Crystal Palace FPL Guide GW9 2026/27

• DEFCON: centre-backs and full-backs who rack up tackles, blocks, clearances and interceptions now have a second scoring route beyond clean sheets.
• Fixtures: check Crystal Palace's opening run on the FPL fixture list and the GW9 preview above before locking premiums.
• Prices: every Crystal Palace price is on FPL prices : then play free on Gameweek Fantasy.
• Differentials: looking for a low-owned Crystal Palace pick? Check FPL Differentials.

Crystal Palace are 14th on 7 points after 7 games (WLDWL). Last time out they lost to Brighton & Hove Albion 0–5 away in GW7. GW9 brings a trip to Tottenham Hotspur (Sat 31 Oct, 17:30 GMT), rated 3/5 for difficulty. Top FPL scorers so far: Daichi Kamada (£5.0m, 30 pts), Tyrick Mitchell (£4.5m, 28 pts), Yéremy Pino (£5.5m, 25 pts). On the injury list: Dean Henderson (foot injury: 50% chance of playing). Open predicted XI → · GW9 preview →

Palace go into 2026/27 having genuinely been raided — Eze left for Arsenal in a £67.5m deal, and Lacroix followed him out the door to Chelsea for £52m, taking both the creative hub and the best defender with them. Quinten Timber at £5.0m is a useful defensive-midfield option to offset some of what left. Mateta at £6.3m and Sarr at £6.2m still lead the squad, with Strand Larsen at £6.0m and McNeil at £5.3m (from Everton) the key attacking additions. With Lacroix gone and Daniel Muñoz off to Nottingham Forest, the rest of the defence caps out at £5.0m, led by Richards, Canvot and Khalaili.

• ↑ OUTEberechi Eze, To Arsenal for a reported £67.5m. Palace lose their No 10 and primary creator, the biggest single fantasy change at any club this summer.
• ↑ OUTMaxence Lacroix, To Chelsea for a reported £52m. Palace lose their premium defender, leaving no set-piece goal threat from the back.
• ↑ OUTBrennan Johnson, To Everton. Leaves a gap on the right wing that McNeil and Pino will compete to fill.
• ↑ OUTMarc Guéhi, To Manchester City. Palace's captain and best centre-back joins the defending runners-up.
• ↑ OUTDaniel Muñoz, To Nottingham Forest. Palace lose their only defender with genuine attacking upside, leaving the back line as pure enablers.
• ↓ INDwight McNeil, From Everton at £5.4m. A proven Premier League set-piece deliverer who immediately slots in as the creative outlet from the left side.
• ↓ INTakehiro Tomiyasu, From Arsenal at £4.5m. Experienced right-back addition who adds defensive reliability to a back line that lost Andersen.
• ↓ INZavier Gozo, New signing. MID £5.0m. Budget midfield depth option — monitor for minutes before buying.

Mateta at £6.3m is the primary pick — first-choice centre-forward with penalty potential and the most direct route to a Palace goal. Sarr at £6.2m is the wide-attacking alternative, pace in transition and returns from counter-attacking situations. Quinten Timber at £5.0m is the defensive-midfield option to watch once his role in Palace's midfield settles. With Lacroix sold and Muñoz gone to Forest, there's no premium option left in the back line itself — Palace's returns run mostly through Mateta and Sarr now.

Palace's defence is well priced for a side with genuine defensive structure. Benítez at £4.5m and Matthews at £4.0m are budget goalkeeper cover behind Henderson at £4.9m.

Mateta works as a differential captain at home against bottom-half opposition, especially given the penalty duty — a route to points that doesn't depend on Palace actually playing well. Not a default armband, since their overall scoring volume trails the top sides, but a reasonable mid-price captaincy option when you're chasing rank.

Strand Larsen at £6.0m and McNeil at £5.3m are the low-ownership picks worth knowing, both with real goal and assist potential once they lock down starts. Pino and Wharton at £5.5m are the creative differentials, Wharton with the added set-piece duty. Zavier Gozo, new at £5.0m, is the cheapest midfield addition — one to watch once he earns minutes.

The midfield is just as deep, nine players priced £4.5-5.0m. I'd avoid Palace assets during away runs against top-half sides, where their counter-attacking approach produces fewer clear chances and clean sheets get scarce.