FPL Gameweek 9 Guide 2026/27: Injury News, Players To Target And Captaincy Picks Ahead Of FPL GW9

As we approach Gameweek 9 of the Fantasy Premier League 2026/27 season, managers are faced with a problem.

João Pedro is out, and he's in nearly three-quarters of FPL squads.

The good news?

Two teams are hitting form just as their fixtures turn.

Aston Villa and Bournemouth have the in-form assets, and the data backs them up.

We will also have a look at defenders to target, with Riccardo Calafiori a doubt for GW9.

FPL Gameweek 9 Injury News: João Pedro And Riccardo Calafiori

Two heavily owned players carry flags into Gameweek 9.

One is a clear sell.

The other is a wait-and-see.

João Pedro (£7.9m, FWD): Injury Update And Replacement Advice

João Pedro felt something in training before the Tottenham Hotspur game, and Xabi Alonso spoke of fluid in the knee.

The scans are back, and the news isn't good.

He has been diagnosed with a thigh injury that will keep him out "for a few weeks".

He misses Manchester United on Saturday and is likely to miss Sunderland away in GW10 too.

The international break follows, so realistically, we're looking at GW11 at the earliest.

Five goals and three assists in six league starts made him the template striker.

But a two-week absence, with a break in between, is too long to bench a £7.9m forward.

Nicolas Jackson (£6.8m) is the obvious like-for-like replacement and saves you £1.1m.

More on him to follow.

Riccardo Calafiori (£6.0m, DEF): Injury Doubt And Transfer Advice

Calafiori came off the bench for Arsenal against Everton and finished the game with what Mikel Arteta called a "slight issue".

He then missed the Carabao Cup defeat at Fleetwood Town, and Arteta confirmed he was out injured rather than rested.

He's owned by 54% of managers and has started all seven league games he's been fit for.

Arteta gives his next update at Friday's press conference.

If Calafiori is out, Myles Lewis-Skelly or Piero Hincapié would cover at left-back.

Liverpool away is hardly a clean sheet banker anyway.

Arsenal haven't won a league game at Anfield since 2012.

FPL managers should hold onto Calafiori and check Friday's presser.

Only consider transferring him out if he's ruled out.

If you have a decent fifth defender, bench him.

Chelsea FPL Assets: Should You Hold Palmer And Rogers?

Plenty of managers went into GW8 with three Chelsea players.

The returns have dried up.

Chelsea lost 3-0 at Brentford and 2-0 at home to Spurs, both without João Pedro, then went out of the Carabao Cup at Anfield on penalties.

The underlying numbers back up the eye test.

Over Gameweeks 5 to 8, Chelsea generated just 3.87 xG and six big chances.

Only Coventry City created fewer.

They still scored seven, five of them against Bournemouth, so finishing has hidden a drop in chance creation.

I wouldn't panic-sell the attackers, though.

Manchester United visit Stamford Bridge without a clean sheet in four and have conceded 6.80 xG in that time, the third-worst in the league.

The betting markets agree, giving Chelsea 1.93 projected goals, the third-highest of the week.

With João Pedro out, someone has to pick up his 33% share of Chelsea's npxG, and Morgan Rogers is next in line.

Cole Palmer (£9.8m) has 17 key passes, six big chances created and four assists.

Morgan Rogers (£8.0m) has 41 points and scored in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, playing up front.

FPL Gameweek 9 Transfer Targets: Bournemouth And Aston Villa

If you're moving money out of Chelsea, this is where it should go.

Bournemouth and Villa are the two form sides, and both have fixtures to match.

Bournemouth: Tavernier, Evanilson And Favourable Fixtures

Three weeks ago, Marco Rose was under pressure after a 5-1 hammering at Stamford Bridge.

Since then, Bournemouth have won five in a row in all competitions without conceding.

That includes the 3-0 win at Old Trafford and Wednesday's 3-0 cup win over Villa.

This isn't just results.

Over Gameweeks 5 to 8, Bournemouth produced 8.54 xG, second only to Manchester City (9.01).

Their 16 big chances in that spell were joint-second in the league.

They've scored 12 league goals from 14.47 xG this season, so if anything, they are slightly behind where they should be.

The fixtures get even better after Leeds United (H) this weekend.

Their Gameweek 10 to 14 run is the kindest in the game: Ipswich Town (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Fulham (A), Brighton & Hove Albion (H) and Hull City (H).

Marcus Tavernier (£6.4m, MID) is the standout.

He has five goals, 52 points and 12 bonus points, and his 4.93 xGI ranks fifth among all players.

He's also on set pieces, with 15 key passes and five big chances created.

At 19% owned, he's quickly becoming a template.

Evanilson (£6.2m, FWD) is the striker to pair with him.

He's had 17 of his 21 shots inside the box and seven big chances, for 4.09 xGI and seven goal involvements.

He's also the most involved striker among his forward competitors.

For a differential, look at Rayan (£6.3m, MID).

He leads the team with 26 shots and nine big chances, but has just one goal from 2.43 xG.

At the back, António Silva (£5.0m, DEF) hasn't missed a minute and has 12 DEFCON returns.

He averages 10.5 defensive contributions per 90, and Bournemouth's projected clean sheet odds of 29% over GW9 to GW13 are the best of the defenders compared below.

The one caveat is rotation.

Bournemouth are in the Europa League and now in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, so Rose will rotate at times.

Aston Villa: Jackson, Manzambi And McGinn Assessed

Villa ended Manchester City's perfect start with a 2-1 home win and are unbeaten in four league games.

They top the fixture ticker from GW9 to GW15, starting with Fulham (H), Manchester United (A), Sunderland (H), Ipswich Town (A) and Everton (H).

Villa's underlying numbers are decent rather than dominant: 5.72 xG and 10 big chances over the last four Gameweeks.

Nicolas Jackson (£6.8m, FWD) is the most-bought player of the week.

He's nailed as Unai Emery's No. 9 and has four goals, but from only 1.83 xG.

He's running hot.

Johan Manzambi (£6.1m, MID) has the better underlying numbers per minute: 15 shots and 2.07 xGI in just 319 minutes.

He also takes 29% of Villa's npxG when he's on the pitch, more than Jackson's 23%.

Minutes are the risk with him.

John McGinn (£5.4m, MID) is the value pick.

He has 13 key passes and four goal involvements, and sits second on the TFA Differential Picks map at 3% owned.

Gameweek 9 Fixtures: Projected Goals And Clean Sheet Odds

The betting markets give us a clear picture of where the goals and clean sheets should come from in GW9.

Manchester City (2.12) and Spurs (2.11) top the projected goals.

Spurs at home to Crystal Palace also have the best clean sheet odds of the week at 35%, which makes Antonín Kinský and Jan Paul van Hecke strong defensive picks.

Bournemouth are next at 30% for a clean sheet against Leeds, with Villa and Brentford both on 29%.

That's good news for anyone buying into the two in-form teams this week.

Looking further ahead, the ticker shows why Bournemouth and Villa are the teams to invest in.

Bournemouth don't face a red fixture until Arsenal in Gameweek 15, and Villa's only red before Gameweek 16 is Manchester United away.

FPL Gameweek 9 Captaincy: Haaland Vs Tavernier

Erling Haaland (£15.8m) is at home to Brighton in GW9 and is the clear frontrunner for captaincy.

He has nine goals, 30 shots and 13 big chances this season, with 6.09 xG and 66 points.

The betting markets have Brighton's clean sheet chance at just 11%.

Haaland takes 37% of City's npxG when he's on the pitch.

Not captaining him at home is a big bet against the field.

If you want to go against him, Tavernier at home to Leeds is the best alternative.

Bournemouth are projected to score 1.55 goals, Leeds have conceded 5.14 xG in their last four, and Tavernier has the set pieces, the form and fares well in terms of BPS.

All the best for GW9!