedro for one more week against Sunderland before reassessing for Gameweek 10
- Address Gvardiol if owned, prioritizing the downgrade-to-upgrade transfer pattern
- Consider Salah → Saka if seeking to reallocate premium budget more efficiently across the squad
- Monitor Gabriel’s fitness closely before the Friday deadline, having a viable first bench option as insurance
- Target Woltemade as the premium forward upgrade if moving away from underperforming assets
- Double up on Arsenal defense with Gabriel/Timber + Calafiori/Saliba combination for elite clean sheet potential
The early Friday deadline demands decisive action by Thursday evening to avoid last-minute panic transfers. With multiple injury concerns still resolving and press conferences providing late updates, patience combined with strategic bench planning offers the optimal path through Gameweek 9’s uncertainty.