Erling Haaland was on the scoresheet again in FPL Gameweek 5, while an assist for Mohamed Salah may not be enough to prevent a surge in sales for the Egyptian.

In our concise weekly review, we’ll cover some key highlights – this week split into four categories:

Haulers documents the biggest stars of the week, howlers the disappointments and disasters, heartbreakers the under-performers, late clean sheet wipeouts and more, while things you might have missed are included in the hidden highlights.

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🔥 Gravenberch and Stach share top spot thanks to all-round displays, Haaland and Reijnders return for City, Bournemouth defence delivers again
🤦 Watkins scoreless streak continues against 10-man Sunderland, Sanchez red costly for Chelsea as Fernandes rewards owners
😬 Palmer injured, disappointment up top for Wood, Watkins, Isak owners

FPL Gameweek 5 haulers

🥇 Ryan Gravenberch/Anton Stach – 15 points

Gravenberch was Liverpool’s star man in the Merseyside derby, adding an assist to a sumptuous half-volley against the Toffees.

That display makes it three attacking returns in four starts for the £5.5m priced Dutchman, who is also performing relatively well for defensive contributions so far.

Leeds midfielder Stach reached the same tally in his side’s 3-1 victory at Wolves, with the German’s goal coming from a stunning direct free kick.

Gravenberch v Stach stats

🥈 Alex Iwobi – 13 points

Iwobi has often been a hot-and-cold asset in FPL, and we could see the same again here with the Cottagers now entering a slightly trickier run.

His 13 points against Brentford in Gameweek 5 came via a clinical goal and assist, while his other return this season was at home to Manchester United.

Marco Silva’s side will be tested now however with three away matches in Fulham’s next four – and that sole home fixture is against Arsenal.

Alex Iwobi’s stats

🥉 Dominic Calvert-Lewin/Harry Maguire – 11 points

Manchester United are still yet to keep their first clean sheet of the season, but Maguire was able to bank the points this week thanks to an early substitution.

Even this required an early Chelsea red card, so it’s perhaps unwise to read too much into this points haul – although Maguire’s propensity for attacking returns combined with his £4.4m price tag will certainly turn a few heads.

Meanwhile another Leeds asset was among this week’s highest scorers, with Calvert-Lewin’s precision header a reminder of the quality he possesses, and the FPL asset he can become when fit and firing.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s stats

FPL Gameweek 5 howlers

Villa and Watkins fail to put 10-man Sunderland to the sword

Villa finally managed to get themselves on the scoresheet this week, but the draw against a Sunderland side who lost a player in the first half leaves Unai Emery’s side winless in five

We will surely see changes to the starting lineup in Gameweek 6, but it may feel like too little too late for those with Villa assets in their team, particularly having witnessed their incapability to capitalise on the red card shown to Reinildo Mandava.

There are certainly decision to be made here, as the next couple of fixtures look solid – including Burnley at home next week – but with the likes of Ollie Watkins hitting five blanks out of five, patience is wearing thin for his FPL owners.

Ollie Watkins’ stats

Sanchez red sets the tone at Old Trafford

In another game that saw plenty of red card action, Manchester United were able to make the most of what was predominantly a man advantage.

With Chelsea goalkeeper Sanchez sent off in the opening five minutes, Casemiro followed suit in the second half, but it was too little too late for the Blues.

United’s goalscoring charges continue to be led by Bruno Fernandes, who looked like a more consistent goal threat from open play as well in addition to his usual set-piece offering.

Bruno Fernandes’ stats

Wolves continue slide against budget-friendly Leeds

Wolves made it five defeats in five games as Leeds United ran out 3-1 victors at Molineux, with an early goal for a much-changed home side proving a red herring in the end.

Leeds however continue to provide a smattering of interesting FPL options, with goalscorers Calvert-Lewin and Stach both putting their hands up as potential budget picks.

There was no clean sheet this week for the array of budget defenders on offer at Elland Road, but it might not matter so much this season – Gabriel Gudmundsson for example picked up defensive contribution points once again, and was close to an assist against Wolves too.

Daniel Farke’s side are managing to find a way at both ends of the pitch, and the low-end pricing of their FPL assets makes the aforementioned names tempting squad options, alongside others such as Joe Rodon.

Gudmundsson v Rodon stats

FPL Gameweek 5 heart-breakers

Wood hooked after failing to haunt former club Burnley

Chris Wood found himself the victim of another early substitution against Burnley in Gameweek 5, in a fixture where some had even entrusted the New Zealand international with the captain’s armband.

His 74th minute departure follows 59′ and 72′ minute subs the two weeks prior, and while this isn’t uncommon for attackers, it does feel like the beginning of a shift away from Wood’s prominence as the main attacking force at Nottingham Forest.

New manager Ange Postecoglou is expected to bring some degree of attacking transformation, but this might not translate to goals for Wood, who took two shots and created one chance against the Clarets.

Forest defenders could also be tough hold, with no clean sheets yet this season and a newly attacking manager at the helm – their fixtures also largely dry up after Sunderland in Gameweek 6.

Chris Wood’s stats

Isak delivers solitary point on debut

Alexander Isak’s Premier League debut for Liverpool wasn’t quite what his FPL backers were hoping for, as the Swede failed to notch an attacking return during a 23-minute cameo.

By all accounts it was a solid performance from the striker, but the benching was compounded by Hugo Ekitike bagging another goal to continue his excellent start to life at Anfield.

This will leave the owners of both of these Liverpool forwards sweating ahead of Gameweek 6’s teamsheet, although there may be more information to be gleaned from the Reds’ midweek Carabao Cup fixture.

Ekitike v Isak stats

Palmer injury adds to Haaland captaincy bandwagon

Many took a risk on Cole Palmer for Chelsea’s trip to Manchester United, but the returning England international was an early substitute following a first-half groin injury.

We’ve covered Palmer’s injury in detail here, but his likely continued absence will be of frustration to those who brought him in for the Blues’ good upcoming fixture run.

Enzo Maresca’s side play three of their next four games at home, including targetable fixtures against Brighton and Sunderland, but it remains to be seen what part Palmer will play.

Palmer was another outside shout for the armband in a week without too many obvious picks outside of Mohamed Salah, but those going without the Liverpool midfielder will now surely look at Haaland as a regular captain choice.

Salah v Haaland stats

FPL Gameweek 5 hidden highlights

Here are a few things you may have missed in Gameweek 5:

Antoine Semenyo didn’t manage an attacking return but hit the heady heights of 5 points thanks to his defensive contributions and Bournemouth’s clean sheet
It’s not all about Marcos Senesi in the Cherries’ defence – Bafode Diakite and the attack-minded Adrien Truffert are also providing value at the back
Newcastle were the only other side to keep a clean sheet, with Dan Burn looking a safe bet for investment from the Magpies backline – Eddie Howe’s side rank 1st in the league for expected goals conceded (xGC)
Midfielders such as Reijnders and Gravenberch are offering viable cut-price routes into top level attacks, thanks in part to the new defensive scoring system

Tijjani Reijnders. Picture by Getty Images

Arsenal are ranked second in the league for xGC, despite having already faced both Liverpool and Manchester City
Reece James rolled back the years with an attacking display at Old Trafford – the injury-prone defender comes in at £5.4m ahead of a good run for Chelsea
If you exclude the fixture against Manchester City’s perpetual bogey side Spurs, Haaland is currently averaging 11 points per match – he faces Burnley at home in Gameweek 6

Erling Haaland. Picture by Getty Images

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Haulers, howlers, heartbreakers and hidden highlights of FPL Gameweek 5

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