FPL GW8 stats: Disappointment for Johnson and Saliba owners

Millions of Fantasy Premier League managers endured a frustrating start to Gameweek 8 as three of the top four recruits blanked, and the most-owned defender, William Saliba (£6.0m), was sent off.

The No 1 transfer target for the round Brennan Johnson (£6.6m) had scored in each of his last seven matches across all competitions - but that run came to an end in Tottenham Hotspur's 4-1 win over West Ham United. Johnson's two-point return wasn't for a lack of trying, however, as he took four shots inside the penalty area.

Dominic Solanke (£7.7m) was also recruited in large numbers but, like his team-mate, he blanked.

Indeed, despite the big win, none of Spurs' FIVE most-owned players produced a return.

Micky van de Ven (£4.6m) owners will feel especially sore. Not only did the cut-price defender concede a goal but he picked up a yellow card, his third of the campaign, reducing his total to a single point.

GW8 most-owned Spurs players

The misery wasn't confined to Spurs' players with Bryan Mbeumo (£7.5m) failing to score for the first time in four outings.

His tally of six goals remains the joint-second highest in the Premier League, bettered only by Erling Haaland (£15.4m), but he was unable to improve that tally in Brentford's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United. 

Of the five most-bought players for Gameweek 8, only Dwight McNeil (£5.7m) has produced a return so far.

His neat footwork and pass created the assist for Michael Keane's (£4.1m) goal in Everton's 2-0 win at Ipswich Town. McNeil has now made 25 key passes, only Bukayo Saka (£10.1m) has produced more.

GW8 most-bought players

Finally, Chris Wood (£6.3m) delighted his 325,000+ new owners with the only goal in Nottingham Forest's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace. In doing so, he scored in consecutive matches for the first time this season.

He now sits just four points off second place in the forward standings, thanks to five goals and 46 points.

Saliba's rotten run

Ahead of Gameweek 6, the 3million+ managers who counted Saliba in their squad would have been confident of returns in upcoming home matches against Leicester City and Southampton and a Gameweek 8 trip to AFC Bournemouth. 

Unfortunately those plans did not pay any dividends as Saliba mustered only two points in total in Gameweeks 6 and 7. The Arsenal centre-back's woes was then compounded against Bournemouth as he was one of five players shown a red card on Saturday, resulting in a score of minus three points.

After his three favourable fixtures Saliba owners are a point worse off.

GW8 most-captained players

Confidence in Haaland was unaffected by consecutive blanks, with the Norwegian handed the captain's armband by over 62 per cent of all managers. It was his largest share since the Gameweek 16 trip to Luton Town last season, a match Haaland ended up missing through injury.

His 6.4m+ backers were left similarly disappointed, with Haaland failing to produce an attacking return for a third successive match in Manchester City's 2-1 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

There were contrasting fortunes for the second and third most-captained players, Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) and Cole Palmer (£10.8m).

Salah produced a goal and an assist in Liverpool's 2-1 victory over Chelsea, but Palmer was unable to add to his six goals and five assists in 2024/25 Fantasy.

Meanwhile, Saka failed to recover from injury to face Bournemouth but there was better news for those who selected Ollie Watkins (£9.1m).

The Aston Villa forward scored for his seventh attacking return of the campaign in the 3-1 win at Fulham, rewarding those who captained him with 16 points. Since Gameweek 3 only Palmer can better his total of 45 points.