Gameweek 17
First-Goals Forecasts for Premier League Gameweek 17
GW17 first-goal picks: Salah at AFCON, in-form finishers, defensive frailties and smart choices 2025
The final round of Premier League fixtures before Christmas arrives with all 20 clubs scheduled to play between Saturday and Monday. Absences and recent form shape the first-goal markets across the weekend.
Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah because of the Africa Cup of Nations. Their striking burden has fallen to Hugo Ekitiké, who has displaced Alexander Isak in the starting line-up. No, not Alexander Isak! Ekitiké arrives in strong form, having scored successive Premier League braces, and Liverpool remain capable of finding goals despite defensive questions.
Newcastle’s choice up front has struggled for frequency. It’s only one goal since October for Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade, yet a home game against a talented but inexperienced Chelsea side feels suited to him. Against Manchester United, Antoine Semenyo struck and that goal was his seventh in the Premier League this season, signalling a return to scoring form for him, while Burnley continue to hold one of the poorest defensive records in the division.
Sunderland veteran Danny Welbeck has seven Premier League goals this season at the age of 35. He has not scored in recent weeks, but Sunderland have managed only one clean sheet away from home.
Manchester City are heavy favourites to beat West Ham. Erling Haaland has been responsible for 45% of Manchester City’s entire Premier League output this season and has returned to his very best.
Brentford’s Igor Thiago has been a surprise contributor in 2025–26 with 11 goals, and his form looks significant against a Wolves side conceding at an alarming rate.
Viktor Gyökeres is sufficiently recovered from injury to be starting again and is statistically well placed to score for Arsenal by virtue of his role on the pitch. Jean-Philippe Mateta leads the line for Crystal Palace with seven Premier League goals this season and looks overdue, especially against a Leeds defence described as poor. Finally, Ollie Watkins benefits from Manchester United’s ongoing defensive fragility, leaving him in a promising position to open the scoring at Villa Park.
FPL
FPL Gameweek 17: practical player choices for clean sheets and attacking returns
FPL Gameweek 17: goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward picks to target for a big haul this wk.
Approaching the halfway point of the Fantasy Premier League season, Gameweek 17 presents limited clean sheet prospects but several clear attacking targets. Goalkeepers to consider include Gianluigi Donnarumma (£5.7m), who was rested for Carabao Cup duty midweek and has recorded five or more points in four of his last six matches ahead of a home match with West Ham United. David Raya (£6.0m) remains a set-and-forget option despite a trip to Everton, with Arsenal’s defensive record and the return of key defenders from suspension and injury bolstering his appeal.
Sunderland’s Robin Roefs (£4.8m) leads goalkeeper scoring with 73 points and is in consideration for the visit to Brighton & Hove Albion, though Sunderland have lost six first-team players to AFCON. That situation is worth noting when weighing long-term choices.
At the back, William Saliba (£5.9m) returned from injury against Wolverhampton Wanderers and is expected to start again at Everton, offering both defensive and set-piece upside; Piero Hincapié (£5.5m) is a cheaper route into the same defence. Marcos Senesi (£4.9m) and Adrien Truffert (£4.5m) are options for Bournemouth, who will seek a shutout at home to Burnley after conceding four on Monday.
Marc Guéhi (£5.3m) is the top-scoring defender with 92 points and faces Leeds United, while Maxence Lacroix (£5.2m) trails him by just 11 points. In midfield, Man City’s Nico O’Reilly (£5.3m) and Matheus Nunes (£5.3m) are recommended for a fixture with West Ham United; Matheus recorded 11 points against Crystal Palace and Nico produced consecutive six-point returns.
On the attacking front, Antoine Semenyo (£7.5m) returned to the scoresheet with a six-point outing against Manchester United and has a favourable home match with Burnley. Phil Foden (£8.8m) has amassed 55 points across his last four matches and carries a strong record versus West Ham. Rayan Cherki (£6.5m) is a cheaper in-form alternative who scored in the cup midweek.
Other considerations: Bruno Fernandes (£9.3m) and Bukayo Saka (£10.3m) for their current form; Kevin Schade (£7.0m) returns from suspension to face Wolverhampton Wanderers; Harry Wilson (£5.6m) has 42 points across four games and hosts Nottingham Forest. Erling Haaland (£15.0m) was rested midweek after a brace last weekend and has nine goals in his last six matches against West Ham.
Striker picks include Hugo Ekitiké (£8.6m), who has scored back-to-back braces and travels to Tottenham Hotspur, plus Igor Thiago (£7.2m) if fit, Raúl Jiménez (£6.3m) and Evanilson (£7.0m) as short-term options. The GW17 deadline is 11 a.m. GMT on Saturday, Dec. 20.
