Five-time top 1k finisher Tom Freeman hosts our Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Q&A, answering your burning questions ahead of Gameweek 9.
- READ MORE: Best Pedro replacements in FPL – and is he a definite ‘sell’?
- READ MORE: Jackson v Manzambi: How do the two Villa picks compare?
Q: Should I Free Hit this week or another Gameweek?
(via HUMAN TRIPOD)
A: I can see the initial appeal, with popular picks from Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion squaring off.
The issue, however, is that a lot of the other match-ups are really hard to read, like Chelsea v Manchester United, Bournemouth v Leeds United, Brentford v Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United v Everton.
The low goal (left) and clean sheet (right) projections reflect this…
On top of that, the teams you’d usually target, such as Coventry City, Sunderland, Hull City and Ipswich Town, face off.
So, if you’re on a Free Hit, it’s only really players from Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa that appeal, with a team that perhaps looks like this…
Of course, this is ‘squad-specific’, but the danger is that your main team could realistically outscore the Free Hit team above.
I’d instead consider Gameweek 12, to avoid Arsenal v Man City, or Gameweek 16, when Enzo Maresca’s men host Hull City. But again, it really depends on your team.
Q: What are you doing with Joao Pedro (£7.8m) if you own him?
(via Azool)
A: I sold Pedro for Nicolas Jackson (£6.8m) earlier this week.
I never get too obsessed with team value (it usually takes care of itself if you make good decisions), but in light of Pedro’s injury, I always had this move planned out in my head.
Given the £0.2m price swing, plus the fact I had four free transfers, it made sense to move early, particularly as I was confident that Jackson wouldn’t start in the EFL Cup.
From Gameweek 5 onwards, which, let’s face it, is when Aston Villa’s season really started, Jackson ranks first among forwards for shots (17) and joint-second for chances created (six).
Yes, he can be wasteful, but so was Ollie Watkins, who took a massive leap under Unai Emery, with 100 attacking returns (64 goals and 36 assists) in 136 league matches.
Plus, with Villa’s favourable fixtures, even if a return doesn’t come on Saturday, I’m confident Jackson will deliver in the coming weeks.
For what it’s worth, I probably won’t look to get Pedro back until Gameweek 16.
Q: Given all the injuries and misfiring premiums, is Gameweek 9 a good week to Wildcard – or would it be better to wait until Gameweek 10 or 11? What would be your draft if on a Wildcard this week?
(via Joletouriste)
A: It’s team-dependent, of course, but I probably wouldn’t Wildcard this week, mainly due to the fixtures.
I’d rule Gameweek 10 out, too, and instead consider the next international break, ahead of Gameweek 11.
That could be a really nice time to get your bench in order, given the usual rotation over Christmas.
Plus, there are some decent fixture runs for Liverpool, Brighton and Villa to target…
If I were to Wildcard this week, it would probably look like this…
Q: With Bukayo Saka (£9.5m) and Joao Pedro both out injured, Bruno Fernandes (£11.7m) dead as a pick, Cole Palmer (£9.8m) misfiring, plus Manchester City rotation, what will the new template be in the coming weeks?
(via Pompel)
A: I think the template will gradually shift to include Gabriel Magalhaes (£7.9m).
As the schedule ramps up, Mikel Arteta could occasionally rest Riccardo Calafiori (£6.0m), while in December, William Saliba (£5.9m) will probably replace Ezri Konsa (£4.7m).
Sure, Gabriel is expensive, but I think he’ll eventually become the go-to Arsenal defender.
Defensive contribution (DefCon) magnets like Luka Vuskovic (£5.2m), Tarik Muharemovic (£5.1m) and Antonio Silva (£5.0m), who crucially play 90 minutes each week, will also be popular, with the template moving to four at the back.
Further forward, it’s much harder to predict, but someone like Johan Manzambi (£6.1m) could potentially be a template buster, provided the minutes are there.
He’s averaged 4.18 shots and 1.95 chances created per 90 minutes to date, and should really benefit from playing in behind Jackson.
Maybe Jack Hinshelwood (£5.9m), too.
Q: Who is the best goalkeeper up to £5m moving forward?
(via F4L)
A: I think Zion Suzuki (£5.0m) is the standout ‘keeper in this price bracket.
He’s secured bonus points whenever Aston Villa have kept a clean sheet in 2026/27 so far, thanks in part to his superb distribution.
He’s also averaged 3.57 saves per 90 minutes, with at least one extra save point in five of his seven matches.
The only potential issue is that Suzuki could miss up to seven matches in January and February with Japan at the Asian Cup.
That could be a problem, depending on your chip strategy.
If so, I think James Trafford (£5.0m) is a very decent option.
Leeds United’s defensive data is really good: second for actual goals conceded and sixth for expected goals conceded (xGC). He should also rack up a few save points.
I also don’t mind Antonin Kinsky (£4.4m), with Tottenham Hotspur finding some form.
