Here are the best players for FPL Gameweek 8 using Fantasy Football Hub’s AI-predicted points. Each week we will pick out one player in each position for the upcoming Gameweek and the best hidden gem. If you’re struggling to settle on which FPL move to make, get your AI-recommended transfers right here!
Defender: Gabriel vs Bournemouth (A) - 4.9 points
Many fantasy managers opted to double up on the Arsenal defence for their fixture swing from Gameweek 6 but have been met with failure, with the Gunners conceding three goals in their last two games.
They are conceding a high volume of shots this season, with 103 attempts conceded, the fifth-highest in the league. However, they’ve only conceded 13 big chances in this time - just five clubs have a better record than this.
Gabriel remains the key target from the Arsenal defence, as one of the most attacking defenders in the Premier League. He ranks top for big chances with five, while he’s had four shots on target. He has scored two league goals already for the campaign, with five his best tally in a league season coming in 2021/22.
This week Arsenal travel to Bournemouth, having kept two shut-outs in three away trips in this campaign. The Cherries have failed to score in three of their last four games, so there’s plenty of clean-sheet potential in this game.
Midfielder: Mohamed Salah vs Chelsea (H) - 8.3 points
Mohamed Salah leads the rankings with the best AI prediction going into FPL Gameweek 8, and should be considered the best captain pick for this weekend if you own him. It’s a home game at Anfield against his former employers Chelsea.
Last time these two sides met, Liverpool came out the 4-1 victors, with the side in control at the top of the Premier League table. As their talisman, Salah provides the most likely goal threat, having contributed eight goal involvements already this season.
Salah’s underlying numbers remain impressive, sitting top among midfielders with 15 shots on target this season. He has plenty of routes to points given that he’s also on penalties, plus he’s created four big chances too.
Opponents Chelsea do have clean sheets in consecutive away trips, but Liverpool will provide a far stiffer test than their previous opponents West Ham and Bournemouth. Liverpool failed to score against Nottingham Forest in Gameweek 4.
Forward: Erling Haaland vs Wolves (A) - 8.2 points
It’s a surprise to see Erling Haaland narrowly trail Mohamed Salah on predicted points this week. Haaland has scored ten goals so far in this campaign and now travels to bottom-of-the-league Wolves, who are without a clean sheet this campaign.
Haaland has an excellent record against Wolves, with eight goals in four games against them. It’s worth noting that seven of those goals have come at the Etihad, and he failed to register a goal involvement in a 2-1 defeat at Molineux last season.
Haaland’s underlying numbers remain the best in the league, despite consecutive blanks. He sits top for shots with 35, shots on target with 21 and leads with 6.34 expected goals too. Penalties are another key route to points for him.
It’s been a torrid start to the season for Wolves, with just one point on the board. They’ve conceded a league-high of 21 goals this campaign from 26 big chances conceded. City have had 20 big chances on goal themselves.
Hidden Gem: James Maddison vs West Ham (H) - 5.7 points
Spurs players are high on the agenda for this week, as form and fixtures combine. Brennan Johnson is getting plenty of attention in the transfer market with goals in three consecutive league games, but it’s James Maddison leading the AI rankings.
Maddison is the highest-scoring Spurs player in FPL this season with five goal involvements: two goals and three assists. He is an ever-present in their starting lineup, taking the majority of set pieces, with Solanke a key target man.
Maddison is a significant differential in the game, in just over 5% of teams. Meanwhile, West Ham are without a clean sheet in their last four games, conceding six goals in this period. The odds are stacked in Spurs and Maddison’s favour.
