With Gameweek 1 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) nearing, our pundits are giving us their all-important team reveals!
Here, FPL Milanista – who has three top 5k finishes in the last five seasons – explains why he’s going with Arsenal’s premium midfielder.
Make sure you sign up for the new season to get all the Member-only articles, tools and features to make 2025/26 your best FPL campaign yet!
The 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League season is shaping up to be one of the most dynamic we’ve seen in recent memory, not just because of player transfers and fixtures.
It’s because of a major rules tweak that’s already changing the way we look at our squads: defensive contributions (DC).
- READ MORE: FPL 2025/26: Huge rule change as defensive contributions come in
- READ MORE: FPL 2025/26: Every player’s revised points from last season – DC points and more!
DEFENSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS – A CHANGE IN FORMATION?
In short, defenders will get rewards more fairly for their real-life work. This might just flip the FPL meta on its head.
Historically, defenders in FPL have lived or died by clean sheets, with only the attacking full-backs offering consistent value.
But this year, blocks, interceptions, and other defensive contributions are actually rewarded, making even centre-backs more viable.
This change significantly raises the floor for defenders. Suddenly, you’re not just relying on a clean sheet or the odd goal from a corner – you’re getting steady returns from solid performances.
As a result, I think we’ll see many FPL managers pivoting to a 4-4-2 or even a 4-5-1. These are formations that FPL managers have drifted away from in recent years but could now offer optimal balance and points potential.
Personally, I’m seriously weighing the value of a strong fourth defender versus a mid-priced forward. Right now, I’m on a 3-5-2, but the more I look at defensive value (especially among £4.5–£5.5m defenders with high CBRIT potential), the more tempted I am to switch.
BENCH BOOST IN GAMEWEEK 1?
With double the chips this season, the temptation to use a Bench Boost in Gameweek 1 was and is still very real. There’s a certain logic to it: everyone’s fit, fixtures are fresh, and we’ve had time to tinker.
However, we have been gifted a few incredible budget-friendly players in Marc Guiu (£4.5m) – a potential starting striker at a bargain-bin price – and Martin Dubravka, who could/should be a starting £4.0m goalkeeper. They are too good to ignore in any draft we make, and the fact that we are not sure of their fitness to start the season adds ambiguity. It is a valid reason to shelve the Bench Boost for now, unless one is prepared to ignore such minimum price gifts and build a strong 15-man squad with an eye to Wildcarding early and fitting them in sooner than later.
GAMEWEEK 1 TEAM REVEAL
Now, onto the individual picks.
