Same again please Bruno – FPL team of the week

After a run of just 17 points in his past seven games, Erling Haaland is dropped from this FPL team of the week.

Just one goal in seven games, he only managed two shots last week and faces Liverpool away – it seems an easy choice.

It’s a much harder choice for FPL managers to decide what to do with the Norwegian in the long run and I’d still hold him – with a nice run of games after this one – unless you really need the money elsewhere.

The other priority for managers is to make sure you have a plan to get to three Arsenal players in time for next week, when they have a double gameweek along with Wolves.

The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.

David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £5.9m – Sunderland (h)

Gabriel, Arsenal, defender, £7m – Sunderland (h)

Jurrien Timber, Arsenal, defender, £6.3m – Sunderland (h)

With Bukayo Saka having injury issues and Declan Rice failing to produce in recent matches, it is an Arsenal triple-up in defence this week against a Sunderland side with just six goals on the road this season.

Don’t expect more than six points from Raya, but he is a very steady choice while Gabriel and Timber have well-known attacking threat.

If this comes off, 20-plus points between the three of them is a possibility.

Marc Cucurella, Chelsea, £6m – Wolves (a)

The Spaniard got his first goal of the season against West Ham (he scored five in 2024-25). Will this be the start of more attacking production from him?

Bruno Fernandes (captain), Manchester United, £9.6m – Tottenham (h)

He produced last week and gets the armband again in a United team that you feel could score three in any game on current form – even if their defence is shaky.

There’s no point going through all his statistics over and over again but it is safe to say the Portugal midfielder is head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of creativity.

Only Fernandes (12) and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise (14) have reached double figures for assists in Europe’s top five league this season.

Matheus Cunha, Manchester United, £8m – Tottenham (h)

Back-to-back nine-pointers for the Brazilian means he gets the nod ahead of Bryan Mbeumo (£8.4m) and Amad Diallo (£6.2m) as a second United attacking option.

Cunha has had the most shots per 90 minutes on the pitch (3.69) of any United midfielder – Mbeumo is next on 2.65. Cunha has had more shots (61) than any other midfielder in the league too.

And he feels like the least likely of the trio to get a rest if Benjamin Sesko is recalled to the starting line-up following his match-winning goal v Fulham.

Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea, £6.8m – Wolves (a)

Another great fixture for Chelsea and Fernandez just keeps producing, with returns in five of his past six games.

Still has the highest expected goals (xG) among midfielders with 8.91 and is still just a cracking all-round pick, especially at the price.

Yasin Ayari, Brighton, £4.8m – Crystal Palace (h)

The 22-year-old Swede has turned into an FPL bargain recently.

Ayari has returned in his past four games, including two double-digit hauls.

He’s also in and about getting defensive contribution points (defcon) in every game. In his past seven games, he’s earned defcon three times and twice come within one point of getting it.

All for £4.8m – wildcarders pay attention.

Elliot Anderson, Nottingham Forest, £5.3m – Leeds (a)

Another budget gem FPL managers should be looking at more closely.

Anderson has earned defcon points in his past eight games.

Joao Pedro, Chelsea, £7.5m – Wolves (a)

The Brazilian has been on fire in his past three league games, with three goals, two assists and 30 points.

The main worry with Joao Pedro in the past 10 games has been whether he’ll start, as he has been benched four times, but after coming on at half-time to rescue Chelsea against West Ham last week you’d like to think he’ll be first choice again.

And with Wolves away, Leeds at home and then Burnley at home in the next three, fixture runs don’t come much better.

He’s a good captain choice this week too if you don’t have Fernandes.

Jarrod Bowen, West Ham, £7.6m – Burnley (a)

Bowen is another striker in hot form, with 20 points in his past two.

Likewise, West Ham have two wins in three, scoring seven goals in the process, and were unlucky not to take something in Saturday’s 3-2 loss at Chelsea.

Martin Dubravka, Burnley, keeper, £4m – West Ham (h)

Raul Jimenez, Fulham, striker, £6.2m – Everton (h)

James Tarkowski, Everton, defender, £5.8m – Fulham (a)

Joe Rodon, Leeds, defender, £3.9m – Nottingham Forest (h)