Our write-ups of the Gameweek 10 action continue with the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from Sunday’s fixtures.
The numbers you see in this article are from our Premium Members area, where you can access Opta player and team data for every single Premier League fixture.
- READ MORE: FPL review: Kane injury update, Potter explains Chelsea rotation
- READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 10: Saturday’s goals, assists, bonus and statistics
- READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 10: Sunday’s goals, assists, bonus and statistics
ALEXANDER-ARNOLD/DIAZ INJURIES ‘NOT GOOD’
Luis Diaz (£8.1m) was forced off with a knee injury in the 3-2 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday, while Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.3m) was substituted at half-time after picking up a knock to his ankle.
“Lucho [Diaz] we had to change before [half-time]. [It’s] something with the knee, not good. He will have a scan and then we will know more. I have no idea about the extent and then on top of that Trent [Alexander-Arnold] is bad as well with the ankle. [He] twisted the ankle, not good. Trent never, in seven years, went off if he could have played on. He was in too much pain, it started swelling immediately, so we will have to see.” – Jurgen Klopp
Diaz left the Emirates on crutches while wearing a protective brace on his left knee, with Monday evening bringing widespread reports that the Colombian was set to be ruled out until December.
As for Alexander-Arnold, his defending was criticised for both of Arsenal’s first two goals, and he has now blanked in seven of his eight league appearances this season, a far cry from his 2021/22 output.
WHY SALAH WAS SUBBED OFF
Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) struggled to make much of an impact at the Emirates on Sunday and was surprisingly withdrawn in the 69th minute, despite the game being finely balanced at 2-2. When asked why he brought the Egyptian off, Jurgen Klopp said:
“We had to defend again on a high level and we tried to put Hendo [Henderson] on that side there. Mo [Salah] did unbelievable, a lot, really big, big workload. He put in a real shift and sometimes that’s very intense and that’s why we thought we can do it with Hendo. We still wanted to win even when we took a striker off.” – Jurgen Klopp
During his time on the pitch, Salah managed just one penalty box touch and one shot, as Klopp continued with the 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 shape he successfully used against Rangers in midweek.
Above: Mohamed Salah’s touch heatmap v Arsenal in Gameweek 10
Elsewhere, Darwin Nunez (£8.8m) netted his second Premier League goal since his big-money move from Benfica, showing good movement and pace throughout.
“It was good, it was good. Sharp, good, involved in nearly everything, scored a great goal. Good.” – Jurgen Klopp on Darwin Nunez
“I think the goals we conceded had nothing to do with the system. Did we have to get used to it a bit more? It’s normal as well. Can we play it again? I don’t know because we lost today one important part of it, so we have to see who is available for the next game.” – Jurgen Klopp
MARTINELLI AND SAKA ON TARGET
A rampant Gabriel Martinelli (£6.6m) took only 58 seconds to put Arsenal ahead on Sunday, as he swept home Martin Odegaard’s (£6.4m) perfect through ball. The Brazilian later added an assist and is now up to 55 points overall, just seven behind Phil Foden (£8.2m), FPL’s top-scoring midfielder.
Bukayo Saka (£7.8m), meanwhile, was equally impressive, as he netted a brace of goals which included a second-half penalty. That means the winger has now produced seven attacking returns (three goals, four assists) in his last six league appearances.
Martinelli is currently owned by 46.0 per cent of Fantasy managers, but Saka remains a differential of sorts, with his 11.2 per cent ownership figure surely set to rise once Arsenal’s Gameweek 12 blank is out of the way.
3 IN 3 FOR ANTONY
Antony’s (£7.6m) good start to life at Manchester United continued at Goodison Park, as he netted his side’s equaliser. That means the Brazilian has scored three goals in as many matches, averaging a very decent 7.0 points per match. In that time, he has racked up 10 shots, double that of any other teammate.
“I was quite [confident] that he could straight away have an impact, and in the first games he has had his good moments, he had his bad moments, but I think today he played his best game so far. Now you see his running behind, and that is what I expect from him. Now I see his pressing, his defending is much better than in the first games and he has his dribbles, so I am happy with his performance, I am happy with his development. But I know there is still huge improvement and I know in the club and also in the Premier League that he needs to challenge. So he has to go every day to get out the best of him.” – Erik ten Hag on Antony
Antony’s goal was assisted by Anthony Martial (£6.9m), but the Frenchman’s day ended in frustration, as he departed the pitch on 29 minutes with a back problem.
“We have to wait. I can’t diagnose. I don’t think it’s that big a problem. He had an assist for the first goal. I’m happy with that. It was a setback for the team but Ronaldo came in and made the winning goal, I’m happy with that.” – Erik ten Hag on Anthony Martial
GORDON TO MISS GAMEWEEK 11
Everton suffered their first Premier League defeat in seven games on Sunday, and they will now have to travel to Spurs in Gameweek 11 without Anthony Gordon (£5.5m). That’s because the winger picked up his fifth booking of the season, which results in a one-match ban.
In truth, Gordon struggled to make much of an impact against Man Utd, having only recently returned from the illness that restricted him to a substitute appearance in the previous match.
However, Alex Iwobi (£5.5m) fared better as he netted his side’s opener, his fourth attacking return in the last five matches. In that time, he ranks joint seventh among all midfielders for chances created, although he has failed to register a shot in the box, which does dampen his appeal.
“He plays at a really high level, he did that from last season into this season. He is getting more goals and his performance was good.” – Frank Lampard on Alex Iwobi
SCAMACCA AND PAQUETA’S PARTNERSHIP
Jarrod Bowen’s (£8.1m) penalty goal means that he has now struck in consecutive Gameweeks, but it was arguably Lucas Paqueta (£6.0m) and Gianluca Scamacca (£6.7m) who stood out most in Gameweek 10.
The pair have had to bide their time following summer moves, but combined for West Ham United’s second, which helped them both earn maximum bonus alongside Michail Antonio (£7.1m).
It’s also worth noting that they lasted 83 and 79 minutes respectively, their longest run-outs of the season so far, suggesting they are finally getting up to speed with David Moyes’ demands.
“I’m really pleased for Gianluca [Scamacca]. For a young Italian boy to come over and be good in the Premier League is not easy. He’s beginning to show he can score different goals as well. He had the chance which he got down and put it past the post, he had the header which the keeper made a good save from, so on the day he’s had two or three chances to score, and the one he took showed the difference from him. The deft touch he got to get it over the goalkeeper and under the bar was a really nice finish.
I think it would be difficult to be a centre-forward who wouldn’t want to play around Lucas Paqueta. On his day he is going to make you goals and chances because of the way he plays. There was some of Lucas Paqueta today that was unbelievable and there were some bits that I didn’t like. That’s the bit which we’re all growing into and finding more about, but I thought today there was far more good than bad. Today, he was very good in some of the things he’s done.” – David Moyes
MITROVIC INJURY LATEST
Following defeat at the London Stadium, Marco Silva issued an update on Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.8m), who missed Gameweek 10 with a foot injury.
“Let’s see, day by day. We expected him to be with us but unfortunately the last two days he didn’t feel so well. We have to keep checking him, assessing him, to see when he can start working with the team again.” – Marco Silva on the injured Aleksandar Mitrovic
Fulham are about to embark on a kind run of fixtures, with Bournemouth up next at Craven Cottage in Gameweek 11.
EXCITING EAGLES
It’s been a difficult start to the season for Crystal Palace, not helped by a tricky opening schedule. However, they finally have their second win of the season after beating Leeds United 2-1 in Gameweek 10.
For the opening 20 minutes, they were poor and unorganised at the back, but their attacking players eventually turned the tie around.
Against Leeds, Eberechi Eze (£5.5m) and Michael Olise (£5.4m) started as part of a midfield three, with Jordan Ayew (£5.4m), Wilfried Zaha (£7.4m) and Odsonne Edouard (£5.3m) up front. The system evolved as the match went on, with Olise shifting wider and Zaha moving inside, but it’s clear Patrick Vieira is trying to get more goals into his team, even if their backline can be exposed.
Indeed, four of those players bagged attacking returns on Sunday.
“It was that we of course have the ability to play better in the second-half than we did in the first. We needed to be more in their face and a little more direct. We needed to find our front three for them to hold the ball and to wait for support from the midfielders. At times we did it better in the second-half. Obviously they [Leeds] dropped a little bit physically and that allowed us to play more directly but I was really pleased with [the fact] we remained calm. Of course it was tough, it was difficult, but I’m really pleased with the players because they really deserved to win games.
We wanted of course to play well from the back and the way they were pressing made it really difficult for us. I think in the first half an hour our decision making from the back wasn’t the best and we put ourselves into difficulties. Then we lost confidence and made wrong decisions. All credit to the players because going 1-0 down, fighting back and to compete and get the win, they worked really well and fully deserve it because in the last couple of games we played we didn’t get what we deserve. Today it was a good win for us.” – Patrick Vieira on his half-time message to his players
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