With many FPL managers activating their Wildcards in Gameweek 8 — including two of our Elite XI: Team Reveal managers, Craig and Cory — are weighing up whether to back Newcastle United’s attack. The question often comes down to two names: Nick Woltemade (£7.2m) or Anthony Gordon (£7.4m).
Let’s compare their underlying numbers, form, and penalty potential to see which, if either, deserves a spot in your team.
Newcastle entered the international break on a high after comfortable wins over Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Defensively, they’ve been exceptional once again — boasting five clean sheets, the most in the league, as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox. They’ve conceded just five goals (bettered only by Arsenal) and rank second for fewest shots conceded (62), shots in the box (43), and expected goals conceded (xGC: 5.41).
That solid foundation has made Nick Pope (£5.1m) and Dan Burn (£5.1m) strong FPL options. It also explains why many managers — including Elite XI: Team Reveal manager Tarek Balbaa, who has ten top-10k finishes — prioritised defensive cover on his Gameweek 7 Wildcard. The decision paid off immediately, with Burn delivering an 11-point haul against Nottingham Forest.
Despite their recent positive results, Eddie Howe’s side have struggled creatively.
Only Nottingham Forest and Wolves have scored fewer goals (six), while Newcastle sit mid-table for most attacking metrics — ranking 12th for shots (80) and 10th for expected goals (xG: 9.7).
Their away form, as shown in the Opta Stats Sandbox, has been particularly disappointing. The Magpies are bottom for goals scored away from home, with all three away matches ending 0-0.
Some of this can be attributed to early-season instability, with no available striker during the opening fixtures due to the Alexander Isak transfer situation.
The arrival of Nick Woltemade has since provided a much-needed focal point in attack — and the German has hit the ground running.
The Opta Heatmaps comparison tool highlights how productive Woltemade has been per 90 minutes this season.
Those numbers comfortably outshine Gordon’s domestic output so far. The German international has made an impressive start, scoring three goals in four starts — averaging roughly a goal every 101 minutes.
Some FPL managers may worry he’s overperforming slightly, with one of those goals coming from the penalty spot and the other two from just six shots (three on target). Still, it’s a small sample size, making it too early to draw firm conclusions about the new forward’s true ability or long-term output.
Gordon’s FPL numbers tell a different story, as shown in the Opta Heatmaps tool.
Across 317 minutes, he’s produced 7 points, 0 bonus, and a points-per-game average of just 1.8. That figure is slightly misleading, as his sending off against Liverpool resulted in a -2 score, heavily dragging down his average.
By contrast, Woltemade has managed 24 points from 306 minutes, earning four bonus points and starting every match so far.
It’s worth remembering Gordon’s potential. In the 2024/25 season, he delivered:
That creative output demonstrates why he remains a threat, particularly when Newcastle’s attack clicks. However, his recent domestic drought — no FPL attacking returns since Gameweek 23 of the 2024/25 season — suggests he’s struggling to replicate that form.
Penalty responsibility could prove decisive if you are picking between the two.
Gordon converted two Champions League penalties earlier in the season, while Woltemade confidently dispatched his in Gameweek 7, placing in perfectly it into the top corner.
Eddie Howe’s post-match comments suggest both players are trusted:
“The penalty was very composed. A really good penalty from someone playing with confidence. Nick [Woltemade] spoke to me about taking penalties. He is confident in that respect.”
However, with Gordon substituted before Woltemade’s spot-kick, it’s reasonable to assume that the midfielder — who took all three of Newcastle’s non-Isak penalties last season — remains first in line.
While Woltemade has been the standout so far, Newcastle’s attack as a whole isn’t convincing enough to warrant major investment. If you’re on Wildcard and want coverage from the Magpies, the defensive assets look far more reliable — as highlighted in Craig (Copenhagen Wednesday)’s (six times top 10k) latest Wildcard blog.
With top-tier underlying defensive numbers and strong fixtures ahead, doubling up at the back could easily outperform a punt on their misfiring forwards.
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