FPL
Suzuki Takes Ten. Hull's Bargain Defenders Cash In.
5 September 2026
In this guide: Suzuki's ten-pointer, Hull's bargain defenders and the chances Villa left behind in a 0-0 draw. Both starting XIs' expected and actual points are below, followed by the GW4 decision: back Villa for Forest at home, or keep your money away from their attack?
- Suzuki: 10 points. Four saves, a clean sheet and three bonus made him the biggest FPL winner.
- Giles and Mendy: 8 points each at £4.0m. Egan and Coyle also returned six for Hull.
- Villa created 1.74 xG and three big chances, but put only one shot on target.
- Buendia and McGinn both blanked despite accounting for 1.07 xG between them.
- Next: Hull visit Chelsea; Villa host Forest. The next fixture changes which defence you want to start.
Suzuki takes ten. The attackers take nothing.
A clean sheet, four saves and all three bonus. Suzuki owners got the sort of goalkeeper return that can rescue a gameweek. Villa's back four joined in: Mings and Maatsen returned seven, Cash and Lindelof six. You did not need Villa to find their shooting boots to get something from this trip.
Hull's defenders offered an even cheaper way into the points. Giles earned two bonus; Mendy added two points for defensive contribution. Both cost £4.0m and both finished on eight. Egan and Coyle returned six at the same price. If one was sitting on your bench, that is a painful look at the team sheet.
Hull's starting XI: expected points v actual points
| Player | xPts | Points | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tzolakis, top three expected points pick | 2.4 | 6 | +3.6 |
| Coyle | 1.1 | 6 | +4.9 |
| Ajayi | 1.9 | 5 | +3.1 |
| Egan | 1.9 | 6 | +4.1 |
| Mendy | 1.5 | 8 | +6.5 |
| Giles | 1.9 | 8 | +6.1 |
| Belloumi, top three expected points pick | 2.2 | 5 | +2.8 |
| Slater | 2 | 3 | +1 |
| Gourna-Douath | 0.5 | 2 | +1.5 |
| Stroud | 1.5 | 3 | +1.5 |
| McBurnie, top three expected points pick | 3 | 2 | -1 |
Top three xPts picks, including ties. xPts = expected points; +/- = actual minus expected. Green: 1.5+ above. Red: 1.5+ below. Otherwise neutral.
Villa's starting XI: expected points v actual points
| Player | xPts | Points | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzuki | 2.1 | 10 | +7.9 |
| Cash | 3.3 | 6 | +2.7 |
| Lindelof | 3.3 | 6 | +2.7 |
| Mings | 0.3 | 7 | +6.7 |
| Maatsen | 3.3 | 7 | +3.7 |
| Kamara, top three expected points pick | 3.7 | 3 | -0.7 |
| Barkley | 3.1 | 3 | -0.1 |
| McGinn, top three expected points pick | 3.8 | 3 | -0.8 |
| Hemmings | 3.1 | 3 | -0.1 |
| Buendia, top three expected points pick | 4.7 | 3 | -1.7 |
| Nicolas Jackson | 1.8 | 2 | +0.2 |
Top three xPts picks, including ties. xPts = expected points; +/- = actual minus expected. Green: 1.5+ above. Red: 1.5+ below. Otherwise neutral.
Villa had the ball. Hull kept the points.
Villa completed 613 passes and had 74% possession. That control brought chances, but all three big chances went begging. Hull put more shots on target despite seeing much less of the ball. Belloumi hit the bar and substitute Cho tested Suzuki; McBurnie also had a late opportunity without finding the finish.
Villa's open-play xG was 1.53. This was not a case of a healthy total built around a penalty. They got into positions to score, then failed to turn them into useful shots on goal. Hull's clean sheet is worth banking, but the chances conceded are a reason to be selective about starting their defenders away from home.
Buendia and McGinn gave owners a reason to hold
McGinn had 0.62 xG; Buendia had 0.45. Their three points apiece look flat, but there were chances behind the blanks. McGinn played ninety minutes and Buendia 74 before Garnacho replaced him. With Forest at home next, owners have a better reason to hold than managers have to rush in and buy.
Jackson started and played 84 minutes, finishing with 0.24 xG and 0.25 expected assists. At £6.5m, that is involvement to monitor rather than a return demanding a transfer. Garnacho's fifteen minutes from the bench make him a harder immediate purchase: the name is familiar, but you still need the start.
Maatsen supplied 0.42 expected assists and collected a bonus point before coming off after 74 minutes. That gives his seven-pointer an attacking detail worth keeping an eye on. Mings also returned seven, but one start should not settle your view of his future minutes. Compare the likely XI before treating every Villa defender as equally secure.
Hull's cheap defenders need a bench plan
Giles and Egan completed ninety minutes. Coyle came off after 63 and Mendy after seventy, with both already beyond the clean-sheet threshold. At £4.0m these players can free up money for your attack, but their next two games are Chelsea away and Newcastle away. Do not let today's eight points choose next week's starting XI.
Belloumi's five points included defensive contribution as well as the midfielder's clean-sheet point. His effort against the bar was memorable, but his total xG was only 0.03. McBurnie's 0.39 xG was a larger share of Hull's threat. Neither is an urgent buy before those two away fixtures.
GW4: Forest at home is Villa's chance to respond
| Player | Price | Expected points | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buendia | £6.0m | 4.6 | Forest (H) |
| McGinn | £5.4m | 3.7 | Forest (H) |
| Maatsen | £4.5m | 3.2 | Forest (H) |
| Suzuki | £5.0m | 2.1 | Forest (H) |
| Giles | £4.0m | 1.9 | Chelsea (A) |
| McBurnie | £5.5m | 2.7 | Chelsea (A) |
Buendia leads this shortlist on GW4 expected points. His chances here support keeping him for Forest if you already own him. Villa then visit Spurs and host Brentford, so compare the full run before committing a new transfer. Our Forest v Spurs review covers the opposition and the chances Forest allowed.
Suzuki's ten is a welcome return, but it is not a reason to spend a transfer on your goalkeeper if the rest of your side needs work. For Hull owners, the planner can show whether your other defenders cover Chelsea and Newcastle. Everton at home in GW6 is the next fixture to reassess, rather than writing off a useful budget pick after looking at only one week.
