Crystal Palace return to Premier League action against Newcastle United at Selhurst Park in Gameweek 8, giving Fantasy Premier League managers plenty to consider before the deadline at 18:30 BST on Friday, 23 October.
Chris Richards, priced at £4.9 million, has collected Defensive Contribution points in each of his last four gameweeks. His 13 defensive actions in Palace’s latest fixture took him to four such returns this season, a record achieved in 71.4 per cent of his appearances. He is currently joint-third among FPL defenders for the statistic.
Jaydee Canvot (£4.8m) and Anan Khalaili (£5.0m) each recorded nine defensive contributions in the same match, narrowly missing the threshold required for the additional two points. Defenders need 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions or successful tackles in one game to earn that reward.
Khalaili also registered two attempts, with one finding the target. His 11 shots rank fourth among FPL defenders this season, despite having started one fewer match than the players above him. The 22-year-old is averaging one attempt every 51 minutes.
Newcastle’s leading FPL scorer ahead of the Selhurst Park meeting is Lewis Hall (£5.3m). Over the opening seven matches, the defender has recorded one goal, one assist and six bonus points.
With nine Premier League clubs, including Palace, involved in European fixtures this week, FPL managers have been advised to consider delaying transfers until those matches conclude on Thursday evening where possible. The difficult-to-predict Gameweek 8 schedule could also make a differential captain an appealing option for managers willing to move away from the usual choices.
Season Ticket+ Holders and Gold Members can enter Palace’s official 2026/27 FPL mini-league, which offers monthly and seasonal prizes.
