Viktor Gyokeres (£9.0m) can’t catch a break. After an early Gameweek 10 goal and what was perhaps his best 45 minutes of football this season, the Arsenal striker failed to emerge for the second half against Burnley.
Mikel Arteta said he was “concerned”, while media reports suggest he’s targeting a return in the north London derby later this month. That obviously suggests he’s a big doubt for Gameweek 10.
It might therefore be time to part ways with the 27-year-old, raising the question of who the best Gyokeres replacements are in FPL.
We’ve omitted a certain free-scoring Norwegian, under the assumption that many of you own him already!
ANY REASON TO KEEP HIM?
FPL pre-season: Isak’s future + Arteta on Gyokeres' pens
Before we get to answering that, though, is there any reason for FPL managers to ‘hold’ on Gyokeres even if he misses Gameweek 11?
After all, if the issue isn’t major, Arsenal’s frontman may miss just that one Premier League match before returning to lead the line again for the table toppers.
That’s all true, but there have also been indications from Arteta that Kai Havertz (£7.3m) could be ready for selection after the November international break as well. As more of the Gunners’ attackers return to fitness, there will be more chances for Arteta to rest Gyokeres as the north Londoners continue to compete in four competitions. Mikel Merino (£5.9m) scored twice in midweek when playing up top, indeed.
There’s also the fact that Gyokeres has been a bit of a flat-track bully so far in England’s top flight. His four league goals to date have been against sides in the division’s bottom five.
GYOKERES’ RECORD THIS SEASON
v Bottom five v Rest of the division
Appearances 4 6
Goals scored 4 0
Shots 10 10
Big chances 7 1
xG 3.63 0.93
Minutes per chance 29.3 51.0
So, it’s perhaps worth pointing out that Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Aston Villa are on the immediate schedule after the upcoming internationals. Brentford punctuate that run and is a more favourable fixture, although it is the middle game in a Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday three-game week. Could rotation beckon then?
The appealing Wolves (H) game is on the horizon in Gameweek 16. Remember that FPL managers get their free transfer allowance topped up to five at that point, so Gyokeres could perhaps be revisited at that point.
Gyokeres replacements
In short, then, there’s probably little reason to keep Gyokeres.
BEST GYOKERES REPLACEMENTS IN FPL
JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA
FPL pre-season: Adingra + Lacroix goals, Sosa assists
For those looking at Gyokeres replacements, Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.9m) is probably the obvious choice.
Already this week’s most transferred in player at the time of writing, Crystal Palace’s striker and penalty taker earned maximum bonus points to go with his latest successful strike in Gameweek 10, a goal which took his tally to six for the season.
The France international racks up plenty of shots and big chances, ranking behind only Erling Haaland (£14.8m) for both of those stats, and showcased his explosive potential with an eye-catching hat-trick a few weeks ago.
An out-and-out first-choice pick in his position under Oliver Glasner and some favourable fixtures through to the New Year:
Gyokeres replacements
Perhaps the biggest obstacle facing Mateta is simply fatigue.
Glasner said back in September that his striker was already tired from playing just about every minute up until that point. Little has changed since then, with a recent hamstring injury to positional rival Eddie Nketiah (£5.4m) affecting Glasner’s ability to rest Mateta in, for example, this Thursday’s Europa League fixture against AZ Alkmaar. Nketiah should at least be back after the November break.
Tiredness could prove to be a problem during the congested winter fixture schedule. For now, though, it’s hard to look past Mateta as presenting the best combination of form (both output and stats) and fixtures from the stand-out options to replace Gyokeres.
JOAO PEDRO
FPL notes: Spurs' record-low xG + Maresca on Pedro's "problems"
Ditching Joao Pedro (£7.4m) was all the rage ahead of Gameweek 10. It was for good reason, too, given the Chelsea forward was in the midst of a two-month, 10-game goal drought.
Last weekend was indicative of just how much can change in 90 minutes of football, with Pedro netting for the first time since August. The Brazilian had five shots against a hapless Tottenham Hotspur side, more than he’d managed in the previous six Gameweeks combined. An xG figure of 1.86 was more than he’d racked up in Gameweeks 1-9!
Gyokeres replacements
That performance has seen plenty of managers scrambling to bring him in ahead of a double-header against winless Wolves (H) and newly-promoted Burnley (A).
Those two fixtures suggest Pedro could be worth a shot as a Gyokeres replacement, especially for those who already own Mateta alongside Haaland. If you still have your first Free Hit available, that can be used to dodge Chelsea’s home match versus Arsenal in Gameweek 13 before welcoming Pedro back to face Leeds (A) in Gameweek 14.
Gameweek 13 Wildcarders could even ditch him then, as the Leeds match is the middle game in a Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday run. Enzo Maresca may rotate at Elland Road, especially with Liam Delap (£6.2m) back, and the fixtures stiffen thereafter.
It should still be noted, too, that Pedro’s performance last Saturday was aided by Spurs’ errors and high line. Wolves, Burnley and Leeds are all likely to sit in much deeper, with the former two potentially fielding a back five to try and keep the Blues at bay. The Old Gold may also experience a ‘new manager bounce’ after parting ways with Vitor Pereira, while Burnley have been decidedly better on their own turf – where Pedro will face them – than on the road.
Ongoing injury “problems,” in the words of Enzo Maresca, are also a concern for Pedro. Perhaps we’ll get some more clarity on his fitness nearer to the deadline, given we should hear from Chelsea’s manager after Wednesday’s trip to Qarabag and again ahead of the visit of Wolves on Saturday evening.
All in all, one of the best short-term replacements – but probably one to move away from in December.
DANNY WELBECK
Which FPL players are taking penalties and set pieces? 2
Ageing like fine wine, Danny Welbeck (£6.5m) has six goals in his last five Premier League appearances for Brighton.
Yes, he’s only had 10 total shots in that time. Seven of those have been on target, though, and five have been ‘big chances’ (of which he has scored four). That level of clinical finishing won’t last forever.
So, while he almost certainly won’t keep converting chances at this same rate for months to come, there’s an argument to be made for hopping on the Welbeck train now while the 34-year-old is still firing them in – and making his unexpected case for inclusion in England’s World Cup squad.
Welbeck has created eight chances for teammates this season, too, sitting near the top of the FPL forwards’ leaderboard for that statistic. He showcased his ability to smash home a quality free-kick during Gameweek 9, while we’d also expect him to be on spot-kick duty.
In terms of his fixtures, Crystal Palace (A) up next could be tricky, but we’ve seen only two clean sheets in the last 15 Premier League instalments of that match-up. After that, Brighton’s schedule sees them take on several teams whose backlines are far from watertight:
Given his age, there’s a good chance of minute management in the busier December period. You could see him handed a cameo in one of the Gameweek 13-15 fixtures, for instance. Non-involvement in Europe and an EFL Cup elimination does at least help for the rest of the month.
IGOR THIAGO
FPL Gameweek 9 differentials: Thiago, Keane + Longstaff 1
Only Haaland and Mateta have racked up more big chances than Igor Thiago’s (£6.2m) 11 this season. The same pair are the only FPL forwards ahead of Brentford’s striker for attempts in the box (20) and shots on target (12), too.
On penalties, based on our most recent bit of evidence, he’s level on six goals – the second-highest tally in the division – with Mateta and Welbeck. That’s not bad for someone from a team many tipped to be on their way down before the season began.
The Bees sit a respectable 12th in the table after 10 matches, a commendable effort after losing their manager and three key players this summer. There is, we should point out, a notable discrepancy between their home (W3, D1, L1) and away (W1, L4) form so far.
Lucky for Thiago and co, there are some appealing upcoming fixtures at the Gtech mixed in with a few tricky road trips through the end of the year. If you’ve got a fifth midfielder or a fourth/fifth defender in Gameweek 14, for instance, that would be a time to bench Thiago:
Newcastle were one of the Premier League’s most defensively solid teams in the opening weeks of the campaign, but the Magpies were downed by at hitherto woeful West Ham last time out and may now be viewed by Brentford – who have already bested Aston Villa, Liverpool and Manchester United and drawn with Chelsea at home – as there for the taking.
Burnley’s defensive record away from home is also shoddy, while both Leeds and Bournemouth have conceded 12 goals in five away games this season.
As for Brentford’s game on the road, Brighton, Spurs and Wolves have not exactly been rock-solid in 2025/26.
All in all, then, Thiago would seem to offer a solid forward option. It’s a nice bonus that he costs less than anyone else on this list, providing savings that you can reinvest elsewhere in your squad.
BEST OF THE REST
FPL notes: Bowen goal, Potter’s back four + Forest fail
Nick Woltemade (£7.5m) earned many new backers thanks to a solid scoring streak from his Newcastle debut onwards, but patience among some owners may be wearing thin after back-to-back blanks against Fulham and West Ham and a tactical half-time withdrawal in the latter match.
The eventual return from injury of Yoane Wissa (£7.3m) might further dent his long-term appeal, and the immediate fixtures – bre, MCI, eve – aren’t great, particularly with the Magpies’ downturn in form coupled with the demands of Champions League football. For those reasons, Woltemade may not be a ‘sell’ for current owners just yet, but there are likely better Gyokeres replacements out there now.
It felt like four-goal Wilson Isidor (£5.6m) deserved a mention here. Sunderland are flying high, he looks to have nailed down the starting striker spot under Regis Le Bris, and his 22 shots (20 from inside in the box) are equal to the tally amassed by Thiago. With Evanilson’s (£7.0m) return at Bournemouth denting the appeal of Eli Junior Kroupi (£4.6m) as an enabler, Isidor could take up that mantle for a little extra outlay, allowing more money to be funnelled into your midfield and/or defence. The 25-year-old Frenchman probably isn’t someone to be starting every week, though, and there aren’t likely to be many weeks in the near future where you’d ideally want him in your XI anyway given the Black Cats sit bottom of the Fixture Ticker now.
Leaving aside the likes of an improving but still raw Benjamin Sesko (£7.3m), the painfully profligate Ollie Watkins (£8.5m) and ongoing uncertainty at Liverpool, that leaves West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen (£7.7m).
Dreadfully unlucky not to have registered a fifth attacking return of the season in his side’s 3-1 win over Newcastle on Sunday, Bowen remains a key attacking outlet in Nuno Espirito Santo’s team. His 45 penalty box touches and 23 total attempts (11 of them on target) rank third among FPL forwards, and he’s second only to Pedro for chances created (11).
Bowen doesn’t have the greatest medium-term fixtures, and the Hammers are absolutely still figuring things out, even if last weekend’s win showed signs of improvement. But as a one-match punt to fill a Gyokeres-sized hole, perhaps for any Gameweek 12 Wildcarders out there, his home tie against Burnley is one of the best fixtures on offer this weekend.