Gameweek 8 Recap – FPL Insights

Replicated from FPL Insights

FPL Gameweek 9 Preview – Quick highlights of Gameweek 8

In the latest article for FPL Gameweek 9 Preview, we bring you the summary of what happened in Gameweek 8 in case you missed any action.

Also, we would love to know who you think is the best captaincy option for GW8. You can vote on our site.

Opta stats used in the article are taken from FFS Members Area.

Watford 0-5 Liverpool

Goals: None | Firmino x3, Mane x1, Salah x1
Assist: None | Milner x1, Firmino x1, Salah x1, Williams x1

Major line-up updates
- LIV: Trent (Alexander-Arnold) was back in the line up after recovering from his injury.
- LIV: Jota benched for Firmino who had an excellent game.
- LIV: Both Trent and Robertson were withdrawn around the 64th minute (no injury to either). With the game at 0-4, it looked like a rest for both full-backs before an important UCL match.
- WAT: Sarr started as a striker and played there for about 70 minutes, though he was moved to his familiar wing position after Joao Pedro was subbed in.
It was a one-sided match, with Watford making too many defensive errors and Liverpool punishing a lot of them.
Salah was again at his absolute best with a world class assist and goal. He actually had zero big chances and an xG of just 0.30, although his form at the moment is impeccable and he is scoring goals out of nothing.
Mane made some good runs behind the defenders and was presented with two big chances (of which he missed one)
Firmino was the surprise package of the match. His number nine instincts were on full display, getting into the right positions.
Late in the match, Sarr came very close to scoring (hit the post). It’s still early days for Ranieri, so it’s best not to read too much into the line-up and tactics right away.

Aston Villa 2-3 Wolves

Goals: Ings x1, McGinn x1 | Coady x1, Saiss x1, Neves x1
Assist: McGinn x1, Watkins x1 | Dendoncker x1, Traoré x1, Podence x1

Major line-up updates
- WOL: Raul Jimenez was surprisingly benched
- AVL: No major changes
It was a game with quite a few scrappy goals
Saiss had the highest xG of 0.55 from Wolves.
It was good to see Podence back on the field. He created one big chance which resulted in Saiss scoring a goal (ones to watch)
Hwang had a very quiet game, making no real contribution.
Both the big chances of the game fell to Ings, who converted one of them handsomely. It was Ings’ first return in three matches, highlighting the tough fixture run for Villa.
Traoré finally returned via a fantasy assist (he had won the free-kick converted by Neves). It was a bliss for owners nonetheless. He also found himself in the box (after a Traorésque solo run) but shot close to the GK’s body and was eventually saved.

Leicester 4-2 Manchester United

Goals: Vardy x1, Tielemans x1, Söyüncü x1, Daka x1 | Greenwood x1, Rashford x1
Assist: Pérez x2, Iheanacho x1 | Fernandes x1, Lindelöf x1

Major line-up updates
- MUN: As expected, Varane missed the game through injury but what came as bit of a surprise was Maguire starting the game
- MUN: Sancho started the game at left wing. He was largely quiet in the game and subbed off after 64 minutes for Rashford
- LEI: Brendan Rogers continues to tinker with his formation and starting 11. Quite a few changes overall due to his change in formation to a back three
- LEI: Most notably, Maddison and Castagne started ahead of Barnes and Bertrand. Barnes ended up being an unused sub.
It was quite an entertaining game, dominated by Leicester. Number of shots was the only stat United came close to in terms of goal threat, lacking the overall quality.
Greenwood scored a screamer outside the box. His xG was a mere 0.23 but his xGOT due to shot execution was 0.64
Rashford scored the only big chance of United when Lindelöf picked his run behind the defence. It will do a lot of good for his confidence and we can expect him to be a starter very soon.
Ronaldo was largely quiet with only one shot on target and 0.2 xG, as was Bruno, whose assist to Greenwood was just a sideways pass.
Tielemans scored a wonder goal himself and came close to scoring a second, only to be denied by the post.
Daka turned out to be a super-sub, scoring a goal, creating a big chance and taking three shots on target in just 13 minutes. Even Perez managed to have a decent game creating a big chance and contributing heavily to Leicester’s turnaround.
Vardy had a classic Vardy performance, scoring a goal with almost no underlying stat.

Manchester City 2-0 Burnley

Goals: Silva x1, De Bruyne x1 | None
Assist: Foden x1 | None

Major line-up updates
- MCI: Wholesome changes from Pep (can’t expect any less)
- MCI: Jesus and Ederson did not participate in the game like many other South American players. Mahrez and Steffen replaced the two.
- MCI: Stones replaced Dias, confirming no-one is nailed in the City line-up. Ake also got a game at left-back while Walker was benched (Cancelo played right-back)
- MCI: Making the matters worse for FPL managers, Grealish was benched as well. Sterling replaced him and operated from the middle (drifting left)
- BUR: As expected, Mee missed out due to COVID
Man City were not on their blistering best, creating only one big chance (KDB to Cancelo). It was a cross, a few yards away from goal but the tight angle made it easy for the keeper to cover the shot.
Their second big chance was a ricochet from Foden’s shot that presented an unmissable opportunity for Silva in front of goal. His positioning was brilliant.
KDB scored the second goal courtesy of his presence inside the box. His low cross was blocked by a defender only for the Belgian to smash the loose ball in. Mahrez hit three shots inside the box but his finishing let him down. It was quite a poor performance from him.
Burnley had two big chances to get back into the game. The first one came from Cornet, which was saved brilliantly by Steffen. The second came to Wood, after a set piece routine, but who could not guide it home.

Norwich 0-0 Brighton

Goals: None | None
Assist: None | None

No major change in line-ups from either side.
It was a game where both teams could have scored a goal and yet neither did.
The only big chance of Brighton came Maupay’s way who blasted it over the crossbar from point-blank range (it was created by March)
Earlier in the first half, Trossard hit an excellent volley only to be denied by the crossbar. He played up front with Maupay.
From Norwich, Sargent was presented with the easiest chance he might get through a Sanchez error. He under-hit his shot to an open goal from just a yard outside the box. It was eventually cleared by Duffy.
Pukki had a big chance as well (created by Aarons) but he failed to register any shots on target.

Southampton 1-0 Leeds

Goals: Broja x1 | None
Assist: Redmond x1 | None

Major line-up updates
- SOU: Ralph Hasenhüttl surprised FPL managers by benching Adam Armstrong and giving a start to young Broja instead.
- SOU: Ward-Prowse and Adams continue to be out.
- LEE: Despite all the plane tracking, Raphinha could not make it to the starting squad.
It was one-way traffic (evident from stats)
It was a goalless draw where both teams lacked cutting edge in front of goal which is reflected from no big chance creation for either side. The hosts dominated possession and total shots.

Brentford 0-1 Chelsea

Goals: None | Chilwell x1
Assist: None | None

Major line-up updates
- CHE: As expected, Rudiger and Thiago Silva were not available. Christensen and Sarr replaced them.
- CHE: Chalobah kept his place and Azpilicueta started at right wing-back. James was benched (came on as a sub around the 88th minute mark)
- CHE: No Mount or Havertz as well in the starting line-up. But both came on as subs.
If you are thinking I got the stats twisted, I wouldn’t blame you. You will have to watch the match to believe how lucky Chelsea were to get all three points.
Chelsea created next to nothing in the whole game and their only goal came (again) through a defender in Chilwell. The goal was their only shot on target for the whole match.
Lukaku again scored an offside goal but nothing else.
Brentford on the other hand had 13 shots in the box, six on Target and hit the woodwork twice. It’s probably not difficult to guess that both those shots were taken by Mbeumo. His tally for the season now stands at six shots off the frame
Toney hit just one shot on target and had an xG of 0.17. However, he did force a great save from Mendy.
Brentford did all they could to score and Mendy was the only reason they couldn’t. He made six saves and any of those could have been a goal on a different day.
If you are planning to hop on to Brentford assets, wait no longer!

Everton 0-1 West Ham

Goals: None | Ogbonna x1
Assist: None | Bowen x1

No major change in the line-ups, the ones to miss the match were expected absentees.
It was an end-to-end match with both team taking a lot of shots in the box but lacked the quality in execution (reflected by the few shots on target)
At the end it was again a set piece goal by the Hammers (through Ogbonna) which settled the match.
Iwobi missed Everton’s only big chance right outside the six yard box (created by Gray)
Bowen again bagged FPL points for the fourth match in a row! He created a big chance for Ogbonna through a corner, which the defender obliged.
Antonio was largely quiet (in terms of goal threat) for the whole match.
On the balance of the game, the Hammers looked more lively and deserved their win at the end.

Newcastle 2-3 Spurs

Goals: Wilson x1, Dier x1 (OG) | Kane x1, Son x1, Ndombele x1
Assist: Manquillo x1, Murphy x1 | Kane x1, Højbjerg x1, Reguilón x1
Red Card: Shelvey (84′)

Major line-up updates
- NEW: Wilson back in action after his injury
- TOT: Son started the match after testing negative for COVID.
The game was dominated by Spurs who made it 1-3 by half-time.
We saw a glimpse of the Son-Kane partnership, with the latter providing Son with an assist. It was one of the two big chances Spurs got on the night.
Kane himself was presented with one earlier in the game (by Højbjerg) and scored his first goal of the season.
Ndombele took his shot very well scoring from an xG of just 0.25. He did have four shots in the box, indicating his advanced positioning.
Later in the match, Shelvey brought down Reguilón to earn a second yellow.
On the other side, Wilson scored his big created, created by Manquillo.
Newcastle’s second goal came through an own goal by Dier after a free kick from Murphy.