FPL Gameweek 9: Tavernier, Jackson, Haaland Captaincy & Arsenal Hold

FPL Gameweek 9: Invest in Bournemouth, buy Jackson, keep Haaland captain

Fantasy Premier League managers should target Bournemouth's Marcus Tavernier (£6.4m) and Aston Villa's Nicolas Jackson (£6.7m) ahead of gameweek nine, keep Erling Haaland (£15.7m) as captain and sell the injured Joao Pedro (£7.8m) and out-of-favour Rayan Cherki (£8.0m), according to BBC Sport expert FPL Heisenberg.

Top pick: Marcus Tavernier (£6.4m) offers goal threat and creativity from midfield for Bournemouth's home game against Leeds.
Budget forward: Evanilson (£6.2m) is a cheaper route into Bournemouth's attack.
Captain: Erling Haaland (£15.7m) remains the standout captaincy option despite Manchester City's first defeat.
Sell: Joao Pedro (£7.8m) is ruled out for weeks; Rayan Cherki (£8.0m) is a minutes risk.
Hold: Arsenal defenders David Raya (£6.2m) and Riccardo Calafiori (£6m) despite facing Liverpool away.

Is now the time to invest in Bournemouth assets?

Yes, says FPL Heisenberg. Bournemouth face Leeds at home in gameweek nine, followed by a very appealing run of fixtures over the next few gameweeks. Marcus Tavernier (£6.4m) is his favourite pick, attracting plenty of attention after recent performances and offering a good combination of goal threat and creativity from midfield.

Evanilson (£6.2m) is another to consider. He is a decent budget forward who should get opportunities to score in this run of fixtures. If you are after a cheaper route into Bournemouth's attack, he is worth a look.

Antonio Silva (£5.0m) is the defender of choice as he is great for defensive contributions, but Heisenberg will not be rushing to triple up on the Cherries.

Should we be buying Jackson after his double against Man City?

Nicolas Jackson (£6.7m) is certainly an interesting option after a strong run of recent form – scoring four in his past four Premier League matches. He looks to be finding his feet at Aston Villa and is an appealing alternative to some of the other budget forwards in the game.

Aston Villa face Fulham at home in gameweek nine, which is the start of a very nice run of fixtures to back him in. The only concern is his minutes. There is a slight risk of him being hooked early, especially with Villa juggling Champions League football and promising young striker Brian Madjo (£5.4m) back from injury. However, with his recent form and price in mind, he is definitely worth considering.

Is Haaland still the obvious captain choice?

Yes, absolutely. Erling Haaland (£15.7m) remains the standout captaincy option for Heisenberg, even after Manchester City's first Premier League defeat of the season. He scored again against Aston Villa in gameweek eight and continues to be the player to back for the biggest points haul in any given match.

That does not mean captaining him every single gameweek – there will be opportunities to look elsewhere at times. However, he is the only reliable premium asset in the game right now.

What should we do with Joao Pedro?

Joao Pedro (£7.8m) is an easy sell following Xabi Alonso's comments ruling him out for weeks. Some may be thinking of holding the Chelsea forward through his injury and simply benching him. That is tempting because when he is fit, he is one of the best assets in the game.

However, we do not know how long this could go on for, so Heisenberg will not be holding him hoping for a speedy recovery. Another reason he is an easy sell is the mid-priced forwards are actually enticing right now. Alternatives such as Jackson and Evanilson have excellent form and favourable forthcoming fixtures. The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.1m), Thierno Barry (£5.6m) or, if you have the money, Alexander Isak (£9.1m) are all worth considering too.

What to do with Cherki?

It is likely Heisenberg will be selling Rayan Cherki (£8.0m) this week. He is clearly a talented player, but his minutes are becoming a real concern and there are better options available at a cheaper price. He was substituted at half-time against Aston Villa in gameweek eight, having also struggled for consistent minutes in previous games.

When you are spending that much on a midfielder, you want someone who is likely to play 80-90 minutes regularly. Heisenberg will be looking at the likes of Tavernier as a cheaper alternative, freeing up funds to strengthen elsewhere. Cherki could easily punish sellers if he starts and hauls, but backing a player with more reliable minutes is preferable. For him, it is time to sell.

Is it worth holding Arsenal assets?

Heisenberg is not looking to sell his Arsenal players just because they face Liverpool away in gameweek nine. David Raya (£6.2m) and Riccardo Calafiori (£6m) remain quality defensive options, but the Liverpool fixture does make a clean sheet less likely than usual.

After that, Arsenal face Hull, Newcastle, Manchester City and Brentford. There are opportunities in that mixed fixture run, and Arsenal being one of the best teams in the league makes them favourites going into the majority of games. If you have Arsenal defensive assets, holding rather than spending transfers chasing fixtures is sensible. If Calafiori is injured, benching him against Liverpool and hoping he is ready for Hull at home the following gameweek is the plan.

However, buying Arsenal assets this week is not necessary as several other teams offer more attractive short-term fixtures. Prioritise those options before bringing in another Arsenal defender.

Why Tavernier and Jackson are the smart moves for gameweek nine

The logic behind the Bournemouth advice is fixture-driven. Leeds at home is the start of a run that makes Tavernier's goal threat and creativity from midfield worth the £6.4m outlay. Evanilson provides a cheaper entry point to the same attack, while Antonio Silva's defensive contributions make him a solid £5.0m option without needing to triple up.

Nicolas Jackson is the form play. Four goals in his past four Premier League matches for Aston Villa, with Fulham at home next, makes him an appealing alternative to other budget forwards. The only caveat is minutes, with Villa balancing Champions League football and Brian Madjo back from injury, but the price and form outweigh that risk.

On Haaland, the message is clear: Manchester City's first defeat of the season does not change his status as the only reliable premium asset. He scored again in gameweek eight and remains the default captain, even if there will be weeks to look elsewhere.

Talking points

Is Tavernier really the best Bournemouth pick, or does Evanilson's cheaper price and forward eligibility make him the smarter route into the attack?
Jackson's minutes risk is real with Villa in the Champions League and Brian Madjo back – is four goals in four games enough to ignore the bench threat?
Selling Joao Pedro is easy, but if he returns sooner than expected, midfielders who banked the funds elsewhere could be punished.
Holding Arsenal defenders through Liverpool away is brave – is benching Calafiori and hoping for Hull at home the right call?

What happens next

Gameweek nine is the immediate deadline. Bournemouth host Leeds, Aston Villa host Fulham, Arsenal travel to Liverpool, and Manchester City look to respond after their first defeat. Managers must decide whether to sell Joao Pedro and Rayan Cherki before their prices drop, and whether to captain Haaland or look elsewhere. The Arsenal fixture run after Liverpool – Hull, Newcastle, Manchester City and Brentford – will determine whether holding Raya and Calafiori pays off.

Frequently asked questions

Should I buy Marcus Tavernier for FPL gameweek 9?

Yes, FPL Heisenberg names Tavernier (£6.4m) as his favourite Bournemouth pick, citing his goal threat and creativity from midfield ahead of a home game against Leeds and an appealing fixture run.

Is Erling Haaland still the best captain for gameweek 9?

Yes, Heisenberg says Haaland (£15.7m) remains the standout captaincy option even after Manchester City's first Premier League defeat of the season, describing him as the only reliable premium asset.

Should I sell Joao Pedro and Rayan Cherki?

Yes, Heisenberg is selling both. Joao Pedro (£7.8m) is ruled out for weeks, and Cherki (£8.0m) is a minutes risk after being substituted at half-time against Aston Villa.