Over 500,000 FPL managers worried after making the same mistake during the international break
The three-week international break gives Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers a great chance to rethink their teams before the action picks up again on October 10. Many managers have already used this time to play their Wildcard chip, which lets them make unlimited transfers based on what they’ve seen in the first five Gameweeks of the Premier League.
Others used the Wildcard earlier and can now only make changes with their free transfers—but this has caused problems for some. A helpful tip is to make transfers as late as possible to avoid injuries, and this is especially true during international breaks when many Premier League players are traveling far to play for their countries.
Manchester City is one club with the most players (17) representing their national teams. One of these is Antoine Semenyo, who had a great Gameweek 5 with two goals and an assist, reaching 17 points. Because of this, over 120,000 FPL managers brought him into their teams before Gameweek 6. Unfortunately, this backfired because it was confirmed last week that Semenyo is out for Ghana’s matches due to a swollen leg. While it’s still unclear if he’ll play against Liverpool on October 11, this shows the risk of making transfers too early.
The same goes for Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey. He was a hot pick after scoring a hat-trick at the Etihad, with nearly 200,000 managers signing him during the break. But he pulled up with a hamstring injury during the Netherlands’ 1-1 draw with Germany, leaving his status for Sunderland’s game against Brighton on October 10 uncertain.
Liverpool’s Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo also drew a lot of attention for Gameweek 6, but both picked up injuries on international duty. Isak was hurt playing for Sweden, while Gakpo left the Netherlands squad with an ankle injury. Gakpo’s injury looks serious, which is bad news for the managers who brought him in.
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz has been a popular choice too, with over 50,000 managers adding him during the break after he scored twice in five games. Sadly, he suffered a muscle strain for Germany and was sent back to his club.
Cole Palmer is another player to watch. He pulled out of England’s squad due to a minor muscle issue, but Chelsea expect him to recover in time for their game against Bournemouth after the break. Palmer is owned by over a quarter of FPL managers.
Bruno Fernandes has also been dealing with a fitness problem. He missed Portugal’s game against Norway as a precaution after getting knocked during a Champions League match. Luckily, for his many owners, he could be back soon, just in time for Portugal’s next game.
After the break, Manchester United faces a big match against Tottenham Hotspur, so managers will be watching closely to see who’s ready to play.