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Injury Report 2026-01-20

GW23 Physio Room: Spurs Attack Hit Hard — The Flagged Names, the Numbers, and Your Exit Plan

FPL Admin

FPL Elite Analyst

Introduction

Gameweek 23 is shaping up to be a classic FPL headache: popular picks flagged, mass transfers-out, and managers scrambling for clarity. Here’s your Physio Room update using the latest data — with a focus on high-ownership flagged players and practical replacement routes.

🚑 GW23 Key Flags (High-Ownership Focus)

Mohammed Kudus (Spurs) — Status: Injured

  • •Ownership: 10.9% (major rank-impact)
  • •Price: £6.4m
  • •Points: 75 | PPG: 3.9 | Form: 1.4
  • •Underlying output: xGI 4.33 (xG 1.92 + xA 2.41)
  • •Transfers: 36 in / 27,699 out

FPL takeaway: The combination of high ownership and a huge transfers-out swing screams “protect your rank.” While the creativity numbers (xA 2.41) are decent, the current form (1.4) plus an injury flag makes this a straightforward move for GW23.

Replacement ideas (data-led, like-for-like):

  • •Richarlison (Spurs, £6.4m) — same price bracket, but note he’s also flagged (see below).
  • •If you’re moving Kudus out, prioritize a secure starter in the £6.0–£7.0m mid/forward slot with reliability — Kudus’ injury + heavy selling makes him a clear GW23 exit.

Richarlison de Andrade (Spurs) — Status: Injured

  • •Ownership: 6.5%
  • •Price: £6.4m
  • •Points: 75 | PPG: 3.6 | Form: 2.0
  • •Underlying output: xGI 6.02 (xG 4.80 + xA 1.22)
  • •Transfers: 69 in / 39,790 out

FPL takeaway: The stats hint at real upside when fit — xG 4.80 is strong — but the injury status and the massive transfers-out suggest most managers aren’t waiting. If you own him, GW23 is about minimizing damage rather than hoping for a surprise return.

Replacement ideas:

  • •Mohammed Kudus (Spurs, £6.4m) is the direct price swap — but he’s flagged too, so it’s generally not a sensible “sideways-to-another-flag” move.
  • •Consider reallocating funds to a more stable pick elsewhere and using the extra flexibility to strengthen a defender slot (see Arsenal/Palace notes below).

🩺 Defensive Flags Worth Noting (Lower Ownership, Still Relevant)

Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal) — Status: Injured

  • •Ownership: 6.3%
  • •Price: £5.6m
  • •Points: 77 | PPG: 4.8 | Form: 0.0
  • •Underlying output: xGI 2.85 (xG 2.49 + xA 0.36)

FPL takeaway: Despite the injury, his season value is clear from 4.8 PPG. If you’re carrying him, the priority is getting a starter in GW23.

Replacement ideas:

  • •Look to another similarly priced starting defender to maintain squad structure.

Daniel Muñoz Mejía (Crystal Palace) — Status: Injured

  • •Ownership: 5.9%
  • •Price: £5.8m
  • •Points: 89 | PPG: 6.4 | Form: 0.0
  • •Underlying output: xGI 3.77 (xG 1.78 + xA 1.99)
  • •Transfers: 1,500 in / 12,276 out

FPL takeaway: This one hurts because the output is elite for the price: 6.4 PPG is standout, and he contributes at both ends (xGI 3.77). But the injury flag plus the form collapse to 0.0 makes him a GW23 risk unless you have a strong bench.

Replacement ideas:

  • •Move to a nailed defender in the same price band (£5.5–£6.0m) to preserve budget balance.

GW23 Transfer Priorities (Quick Checklist)

  • •Must act: Kudus (10.9% owned, injured, 27,699 out) — major rank shield move.
  • •Strong sell: Richarlison (injured, 39,790 out) — good xGI historically, but the flag is decisive.
  • •Squad-dependent: Calafiori / Muñoz — great season value, but only hold if your bench can cover GW23.

Conclusion

GW23 is a classic “don’t get sentimental” week. With Spurs’ flagged attackers driving huge transfers-out, the safest play is to move on early unless you have luxury depth. In defence, Calafiori and Muñoz have shown strong season value, but availability is everything — and GW23 points can’t be scored from the treatment room.