TOTW 9 brings lots of potential even without the likes of Vini, who misses out due to recent promotional inclusions. Headlining the week, we have Katoto, Salah, Bellingham and Osimhen. A TOTW like this has been overdue!

Peter Gulacsi - GK - 82 > 85 OVR

Four saves and clean sheet  /  Leipzig 0 - Gladbach 0  /  1.5 Kicker Rating 

There were a few goalkeepers in with a shout this week, but none stand out as a certainty. Gulacsi is my favourite option, having received the joint-highest match rating of the week with a 1.5. In total, he made four saves as Leipzig held onto their clean sheet. They will be disappointed, though, that they failed to win the match.

Amir Rrahmani - CB - 80 > 84 OVR

One assist  /  Inter 1 - Napoli 1  /  7 Gazzetta Rating

EA already highlighted this as a major fixture with a showdown for the match, making it two consecutive 1-1 draws between them. Rrahmani was named MOTM after providing the assist for McTominay and showing strong defensive stats.

Wilfried Singo - CB - 79 > 84 OVR

Strong performance  /  Strasbourg 1 - Monaco 3  /  7 L’equipe Rating 

With Ligue 1 offering very little outside of PSG options, alongside a severe lack of defensive options, Singo being a gold defender within L’Équipe’s TOTW makes him stand out for me. No offensive contributions or clean sheet is always a risk, but EA will have to punt as well.

Gabriele Zappa - RB - 70 > 83 OVR

Two goals  /  Cagliari 3 - AC Milan 3  /  7.5 Gazzetta Rating

We have seen silver cards sneak onto the bench, but with them now going up to 83 rated as a base option, I see no reason why they can’t be in the starting lineup, especially from the top divisions. Zappa scored twice from RB as Cagliari held AC Milan to a draw.

Tabitha Chawinga - LM - 84 > 86 OVR

Three goals, one assist  /  Guingamp 0 - Lyon 8  /  9.6 Sofascore Rating 

Arkema is another division being promoted by EA this year, with more promotional items than ever. Chawinga looks set to join that list after a superb performance during Lyon’s 8-0 thrashing of Guingamp. She also appears to be a very usable card.

Jude Bellingham - CM - 90 > 91 OVR

One goal, one assist  /  Real Madrid 4 - Osasuna 0  /  8.2 Sofascore Rating 

Real Madrid should be picking up an IF come Wednesday; however, that choice is not an easy one, with Vini’s hat trick being unlikely due to an IF and a Trailblazer already to his name. Bellingham is also a risk with a live UCL item, but I am more willing to take the punt on his inclusion.

Mohamed Salah - RM - 89 > 90 OVR

Goal and assist  /  Liverpool 2 - Aston Villa 0  /  8 Sky Rating 

Liverpool continue to impress, and with City dropping more points, they now sit five points clear at the top of the table. EA has sometimes been reluctant to release multiple promotional cards of the same player, but now that we are nine weeks in, I can’t see why players like Salah, who was included in an early promotion, couldn’t be reused.

Kang In Lee - RW - 79 > 86 OVR

Two goals, one assist  /  Angers 2 - PSG 4  /  8 L’equipe Rating

Both wingers caused issues for Angers, with Barcola and Lee each finding the net twice. With Barcola already having two promotional items, I would expect the Korean to be awarded the in-form card, and if he ends up featured, it brings back flashbacks of that thunderstruck card from last year.

Yoane Wissa - ST - 79 > 86 OVR

Two goals  /  Brentford 3 - Bournemouth 2  /  9 Sky Rating 

Brentford matches continue to provide goals, with 44 from their opening eleven. Their matches contain the highest number of goals by quite a distance. Wissa continued his good form since returning from injury with a double to help secure all three points.

Victor Osimhen - ST - 87 > 88 OVR

Two goals  /  Galatasaray 3 - Samsunspor 2  /  9.3 Sofascore Rating 

Osimhen built upon his midweek double against Tottenham to score another two this weekend. He's a popular player among the FC community, and although he now plays in Turkey, which is one of the leagues EA likes to include, his brace should be enough for his first IF of the year.

Marie Katoto - ST - 88 > 89 OVR

Hat trick  /  PSG 4 - Strasbourg 0  /  9.6 Sofascore Rating

One of the players set to headline this week’s TOTW 9 is Katoto. She has been a meta player in both EAFC games so far, and an IF card will be highly sought after if she makes the lineup. With three goals and no promotional cards to her name, I would be shocked if she didn’t make it.

Substitutes

Lilla Turanyi - CB - 77 > 83 OVR

Goal and clean sheet  /  Leverkusen 3 - Potsdam 0  /  8.7 Sofascore Rating 

There were few standout defenders this week, so a goal and a clean sheet really stand out. Turanyi’s normal card is useless with severely low pace, but with how EA does the upgrades now, a massive pace increase is inbound. Turanyi scored the first of Leverkusen’s three during their 3-0 win.

Angel Di Maria - RM - 83 > 86 OVR

Two goals  /  Benfica 4 - Porto 1  /  8.7 Sofascore Rating 

With Amorim now leaving Sporting, this match was significant for both Benfica and Porto as they look to chase the league leaders. Benfica ended up winning convincingly, with Di Maria’s brace helping guide them to a 4-1 victory. With a game in hand, they could find themselves only five points behind Sporting despite their rivals' immaculate start to the campaign.

Matheus Cunha - CAM - 79 > 84 OVR

Goal and assist  /  Wolves 2 - Southampton 0  /  9 Sky Rating

Wolves picked up their first win of the season against fellow strugglers, Southampton. The result means they are now unbeaten in three and enter a run of favourable fixtures. Cunha was a standout performer in the win, scoring once and assisting another to claim the joint highest Sky rating of the week.

Malcom - RM - 82 > 85 OVR

One goal, one assist  /  Al Hilal 3 - Al Ettifaq 1  /  9.2 Sofascore Rating 

The Saudi IF was a difficult decision to make, with a few lower-rated players standing out, but in the end, I opted for Malcom. Scoring once and assisting another, he helped ensure Al Hilal maintained their place at the top of the table with a 3-1 home win

Kasper Dolberg - ST - 76 > 83 OVR

Hat trick  /  Cercle Brugge 0 - Anderlecht 5  /  8.8 Sofascore Rating 

The substitute strikers were extremely easy to select, with some superb performances throughout. The first is Dolberg, who scored three of Anderlecht’s five in their 5-0 away win.

Moise Kean - ST - 78 > 84 OVR

Hat trick  /  Fiorentina 3 - Verona 1  /  8.5 Gazzetta Rating

There are a lot of players this week that will strongly test what EA is willing to do, and Kean is one of them after scoring three times as Fiorentina beat Verona 3-1. His live item is now rated 86, so the IF would arrive weeks later and be a lower-rated version. I feel that Kean is one of the most likely conditional inclusions.

Liam Delap - ST - 71 > 83 OVR

One goal, one assist  /  Tottenham 1 - Ipswich 2  /  8 Sky Rating 

For the first time since April 2002 Ipswich Town have recorded a PL win. Delap made it six for the season, as he continues to impress for the newly promoted side. With this being Ipswich’s first win of the season alongside it being a huge upset I think it would be harsh for them to be omitted this week.

Reserves

Nicolas Milanovic - RM - 67 > 83 OVR

Hat trick  /  Western Sydney 4 - Newcastle Jets 1  /  9.9 Sofascore Rating 

Kwame Poku - RM - 69 > 83 OVR

Three goals, one assist  /  Peterborough 6 - Cambridge 1  /  9.7 Sofascore Rating

Michel Vlap - CM - 73 > 85 OVR

Two goals  /  Twente 2 - Ajax 2  /  8 VI Rating 

Finn Azaz - CAM - 71 > 83 OVR

Two goals, one assist  /  Middlesbrough 5 - Luton 1  /  8.9 Sofascore Rating

Samuel Mraz - ST - 62 > 83 OVR

Hat trick  /  Piast 2 - Motor 3  /  9.3 Sofascore Rating

Be sure to follow @FUTBIN on social media and comment below who you want to see in TOTW 9 in EAFC 25 Ultimate Team.