FPL Gameweek 9 left some FPL managers over the moon, with hauls for some key players &#8211; but others were left wanting more.
Here&#8217;s our key highlights from the weekend&#8217;s action and <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a> leaders for the gameweek.
If you want details of every goalscorer and assist, plus bonus points and more, see our <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fpl-match-centre">Match Centre</a>, which updates live during matches.

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<h2>Haaland finally scores &#8211; but owners left wanting more</h2>
Erling Haaland was the overwhelming captaincy favourite with Southampton travelling to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Three quarters of the top 250,000 managers put the armband on the City forward, while more than 300,000 in the game as a whole used their Triple Captain chip on him.
A goal five minutes in &#8211; his first in three league games &#8211; was the perfect start for the Norwegian.
But that was all he managed, with Saints holding City to just a 1-0 win and drawing praise from both Bernardo Silva and Pep Guardiola post-match.
Owners can rightly feel unfortunate not to have had a haul however. Haaland registered an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.33 and had four big chances &#8211; both more than any other player in Gameweek 9.
His eight shots &#8211; all in the box &#8211; were also league-leading totals.
All this led to an expected FPL points score of 13.55 but owners had to settle for a mere six.
Haaland is comfortably the most-owned FPL player, in 73.5% of teams. He is unlikely to be sold by the masses, although double digit returns for Cole Palmer (10) and Mohamed Salah (10), plus good form for budget strikers including Chris Wood and Matheus Cunha, could see some looking away from the £15.4m man in the coming weeks.
<div id="attachment_68031" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68031" class="size-full wp-image-68031" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Captaincy-GW9-top-250k.jpg" alt="Top 250,000 managers' captaincy choices" width="900" height="731" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Captaincy-GW9-top-250k.jpg 900w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Captaincy-GW9-top-250k-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Captaincy-GW9-top-250k-768x624.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Captaincy-GW9-top-250k-610x495.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Top 250,000 managers&#8217; captaincy choices</div>
<h2>Ipswich need to improve &#8216;every single thing&#8217; to survive relegation</h2>
David Moyes once said his Manchester United team needed to improve in all areas, including passing, creating chances and defending.
And there is a familiar feel to Ipswich from a data perspective, with Match of the Day&#8217;s Alan Shearer stating the Tractor Boys would have to improve &#8216;every single thing&#8217; to stay in the league.
A graphic that showed them ranked 19th or 20th for various metrics, from shots to xG and goals conceded, made for grim reading.
Kieran McKenna&#8217;s side were involved in a thrilling game against Brentford, losing 4-3 in stoppage time.
Brentford registered the biggest xG of the weekend (3.94), with two goals from Bryan Mbeumo.
Yoane Wissa, back in the starting lineup following a spell out through injury, opened the scoring for the Bees after Ipswich took a 2-0 lead.
Wissa was briefly credited with the equaliser just before half-time but it was given as an own-goal for Harry Clarke.
Clarke, who gave away a penalty that was converted by Mbeumo, was sent off in a torrid day that saw him score one of the lowest FPL scores of all-time &#8211; minus five.
Liam Delap, benched for George Hirst who scored and assisted, came on to score Ipswich&#8217;s third. He looked to have secured a point for his team before Mbeumo&#8217;s 90+6 minute cross missed everyone and nestled in the back of the net.
Delap then struck the post in a crazy end to the game, which ended with three points for Thomas Frank&#8217;s team.
<div id="attachment_68032" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68032" class="size-full wp-image-68032" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mbeumo-and-Wissa-GW9.jpg" alt="Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa's Gameweek 9 stats" width="900" height="731" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mbeumo-and-Wissa-GW9.jpg 900w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mbeumo-and-Wissa-GW9-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mbeumo-and-Wissa-GW9-768x624.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mbeumo-and-Wissa-GW9-610x495.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa&#8217;s Gameweek 9 <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a></div>
<h2>United&#8217;s goalscoring woes continue</h2>
Manchester United have the biggest negative gap between their goals scored and xG &#8211; eight versus 14.76 &#8211; and this was the problem again as they fell to a 2-1 away defeat against West Ham.
The Red Devils had five big chances and 2.12 xG. Only Brentford had more big chances in Gameweek 9.
Diogo Dalot volleyed over with an open goal at his mercy, Alejandro Garnacho struck the bar and Bruno Fernandes, who should have had several assists, should have done better from a header.
Casemiro headed in after West Ham took the lead through Crysencio Summerville but a controversial Jarrod Bowen penalty, given after a VAR review, saw Erik ten Hag&#8217;s men go home pointless.
Fantasy managers have all but abandoned hope in Fernandes, now in just 6.7% of teams. This is unlikely to tick up despite United topping the <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fixture-ticker">Hub&#8217;s fixture ticker</a> for the next four gameweeks.
<div id="attachment_68033" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68033" class="size-large wp-image-68033" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Team-expected-goals-gw1-9-1024x601.jpg" alt="Manchester United rank reasonably well for expected goals but have scored just eight times" width="1024" height="601" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Team-expected-goals-gw1-9-1024x601.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Team-expected-goals-gw1-9-300x176.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Team-expected-goals-gw1-9-768x451.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Team-expected-goals-gw1-9-610x358.jpg 610w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Team-expected-goals-gw1-9-1080x634.jpg 1080w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Team-expected-goals-gw1-9-1280x753.jpg 1280w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Team-expected-goals-gw1-9.jpg 1282w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Manchester United rank reasonably well for expected goals but have scored just eight times</div>
<h2>Wood brace continues Forest forward&#8217;s fine form</h2>
Leicester and Nottingham Forest kicked-off the gameweek with their Friday fixture &#8211; a 1-3 win for the Tricky Trees.
A Wood brace took the New Zealand international to seven goals for the season &#8211; level with Palmer and behind only Mbeumo (eight) and Haaland (11).
Wood has been involved in in 64% of Forest&#8217;s goals while he&#8217;s been on the pitch, ahead of his 33% expected goal involvement.
He was seen getting treatment on a knock to his foot after coming off late on &#8211; but it is hoped it is nothing serious. Nevertheless, it&#8217;s something to keep an eye on in <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/premier-league-predicted-lineups">Nuno Espirito Santo&#8217;s press conference</a> later this week.
<div id="attachment_68034" style="width: 907px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68034" class="size-full wp-image-68034" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Wood-GW1-9.jpg" alt="Chris Wood's stats" width="897" height="731" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Wood-GW1-9.jpg 897w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Wood-GW1-9-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Wood-GW1-9-768x626.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Wood-GW1-9-610x497.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 897px) 100vw, 897px" />Chris Wood&#8217;s <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a></div>
<h2>Wolves&#8217; tough fixture run is over</h2>
Wolves have had an horrendous run of games since the start of the season.
But that is now over and they top the ticker until Gameweek 21.
Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri will be two popular Wolves picks &#8211; and both were on the scoresheet a week early as they salvaged a 2-2 at Brighton in a late comeback.
Ait-Nouri scored from a corner in the 88th minute, while they turned defence into attack for the equaliser.
Tommy Doyle was outnumbered four to one as Brighton came forward in the 93rd minute but he intercepted Mats Wieffer&#8217;s pass and sent a long ball towards Cunha on the break, who rifled it into the net.
Wolves are yet to keep a clean sheet this season but Ait-Nouri&#8217;s attacking <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a> arguably make up for that.
He has the most goals among defenders (three), the most goal involvements (five) and joint-fourth best xG (1.13). He is however just a single yellow card away from a one-match ban.
Cunha meanwhile has the second best expected goal involvement percentage in the league (45%) behind Haaland and ranks top among his teammates for both xG and expected assists (xA).
<div id="attachment_68035" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68035" class="size-full wp-image-68035" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cunha-v-Ait-Nouri-3.jpg" alt="Matheus Cunha v Rayan Ait-Nouri" width="900" height="731" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cunha-v-Ait-Nouri-3.jpg 900w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cunha-v-Ait-Nouri-3-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cunha-v-Ait-Nouri-3-768x624.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cunha-v-Ait-Nouri-3-610x495.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Matheus Cunha v Rayan Ait-Nouri</div>
<h2>Opta stats leaders for FPL Gameweek 9: Players</h2>
Here are the Gameweek 9 <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a> leaders in full, with Haaland leading many categories.
<ul>
<li>Shots &#8211; Erling Haaland &#8211; 8</li>
<li>Shots on target &#8211; Erling Haaland &#8211; 4</li>
<li>Shots in the box &#8211; Erling Haaland &#8211; 8</li>
<li>Big chances &#8211; Erling Haaland &#8211; 4</li>
<li>Goals &#8211; Bryan Mbeumo and Chris Wood &#8211; 2</li>
<li>xG &#8211; Erling Haaland &#8211; 2.33</li>
<li>Non-penalty xG (NpxG) &#8211; Erling Haaland &#8211; 2.33</li>
<li>Key passes &#8211; Savinho, Phil Foden and Mads Roerslev &#8211; 5</li>
<li>Big chances created &#8211; Bruno Fernandes, Savinho and Vitaly Janelt &#8211; 2</li>
<li>Assists &#8211; Danny Ings &#8211; 2</li>
<li>Expected assists (xA) &#8211; Savinho &#8211; 0.87</li>
<li>FPL points &#8211; Bryan Mbeumo &#8211; 15</li>
<li>Expected points (xPts) &#8211; Erling Haaland &#8211; 13.55</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="mceTemp">Opta stats leaders for FPL Gameweek 9: Teams</h3>
<ul>
<li>Most shots &#8211; Manchester City (v Southampton) &#8211; 22</li>
<li>Highest xG &#8211; Brentford (v Ipswich) &#8211; 3.94</li>
<li>Lowest xG &#8211; Southampton &#8211; 0.21</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_68036" style="width: 907px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68036" class="size-full wp-image-68036" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Haaland-gw1-9.jpg" alt="Erling Haaland's stats" width="897" height="731" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Haaland-gw1-9.jpg 897w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Haaland-gw1-9-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Haaland-gw1-9-768x626.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Haaland-gw1-9-610x497.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 897px) 100vw, 897px" />Erling Haaland&#8217;s stats</div>
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