There will be midweek European competitions before Gameweek 9 kicks off, so managers are advised to follow NMA articles for the latest news and player updates.
Also note that the first fixture of GW9 will take place earlier than usual on Friday, with Leeds United hosting West Ham United. With that in mind, here are our GW9 FPL differential picks.
Ballard (£4.6m, Chelsea vs Sunderland, TSB 2.3%)
Ballard returned to the starting lineup last gameweek and immediately delivered with a solid 10-point performance.
In both matches where he’s started and played
the full 90 minutes this season, he’s earned 17 and 10 points respectively.
With that track record and his team’s form, if not for his early-season injury, he’d likely be among the top-scoring defenders in the league.
Gakpo (£7.5m, Brentford vs Liverpool, TSB 12.6%)
His TSB% might be slightly higher than other differential picks, but his form makes him worth mentioning here. Liverpool may be struggling at the moment, yet Gakpo looks like the player capable of sparking their revival.
He’s scored in two recent matches and come close on several other occasions, hitting the post multiple times.
With Brentford keeping just one clean sheet all season, Gakpo will have plenty of opportunities to extend his scoring run and help push Liverpool back into the title race.
Šeško (£7.3m, Man Utd vs Brighton, TSB 5.2%)
Šeško started on the bench in last week’s derby, but that decision was tactical rather than form-related.
His goals in GW6 and GW7 underline his quality and what he can deliver with the right support from his teammates.
Manchester United are in strong form, having secured back-to-back wins under Amorim, and they’ll be determined not to drop points – especially with no midweek fixtures and a full week to prepare.
Kroupi. Jr (£4.5m, Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest, TSB 2.2%)
The young French forward has stepped up impressively in the absence of seniors like Evanilson and Unal. Although this isn’t his first Premier League goal — having scored as a substitute in GW6 — his brace in his first start showed he’s ready for the top flight.
With the opposing side currently dealing with managerial turmoil, Kroupi has another great opportunity to showcase his talent this gameweek.
Leave your transfer plans in the comments! And let’s see which low-ownership players you are targeting this week’s round of fixtures.
