Who to captain?
This is the first time a segment dedicated to the captaincy will be more than two paragraphs long, and we should see a fair amount of diversity this weekend. It could be really interesting because we all know that a well-chosen captain is almost a guarantee of a good round, and a badly chosen captain basically takes away the chance of a good result. Of course, if almost everyone picks the same captain, this rule doesn't apply, but it shouldn't happen this time.
Having said that, I am betting that most squads out of all ten million will still have Erling Haaland as captain (14.1). This will be partly due to the choice of these managers and partly due to the fact that some of them do not change their line-ups from week to week and the Norwegian will simply stay in his role.
Haaland certainly doesn't disappoint, as only Ollie Watkins (8.0) has more points than him in the entire game, but he isn't doing crazy numbers either. He has scored a total of 14 points in the last three rounds coming into this Sunday's game against Arsenal, so many players are thinking of an alternative option when it comes to their captain. Of course, the Norwegian could still put himself on the scoring list, but in a direct clash between two of the strongest teams, this is less likely than usual.
Fantasy players thinking about a change of captain will be tempted in particular by Tottenham stars Heung-Min Son (9.4) and James Maddison (8.0), who will be playing against Luton. In seven appearances so far, the Korean has scored six goals and the Englishman has had two goals and four assists, although he has taken more shots at his opponents' goal.
Only Sheffield, Bournemouth and Burnley have conceded more goals than Luton this season, so along with Haaland, these two will be very good options. I suspect that up front it will be these three players who will share the captain's armband. The choice is yours!
What about Estupinian?
The subject of the Ecuadorian's injury is by far the biggest story of the last few hours for FPL players. Pervis Estupinian (5.2) is not at all among the top-scoring players this season but he has a huge selection rate. He is in more than half of the squads, with only Haaland and Bukayo Saka (8.6) being picked more than him at this point. On Wednesday, however, Roberto De Zerbi reported an unexpected injury to his left back.
Brighton played against Marseille in the Europa League during the week, but the player was already missing from the squad at the time. He will also be absent for the league game against Liverpool, also missing from his national team's training camp and it is unclear how long it will take for him to return to training. The Italian manager said he was "out for a long time".
The Ecuadorian currently costs 5.2 million, so if you have had him in the squad since the start of the season, you can sell him for 5.1 million. You may also have some extra left in the bank. A fairly standard option at the moment is to have at least one defender or goalkeeper from Newcastle, Aston Villa, West Ham and Tottenham. So if you don't have any players from any of these teams in your defensive line, the priority is to go in that direction.
All of these teams have quite a pleasant schedule in the near future, with a fairly consistent defensive line-up to guarantee points. Among the full backs, Kieran Trippier (6.8), Matty Cash (4.9), Vladimir Coufal (4. 5) or Destiny Udogie (4.8) come to the fore and can contribute offensively, too. Of the cheaper options, Fabian Schar (5.1), Pau Torres (4.5) or Cristian Romero (4.8) remain. Any of them is a reasonable choice in place of the injured Estupinian.
Should you use your Wildcard?
Many players are opting to use their Wildcard in this round. There are even quite a few line-ups appearing online without Haaland, which is certainly a breath of fresh air but, at the same time, taking a big risk.
However, if you still have the opportunity to swap unlimited players for free, I would advise you to hold off.
We currently have a number of players in the league whose status is uncertain, but who may return to full strength after the international break. Selling them at this point in time may therefore prove to be a mistake. During the break itself, we may also be surprised by injuries that we had not considered. The Wildcard afterwards will therefore be an ideal opportunity to sort out the squad.
In addition, the next round will be rather difficult for the players. We have a top-of-the-table match in the form of Manchester City's clash with Arsenal, where it will be difficult for both teams' defensive and offensive capabilities to score points. Liverpool play Brighton, so these two teams are also out of the question. Newcastle and Aston Villa will not have a walk in the park either. The exception is Tottenham, who in theory should win easily against Luton. A possible Wildcard before this round could therefore prove very unwise.
Who to buy?
Finally, it's time for the best part of the weekly FPL preview - the recommended players from me and my fellow experts. Who do we suggest this week?
James Maddison (8.0) - You might think at this point that I'm going off on a tangent, but this is simply a reminder to anyone who doesn't have the Englishman in their squad that you still have time to buy him! Maddison is in one-third of the squads, but that still doesn't seem enough. He plays against Luton on Saturday, who are just learning the Premier League ropes, and then has games against Fulham and Crystal Palace. Although it is Son who has been in great shooting form recently, it is Maddison who guarantees more consistency and scoring points in different ways.
Joachim Andersen (4.8) - The Dane showed off in the last round with a goal at Old Trafford, and in the process got points in FPL for a clean sheet, some bonuses and, as a result, collectively became one of the highest scoring players in the game this season. The Eagles have only conceded seven goals so far and Andersen is a reliable member of their defence. He will be playing against some theoretically weaker opponents in the few rounds ahead. So it could be an idea to save some money and earn some decent points.
Pedro Neto (5.7) - Among midfielders, fantasy players have a lot of strong options, so not everyone will necessarily have room for a Wolves player but if someone is fundraising for Mohamed Salah, for example, Neto comes to the rescue. He has delivered a goal or an assist for five consecutive games and is a real leader of his team. He costs as much as a midfielder who takes four shots on goal and scores two assists over the course of the season and makes points far in excess of his value.
Filip Novak (11Hacks chief analyst)
Dominic Solanke (6.4) - If you are planning to activate the Wildcard in the near future or have a good bench and can confidently use the players on it, Solanke seems like an interesting short-term option with a good price tag. He is performing quite well this season, as his numbers - three goals and an assist - attest. Bournemouth will play against Everton, Wolves and Burnley in the next three rounds. The last two of these matches will be played at home by the Cherries and their opponents will be teams that give their rivals plenty of chances to score.
Darwin Nunez (7.4) - Currently one of the most dangerous strikers in the Premier League. Of those who have played a minimum of 270 minutes, he ranks fourth in terms of expected goals (xG) and is also second in terms of shots taken. The problem with him is not his form, but the frequent rotation and competition in Liverpool's attacking line. The Reds, however, are entering a very attractive part of the schedule for FPL players, and the Uruguayan has moved higher in the rotation on a short-term basis due to Cody Gakpo's injury and Diogo Jota's suspension. He should probably, therefore, get his chance against Brighton, and possibly in subsequent games as well. Still a risky choice, but a more considered one than just a few weeks ago.
Anthony Elanga (5.0) - Given the better recent performances, Nottingham Forest players are becoming more common in FPL line-ups. The most obvious choices are of course Taiwo Awoniyi (6.6) and Morgan Gibbs-White (5.8), but Elanga has also looked good on the pitch recently. He often finds himself in good positions under the opponent's goal, can create an advantage and, if he plays regularly, is likely to increase his offensive numbers. The main attraction in terms of his purchase is his team's upcoming match against Luton in the ninth round.
Radim Horak (one of the best Czechs playing in the FPL)
Pedro Porro (5.1) - Tottenham's right back is one of the more offensive-minded defenders in the Premier League, always giving his all and last season he scored three goals and had three assists, although he played few minutes. This year he is still waiting for a goal, but he already has two assists, most recently after his cross into the Liverpool box which found Joel Matip's unlucky clearance in his own goal. He is third in terms of shots taken by right backs in the league this season. He will play the next game against Luton, who do not have an iron-clad defence, and the Spaniard will also have a chance for a clean sheet.
Heung-Min Son (9.4) - The South Korean international confirmed in the matches against Arsenal and Liverpool that the switch to the centre of attack was good for him. He scored three goals against those teams and, although he is struggling with minor health problems and coach Ange Postecoglou took him off after just under 70 minutes in the last game, he trained normally during the week and should play. Tottenham will now play against Luton and after the international break they face Fulham, and these are two lower-tier opponents. He is also a serious candidate for the captaincy role in this round as Haaland faces a tough match against Arsenal.
Darwin Nunez (7.4) - Liverpool are certainly not expecting an easy match, visiting Roberto De Zerbi's team. Whenever Nunez starts a match, his numbers are very good, and that should be the case this time as well. After all, Gakpo is injured and Jota remains suspended, so the Uruguayan will almost certainly have a place in the squad from the start of the match. Besides that, The Reds have a match against Everton after the international break and they start a series of matches against more modest opponents. Nunez has a lot of potential and if he takes his chance and earns himself a place in the first team on a long-term basis, he will be a great acquisition in FPL.