FPL GW8 fixtures: who to pick from each match

Deadline Fri 23 Oct, 18:30 UK · projections will update as GW8 gets closer

For every match: should you pick a defender or an attacker from each side? Defence is rated by clean-sheet chance, attack by expected goals — both ranked against all 20 teams playing this gameweek. ✅ top third · ⚠️ middle · ⛔ bottom third. Best defence this week: Arsenal (39% clean sheet). Best attack: Man City (2.0 xG).

Ipswich Town (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)⚠️ OK22% clean sheet · #10 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⚠️ OK1.3 xG vs NFO · #14 of 20

  • GKScherpen 3.1 · Walton 0.7
  • DEFDavis 3.9 · O'Shea 3.3
  • MIDEnciso 3.5 · Lukić 2.7
  • FWDEmersonn 3.9 · Akpom 1.0

Nott'm Forest (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)⚠️ OK27% clean sheet · #7 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⚠️ OK1.5 xG vs IPS · #11 of 20

  • GKSels 3.4
  • DEFMurillo 4.0 · N.Williams 3.7
  • MIDGibbs-White 5.0 · Ndoye 3.8
  • FWDIgor Jesus 2.7 · Delap 2.4

Aston Villa (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)⛔ Avoid14% clean sheet · #20 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⛔ Avoid1.2 xG vs MCI · #17 of 20

  • GKSuzuki 3.4
  • DEFLindelöf 2.6 · Mings 1.7
  • MIDBuendía 3.8 · McGinn 3.2
  • FWDN.Jackson 2.7 · Abraham 0.9

Man City (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)✅ Good pick29% clean sheet · #4 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)✅ Good pick2.0 xG vs AVL · #1 of 20

  • GKDonnarumma 3.6
  • DEFGuéhi 4.5 · Gvardiol 4.2
  • MIDCherki 3.5 · Anderson 3.5
  • FWDHaaland 6.4

Arsenal (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)✅ Good pick39% clean sheet · #1 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)✅ Good pick1.7 xG vs EVE · #5 of 20

  • GKRaya 4.1
  • DEFCalafiori 4.5 · Gabriel 4.4
  • MIDSaka 5.8 · Ødegaard 4.7
  • FWDHavertz 3.0

Everton (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)⛔ Avoid18% clean sheet · #16 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⛔ Avoid0.9 xG vs ARS · #20 of 20

  • GKPickford 3.5
  • DEFTarkowski 4.0 · Branthwaite 3.2
  • MIDDewsbury-Hall 3.5 · Armstrong 2.6
  • FWDBarry 3.9

Coventry City (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)⚠️ OK22% clean sheet · #9 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⚠️ OK1.5 xG vs FUL · #13 of 20

  • GKRushworth 3.4
  • DEFThomas 4.4 · Dasilva 3.8
  • MIDRudoni 3.6 · Grimes 3.1
  • FWDThomas-Asante 2.4 · Simms 1.1

Fulham (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)⚠️ OK23% clean sheet · #8 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⚠️ OK1.5 xG vs COV · #12 of 20

  • GKLeno 3.8
  • DEFCastagne 3.2 · Robinson 3.1
  • MIDKing 4.1 · Iwobi 3.6
  • FWDGonzalo 4.1

Chelsea (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)✅ Good pick30% clean sheet · #2 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)✅ Good pick1.7 xG vs TOT · #6 of 20

  • GKMartinez 3.4
  • DEFLacroix 3.5 · Fofana 3.2
  • MIDRogers 4.7 · Palmer 3.3
  • FWDJoão Pedro 3.4 · Welbeck 0.6

Spurs (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)⛔ Avoid19% clean sheet · #15 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⛔ Avoid1.2 xG vs CHE · #19 of 20

  • GKKinsky 3.2
  • DEFVan Hecke 3.7 · Van de Ven 3.0
  • MIDTonali 3.3 · Bentancur 3.2
  • FWDMarmoush 2.6 · Solanke 1.5

Crystal Palace (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)✅ Good pick28% clean sheet · #6 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⚠️ OK1.7 xG vs NEW · #7 of 20

  • GKBenitez 1.5
  • DEFMitchell 4.2 · Khalaili 4.0
  • MIDKamada 3.4 · Wharton 3.3
  • FWDStrand Larsen 3.0 · Nketiah 2.5

Newcastle (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)⚠️ OK19% clean sheet · #14 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⛔ Avoid1.3 xG vs CRY · #15 of 20

  • GKHorníček 3.5
  • DEFHall 4.3 · Botman 3.4
  • MIDBarnes 3.7 · L.Miley 3.2
  • FWDWissa 4.1 · Fernandez-Pardo 1.3

Hull City (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)⚠️ OK19% clean sheet · #13 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⛔ Avoid1.2 xG vs BRE · #16 of 20

  • GKTzolakis 4.1
  • DEFEgan 3.5 · Ajayi 3.2
  • MIDBelloumi 3.7 · Slater 3.0
  • FWDMcBurnie 3.1

Brentford (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)✅ Good pick29% clean sheet · #5 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⚠️ OK1.6 xG vs HUL · #8 of 20

  • GKKelleher 3.7
  • DEFAjer 3.8 · Kayode 3.0
  • MIDSchade 4.5 · Lewis-Potter 4.2
  • FWDThiago 3.9

Liverpool (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)⚠️ OK20% clean sheet · #12 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)✅ Good pick1.9 xG vs BHA · #2 of 20

  • GKA.Becker 3.9
  • DEFVirgil 3.3 · Jacquet 3.2
  • MIDSzoboszlai 4.4 · Gakpo 4.4
  • FWDIsak 5.9

Brighton (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)⛔ Avoid14% clean sheet · #19 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⚠️ OK1.6 xG vs LIV · #9 of 20

  • GKVerbruggen 3.2
  • DEFDe Cuyper 3.5 · Vuskovic 3.1
  • MIDGroß 4.6 · Gomez 3.3
  • FWDKostoulas 3.1 · Georginio 1.0

Man Utd (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)✅ Good pick30% clean sheet · #3 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)✅ Good pick1.9 xG vs BOU · #3 of 20

  • GKLammens 3.7
  • DEFMaguire 3.3 · Martinez 2.9
  • MIDB.Fernandes 5.4 · Mbeumo 5.4
  • FWDŠeško 0.7

Bournemouth (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)⛔ Avoid14% clean sheet · #18 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⛔ Avoid1.2 xG vs MUN · #18 of 20

  • GKPetrović 3.1
  • DEFSilva 3.3 · Truffert 2.9
  • MIDTavernier 4.7 · Scott 4.2
  • FWDEvanilson 3.1

Sunderland (home)

Defence (GK/DEF)⚠️ OK22% clean sheet · #11 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)✅ Good pick1.8 xG vs LEE · #4 of 20

  • GKRoefs 3.0
  • DEFMukiele 3.6 · Ballard 3.3
  • MIDE.Le Fée 4.6 · Xhaka 4.1
  • FWDBrobbey 3.4 · Isidor 2.0

Leeds (away)

Defence (GK/DEF)⛔ Avoid17% clean sheet · #17 of 20

Attack (MID/FWD)⚠️ OK1.5 xG vs SUN · #10 of 20

  • GKTrafford 4.2
  • DEFBogle 3.7 · Justin 3.6
  • MIDStach 4.4 · Ampadu 3.4
  • FWDCalvert-Lewin 4.4 · Nmecha 0.8

How these picks are made

Expected points (xP) come from each player's expected goals and assists, minutes, defensive contributions, bonus and the opponent's strength, using FPL's official scoring. Before every deadline we lock our picks and publish them with a tamper-proof timestamp, then score them after the gameweek — check our record.