We’ve put together an early version of our Scout Picks for Gameweek 9 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
As always, we will finalize our selection much closer to Friday’s deadline.
Of course, a lot can change between now and then.
The upcoming Scout Squad nominations will help shape our final Scout Picks. The European ties during the week and the pre-match press conferences will also influence our thinking.
But this ‘bus team’ at least offers insight into the players and teams that qualify.
ABOUT THE SCOUT PICKS ‘BUS TEAM’
There are, as always, certain limitations for our team:
- A budget of £83.0 million for our starting XI
- A total selection cap of £100.0 million
- No more than three players per team
GAME WEEK 9 FITNESS
Above: The Gameweek 9 matches sorted by difficulty on our Season ticker.
THE PROBABLY BOYS
Erling Haaland (£14.6m) currently sits at the top of the FPL points table after the first nine Gameweeks. Having already scored 11 times, he has almost doubled the number of goals scored by all other players so far in the 2025/26 season.
Manchester City’s opponents Aston Villa are on the rise, having won five in a row in all competitions, but there will be no doubts about Haaland’s inclusion in the Scout Picks.
An Arsenal defender also seems likely.
Crystal Palace will offer a threat (they scored twice in this match last season), but Mikel Arteta’s side have only conceded three goals and five big chances in eight league matches this season. Therefore, an Arsenal defensive signing will once again take center stage in the squad this week.
We’re done for now Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.3 million), but a midweek breather for Jurriën Hout (£5.9m) and/or Riccardo Calafiori (£5.8 million) would undoubtedly improve their credentials.
Above: Teams sorted by assigned big chances (BC) in 2025/26
Bruno Fernandes (£8.9m) produced his first assist of the season against Liverpool on Sunday, and the taking penalties playmaker will certainly be in the Scout Picks running next to him Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m) this week. Manchester United will take on Brighton and Hove Albion, one of only three teams left with a clean sheet.
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest are bottom of the list of big chances scored so far Antoine Semenyo (£8.0m) will like his chances. In addition, magnet for defensive contribution (DefCon). Mark Senesi (£5.0m) is also included in the ‘bus team’. Will a new forest manager, Sean Dyche maybehowever, involve the leap?
IN CONTENT
Chelsea signings should be in the conversation this week, but they face an opponent who could cause them a few problems. Sunderland share the same record as Enzo Maresca’s team after their first eight games, having won four, drawn two and lost two. They also kept four clean sheets.
That said, with Malo wants (£4.9 million) suspended, Ree James (£5.4m) is a possible candidate. He is the FPL’s leading defender in terms of goals and assists combined this season, and with Sunderland ranked 18th for key passes from the left flank, he will be pushing hard for inclusion.
Above: FPL’s top defenders for their attacking returns in 2025/26
Enzo Fernandez (£6.7 million), provided he is fit, and João Pedro (£7.5m) are also in the mix; However, the Brazilian’s lack of goal threat, with just three shots in his last five games, is a concern. He should at least start, because he will miss the European match against Ajax on Wednesday due to suspension.
Elsewhere, a Newcastle United representation seems likely. With doubts surrounding him Joachim Andersen‘s (£4.5m) condition, this could be a good time Nick Woltemade (£7.4 million) to face Fulham. The German has scored in four of his five Premier League starts since joining from VfB Stuttgart, and remarkably no Newcastle player has had more shots into the penalty area in that period.
Additional, Nick Pope (£5.2 million), Then Burns (£5.1 million) and Kieran Trippier (£5.0m) are interesting on the back end.
In midfield, Bukayo Saka (£10.0 million) and Cody Agat (£7.4m) have both had strong cases this week. Saka was Arsenal’s most dangerous attacker at Craven Cottage on Saturday and now has 15 points in his last two games, while Gakpo has five attacking goals in eight appearances this season. He is also Liverpool’s leader in both shots and chances created in 2025/26.
At this early stage it certainly feels like these two have an edge over others at Arsenal and Liverpool, such as God bless you (£7.6 million), Viktor Gyokeres (£9.0 million), Muhammad Salah (£14.4 million), Alexander Isaac (£10.6 million) and Hugo Ekitike (£8.7 million).
Above: No FPL midfielder has registered more shots than Cody Gakpo in 2025/26
El Hadji Malick Diouf (£4.4 million) and Jarrod Bowen (£7.8m) are on the radar against a Leeds United team who have scored just four goals on their own field so far. However, a poor performance from West Ham United against Brentford on Monday could potentially increase the appeal of Leeds’ budget-friendly assets.
Meanwhile, Wolverhampton Wanderers against Burnley is a tough call. Vitor Pereira’s team is in very poor form and is given up Jorgen Strand Larsen‘s (£6.4m) fitness issues, which you can read more about here, it may be more likely that a Clarets defender or Jaidon Anthony (£5.7 million) will see the Scout Picks reduced.
THE LONGER SHOTS
There probably won’t be that many enthusiasts Virgil van Dijk (£6.0m), given Liverpool’s poor recent form, but the Dutchman has scored at least DefCon points in three of his last four appearances.
Striker in form Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.6m) could play a role, and it will be interesting to see how the Scout Squad panel sees him, but this match at Arsenal is as tough as it gets.
Danny Welbeck (£6.3 million), Indian education (£6.5 million), Jack Grealish (£6.9 million) and Mohammed Jerusalem (£6.8m) all have their merits, without being standout candidates for Scout Picks.
The Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United defenders have some potential, but they are unlikely to oust the options currently selected in our ‘bus team’.
GAME WEEK 9 EARLY SCOUT PICKS
#FPL #Gameweek #Early #Scout #Picks #Newcasle #pair #among #doubleups