Liverpool vs Arsenal: The GW9 FPL Calls on Isak, Wirtz and Gabriel

Arsenal arrive at Anfield with a cup exit to explain and injury doubts to resolve. Liverpool’s win over Brighton offers a different set of clues for FPL managers, particularly around Alexander Isak and the players supplying him.

There is good reason to keep a fit Isak or Gabriel through this fixture. Buying either requires a closer look at the cost, while Wirtz’s return is encouraging without settling his starting role, and Kai Havertz’s league minutes still call for patience. The distinction matters: a difficult match alone is rarely enough reason to dismantle a sound XI.

Liverpool host Arsenal on Sunday 1 November at 16:30 GMT. The GW9 deadline is Saturday 31 October at 11:00 GMT — 19:00 in Singapore. The match itself starts at 00:30 Singapore time on Monday 2 November. Liverpool's fixture announcement and the official FPL schedule confirm the timings.

Updated after Liverpool’s 28 October cup tie against Chelsea. FPL prices and availability were rechecked on 30 October at 14:14 UTC. Cup participation is fresh evidence, not confirmation of Sunday’s starting XI; the final press conferences still matter.

Liverpool's right flank is worth watching

Liverpool’s 2–0 victory over Brighton offered a useful glimpse of how they might threaten Arsenal. Bradley Barcola played from the right, recovered possession high up the pitch and supplied the cut-back for Isak's goal. Sky Sports' analysis highlighted the speed of Andoni Iraola's attack rather than control through possession. Read the Brighton report and analysis.

Isak also described the first-half intensity and counter-attacking in his club interview. For Arsenal, one of the challenges could be moving the ball beyond Liverpool’s first line of pressure without leaving their left side exposed. Riccardo Calafiori's fitness matters to that contest, while Declan Rice's availability affects the options behind and around the ball. Arteta said after the cup defeat that Calafiori, Rice and Noni Madueke had injury problems; their absence was not simply a night off. Arteta's post-match comments, reported by football.london.

Much will depend on whether Barcola keeps that role and how Arsenal respond to the pressure. If Liverpool can force hurried passes, Isak should benefit from attacks arriving before the defence is set. If Arsenal play through the pressure, Liverpool's willingness to commit players forward can instead give the visitors space. The first pass after a turnover could be as important as either side's possession share.

Isak is a hold; buying him is a bigger decision

Prices: official FPL player data. Previous-round returns: official GW8 data. These are FPL minutes, not substitution clock times.

If you own Isak, start him provided no new fitness concern emerges. Selling a fit forward because Arsenal are next would spend a transfer solving a problem that may not exist. His central involvement gives him a route to points even if Liverpool do not dominate the match.

Prospective buyers have more to weigh up. You are committing £9.1m before Arsenal, Crystal Palace away and Manchester United at home. That can suit a longer-term restructuring, especially when replacing an unavailable striker. It is a weaker case for sacrificing a healthy starter or taking a hit purely to chase last week's return. Put the outgoing player and your alternative XI alongside each other in My Team before deciding whether the upgrade is worth its cost.

Barcola also looks worth keeping and starting if fit. His work on the right against Brighton gives owners a reason for encouragement, and he came off the bench in the cup rather than starting. Prospective buyers should still weigh Iraola’s next team news against the price. One productive performance tells us more about his attacking potential than it does about the reliability of his returns.

Wirtz’s return strengthens the case to hold

Wirtz returned as a substitute against Chelsea, entering alongside Barcola in the 59th minute. Isak followed in the 82nd minute. Liverpool drew 1–1 and advanced 6–5 on penalties, with all three converting in the shootout. Those are substitution clock times, not FPL minutes or points. Wirtz’s involvement is firmer evidence of recovery than the earlier training assessment, although it does not establish Sunday’s starting XI. Official cup report and line-ups.

Owners now have a stronger reason to hold Wirtz: he has returned to match action and his FPL flag has cleared. Starting him is reasonable if no setback emerges before the deadline. Keep an eye on the final team news rather than treating a substitute appearance as a guarantee of a full league match.

For a new buyer, waiting is easier to justify. The 30 October FPL snapshot lists him as available with a 100% next-round indicator, replacing the earlier ankle flag and 75% reading. That is not a 100% probability of starting or completing an hour. Monitor price changes, but do not let a possible price movement substitute for a view on his role and minutes. Our GW9 injury guide covers the wider squad problems that may determine whether you can carry him.

Gabriel and Konsa still have a case to stay

Arsenal's league defence deserves to be judged separately from their defeat at Fleetwood. Against Everton, Gabriel and Ezri Konsa both scored, and Arteta praised their developing partnership. Sky’s report also noted that Konsa’s opener was Arsenal’s first non-penalty set-piece goal of the league season. The goals were welcome, but owners should be cautious about expecting those attacking returns to continue at the same rate. Arsenal–Everton report.

Gabriel is a hold and, for most squads, a starter. At his price, buying him specifically for Anfield is harder to justify than keeping him through it. Konsa is also a hold, although benching him is reasonable if you genuinely have a fit defender with a better fixture and dependable minutes. With Hull visiting Arsenal next, a place on the bench for one round may be sufficient.

Owning both deserves a closer look at your bench. Starting one rather than two can reduce your dependence on a single clean sheet, but do not bench a reliable player merely to avoid a difficult fixture when the replacement may barely play. The fuller Konsa assessment deals with his value and selection risk beyond this weekend.

Havertz or Gyökeres? The cup did not settle it

Fleetwood eliminated Arsenal 5–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. Gyökeres scored; Havertz missed opportunities. Both started, which is worth remembering before assuming that a place for one must come at the other’s expense. Sky's cup report.

The league evidence is more consequential for FPL: Gyökeres started against Everton while Havertz appeared from the bench. That raises a concern over Havertz’s minutes without establishing a permanent change. Gyökeres has the more recent league start, but his cup goal alone offers little extra certainty over the next team sheet.

For now, neither would be a new purchase for us without clearer team news. A Havertz owner with good cover can wait for Arteta's assessment; one needing dependable minutes has a legitimate reason to consider a sale. Check your actual proceeds in the selling-price calculator before planning the replacement. Moving sideways to Gyökeres without firmer selection evidence risks paying a transfer to exchange one uncertainty for another.

Set your XI before choosing your captain

For existing owners, our preference is to keep fit Isak and Gabriel, hold Wirtz following his return while checking for any setback, and resist a speculative switch between Arsenal’s forwards. Saka remains injured in the current FPL data; do not assume this fixture will bring him back. Use the Saka decision guide alongside the newer injury update rather than treating his absence as a guaranteed opening for another player.

A fit Isak would be our first captaincy consideration from this match. Across the round, however, a healthy Haaland with a secure starting place at home to Brighton would remain the preference. Isak can justify a place in the XI without needing the armband as well.

Liverpool’s cup substitutions have answered the immediate question of Wirtz’s involvement without settling the league line-up. Arsenal’s updates on Rice, Calafiori and Madueke remain important before the deadline. Keep a transfer available if your squad allows it. There is more to learn before committing to changes for Anfield.