FPL Gameweek 7: Haaland’s Armband, Cherki’s Chance and Coventry’s Statement

Introduction

Deadline: Saturday 17 October, 11:00am BST. Official GW7 deadline.

Gameweek 6 gave us returning attackers, expensive disappointments and a reminder that a supposedly favourable fixture can unravel quickly. Europe has added another layer to the decisions. And Coventry? They have earned considerably more than a passing mention.

What last week taught us

João Pedro rewarded patience. His two goals against Bournemouth delivered 12 points, while Cole Palmer supplied two assists for eight. That is a painful outcome for anyone who sold before their availability became clear.

Saka and Fernandes need different assessments. Saka’s two-point return frustrated owners. Fernandes managed one point and has now blanked in five of six appearances. For owners of the £11.9m midfielder, reviewing what that money could achieve elsewhere is reasonable.

Haaland kept delivering. A goal at Liverpool made it five consecutive scoring Gameweeks. Sometimes the difficult-looking fixture is still playable when you own an exceptional forward. Official GW6 captaincy review.

Our lesson: give repeated problems more weight than one disappointing afternoon. Fix an unavailable starter or a weakening role before taking a speculative hit.

What the Champions League changed

City lost 4–2 to PSG, but Haaland scored twice. Cherki was replaced at half-time, while Haaland played the full match. Those minutes matter with Ipswich visiting on Saturday and another European fixture on Tuesday. Manchester City match report and line-ups.

Our view: the result gives us reasons to scrutinise City’s defending, while Haaland’s finishing remains encouraging. Check the manager’s update before committing to transfers or chips.

Liverpool’s 6–3 win at LASK put Bradley Barcola on the radar with a hat-trick. Liverpool match report.

He goes on our watchlist. We want to see how his league role develops before making him a priority buy, especially with unbeaten Brentford next. Brentford’s Liverpool preview.

Form watch: four players worth your attention

Official GW7 selection, prices and statistics · Official transfer radar.

Last week I brought Haaland back alongside Groß after comparing my team with the leading managers tracked in FPL Assistant. Groß remains a player I would assess on his role and value when reviewing that comparison again.

Our weekend attacking pick: Rayan Cherki

Cherki against Ipswich is the midfielder we are most interested in this weekend.

At £7.9m, he has four league goals and two assists. Official GW7 selection. He leads City’s midfielders for both shots and chances created, with 14 of each. There is substance behind the appeal.

There is also competition. Doku has returned from injury and Foden is available after suspension. Cherki has started five of City’s six league matches, but Friday’s news still matters. Official Cherki assessment.

Our call: start him if you own him. Consider buying if your midfield needs an upgrade and you have adequate bench cover.

Captaincy: Haaland gets our vote

Haaland is our first-choice captain, subject to the final fitness and selection news. Five successive scoring Gameweeks, two more goals in Europe and Ipswich at home make a compelling combination. Saka is our vice-captain choice. Haaland’s recent league returns · City’s midweek report and next fixture.

Triple Captain deserves a separate decision. If you still have your first-half Triple Captain chip, remember it must be used within Gameweeks 1–19. This fixture is a credible opportunity; confirm the latest news and assess the alternatives before activating it. Official chip rules and GW7 assessment.

And what about Coventry?!

Four against Newcastle. Back-to-back wins. A first home Premier League victory in 25 years.

Lampard’s side delivered a 4–1 result that demands attention. Rudoni converted an early penalty, with Cherif, Simms and Mfuni also scoring. Reuters match report.

Our Coventry watchlist starts with Rudoni. Taking that penalty is worth following; we would check his continuing role before treating him as a transfer priority.

Simms and Mfuni scored as substitutes, so check their minutes before chasing those goals. Match details.

Next comes Tottenham away on Monday 19 October. Official fixture information.

Spurs have scored only three league goals despite taking 83 shots across six matches. That makes this an intriguing contest: Coventry bring confidence, while Tottenham’s chance volume suggests the threat remains. Official Spurs assessment.

Coventry’s improvement makes this less comfortable than the fixture label suggests, but it is not, by itself, a reason to sell a Spurs defender. Keep Coventry’s attackers under review before deciding whether any deserves a place in your squad.

See where your team differs from the elite

Open Rate My Team in FPL Assistant and check your rating. Pro members can scroll to Elite Manager Alignment near the bottom.

The comparison shows how closely your squad matches the selections of the leading FPL managers tracked in the app. Use it to spot gaps in your squad, then decide whether your different picks have a sound reason behind them.

For this week, ask:

• Does my captain have a stronger case than Haaland?
• Is an expensive underperformer blocking a useful upgrade?
• Does my bench cover the players facing rotation?

FPL Assistant Pro adds Best Captain and squad-specific transfer suggestions. Subscription options are available in the app.

Give your mini-league something to talk about

Share your standings with friends after each Gameweek: your position, the gap to the leader and the week’s biggest move. Add your team rating and encourage them to check theirs.

Who is backing Haaland? Who is taking the Cherki punt? And who is brave enough to buy Coventry?

Before Saturday’s deadline, check Friday’s team news, set your captain and vice-captain, review your bench order and save your team.

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App update: the earlier issue has been fixed. If you were affected, open FPL Assistant while online for around 30 seconds, fully close it, then reopen. Thank you for your patience.

Planning for the following deadline? Read our GW8 Saka replacements and captain picks.