Immediately after we closed November with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, we’re straight back in action against Brentford at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
With a full programme of Premier League fixtures pencilled in for this midweek, Fantasy Premier League rapidly returns for Gameweek 14 – and many could be in danger of Tuesday night’s transfer deadline passing them by.
The Gunners are back on home turf against our visitors from west London as one of six matches on Wednesday night, prior to which we will see three games on Tuesday and then one on Thursday evening.
MERINO HAULS FOR GUNNERS
Mikel Merino once again proved himself to be a smart differential pick for FPL managers, having headed our second-half equaliser against Chelsea.
Available at just £5.9m, Mikel is not only registered as a midfielder while having played in an advanced role this season, but the Spaniard also remains owned by just 1.1% of bosses.
Merino led the way in GW13 for the Gunners, scoring nine points, while Bukayo Saka (£10.1m) scooped five and Declan Rice (£7.0m) earned four, having hit the DefCon threshold for a bonus two points.
The advantage of picking an FPL midfielder who is, in fact, often utilised as a winger or striker is that they will still score you five points for a goal rather than four, and are eligible for the bonus point if their side keeps a clean sheet.
Ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Keith Andrews’ Bees, a number of returning players in red and white could return to your FPL fold.
Among them is of course Viktor Gyokeres (£8.8m), whose price is bound to rise in the near future as the Swede becomes more in-demand. Viktor returned after a four-week absence as a substitute against Chelsea on Sunday, and is now back on the radar of many Fantasy competitors.
Martin Odegaard can also be picked up at a cheaper rate due to his recent injury absence, with our captain now back on the pitch having returned against Bayern Munich and Chelsea. Martin is available at £7.8m, and could be a smart differential buy with an ownership of 1.4%.
Of the players currently fit and available, Rice now leads the way for points this season in an Arsenal shirt – explaining his rise from £6.5m to £7.0m inside 13 Gameweeks. The midfield man has reached 75 points following Sunday’s draw, just ahead of the 74 of Jurrien Timber (£6.4m), with only the sidelined Gabriel (£6.4m) superior on 81.
Opponents Brentford have won their home fixtures and lost on the road in each of their previous five Premier League games. However, they pose a significant threat up top – namely Igor Thiago (£6.7m), who has seen his lowly starting price soar in recent weeks courtesy of his 11 Premier League goals.
Thiago is Brentford’s golden FPL asset right now, owned by 22.2% of managers, and leads the way with 77 points for Andrews’ side. Next up in the tally is Dango Ouattara (£6.0m), a budget midfield option who has been playing in an advanced wide area, still owned by just 0.9% of squads despite his 56 points.
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Remember these five great wins against Brentford?
TRIPLE CAPTAIN INTACT?
With all chips for the first half of the season having to be used by GW19, many managers have exhausted every option in this regard already – especially with GW16’s handout of five free transfers due to the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
However, over one million Fantasy bosses used their Triple Captain chip on Erling Haaland (£14.9m) for Manchester City’s home fixture against Leeds United on Saturday. Haaland neither scored nor assisted any of City’s three goals on the day, offering an agonising surprise blank.
While over six million teams handed Haaland the regular captaincy, the aforementioned Brentford star Thiago stole the show for the strikers, with a 13-point haul. Those bold enough to hand the Triple Captain chip to the Bees man would have been kindly rewarded with 39 points.
Some managers may even have their Triple Captain chip intact, and must use it within the next six Gameweeks. The risk attached to holding it this long is the heavier schedule, with December yielding more midweek offerings in the Premier League.
As a result, managers may find their most reliable point-haulers rested or rotated as the games come thick and fast – particularly for the nine clubs juggling the league schedule with European competition.
If looking to play the Triple Captain for GW14, one possibility is Jean-Philippe Mateta (£8.1m). Crystal Palace visit Burnley on Wednesday night and the France striker has been a regular scorer, with his teammates creating countless chances. The sole threat is that Mateta could be rotated for former Gunner Eddie Nketiah (£5.4m), who replaced the injured Ismaila Sarr in the first half of their defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
Speaking of United, their improved form could see their most prominent point-grabbers flocked towards ahead of their home fixture against West Ham United. With Bryan Mbeumo (£8.6m) shortly about to head to AFCON with Cameroon, he could be set aside in favour of skipper Bruno Fernandes (£8.9m).
The Portuguese is by far the least likely to be rotated among the busy fixture run, and his status as penalty taker will be further reinforced by Mbeumo’s temporary departure. The Red Devils take on bottom side Wolves twice before the Triple Captain chip expires, making Fernandes a prominent shout either this week or later in the month.
GOALKEEPING CALLS
Fantasy managers tend to take a range of approaches when it comes to selecting their two goalkeepers, as this position can be an afterthought when making transfers.
Many FPL bosses aim for a ‘set and forget’ option between the sticks, accompanied by a cheap backup – ideally one who remains first-choice for their club.
This season, that strategy has played into the hands of many, with Burnley stopper Martin Dubravka remaining at a basement fee of £4.0m – having still been registered as Newcastle United’s understudy when FPL was launched for the season. The veteran is consequently owned by more teams than any other goalkeeper, with a 33.9% ownership, 38 points and two clean sheets.
With a slightly lower ownership percentage is our very own David Raya, whose price has risen to £5.9m courtesy of our defensive record so far this term. David has claimed 58 points in 2025/26, and the Raya-Dubravka combination is by far the most popular in the game.
Elsewhere, Sunderland’s Robin Roefs (£4.7m) still tops the goalkeeping charts, just two points ahead of Raya on 60. However, his side’s upcoming fixtures could spell danger, and many are instead opting for either Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson (£5.0m) or Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez (£4.8m), now our GW13 meeting at Stamford Bridge is out of the way.
Aside from Dubravka, the cheapest active goalkeeper starting games for his side is Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen (£4.4m). The Seagulls No. 1 has been in inspired recent form, claiming 26 points across the past four Gameweeks, and has three home matches in his next four.
As ever, be mindful of the fast-approaching transfer and team selection deadline for GW14, this Tuesday night at 6pm UK time. This will remain a Single Gameweek, with this weekend bringing GW15 – so be sure not to miss the cut!
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