In case you missed it, this week’s Carabao Cup action brought a big ‘facepalm’ moment for Hugo Ekitike (£8.7m) – and his Fantasy Premier League (FPL) backers – during Liverpool’s win over Southampton.
The Reds’ in-form frontman scored his side’s winner on Tuesday… only to receive a second yellow card for taking his shirt off in celebration!
Given red card suspensions from the domestic cups carry over into the Premier League (and vice versa), the Frenchman will be forced to miss his side’s trip to Crystal Palace in Gameweek 6.
With Ekitike now out of action until October 4 at the earliest, his FPL owners – a quarter of all squads – have a decision to make: keep and bench him this weekend, knowing it’s Chelsea (A) in Gameweek 7 before the international break, when there will almost inevitably be price drops to contend with; or sell ahead of this week’s deadline.
REASONS TO SELL
Option one is, of course, fine if you’re not Wildcarding or Free Hitting this week and/or have other more urgent fires to put out.
But if you find yourself in a position where you’re able to do so without too much difficulty, there’s definitely a strong case for selling Ekitike sometime before the Gameweek 6 deadline.
ISAK BUILDING HIS FITNESS
For starters, Alexander Isak (£10.5m). The Swedish striker got his first Premier League minutes in a Liverpool shirt at the weekend, having started and played almost an hour against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League a few days prior. He then started again versus Saints this week, and only lasted 45 minutes before his planned half-time substitution but managed to score his first goal for the Reds in that time.
Arne Slot is being understandably careful with how he eases his newest addition into action given Isak’s lack of a pre-season, but it is inevitable that the ex-Newcastle man will eventually be starting up front regularly for Liverpool. What exactly that means for Ekitike’s own positioning and minutes is a hot topic of discussion, but it certainly won’t boost them or see him spending as much time as a line-leader as he has up to this point.
ROTATION HAPPENING REGARDLESS
Rotation was bound to begin around this time anyway as Champions League football and early rounds of the Carabao Cup come into play, condensing the fixture schedule for the top teams. Perhaps this suspension just proves to be the push that many FPL managers might have needed to offload a player who has been one of Liverpool’s best so far in 2025/26.
MIXED BAG OF FIXTURES
There’s also the point that the title holders’ fixtures take a turn for the worse for a few weeks, starting with this weekend’s trip to a side that beat them in the Community Shield last month.
As mentioned, it’s Chelsea away after that followed by Manchester United (H), who generally manage to make things difficult in these sorts of big games despite their struggles at other times. Brentford (A) in Gameweek 9 isn’t so bad, but then it’s Aston Villa (H) – who have definitely been better defensively than they have been going forward – followed by Manchester City (A). Altogether, that six-game period doesn’t really scream ‘invest now’, even if the fixtures eventually ease up again a little in a few months’ time.
So, if all that has convinced you to part ways with Ekitike sooner rather than later, you don’t have the money for (or already own) Erling Haaland (£14.3m) and aren’t convinced Isak is fit enough to be the answer just yet, here are some replacements to consider.
PLAYERS TO CONSIDER
JOAO PEDRO
He’s already the most-owned player in FPL, sitting in over two thirds of squads, so Joao Pedro (£7.8m) is a pretty good bet for those looking to play it safe.
Not that safe isn’t effective, of course; the Chelsea forward has five attacking returns (two goals, three assists) to his name already this season, justifying his high ownership, and faces his old club Brighton (H) – one of just four teams yet to keep a clean sheet so far – this weekend.
Enzo Maresca admitted on Monday that the Brazilian was managing a “small problem” ahead of the Blues’ midweek Carabao Cup match against Lincoln, but Pedro was able to be rested for that game and should – as far as we currently know – be fine for Gameweek 6, with his manager not seeming overly concerned.
Liverpool (H) will be a tougher test, and bear in mind that Nottingham Forest (A) is the 12.30pm Saturday kick-off after the international break. The good thing about the October break, at least, is that Pedro and Brazil do not have an early Wednesday morning fixture, instead kicking off over 12 hours earlier in Japan.
Sunderland (H) kicks off an excellent run that includes Wolves (H), Burnley (A) and Leeds (A).
Given Liam Delap (£6.2m) isn’t even expected back from his hamstring injury until the end of that run, Pedro could be the ideal, and safe, Ekitike replacement for those who don’t already own him.
RICHARLISON
If you do have Pedro already, or would prefer to go against the crowd, then Richarlison (£6.8m) springs to mind as a short-term punt.
The Tottenham Hotspur man has three league goals and an assist from four starts this season, and is among the division’s leading shot-takers with all 13 of his efforts coming from inside the opposition’s penalty box.
He’s had more touches in the box (32) than the likes of Haaland and Mohamad Salah (£14.5m), too – and indeed every FPL forward – despite playing fewer minutes.
The immediate fixtures? Couldn’t be much better, it’s Wolves (H) this weekend followed by Leeds (A). It’s less appealing after the international break (and certainly after Gameweek 9), but that’s not an issue for the many FPL managers who’ll be planning to Wildcard around that time anyway.
Rather, the caveat with Richarlison is – a bit like Ekitke – gametime. Dominic Solanke (£7.2m) is nearly fit. Randal Kolo Muani (£7.0m), likewise, after missing out last weekend with a dead leg. Mathys Tel (£6.3m) is also an option up top, having started there in Gameweek 4.
Richarlison’s next two fixtures, and the fitness status of others, probably make him the best short-term replacement for Ekitike. Beyond Gameweek 7, he’s too much of a week-to-week risk.
VIKTOR GYOKERES
For FPL bosses seeking a more long-term fix, Viktor Gyokeres (£9.0m) might be a better option.
It’s not a great entry point for those offloading Ekitike immediately, with a trip to Newcastle – statistically one of the Premier League’s best backlines so far this season – in Gameweek 6.
After that, however, Arsenal will face West Ham (H), Fulham (A), Burnley (A) and Sunderland (A) in the space of five Gameweeks.
That’s good news for the Swede, whose three goals for the Gunners so far have come against other lacklustre defences, in Forest and Leeds. Despite having faced Man City and Liverpool already, his total of four Opta-defined ‘big chances’ can be bettered by only two players in the Premier League: Haaland (10), and Antoine Semenyo’s (£7.7m) six.
Mikel Arteta’s title challengers will undoubtedly attract heavy investment ahead of that run and Ekitike’s suspension presents a golden opportunity to hop aboard the Gyokeres train this or next week, provided you have enough in the bank to make the switch.
EVANILSON
Another forward to consider is Evanilson (£7.0m).
Bournemouth’s frontman has fired off 12 shots (11 from inside the penalty box), although he has only scored once so far this season. Just one of those efforts has been classed as a ‘big chance’.
The Brazilian has, however, created more chances (seven) than any other FPL forward, highlighting his importance to a Cherries attack that Semenyo has instead largely been the focal point of.
He doesn’t boast penalty-taking duties like Gyokeres, and isn’t viewed as the most prolific goal-scorer, even if he did reach 10 Premier League goals in his debut campaign last term.
But there’s also no Europe-focused rotation to worry about with Evanilson, nor is there any more Carabao Cup action after Andoni Iraola’s crew were knocked out by Brentford in the second round.
With that in mind, coupled with decent long-term fixtures…
… Evanilson doesn’t look like too bad of a shout, particularly for those FPL managers lacking the funds to upgrade Ekitike or otherwise looking for a cut-price replacement to then invest the saved money elsewhere in their squad.
THE PROS + CONS OF THE OTHERS
MISFIRING WATKINS
By this moment, every FPL manager will fit into one of three categories when it comes to Ollie Watkins (£8.8m): regretful owner hoping he’ll come good but just about sick of watching his blanks and currently planning an escape route (yours truly); ex-owner glad to finally be rid of him; or those of you who can gleefully say that you never want down that road.
The fact remains that Watkins now has back-to-back home games, which he has yet to experience this season, against two questionable defences in Fulham and Burnley. But it’s equally true that Aston Villa have looked utterly toothless in front of goal, so at this point you must punt on Watkins at your own peril.
ROTATION RISKS
As prolific and popular as he was last season, Forest’s shoddy form in these first five games of 2024/25 and what we’ve seen so far since the arrival of Ange Postecoglou suggest Chris Wood (£7.5m) is probably best avoided, even with home ties against two promoted teams – Sunderland and Leeds – bookending their next five fixtures. Igor Jesus (£5.8m) and Arnaud Kalimuendo (£6.0m) have both brought more energy to the Tricky Trees’ frontline, although neither of them are secure enough to be worth a punt either, mind.
Elsewhere, Newcastle enjoy a decent looking run of games once this weekend’s visit of Arsenal is out of the way, which could spark medium-term interest in new striker Nick Woltemade (£7.1m). The German scored on his debut, albeit against lowly Wolves, and faces clean sheet-less Nottingham Forest and Brighton followed by Fulham, West Ham and Brentford from Gameweek 7 onwards. However, it’s worth remembering that fellow summer arrival Yoane Wissa (£7.4m) is expected to return from injury after the October internationals (i.e., Gameweek 8), meaning gametime is far from a certainly for either player given the Magpies also have the Champions League and domestic cups to worry about.
BUDGET PICKS
West Ham look to be in a world of trouble, while even Jorgen Strand Larsen (£6.4m) might struggle to wrangle Wolves into a first win of the season, particularly away to Spurs this week – although their upcoming double-header against newly-promoted clubs catches the eye a little more.
Someone like Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz (£5.5m) also probably isn’t worth going for as an Ekitike replacement this week, with his fixtures not brightening up until Gameweek 10, and Leeds’ Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.5m) won’t face Wolves every week! DCL aside, Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.6m) is the only man in this section so far who scored last week, but he’s got to face Liverpool immediately and Arsenal a few weeks later, with Everton and Bournemouth sandwiched in between.
Igor Thiago (£6.0m) has so far failed to convince that he’s got what it takes to replace Brentford’s departed stars, while Lyle Foster (£5.0m) is a good budget enabler but not the best Burnley attacker, if you’re into that sort of thing.
We haven’t managed Wilson Isidor (£5.5m) yet, which feels harsh given he’s currently the fourth-highest scoring forward in the game. The immediate fixtures aren’t all that bad, and his price could enable money to be pumped into your squad’s midfield or defence, but there may always be a concern that Eliezer Mayenda (£5.5m) takes some of his minutes and potentially starts, as he did at the beginning of the season.
ISAK!
Finally, a word on Ekitike’s likely replacement this weekend: Alexander Isak.
The lure of a striker who scored 23 goals last season and is now leading the line for the reigning champions and league leaders is strong.
But the same caveats apply with Isak as they do with Ekitike: minute management and fixtures. His positional rival returns from a ban after the weekend and, who knows, could reclaim his place in Gameweek 7. Arne Slot said on Friday that Isak is likely still only ready for 60-70 minutes, so he’s not quite fully up to speed.
He’ll become a feature of our Fantasy teams at some point this season, maybe soon, but it feels a little premature right now.
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