'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
After a truly disastrous and injury-filled double gameweek that truly hurt FPL managers who planned for it, a blank GW 26 follows to add fuel to the fire. Despite having a pretty high average of 73 points, none of the popular doublers hauled big in DGW 25, with single-GW FPL assets like Bukayo Saka and Ollie Watkins outscoring the likes of Haaland, with KDB, Diogo Jota, and Darwin Nunez all going off injured.
Liverpool, Luton, Chelsea, and Spurs are the four teams without a fixture in BGW 26. Considering that two of them just featured in the DGW, many FPL managers could be facing a crisis to field a complete XI.
I am one of those managers, and coming off a small red arrow despite playing my bench boost, I may not be able to field a full XI without taking a -8, and that's something I won't be doing. Going for Conor Bradley over Gabriel as my Trent replacement cost me both last week and this one.
With many FPL managers planning ahead for DGW 28 and BGW 29, Hwang Hee-Chan has emerged as a popular pick. He is among the most transferred in, and so is Rasmus Hojlund, although his injury news should see his new owners ship him out just as quickly.
Whatever moves you're making in your teams, ensure your team is locked in ahead of the BGW 26 FPL deadline on Saturday afternoon UK time.
Gameweek 26 Deadline: Saturday, February 24, at 01:30 pm (GMT)/ 07:00 pm (IST)
FPL Gameweek 26 Fixtures
BGW 26 has only eight fixtures, and it kicks off with four fixtures at 03:00 PM GMT on Saturday, including Manchester United's home fixture with Fulham, with Manchester City taking the trip to the Vitality Stadium later in the day.
Wolves will take on Sheffield United at the Molineux in the only game on Sunday. The GW concludes with West Ham's clash with Brentford at London Stadium.
FPL team suggested for previous GW
Here's the suggested team for the previous GW:
Goalkeepers: Neto (BOU) (£4.6 m), Martin Dubravka (NEW) (£4.2 m)
Defenders: Kyle Walker (MCI) (£5.4 m), Alfie Doughty (LUT) (£4.6 m), Kieran Trippier (NEW) (£6.8 m), Conor Bradley (LIV) (£4.1 m), and Jan Paul van Hecke (BHA) (£4.0 m)
Midfielders: Alejandro Garnacho (MUN) (£4.9 m), Bukayo Saka (ARS) (£8.8 m), Phil Foden (MCI) (£8.0 m), Richarlison (TOT) (£7.0 m), and Diogo Jota (LIV) (£8.0 m)
Forwards: Erling Haaland (MCI) (£14.3 m), Elijah Adebayo (LUT) (£4.9 m), and Darwin Nunez (LIV) (£7.5 m)
Captain/Vice-Captain: Darwin Nunez/ Erling Haaland
GW 25 Transfers made: 1
Points Scored (- hits): 79 (-0): 79.
Overall Points: 1,494
Overall Rank: 4,78,780.
Free Transfers available: 1
Transfers
1) Diogo Jota (LIV) (MID) (£8.0 m) - OUT | Jarrod Bowen (MID) (WHU) (£7.7 m) - IN
2) Darwin Nunez (LIV) (FWD) (£7.5 m) - OUT | Ollie Watkins (FWD) (AVL) (£8.7 m) - IN
Injuries aplenty for Liverpool ruined DGW 25 for me, making me rethink my decision to use my Wildcard in GW 24, and I'm also pretty much forced to take both of them out heading into BGW 26.
Jota has a long-term injury, and while a lot of the FPL community is going for Hwang Hee-Chan, I've opted to go with Jarrod Bowen. The West Ham attacker has gone through a sustained lean patch, but with a kind set of fixtures ahead and some key players returning to the side, he could be a solid FPL pick for the upcoming run-in.
To replace Darwin Nunez, I'm going with Ollie Watkins, who has hurt non-owners such as myself over the last couple of GWs. Aston Villa has a promising fixture run, and the in-form Watkins is a great FPL pick.
Best FPL Team for Gameweek 26
Gameweek 26 Bench: Martin Dubravka (NEW) vs ARS (A), Elijah Adebayo (LUT) vs None, Conor Bradley (LIV) vs None, and Alfie Doughty (LUT) vs None.
I only have 10 players available to start for GW 26, and after taking a -4, I could be in trouble and get another red arrow, the third in a row after playing my Wildcard. However, I am holding out hope that hauls from some of my differentials like Jarrod Bowen and Alejandro Garnacho, both of whom have promising home fixtures, can bail me out this week.
In defence, Jan Paul van Hecke and Kyle Walker have decent fixtures, but a Trippier haul is sure to come only from attacking returns, and I'm hoping he helps wipe out the Arsenal clean sheet.
Phil Foden and Erling Haaland go up against a Bournemouth defence, and I expect attacking returns from both of them, with the Norwegian scoring three goals in his last three starts, and likely back in good form.
Lastly, the highly-owned Bukayo Saka and Ollie Watkins are unlikely to give me a major rank boost, but not owning them would seriously hurt me, and while I may consider captaining one of them, an FPL haul from them would be pretty handy.
Gameweek 26 - FPL Captaincy
There are plenty of quality FPL captaincy options apart from Erling Haaland, but after losing plenty of ranks going against the Norwegian in the last couple of GWs, I'm not likely to do so once again, although the prospect of going differential and captaining Saka, Watkins, or even Bowen seems tempting.
Best FPL XI for Gameweek 26 - Summary
Starting XI
GK: Neto (BOU) vs MCI (H).
DEF: Kyle Walker (MCI) vs BOU (A), Jan Paul van Hecke (BHA) vs EVE (H), and Kieran Trippier (NEW) vs ARS (A).
MID: Bukayo Saka (ARS) vs NEW (H), Jarrod Bowen (WHU) vs BRE (H), Phil Foden (MCI) vs BOU (A), Alejandro Garnacho (MUN) vs FUL (H), and Richarlison (TOT) vs None.
FWD: Ollie Watkins (AVL) vs NFO (H) and Erling Haaland (MCI) vs BOU (A).
Bench: GK - Martin Dubravka (NEW) vs ARS (A), 1st Sub: Elijah Adebayo (LUT) vs None, 2nd Sub: Conor Bradley (LIV) vs None, 3rd Sub: Alfie Doughty (LUT) vs None.
Chips activated: None
Point Hits Taken: - 4.
Captain: Erling Haaland. | VC: Bukayo Saka.
