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Lars Hamer

As my disastrous run of form continues in the Fantasy Premier League, the panic button has been well and truly pushed ahead of this week’s Gameweek 9 deadline, which is at 1.30am on Saturday.
In the low-scoring week that was Gameweek 8, my blushes were well and truly saved by the Nottingham Forest duo, goalkeeper Matz Sels (£4.5m) and striker Chris Wood (£6.3m), in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Hong Kong time.
Had it not been for Sels’ clean sheet and Wood’s 65th-minute goal in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace for 18 points, I would have ended Gameweek 8 on an embarrassing 12.
My final Gameweek 8 score of 30 was still below the average of 36, giving me another red arrow and forcing me to use four transfers to try to fix the hot mess that is my team.

Gameweek 9 transfers
William Saliba (£6.0m) was sent off in Arsenal’s 2-0 loss to Bournemouth and has been transferred out by more than 485,000 managers, including me.
Saliba will now miss three games, and the best replacements include Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol (£6.1m). City have a couple of tough fixtures on the horizon, mainly Spurs and Liverpool in Gameweek 12 and 13, respectively. But the Croatian is a proven goal threat, with two already this season, including a 20-yard banger against Wolves on Sunday.
If you want a differential, Everton, who have kept two clean sheets in a row, have a great run of fixtures, and Michael Keane (£4.2m) is one of the most in-form defenders in the league right now.
He also has two goals this season and scored in the 2-0 win against Ipswich on the weekend.
As for my team, I have gone for Keane and used the extra funds to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m), who seemingly cannot score to save his life right now, with Spurs forward Dominic Solanke (£7.7m).

But the biggest news for my team is I am going against the grain and have gone back to the Erling Haaland–Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) double that served me so well in the first few weeks.
Not many people are bringing in Liverpool players ahead of their trip to Arsenal, but I want to take a risk to get back in the game.
Salah is in for the injured Saka (£10.0m), and Luis Diaz (£7.9m) – who has not started in the league in two weeks – is out for Morgan Rogers (£5.4m).
Both Diaz and Saka have also been heavily transferred out by FPL managers. Anyone looking to revamp their midfield should consider Son Heung-min (£9.9m), Bryan Mbeumo (£7.6m) or another differential in the form of Dwight McNeil (£5.8m).
Lars’ line-up
Sels stays in the net, no doubt about that one. He is behind a defensive three of Keane, Virgil van Dijk (£6.0m) and Pedro Porro (£5.5m).
I am banking on Liverpool to do something against Arsenal, who will be missing key players.
Mbuemo, Rogers, Emile Smith Rowe (£5.7m) and Salah are in midfield.
And my front three are Solanke, Haaland (c) and Wood.


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English Premier League

Fantasy Premier League: panic button well and truly pushed, it’s back to a well-proven duo

Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood’s 65th-minute goal in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace saved the writer from finishing Gameweek 8 with an embarrassing 12 points. Photo: dpa

Everton defender Michael Keane has weighed in with goals, as he did here against Ipswich. Photo: dpa

Spurs’ Dominic Solanke has been brought in for the impotent Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Photo: Reuters

FPL Gameweek 8: Erling Haaland triple captain? My Chris Wood woe; benching Virgil van Dijk

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is the Premier League’s top scorer and faces bottom side Wolves at the weekend. Photo: Reuters

William Saliba (centre) and the rest of the Arsenal defence conceded three goals in their past two matches. Photo: AP

Brennan Johnson (left) has been scoring for fun of late but still largely ignored by most FPL managers. Photo: Reuters

Antonee Robinson (left) is a player to look at over the next few weeks because of Fulham’s fixture list. Photo: Reuters

Outrageous Haaland lights up Champions League, Barca thrash Bayern, Liverpool win again

Erling Haaland scored a ridiculous goal in his side’s win over Sparta Prague. Photo: AFP

Darwin Nunez tapped the ball over the line to score his first Champions League goal since February last year. Photo: AFP

Geoff Capes with the shot that won gold in the men’s shot put event at the 10th Commonwealth Games, in New Zealand. Photo: AP

FPL Gameweek 6: Wild card week? Erling Haaland’s strike partners, best budget midfielders

Gabriel is the top-scoring defender in Fantasy Premier League and Arsenal welcome winless Leicester to the Emirates next. Photo: DPA

Liverpool’s defensive duo Trent Alexander-Arnold (left) and Virgil van Dijk have been big hits for FPL managers. Photo: Reuters

Erling Haaland has scored in every Premier League match so far this season and Manchester City face Newcastle next. Photo: AFP

Emile Smith Rowe is all smiles as he watches his effort hit the back of the net in Fulham’s win over Newcastle. Photo: Reuters

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The collapse of smaller historical clubs, alongside the global profile of the Premier League and the threat of a rival Super League, has led UK politicians to step in and impose the rules. Photo: dpa

The bill aims at “putting fans back at the heart of the game”, says Britain’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy. Photo: AFP

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Manchester City’s John Stones scores his team’s controversial winner against Wolves at Molineux. Photo: AFP

Liverpool’s Curtis Jones celebrates scoring his side’s second at Anfield. Photo: DPA

New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr (left) celebrates taking a wicket with teammates during the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup. Photo: AP

Sport

Cricket

A lacklustre Gameweek 8 sees me returning to a reliable pair, but those thinking of a differential should consider buying Everton players


A lacklustre Gameweek 8 sees me returning to a reliable pair, but those thinking of a differential should consider buying Everton players.


Fantasy Premier League (FPL)