Fantasy Football Tips: Stick with Salah for Gameweek 9

The fixture list looks particularly healthy coming off the international break, with plum home games for high flyers Spurs, Manchester City and Newcastle United. Here’s the must-have players for FPL Gameweek 9. 

Gameweek 8 Review

It was a gameweek to forget for the most transferred in player Heung-Min Son who blanked away at Luton Town, with the red card for Bissouma altering the course of that game. Ollie Watkins produced his seventh assist of the season at Wolves, but team-mate Cash failed to register an attacking return or clean sheet. 

I had another gameweek to forget, with 44 points seeing a fifth consecutive red arrow for my team and blanks for my transfers in Dan Burn and Heung-min Son. Dropping the injured Saka was the right decision for my side in the long run though, which is in good shape going forward. 

Defender: Kieran Trippier vs Crystal Palace (H)

A home game for Newcastle United could yield yet more clean sheets, with shut-outs against Brentford and Burnley at home in recent weeks. Trippier is the form player in the game right now, with a leading tally of 44 points in the last four gameweeks. 

He leads the way for key passes this season with 17, beating many big name creative midfielders, plus he’s taken the most free kicks. Newcastle United have conceded just eight big chances on their goal in this campaign, with Palace missing talisman Eze through injury. 

Midfielder: Mohamed Salah vs Everton (H)

Mohamed Salah has the most fantasy points of any FPL player this season, racking up three goals and two assists in the last four gameweeks alone. He’s also scored in every home game so far this campaign, averaging just under eight points per game at Anfield.

The Merseyside derby is usually an entertaining contest, with the Toffees keeping just one clean sheet this campaign. Salah scored in this fixture last season, with Liverpool the 2-0 victors on that occasion. He’s created a league high nine big chances. 

Forward: Erling Haaland vs Brighton (H)

Erling Haaland has gone through a rare goal drought, with blanks in consecutive matches for Manchester City, which has left some owners considering whether they can afford to go without the robot who amassed a record 36 goals last campaign.

However, managers should keep the faith for Brighton at home and even consider giving Haaland the armband. He has four goals and one assist from his last two home games, while Brighton haven't kept a clean sheet this season, conceding eight goals in their last two.

Most selected players

Below are the ten players who have the highest ownership percentage so far ahead of Gameweek 9.

• Erling Haaland: 88.1%
• Bukayo Saka: 48.4%
• Kieran Trippier: 47.3%
• James Maddison: 38.6%
• Kaoru Mitoma: 38.4%
• Mohammed Salah: 36.0%
• Alphonse Areola: 35.0%
• Son Heung-min: 34.7%
• Julian Alvarez: 32.7%
• Matty Cash: 31.9%