Keep or Sell: FPL Gameweek 5

It’s Gameweek 5. The only green arrow you’ve had came after Gameweek 1, and that was only because it was so bad that it was impossible not to get a green. Yet somehow, you still managed to botch it and are now withering away ranked 6.5m. 

And it’s all because a few players on your FPL team have simply forgotten how to score points.

Will they ever deliver again? Should you keep the faith and hope for a haul? Or is it time to sell and cut your losses? Let’s find out.

Next 4: EVE, cry, che, MUN
Form: 2, 2, 3, 3

Meh. That’s probably the best way to sum up Wirtz’s start to the season. Or, I suppose you could say it’s the most Wirtz thing ever, especially when you see his npxG+xAG/90 sitting at 0.31. Yikes.

Even so, I think Florian Wirtz is a hold. He’s just been finding his feet, and he’s not far off from a huge haul. Plus, his next two fixtures look really good and after that, he’s an easy route to Palmer, Saka, or even Haaland if you’re swimming (drowning) in money ITB..

Popular Replacements: Bruno Fernandes, Palmer, Mbeumo, Semenyo

Next 4: bur, SUN, new, CHE
Form (average of back 4): 2.87 points per GW

If a tree falls but no one’s around to hear it, does it make a sound? Who knows, but every FPL manager definitely makes a noise (grunt) when their Forest defenders concede yet ANOTHER goal.

Take Ange out of the equation for a second, and I think Forest’s defenders (and their overall strength) were blown way out of proportion this season. What they pulled off last season was ridiculously impressive (but also an anomaly) and I’d be surprised if they finish in the top half this year.

Even so, their defenders were appealing in GW1, and fair enough: they had good fixtures and, more importantly, players like Murillo were DEFCON monsters. That said, Ange’s style isn’t conducive to DEFCONs, so you lose a reliable, stable avenue to points and you’re left with worse (and pricier) assets clogging up your team.

But even though I just spewed a couple of paragraphs of negativity, their next two fixtures are really, really good. That’s why I think Forest defenders are just about a hold.

Popular Replacements: Gabriel, Virgil, Andersen

Next 4: sun, FUL, BUR, tot 
Form: 2, 2, 2, 2

Aston Villa have scored 0 league goals. 10.53% of the Premier League season is already over. Good ebening.

Realistically, sitting 20th for goals scored and 19th for xG after playing NEW, bre, CRY, and eve can’t be sugarcoated — so I won’t try to. But Villa are objectively better than that. Even Watkins — this is someone who’s averaged 0.55 npxG+xAG/90 and 109 actual G+A over his last five Premier League seasons. That’s no bum.

Plus, he’s probably on penalties (I’d put it at 50–70%), which only bumps up his PrGLS week to week. His next three fixtures are incredible, and I think he bags at least a few. For me, he’s an easy hold.

Popular Replacements: Gyökeres, João Pedro

Next 4: bur, SUN, new, CHE 
Form: 13, 2, 2, 1

Chris Wood’s 2024–25 season should be a crime in at least 43 countries. At age 32, he just decided to become Chris Good, overperforming his xG by 6.6 (!!!). This is someone who averaged only 2 shots/90 and still managed to get 50% of them on target. What in the world?

Yeah, last season was a statistical anomaly for Wood, and Nuno’s system clearly played to his strengths as a talisman. But that doesn’t automatically make him a dud now. His next two fixtures are great, which makes him a hold for me — but I’d happily sell after that. The returns will still come, just at a slower rate, and then you’re left with a rotting lump of… wood in your team.

Popular Replacements: João Pedro, Evanilson

Next 4: whu, LIV, eve, BOU
Form: 1, 2, 5, 2

Boom boom boom boom, I want you in my room to actually score a goal. This is a really interesting season for Mateta and Palace. Losing Eze’s creativity hurts, but it also gives Mateta full penalty share and lets him hog a bit more goal threat.

His minutes feel more secure (though Nketiah’s close to a return), but European football and a small squad could still mean his minutes get split across competitions. Lots of ifs, buts, and maybes — which isn’t ideal.

Mateta’s data this season has honestly been pretty woeful, but like I said earlier, Palace are in a bit of a transitional period, and Glasner’s teams have been notoriously slow starters. I think Mateta’s an easy keep, especially if you’re on FH6, but if not, I’d be tempted to sell around GW6.

Maybe. And probably only if Nketiah’s back.

Popular Replacements: João Pedro, Evanilson

Next 4: EVE, cry, che, MUN  | Form: 11, 9, 2, 2

Where did you come from, where did Hugo (Ekitike)?

Where did you come from, Cotton-Eye Joe?

I think Ekitike’s an incredible FPL option simply because he’s the starting striker for the best attack in the league. But this naturally begs the question: how long is Ekitike actually going to stay the starter?

Surely Isak comes in at some point, right? Well, yes — but Slot has mentioned that Ekitike could play as a winger alongside Isak, which does help his xMins… but I wouldn’t want to rely on that.

Isak is starting Liverpool’s UCL game midweek, which basically means he won’t start in Gameweek 5. That makes Ekitike a hold for me until then, at which point the whole situation should be reassessed.

Popular Replacements: Gyökeres, João Pedro