FPL Gameweek 5 Preview – Top Talking Points, Buy/Sell and Captaincy Choices

As we head into Gameweek 5 of the season, many FPL managers are faced with key decisions about transfers, team structure, and potential wildcard strategies. 

In this piece we will look at the top talking points, fixtures, whether you should buy or sell players and who to captain this week.

Top Talking Points

If Wildcarding in 6 Hold your Transfers

If you are planning on wildcarding in gameweek 6, I think you should hold all your transfers this week (if possible).

If you make a transfer this week, the player will only have one week to deliver a return higher than the player you sell.

If you hold the transfer you can use it later in the year for a player that will have a longer time to deliver a return.

The only exception will be if you have serious injury concerns or will be starting a player that’s only going to score one point.

The Death of the Premium Dilemma?

I bemoaned the lack of performance from any of the premiums besides Haaland in our gameweek 4 review. 

I’ve been thinking about it more and I am worried that the dilemma over which premium or premiums to have just doesn’t exist anymore. Who can argue that having just Haaland or Haaland and Salah isn’t the best strategy?

Son and Palmer just aren’t performing which means the Salah plus two other premiums doesn’t work. 

Two things are making me question this. Firstly, Haaland has had no champions league football until now – perhaps playing twice a week will slow him down. Secondly, FPL Review is telling me it is viable to wildcard to a team with Salah or Haaland in gameweek 6.

What to do about Palace?

Sell all the defensive assets. The defence is bad. Henderson is a bad keeper and Munoz floor is now too low to pay 5mn for.

I don’t mind selling Mateta or Eze either. Sharing penalties is such a nightmare for FPL managers. Mateta might still be a good pick because of the derth of options up top and Eze might be a good option just because he is a great player.

Odegaard and Watkins

Two interesting things came out of the European games through the week. Firstly, we now know that Odegaard is out for about a month. That makes all Arsenal attacking assets less interesting to me and probably means I will double up on their defence going into gameweek 6 wildcard.

Odegaard’s been incredible for Arsenal over the last few seasons and he has been integral to their overall attacking output. Odegaard/Saka/White was the most productive part of the Arsenal team last year and important for retaining possession in the final third.

I don’t think you need to panic too much. I’d still buy Saka but Havertz is of less interest to me if he drops into midfield and Jesus starts up top. Even if Havertz stays up top and Trossard comes into the middle.

And Watkins came off in Villa’s game against Young Boys at 60 mins. This is becoming a normality for Watkins but people were concerned because he was icing a knee after coming off. I don’t think it is a concern as I think he took the knock and then played on. I think the icing was merely precautionary.

Fixture Tickers

Here we will take a look at the best attacking and defensive matchups.

Best Attacking Fixtures

Best Defensive Fixtures

• Mbeumo is probably the only option to consider for Brentford at the moment. Schade or Carvalho could be playing more of a role with Wissa injured but I wouldn’t use a transfer until we know – maybe two to watch in the draft.
• Everton’s fixtures are ludicrously good. So much so that bringing in McNeil or DCL is not insane. As a team they have been good going forwards at times this year and McNeil has created the most chances of any player in the league (40). Ignore the defence.
• Villa have good underlying numbers in both attack and defence (although the defence has failed to deliver a clean sheet so far).
• Forest are one of the most exciting defences this year. Keeping a clean sheet away to Liverpool just showed that they have continued the defensive solidity from last year and maybe even improved on it.
• Spurs defence is really poor so I don’t care about the fixtures. I’m happy to just have Porro and get on with my life.

Should I Buy?

Looking ahead to Gameweek 5 and trying to work out if you should buy someone? Here is our quick advice:

• Watkins – Yes. Great player, great team and great fixtures. Unlikely to ever play 90 mins ever again but the fixtures are so good I think you can ignore that.

• Luis Diaz – Yes. Great player and good fixtures but most importantly he was rested and only played 30 mins in the week against Milan.

• Vardy – No. He is an incredible finisher. However, he hasn’t played a full season since 2020/2021. He is 37 years old and surely will be rotated or injured going forward. Also, Leicester suck and are the third worst attack in the league. I think it will be a mistake to bring him in,

• Haaland – No. Just for one week, don’t buy the terminator. Away to Arsenal is the worst attacking fixture in the league and it matters even to him.

• Smith-Rowe – Yes. He’s probably the best under 6.0 midfielder this week.

• Aina – Yes. We are high on Forest defence.

• Calvert-Lewin – Yes. Mental but yes.

• Mbeumo – Yes. 100%. Spurs are so reckless in defence and this guy is the Brentford talisman who has scored 3 goals already this year.

• Welbeck – No. Get Pedro instead if he is fit.

• Sanchez – No. He won’t save a penalty every week and that’s the only reason his score is so high.

• Duran – No. He doesn’t even start guys!

• Gabriel/Saliba/White – No. Just wait a week until after they play the best attacking team in the league.

• Onana – No. He is a defensive midfielder and won’t score enough points.

Should I Sell?

Looking ahead to Gameweek 5 and trying to work out if you should sell someone? Here is our quick advice:

• Isak – No. Wait for news. He will hopefully be fine.

• Joao Pedro – No. Wait for news. Even if he is injured he is so cheap I would probably just wait.

• Gvardiol – Yes. I don’t trust City for clean sheets in general and I don’t like Pep Roulette.

• Wissa – Yes. He’s out for a while.

• Saka – No. I would just hold him for one week because next week the fixtures are great.

• Eze – I would probably try and wait until gameweek 7 but I don’t mind selling.

• Havertz – I don’t mind selling him.

• Odegaard – Yes. Injured.

• Diogo J. – Not a priority to sell but I can see why you would. He doesn’t play 90 and played midweek.

• Muniz – Yes. He’s failed to deliver and now may have lost his spot in the starting eleven.

• Palmer – Maybe. I can’t blame you. He’s on the chopping block for me. His shooting opportunities are too low and his team is a bit of a mess. But potentially that is an overreaction to one good performance from Bournemouth.

• Gordon – Yes but try and hold off for a week.

Captaincy Corner

I can’t argue that Haaland isn’t always an option.

However, its Mo Salah or Ollie Watkins this week for me. Wolves are a mess at the moment and until they go back to three or five at the back they will continue to be a mess. 

Ollie is not as consistent as Mo and so Mo feels safer. Anyone who captained Ollie last year will agree… Still, I like the upside risk.

That’s It

Gameweek 5 offers several critical decisions that could impact your FPL season in the long term. 

Whether you choose to hold your transfers in anticipation of a Gameweek 6 wildcard or adjust your team to capitalise on standout players like Watkins, Mbeumo, or Salah, every move counts. 

Keep an eye on injuries, poor team form, and favourable fixtures, and don’t be afraid to take calculated risks with your captaincy or lineup selections.