We bring you the best of the FPL Gameweek 8 Saturday matches and what they mean from a Fantasy Premier League perspective as Mohamed Salah delivers his fifth double-digit haul of the season.
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<h2>FPL Gameweek 8 Saturday Match Reports</h2>
<h3>Watford 0-5 Liverpool</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-32938 size-full" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Salah-Mane-3.jpg" alt="salah mane goals watford fpl gameweek 8" width="1024" height="738" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Salah-Mane-3.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Salah-Mane-3-300x216.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Salah-Mane-3-768x554.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Salah-Mane-3-610x440.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Goals: Mane, Firmino x3, Salah
Assists: Salah, Milner, Firmino, N Williams
Mo Salah (£12.7m) delivered in spades for his legion of captainers in Gameweek 8. The Liverpool attacker set up Sadio Mane (£11.9m) in the first half before scoring an exquisite second-half goal.
Salah took five shots against the Hornets, with four of those inside the area and three on target. He also supplied two key passes. The big debate heading into Gameweek 9 will be whether or not to captain the premium midfielder ahead of Romelu Lukaku.
<blockquote>&#8220;Mo Salah is the best player in the world at the moment. Why not mention it when it is the case? He is in top shape and doing pretty good. It was a top class performance even without the goal. If he wouldn&#8217;t have scored today, it was still unbelievable.&#8221; &#8211; Jurgen Klopp</blockquote>
Roberto Firmino (£8.8m) also hauled with a hat-trick and an assist, as Diogo Jota (£7.6m) remained rooted to the bench.
For Watford, the only Fantasy positive is that Ben Foster (£4.0m) kept his place in goal under new boss Claudio Ranieri. The veteran keeper picked up a save point for his troubles on Saturday.
Watford XI: Foster; Masina (Cleverley 45), Cathcart, Troost-Ekong; Rose, Kucka, Sissoko, Femenia (Ngakia 56); Cucho, Dennis (Joao Pedro 69), Sarr.
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Robertson (Tsimikas 64), Van Dijk, Matip, Alexander-Arnold (Oxlade-Chamberlain 65); Milner (N Williams 83), Henderson, Keita; Mane, Firmino, Salah.
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<h3>Aston Villa 2-3 Wolves</h3>
Goals: Ings, McGinn // Saiss, Coady, Neves
Assists: McGinn, Watkins // Podence, Dendoncker, Traore
Despite five goals going in at Villa Park, there was little on offer for Fantasy managers in the way of points.
After being on Mexico duty, Raul Jimenez (£7.6m) only made the bench for Wolves.
But with a favourable fixture run up to Gameweek 14, the Mexican and strike partner Hee-Chan Hwang (£5.6m) will continue to garner FPL attention.
When Villa&#8217;s fixtures ease out later in the season, Matty Cash (£5.1m) could prove an excellent option once Dean Smith continues to use a wing-back system.
Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Mings, Tuanzebe, Konsa; Targett, McGinn, Douglas Luiz (Nakamba 67), Cash (Young 79); Buendia (Ramsey 74); Watkins, Ings.
Wolves XI: Sa; Saiss, Coady, Kilman; Marcal (Podence 74), Dendoncker, Moutinho (Silva 74), Neves, Semedo; Hwang (Jimenez 88), Traore.
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<h3>Leicester 4-2 Man Utd</h3>
Goals: Greenwood, Rashford // Tielemans, Soyuncu, Vardy, Daka
Assists: Fernandes, Lindelof // Iheanacho, Perez x2
With a torrid run of fixtures coming up from Gameweek 9, selling Manchester United assets will be a top priority for many FPL bosses.
Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.6m) will head up that list, closely followed by Bruno Fernandes (£11.8m), with the Red Devils bottom of the <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fixture-ticker/">Hub&#8217;s Fixture Ticker</a> up to Gameweek 14.
Mason Greenwood (£7.6m) could earn a stay of execution for some after his stunning goal on Saturday, with the winger not taking up as much budget as his premium team-mates.
United&#8217;s leakiness at the back will offer further encouragement to those planning to captain Salah in Gameweek 9.
<blockquote>&#8220;The first one today was sloppy, we are playing out from the back with sloppy passes and reactions; second one is a set play and we should do better. Third one, we&#8217;ve just equalised and fourth is another set play. All of them are disappointing. If teams outplay you, it is easier to accept. We should be able to address this.&#8221; &#8211; Ole Gunnar Solskjaer</blockquote>
On Leicester&#8217;s performance, Brendan Rodgers remarked:
<blockquote>&#8220;Our defending &#8211; that was much more like us. We were more aggressive and coordinated in our pressing. We did that right from the first minute. We scored four and had a few chances to score more. It was more like our level and hopefully a momentum changer for us.&#8221;</blockquote>
Jamie Vardy (£10.5m), meanwhile, has only blanked twice in the first eight gameweeks of the season.
Leicester XI: Schmeichel; Soyuncu, Evans (Vestergaard 88), Amartey; Castagne, Tielemans, Soumare, Pereira; Maddison (Perez 73); Iheanacho (Daka 77), Vardy.
Man Utd XI: De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; Matic (McTominay 80), Pogba; Sancho (Rashford 65), Fernandes, Greenwood (Lingard 80); Ronaldo.
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<h3>Man City 2-0 Burnley</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-31161 size-full" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/KDB-and-Sterling-1.jpg" alt="de bruyne goal gameweek 8 fpl" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/KDB-and-Sterling-1.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/KDB-and-Sterling-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/KDB-and-Sterling-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/KDB-and-Sterling-1-610x407.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Goals: Silva, De Bruyne
Assist: Foden
Ruben Dias (£6.2m), Kyle Walker (£5.5m) and Jack Grealish (£7.9m) were all benched as Pep Guardiola rang the changes in Gameweek 8.
Ahead of kick off, the Man City manager explained:
<blockquote>&#8220;All the guys have been training well. I selected the team like I do every game. John [Stones] is like a starter for us.&#8221;</blockquote>
With a fairly decent run of fixtures to come, interest in City assets will remain high despite the obvious rotation risk.
Keeping an eye on Champions League line-ups and Guardiola&#8217;s press conferences could be key for FPL managers.
Kevin De Bruyne (£11.9m) now has two goals in two games, having only returned to the starting line-up in Gameweek 6.
Phil Foden (£8.0m) had two shots in the game, both in the box and both on target as he earned a Fantasy assist for Bernardo Silva&#8216;s (£6.9m) opener.
Man City XI: Steffen; Laporte (Dias 72), Ake, Stones, Cancelo; Silva (Palmer 91), Rodri, De Bruyne (Fernandinho 84); Foden, Sterling, Mahrez.
Burnley XI: Pope; Pieters, Collins, Tarkowski, Lowton; McNeil, Westwood, Cork (Gudmundsson 72), Brownhill; Cornet (Barnes 56); Wood (Rodriguez 82).
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<h3>Norwich 0-0 Brighton</h3>
Owners of Brighton defenders will have been pleased to bank another clean sheet ahead of back-to-back games against Man City and Liverpool.
On the return of Tariq Lamptey, Graham Potter said:
<blockquote>&#8220;It is great for him and us. It is great to have him on the pitch.&#8221;</blockquote>
Norwich have also recorded consecutive shut-outs, with the Canaries a harder outfit to break down since Daniel Farke opted for a back three.
After full time, the Norwich boss said:
<blockquote>&#8220;Many boxes were ticked today. One to get off the mark in a home game, a second unbeaten game in a row, another clean sheet and to create more chances than we did at Burnley. I thought we created more than enough to win this game.&#8221;</blockquote>
Yves Bissouma (£4.6m) only made the bench for Brighton.
Norwich XI: Krul; Kabak, Hanley, Gibson; Giannoulis, McLean, Normann (Rupp 83), Lees-Melou, Aarons; Pukki (Idah 90), Sargent (Rashica 76).
Brighton XI: Sanchez; Burn, Dunk, Duffy; Cucurella (March 66), Gross, Lallana, Moder (Mac Allister 84), Veltman (Lamptey 59); Trossard, Maupay.
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<h3>Southampton 1-0 Leeds</h3>
Goal: Broja
Assist: Redmond
Raphinha (£6.6m) was not part of the Leeds squad after his international exertions. After full time, Marcelo Bielsa explained:
<blockquote>&#8220;He played 70 minutes and flew 15 hours and got here and rested. Today, he wasn&#8217;t in condition to play.&#8221;</blockquote>
Leeds struggled in attack without the Brazilian and the injured Patrick Bamford (£7.8m).
Adam Armstrong (£6.0m) owners can be slightly concerned with his benching as Ralph Hasenhuttl continues to mix it up in attack.
Armando Broja (£5.0m), who replaced Armstrong in the XI, got the only goal in this game.
A clean sheet for Tino Livramento (£4.2m) means the budget full-back has only blanked once in the last five gameweeks.
The Saints sit fifth overall on the <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fixture-ticker/">Fixture Ticker</a> from Gameweek 9 to Gameweek 14, with interest in Livramento only set to increase.
On Southampton&#8217;s first win of the season, Hasenhuttl said:
<blockquote>&#8220;I don&#8217;t want to say this was the best performance this season but it was a very solid one; we&#8217;ve done a good job defensively and the goal was decisive and important for a deserved win.&#8221;</blockquote>
Southampton XI: McCarthy; Perraud, Salisu, Bednarek, Livramento; Diallo, Romeu; Elyonoussi (Tella 95), Djenepo (Armstrong 59); Redmond, Broja (Walcott 81).
Leeds XI: Meslier; Dallas, Cooper, Llorente, Shackleton; Struijk; Harrison, Roberts (Summerville 81), Klich (Gelhardt 77), James; Rodrigo (Forshaw 64).
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<h3>Brentford 0-1 Chelsea</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-38961 size-full" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1341346123.jpg" alt="romelu lukaku gw8 chelsea brentford fpl" width="1024" height="671" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1341346123.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1341346123-300x197.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1341346123-768x503.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/GettyImages-1341346123-610x400.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Goal: Chilwell
Ben Chilwell (£5.6m) made it two goals in two starts against Brentford, as he looks to cement a first-team place ahead of Marcos Alonso (£6.0m).
Romelu Lukaku (£11.7m) lasted just 76 minutes in Gameweek 8, carding his fourth consecutive blank in the process. Chelsea have a plum fixture at home to Norwich in Gameweek 9, though confidence in the striker may waver from an armband point-of-view.
On his selection, Thomas Tuchel said pre-game:
<blockquote>&#8220;We’re going to need height and physicality in the middle of the pitch today and our selection reflects that today. We have some excellent options on the bench. Mason [Mount] would normally start but we have to be careful with him after the international break. Tonight will be a tough test for us.&#8221;</blockquote>
Bryan Mbeumo (£5.5m) hit the post twice for Brentford, who sit third overall on the <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fixture-ticker/">Fixture Ticker</a> for the next six gameweeks.
The hosts put Chelsea under severe pressure in the second half but were kept scoreless thanks to inspired goalkeeping from Edouard Mendy (£6.0m).
Brentford XI: Raya; Pinnock, Jansson, Zanka; Henry, Onyeka (Forss 67), Norgaard, Jensen, Canos (Ghoddos 72); Mbeumo, Toney.
Chelsea XI: Mendy; Sarr, Christensen, Chalobah; Chilwell, Kovacic (Mount 64), Kante, Loftus-Cheek, Azpilicueta (James 89); Lukaku (Havertz 76), Werner.
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<h2>Check out our Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 8 Ultimate Guide 2021/22</h2>
Our <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fantasy-premier-league-ultimate-guide/">Ultimate FPL 2021/22 Guide</a> has everything you could ever need to be a successful FPL manager including guides, team previews, player picks, strategy articles, tools, <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a>, expert team reveals and much much more…
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Salah set to rival Lukaku for GW9 captaincy | FPL Gameweek 8 Saturday Match Reports

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