FPL
9 May 2026 65 comments
FPL Marc FPL Marc
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On Thursday, Aston Villa overturned a first-leg deficit to defeat Nottingham Forest and reach the Europa League final.

At the same time, Crystal Palace beat Shakhtar Donetsk to make the Conference League equivalent.

Let’s check how these developments will affect the final three weeks of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).


1. Sixth place may reach the Champions League

If Villa win the Europa League and, domestically, finish exactly fifth, then the team below them will also qualify for the Champions League.

That place is currently occupied by Bournemouth. But Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion are close behind. It’s an intriguing thought that one of these clubs might be rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite next season.

It means that there’s an extra incentive for the chasing pack to aim for sixth place, and should ensure strong line-ups from their respective clubs’ managers while it’s mathematically possible to do so.

However, if Villa win the trophy and finish fourth, that extra Champions League place will be allocated abroad.

2. Crystal Palace’s Conference League final takes place after Gameweek 38

FPL Gameweek 4 Free Hit: Pros, cons + best team

Meanwhile, at Palace, Oliver Glasner is already rotating his attackers and hinted at more over the coming days. It greatly reduces the appeal of their players for this Double Gameweek 36.

Expect this to continue until the final day, as Gameweek 38’s hosting of Arsenal happens three days before meeting Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig.

That might annoy Manchester City fans.

“Again, I don’t know right now how we will plan this because it’s also the first time for me playing the last league game on Sunday and then [the final] on Wednesday. When we had this with Frankfurt, we played the last league game on Saturday and we… played the same team that we played in the [Europa League] final as the last test.

“But I don’t know if this makes sense if you play Sunday and Wednesday. Fortunately, I have a bit of time to think about it and do my research and talk with my staff, and then we will plan the last week, but now it’s really getting the win against Everton to be really safe in the league and then making the second step.

“To be honest, if somebody criticises… for me, sorry, if I can say this, it would be nonsense. It’s just the last game but there were 37 games played before. That means if another team on Matchday 25 rotated against City or Arsenal, they affected the title race as well. I’m not responsible for Arsenal, I’m not responsible for Manchester City; I’m responsible for Crystal Palace and I get paid for doing the best things for Crystal Palace and not for City and not for Arsenal.

“Again, I don’t know what we’re doing [in Gameweek 38]. Maybe we’ll be playing with the same line-up that we’ll play against Vallecano but again, maybe it feels like the league title is decided on the last day but at the end, it’s a result of 38 Matchdays and at the end, everybody gets what he deserves.” – Oliver Glasner, speaking on Thursday, about his Gameweek 38 plans

3. Aston Villa’s Europa League final takes place between Gameweeks 37 and 38

Buy, keep, sell? Transfer trends ahead of Gameweek 13 1

Then again, Pep Guardiola’s lot will be against another distracted side at the same time.

That’s because the Freiburg v Aston Villa showcase is on Wednesday 20 May, between Gameweeks 37 and 38.

Should this weekend’s top-flight action help Villa secure Champions League qualification, Unai Emery may deem it necessary to rest the likes of Morgan Rogers (£7.5m) and Ollie Watkins (£8.8m) in the build-up to Istanbul.

FPL notes: Villa rotation, no shots for an hour + Richarlison 3

4. The Gameweek 37 deadline has moved

Speaking of European finals in the dual-continent Turkish city, Liverpool is Villa’s Gameweek 37 opponent.

Originally scheduled for Sunday 17 May, that match between the two clubs has been shifted to two days earlier (20:00 BST kick-off).

It means FPL’s Gameweek 37 deadline is now 18:30 on Friday 15 May.

Don’t get caught out!


price change predictions

FPL Marc Broadcaster, writer and overthinker. Hoping that ‘differential potential’ will catch on.

65 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 14 Years
    4 hours, 14 mins ago

    Welp, with 750K rank and already -8 spent, Doku TC seems on brand.

    1. For sure just go for it. Don’t have Doku or Cherki so going O’Reilly - if Haaland hauls so be it.

  2. Wardinator
    • 10 Years
    4 hours, 7 mins ago

    Would you start Kroupi.Jr or Thiago?

    1. DBry
        3 hours, 46 mins ago

        Kjr

      • The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        3 hours, 19 mins ago

        Kroupi

    2. DBry
        3 hours, 55 mins ago

        Raya or Gyokeres?

      • Vasshin
        • 7 Years
        3 hours, 54 mins ago

        Who to start among these:
        1. Calvert-Lewin ( Tot A)
        2. Joao Pedro (Liv A)
        3. Tavernier (Ful A)

        Thanks

        1. Probably 1.
          Had all 3 went Hinshelwood for Tav and benching Pedro over DCL

      • SomeoneKnows
        • 10 Years
        3 hours, 48 mins ago

        Bench boost squad below, 1 ft

        A) Roll
        B) Struijk > Hill
        C) Watkins > Welbeck
        D) Bowen > Welbeck

        Henderson, Raya
        Gabriel, Lacroix, NOR, Struijk, VanHeck
        Bruno, Cherki, Rice, Gross, KDH
        Haaland, Watkins, Bowen

        1. Freshy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 15 Years
          2 hours, 6 mins ago

          C

      • The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        3 hours, 25 mins ago

        Would you start Cunha (sun), who is rumoured to be getting his game time managed, or KDH (cpl), who isn’t?

        1. Play KDH seems an easy call to me

      • Letsgo!
        • 9 Years
        3 hours, 13 mins ago

        Do we think doku will start both games?

        1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
          • 14 Years
          2 hours, 9 mins ago

          He better...

      • The Philosopher
        • 5 Years
        3 hours, 13 mins ago

        Rp

        Which looks better given I have zero Arsenal defense since WC32?

        A: Palmer + Sanchez -> Saka + Henderson this GW, Senesi -> Calafiori/Hincapie next week
        B: Palmer -> Saka this week(start Darlow), Sanchez + Senesi -> Dubravka + Saliba next week

      • Freshy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        2 hours, 54 mins ago

        World Cup ticket prices
        from MSN
        Resale prices change by the minute and vary by site. On SeatGeek, for instance, the World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City edged out Portugal-Colombia for the priciest group-stage game. The Mexico game had a get-in price of $2,771 this week, compared with $2,761 for Portugal-Colombia, according to SeatGeek.

      • Hazardous1983
        • 15 Years
        2 hours, 52 mins ago

        Is this good to go no ft now

        Verbruggen (darlow)
        Oreilly gabriel van hecke (hill strujk)
        Bruno saka gross tavernier semenyo
        Pedro haaland (dcl)

        Anything worth a hit

      • Pomp and Circumstance
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        2 hours, 47 mins ago

        looking to do these moves (3 FT)--good moves?
        Pedro-->Gyokeres
        Semenyo-->Cherki
        Gordon-->Sarr

        I know lots not too big on Sarr, but it would surely be fun for DGW, no?

        current team (before moves)
        Verbruggen
        Van Heck, NOR, Gabriel
        Saka, Semenyo, Tavernier, Bruno
        Haaland (TC), Welbeck, Pedro

        subs: Darlow; Hill, N. Williams, Gordon

      • Drop Dead Tsimikas
        • 14 Years
        2 hours, 25 mins ago

        Start Wilson (BOU) or DCL (tot)?

        1. Bill Car
          • 16 Years
          1 hour, 38 mins ago

          Wilson I reckon. Fulham going for Europe and Spurs fighting relegation.

        2. Siva Mohan
          • 13 Years
          1 hour, 21 mins ago

          W

        3. stumanchuu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          1 min ago

          Id rather DCL

      • La Roja
        • 14 Years
        2 hours, 24 mins ago

        How’s she looking? Chasing 60 pts so not sure about TC.

        Woodman
        O’Reilly Gabriel Lacroix
        Cunha Cherki Saka Rogers
        Watkins Gyokeres Haaland

        Dubravka Gibbs-White Heaven Mavraponis

        TC?

        A) O’Reilly
        B) Cherki
        C) Haaland

        1. Siva Mohan
          • 13 Years
          39 mins ago

          going C .. Man City need goals along with points (ARS are +4 ahead in goals as well)

        2. The Philosopher
          • 5 Years
          31 mins ago

          Will Woodman start?

        3. RICICLE
          • 3 Years
          20 mins ago

          A

      • kanuforpresident
        • 4 Years
        2 hours, 18 mins ago

        Best Okafor replacement? Under 7.5m

        A) Wilson
        B) Szob
        C) Bruno G
        D) Other

        Already have 3x MC and Saka for Ars MF so not wanting Rice

        1. Siva Mohan
          • 13 Years
          43 mins ago

          C

      • it lies in the proles
        • 9 Years
        1 hour, 55 mins ago

        Semenyo and DCL or Doku and Mateta?

        1. Siva Mohan
          • 13 Years
          44 mins ago

          D & D .. possible ?

      • Siva Mohan
        • 13 Years
        1 hour, 49 mins ago

        09 May 2026 - Price Changes
        -----
        Rises:
        Doku (6.5M)
        Welbeck (6.4M)
        O'Reilly (5.3M)
        Verbruggen (4.6M)

        Falls:
        Palmer (10.3M)
        Mbeumo (8.3M)
        Bowen (7.7M)
        Gibbs-White (7.6M)
        Gordon (7.3M)
        Summerville (5.4M)
        Merino (5.3M)
        Scott (5.0M)
        Thiaw (4.9M)

      • Koflok
        • 13 Years
        1 hour, 46 mins ago

        GK is Verbrugen

        Play
        A) Joao Pedro
        B) Van Hecke

        1. Siva Mohan
          • 13 Years
          45 mins ago

          play B

          A .. max 2 points

      • it lies in the proles
        • 9 Years
        1 hour, 46 mins ago

        Thoughts on Hinshelwood home to Wolves?

        1. Siva Mohan
          • 13 Years
          1 hour, 27 mins ago

          good option .. I am playing Gross

          1. stumanchuu
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            2 mins ago

            Same

      • #FPLBhuna
        • 9 Years
        1 hour ago

        Bench 1:

        1. Thiago
        2. Bowen
        3. Tav

        Currently benching Tav

        1. RICICLE
          • 3 Years
          35 mins ago

          Thiago

        2. Ha.
          • 10 Years
          2 mins ago

          2

      • Taegugk Warrior
        • 7 Years
        54 mins ago

        Semenyo to Doku for a hit..?

        1. Hutchiniho
          • 7 Years
          37 mins ago

          No

        2. stumanchuu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          just now

          Either do do well potentially

      • Hutchiniho
        • 7 Years
        49 mins ago

        Gros and Gyokeres
        Or
        Szoboz and Welbeck?

        1. Siva Mohan
          • 13 Years
          31 mins ago

          A

        2. Ha.
          • 10 Years
          14 mins ago

          A

        3. stumanchuu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          just now

          A as well

      • Winston.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        45 mins ago

        Which one?
        A. Wilson + Welbeck
        B. Hinshelwood + DCL

        1. Siva Mohan
          • 13 Years
          31 mins ago

          B

        2. Ha.
          • 10 Years
          14 mins ago

          A

        3. stumanchuu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          1 min ago

          I like B

      • SpaceCadet
        • 12 Years
        28 mins ago

        Senesi > lacroix -4 yes or no?

        1. Ha.
          • 10 Years
          14 mins ago

          No

        2. stumanchuu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          1 min ago

          For free yes, not for a hit

      • Ha.
        • 10 Years
        27 mins ago

        2FT

        JP > Gyokeres
        Tavernier > King (bench and play DCL)

        Or wait until next week?

        1. OptimusBlack
          • 13 Years
          24 mins ago

          Wait next week

          1. Ha.
            • 10 Years
            1 min ago

            Thanks, leaning that way

        2. stumanchuu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          7 mins ago

          Maybe ready it wrong, but i like Gyokeres this week and id play DCL (if no transfer needed)

          1. Ha.
            • 10 Years
            just now

            Prefer Tav to DCL this week

            And Gyok/JP is 50/50 for me this week given how poor Liverpool defence is

      • OptimusBlack
        • 13 Years
        22 mins ago

        I have two questions
        1- Thiago > Welbeck
        Yay
        Nope

        2- Darlow Justin DCL Rogers
        Good To BB or wait ?

        1. stumanchuu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          11 mins ago

          Same thoughts on Thiago, to keep or sell, not sure…i think spurs score a goal

        2. Ha.
          • 10 Years
          5 mins ago

          Yes
          Wait

      • stumanchuu
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        17 mins ago

        1 FT, on bench boost, would you sell Thiago to someone else or just keep till end of season? Something else or leave it cheers

        Rays/henderson
        Gabriel/ O’Reilly/ Saliba /Laqoix/Muniz
        Rogers/ Fernandez/ Gross/ Cherki / KDH
        Haaland(c) / Thiago / DCL

        1. Ha.
          • 10 Years
          4 mins ago

          Welbz

        2. Winston.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          2 mins ago

          Save