Gameweek 8 of the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) 2025/26 season delivered explosive performances, dramatic turnarounds, and several high-scoring fantasy assets who reshaped the FPL landscape. With all matches now concluded, managers have a clear view of the top FPL scorers, the best overall performers across positions, and the players with the potential to remain elite picks moving forward.
This analysis unveils the accurate FPL Dream Team for Gameweek 8, composed exclusively of players who earned the most points — excluding any West Ham picks — to give you a data-backed, highly optimized breakdown of each performer.
Gameweek 8 Summary: A Weekend of FPL Fireworks
Gameweek 8 ended with Erling Haaland, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Marcos Senesi emerging as key point scorers. Palace's unexpected win, Arsenal's defensive dominance, and Bournemouth's resurgence highlighted the value of form-driven assets.
Key storylines included:
- Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) exploding for a hat-trick and the highest GW8 score with 17 points.
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City) delivering another double-digit haul, extending his total to a league-leading 83 FPL points overall.
- Arsenal's defense producing top-five point scorers again, bolstered by Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhães.
- Budget options like Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth) and Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth) rewarding managers who backed them early.
Official FPL Gameweek 8 Dream Team
| Position | Player | Club | Points | Price | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Alisson Becker | Liverpool | 11 | £5.6m | 5 saves + clean sheet |
| DEF | Jurrien Timber | Arsenal | 12 | £5.9m | Clean sheet, assist + 3 bonus |
| DEF | Marcos Senesi | Bournemouth | 10 | £5.0m | Clean sheet, 2 bonus |
| DEF | Cristian Romero | Tottenham | 9 | £5.1m | Clean sheet + defensive contribution |
| MID | Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | 8 | £9.9m | Defensive bonus + assist |
| MID | Ismaïla Sarr | Crystal Palace | 10 | £6.8m | Assist + attacking involvement |
| MID | Antoine Semenyo | Bournemouth | 11 | £8.0m | Goal + assist combo |
| MID | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | 8 | £14.4m | Goal + 2 bonus |
| FWD | Jean-Philippe Mateta | Crystal Palace | 17 | £7.6m | Hat-trick hero |
| FWD | Erling Haaland (C) | Man City | 13 | £14.6m | 2 goals + bonus |
| FWD | Viktor Gyökeres | Arsenal | 9 | £8.2m | Winning goal |
Team Summary
Gameweek 8 Total Points: 118
Formation: 3-4-3
Captain: Erling Haaland
Vice-captain: Bukayo Saka
Position Breakdown: Why Each Player Makes the Best FPL XI
Goalkeeper
Alisson Becker – Liverpool (£5.6m | 11 pts)
Alisson reclaimed form as Liverpool cruised to a clean sheet, earning a +1 bonus for five crucial saves and a commanding 11-point total. His inclusion as the top-scoring GK highlights a return of defensive stability for Klopp's men ahead of favorable fixtures.
Fixtures Ahead: Luton (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Burnley (A)
Defenders
Jurrien Timber – Arsenal (£5.9m | 12 pts)
Arsenal's versatile defender delivered the highest defensive score with 12 points, combining a clean sheet, an assist, defensive contributions, and three bonus points. Timber's attacking threat is increasing, with nine shots in the box — the most among defenders in the league so far.
Marcos Senesi – Bournemouth (£5.0m | 10 pts)
Senesi has quietly become one of the season's most underpriced gems. Gameweek 8 gave him 10 defensive contribution points, securing both clean sheet and bonus bonuses. Across eight gameweeks, Senesi sits top five among all FPL defenders for total points scored.
Cristian Romero – Tottenham (£5.1m | 9 pts)
Romero's clean sheets and consistent bonus accumulation continue in Spurs' disciplined defense. His commanding presence under tactical setups has seen him add threat on set-pieces, making him a strong mid-priced defensive prospect.
Midfielders
Bukayo Saka – Arsenal (£9.9m | 8 pts)
Saka's output remains elite despite not scoring. He generated seven key passes, defensive recoveries, and one assist, securing extra "defensive contribution" FPL points — a feature that makes him arguably the most reliable midfielder across all categories this season.
Ismaïla Sarr – Crystal Palace (£6.8m | 10 pts)
Sarr's assist and dynamic display complement Mateta's clinical finishing. His pace-driven threat helped Crystal Palace counterattack effectively. Still classified as a midfielder in FPL, Sarr offers high goal involvement potential at budget price, making him a tier-one differential.
Antoine Semenyo – Bournemouth (£8.0m | 11 pts)
Semenyo has emerged as one of FPL's breakout stars, adding a goal and assist for 11 points in Gameweek 8 and surpassing 60 points in total this season. His direct playstyle and counter-attacking role under Andoni Iraola make him a must-own mid-tier pick.
Mohamed Salah – Liverpool (£14.4m | 8 pts)
Though his ownership dipped earlier, Salah reminded managers of his pedigree — slotting in a composed finish and earning 8 points. With back-to-back home fixtures, he's regaining relevance among premium midfielders.
Forwards
Jean-Philippe Mateta – Crystal Palace (£7.6m | 17 pts)
The standout performer of Gameweek 8. Mateta's perfect hat-trick (left, right, and header) blew Bournemouth away and yielded 17 total FPL points, making him the week's top scorer. On current form, he's essential both as a differential and as a budget solution for 3-striker setups.
Erling Haaland – Manchester City (£14.6m | 13 pts)
Another week, another Haaland show. He netted two goals to bring his total to 83 FPL points, outscoring every player in the league. His underlying numbers remain extraordinary — leading in shots in the box, xG, and FPL bonus index.
Viktor Gyökeres – Arsenal (£8.2m | 9 pts)
Arsenal's Swedish frontman scored the decisive goal in their narrow victory over Fulham. Sitting inside the Premier League's top 10 for total points, Gyökeres offers consistency, making him an underrated mid-priced forward choice.
Top Bench Performers
| Player | Club | Position | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gavin Bazunu | Southampton | GK | 9 | Save points and clean sheet |
| Marc Cucurella | Chelsea | DEF | 8 | Creative fullback return |
| Florian Wirtz | Man City | MID | 7 | Assist + flexibility |
| Nick Woltemade | Newcastle | FWD | 6 | Crucial goal vs Man Utd |
Statistical Leaders for the Season So Far
| Category | Player | Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Total FPL Points | Erling Haaland | 83 |
| Top Defender Points | Jurrien Timber | 48 |
| Best Midfielder Points | Bukayo Saka | 63 |
| Budget Forward Points | Antoine Semenyo | 66 |
| Clean Sheets (Team) | Arsenal | 5 |
Captaincy Lessons from Gameweek 8
Erling Haaland continues to dominate captaincy polls across platforms with over 70% of FPL captains' allegiance. With his current trajectory, he's projected to surpass 250 FPL points this season — possibly breaking the all-time record he previously set in 2023.
Backup captaincy consideration could rest with Saka or in-form Semenyo as they both face mid-table opposition in Gameweek 9 fixtures.
Looking Ahead: Maintaining Momentum for Gameweek 9
Managers building on Gameweek 8 should focus on:
- Arsenal defensive double-up with Timber and Gabriel for guaranteed clean-sheet potential.
- Bournemouth's Semenyo and Senesi synergy for high value returns.
- Palace coverage via Mateta or Sarr to leverage attacking form.
- Keeping faith with Haaland as an immovable point anchor.
Final Verdict
The Best FPL Team for Gameweek 8 (2025/26) combines consistent elite performers with emerging budget breakthroughs. Every player in this squad delivered significant point hauls while maintaining high ownership value or low-risk price potential.
This lineup underscores the blend of reliability and volatility essential to long-term FPL success — featuring Arsenal's defensive excellence, Manchester City's attacking inevitability, and Crystal Palace's bargain-value differentials.
For Gameweek 9, maintaining strong captaincy choices (Haaland/Saka), consolidating Arsenal assets, and integrating in-form mid-priced stars like Semenyo and Mateta could ensure another successful round.