Manchester City dominated the popular picks in Gameweek 5, with 24 of the 30 Footy9 players (80%) including them in their selections. Their 5-3 win over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium earned these backers the maximum +8 Footy9 points, a reward that no other team matched this week. The City side arrived on the back of three straight wins and maintained their unbeaten run, scoring four goals in their last five matches while conceding just once.
Sunderland, in contrast, was not backed by any player and suffered a -5 penalty after conceding five goals in the high-scoring fixture. Their recent form has been patchy, with just one win in their last four Premier League matches.
Sheffield Wednesday was the second most popular pick, chosen by 17 players (56.67%). Their goalless draw against Stockport County at Hillsborough brought a modest +1 point return. The Owls have been unbeaten in their last three League One matches, with two wins and a draw, but the stalemate limited the Footy9 impact.
Arsenal, selected by 16 players (53.33%), endured a tough outing, losing 3-0 away to Brighton. Despite their recent winning streak of two matches, the Gunners returned zero points this gameweek, leaving their backers with no gain. Brighton, unselected by any player, earned +3 points for their victory.
Other popular picks included Huddersfield (50% selection), West Ham (46.67%), Leeds (40%), QPR (36.67%), Grimsby (36.67%), Oxford United (36.67%), and Bradford (36.67%). These teams had mixed fortunes, with some benefiting their backers and others returning neutral or low points. For example, Grimsby’s 2-0 home win over Crawley Town rewarded their 11 backers with +3 points, while Huddersfield’s narrow 2-1 win did not translate into Footy9 points for their 15 supporters.
West Ham’s 2-2 draw at Millwall yielded +2 points for their 14 backers, while QPR’s 2-2 draw with Preston gave +2 points to 11 players. Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday both recorded draws, returning +1 point each to their respective backers.
The official Gameweek 5 winner, scfcok, scored 29 points and had Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Arsenal, and Grimsby among their selected teams. Despite Arsenal’s zero-point return, the maximum +8 from Manchester City and solid contributions from other picks helped secure the top spot.
In summary, Manchester City was the clear favourite among Footy9 players and justified that confidence with the maximum +8 points. Meanwhile, other popular selections produced a range of outcomes, from modest gains to disappointing returns, illustrating the varied nature of this gameweek’s results.
