FPL Gameweek 8 Analysis – FPL GW8 Tips For Fantasy Premier League Managers

With the international break behind us, Fantasy Premier League managers can now turn their attention to gameweek 8.

Time is short, and making the right decisions over the next few days will be crucial for setting up a successful matchweek.

This week sees one of the FPL’s most iconic assets being transferred out in large numbers ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Manchester United on Sunday.

Many managers are freeing up substantial portions of their budgets, making it more important than ever to find reliable replacements.

Midfielders are a key focus heading into the new gameweek.

We take a closer look at the highest-scoring midfield option so far and compare two others who have provided excellent value this season.

We also highlight a defensive midfielder who has been outperforming his price tag significantly.

The Premier League has also seen new arrivals making a big impact.

In this article, we examine a forward who has started strongly and could be a solid choice in the weeks ahead.

With the new matchweek fast approaching, this article aims to bring you all the insights you need to make informed decisions and optimize your FPL squad for the coming fixtures.

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Can anyone take the top spot away from Andy Ward?

FPL Gameweek 8 Deadline

The Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 8 deadline is Saturday, 18 October 2025 at 12:00 BST.

FPL Gameweek 8 Fixtures

Chelsea will visit Nottingham Forest.

Brighton will be hosting Newcastle.

Leeds have a trip to Burnley.

Crystal Palace welcomes Bournemouth.

Everton are away to Manchester City.

Sunderland will host Wolves.

Arsenal travel to Fulham.

Spurs have a home game against Aston Villa.

Manchester United face Liverpool at Anfield.

West Ham will welcome Brentford.

FPL Assets Leading On Form For Gameweek 8

Let’s start by looking at the current form amongst the best FPL players for Matchweek 8 before getting into our free fantasy football tips.

(Form is a metric that’s issued on the official FPL platform, which uses a player’s average score per match, calculated from all matches played by his club in the last 30 days.)

Goalkeepers: 

1. Nick Pope moves to first with 5.0 points
2. Robin Roefs drops to second with 4.7 points
3. Ðorðe Petrović moves to third with 4.0 points

Defenders:

1. Gabriel Magalhães jumps to first with 8.0 points
2. Omar Alderete drops to second with 7.0 points
3. Dan Burn is third with 6.7 points

Midfielders:

1. Antoine Semenyo is first with 10.0 points
2. Declan Rice is second with 7.7 points
3. Ryan Gravenberch drops to third with 7.0 points

Forwards:

1. Erling Haaland stays first with 11.5 points
2. Jarrod Bowen stays second with 6.7 points
3. Igor Thiago moves to third with 5.7 points

Antoine Semenyo Leading All Midfielders

Bournemouth’s star player so far has undoubtedly been Antoine Semenyo.

His performances this season have outshone all other midfield options in FPL.

Across the first seven gameweeks, Semenyo has accumulated a total of 66 FPL points.

To put this into perspective, if you combined the points of the three most expensive midfield options in the game, namely Mohamed Salah, Cole Palmer, and Bukayo Saka, the total would still be less than what Antoine Semenyo has produced.

Some people might feel that Semenyo’s price increase from £7.0m to £7.9m has made him too expensive to bring him into their teams now.

Still, when looking at his statistics in the Premier League this season, it is clear that at £7.9m, Semenyo still offers incredible value.

In seven league appearances, Semenyo has produced nine goal contributions, six of which were goals and three were assists.

He has shown versatility with his goals, scoring one from the penalty spot and another from a free kick.

Semenyo has had 36 touches in the opposition box so far this season, averaging 5.14 per game, and he has also hit the woodwork.

These performances have not all come against struggling opposition, as Bournemouth have faced Liverpool, Wolves, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton, Newcastle United, Leeds United, and Fulham so far.

Their next three fixtures see Bournemouth facing Crystal Palace away, Nottingham Forest at home, and Manchester City away.

These will not be easy games for Bournemouth, but despite the challenging run, Antoine Semenyo is the most transferred-in player ahead of the new gameweek.

Mohamed Salah’s Ownership Drops

For the first time in many seasons, Mohamed Salah is no longer among the top three most owned players in FPL, having fallen behind Erling Haaland, João Pedro, and Antoine Semenyo.

This should not come as a surprise, considering Mohamed Salah has not scored a single goal with his iconic left foot from open play in the Premier League this season.

When it comes to midfield options, eleven players have scored more FPL points than Salah so far this season, and if not for a very late penalty against Burnley in gameweek 4, he would be even further down the rankings.

While Liverpool has produced a mixed bag of performances this season, their league position remains strong, and they could possibly regain top spot in the coming weeks.

Having won five of their opening seven games and losing two, Mohamed Salah has played every minute of Premier League football for Liverpool this season.

One would expect Arne Slot to continue trusting Salah’s ability and start the vast majority of games in the coming weeks.

However, with many fans calling for a shake-up of some sort, there is a slight possibility that Mohamed Salah’s minutes could be reduced in the near future, especially with the number of games ahead for Liverpool.

For FPL managers, the decision to keep or sell Salah is becoming easier, with the Egyptian’s price having decreased from £14.5m to £14.4m.

If he fails to provide an attacking return in Gameweek 8, we can expect another price drop for the FPL king.

Considering everything, it is easy to understand why Mohamed Salah is the most transferred-out player leading up to the weekend.

Keep An Eye On Nick Woltemade

After losing their star striker in the transfer window, Newcastle quickly spent big on Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade.

Yoane Wissa has not kicked a ball for Newcastle yet, but German international Nick Woltemade has already made Newcastle fans believe that losing Alexander Isak was not the worst thing in the world.

Woltemade has played four Premier League games for his new club, and it appears he has no need to settle in.

So far, Woltemade has only failed to score in one game, which was against Bournemouth in gameweek 5.

He scored in each of his other three outings, with one goal coming against Wolves, another against Arsenal, and a third against Nottingham Forest in his most recent appearance.

Newcastle face Brighton, Fulham, and West Ham in their next three fixtures, and it seems FPL managers are expecting Woltemade to continue making an impact for his new club, as Newcastle’s new striker is the third most transferred-in player leading up to gameweek 8.

Mohammed Kudus Vs Iliman Ndiaye

Two brilliant midfield options this season have been Mohammed Kudus from Spurs for £6.8m and Iliman Ndiaye from Everton for £6.5m.

The price difference between these two budget options is minimal.

Still, both of their outputs have been excellent this season, with Kudus accumulating a total of 39 FPL points and Ndiaye scoring a total of 37 FPL points.

With not much to separate them in terms of price and points, let’s take a deeper look into their Premier League performances to see if either one has an edge over the other.

When it comes to scoring goals, Ndiaye leads with three compared to Kudus’s one.

In terms of providing assists, Kudus beats Ndiaye with four assists compared to one from Ndiaye.

Kudus has had more touches in the opposition box with 30, compared to 20 from Ndiaye.

Ndiaye has completed more passes with 168, compared to Kudus’s 159.

Kudus has completed more dribbles than Ndiaye, with 56 compared to Ndiaye’s 35.

Ndiaye has made more tackles with 16, beating Kudus’s tally of 15.

In terms of discipline, both players have been booked twice so far this season.

With Ndiaye looking like the better goalscorer and Kudus the better provider at this stage of the season, it will be interesting to see which of these two players finishes the season with more FPL points.

Can Moisés Caicedo Continue? 

Not many FPL managers would have expected Moisés Caicedo to be the second-highest scoring midfield asset after seven gameweeks.

At £5.8m, he has been providing incredible value for the 14.6% of FPL managers who have him in their squads.

Most FPL players will not be rushing to bring him into their teams, as defensive midfield options often enjoy a good run of FPL points at some point in a campaign, but more often than not fail to maintain it for long periods.

It is interesting to see this run of points coming at the start of the season, as Caicedo is averaging 6.4 points per game with a total of 45 FPL points to date.

If he can somehow continue scoring consistently in the weeks to come, it might be worth reconsidering him for your team.

Top 3 FPL Gameweek 8 Captain Picks:

1. Erling Haaland vs Everton
2. João Pedro vs Nottingham Forest
3. Antoine Semenyo vs Crystal Palace

Differential Captain Pick Of The Week

Igor Thiago

Brentford striker Igor Thiago currently has the fourth most FPL points amongst all forwards in the game.

He has scored four goals in 7 games so far this season, and Monday night’s clash against West Ham might provide him with the perfect opportunity to continue his scoring run.

If Brentford manages to find their rhythm, Igor Thiago could be the perfect differential captain pick for gameweek 8.

Playing Your Free Hit? 

FPL managers who are considering using their Free Hit Chip this weekend might find some value below in our FPL Tips for GW8:

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma (£5.7m) 

DEF: Marc Cucurella (£6.1m)

DEF: Virgil van Dijk (£6.1m)

DEF: Micky van de Ven (£4.8m)

MID: Mohammed Kudus (£6.8m) 

MID: Antoine Semenyo (£7.9m)

MID: Eberechi Eze (£7.5m)

MID: Bukayo Saka (£9.9m)

FWD: Erling Haaland (£14.5m)

FWD: João Pedro (£7.7m)

FWD: Igor Thiago (£6.1m)

BENCH: Martin Dúbravka (£4.0m)

BENCH: Donyell Malen (£5.1m) 

BENCH: Charlie Tasker (£3.9m)

BENCH: Owen Bevan (£3.9m)

Final Thoughts

With Gameweek 7 behind us, FPL managers now turn their focus to Gameweek 8 and the decisions that could shape the coming weeks.

Players who are in good form and emerging talents are influencing transfer and captaincy choices, while established stars are seeing shifts in ownership that could open up opportunities elsewhere.

Rotations and fixture swings add extra complexity this week, making it essential to stay updated on team news and confirmed lineups.

Budget-friendly options and consistent performers alike can make a significant difference, so striking a balance between reliability and emerging threats is key.

Gameweek 8 also presents an opportunity to plan strategically for upcoming fixtures.

Managers who spot opportunities to capitalise on form and favourable runs can gain an advantage while protecting their squads from unnecessary points hits.

Good luck for Gameweek 8. May your captain deliver, your transfers pay off, and your squad reward careful planning.