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21 February 2026 756 comments
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With no lunchtime kick-off, Gameweek 27 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) begins with three matches at 3pm GMT:

James Palmer

TEAM NEWS

Most of the major players from an FPL perspective start at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, with Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Reece James, Enzo Fernandez and Trevoh Chalobah included in Liam Rosenior’s starting XI.

We knew Chelsea would be without Marc Cucurella this weekend but we didn’t know that Estevao would also be absent. Those two players make way from Rosenior’s last Premier League line-up, along with the benched Josh Acheampong.

Pedro Neto, Reece James and Wesley Fofana come into the side.

Burnley are unsurprisingly unchanged from their 3-2 win at Crystal Palace.

There’s a shock absentee at Brentford, as well, with Michael Kayode missing out altogether. The Bees report that he picked up a knock in training.

Aaron Hickey and Jordan Henderson come into the side as Yehor Yarmoliuk drops to the bench.

That’s where you’ll find Kevin Schade, too. He’s back from a three-match ban but has to settle for a place among the substitutes as Keane Lewis-Potter keeps his place.

As for Brighton and Hove Albion, James Milner makes a record-breaking 654th Premier League appearance.

Milner and Carlos Baleba are the two changes from the Albion team that started the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa.

Carlos Baleba and Joel Veltman are demoted to bench duty. Yankuba Minteh is, yet again, also a substitute.

Finally, at Villa Park, there are two alterations for the hosts compared to Gameweek 26.

It’s all change on the right flank as Leon Bailey and the fit-again Matty Cash oust Jadon Sancho and Lamare Bogarde.

Ollie Watkins sees off the threat of Tammy Abraham for now.

There are three changes from Leeds United’s last Premier League XI.

All the incomings are returning from injury or illness: Pascal Struijk, Anton Stach and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol and Lukas Nmecha are the fall guys.

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Luiz, Onana, Rogers, Buendia, Bailey, Watkins.

Subs: Wright, Lindelof, Digne, Torres, Garcia, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Abraham.

Leeds United XI: Darlow, Bogle, Justin, Struijk, Rodon, Gudmundsson, Ampadu, Gruev, Stach, Aaronson, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Perri, Bornauw, Bijol, Tanaka, Longstaff, Nmecha, Gnonto, James, Piroe.


Brentford XI: Kelleher, Hickey, Ajer, Van den Berg, Henry, Henderson, Yanelt, Ouattara, Jensen, Lewis-Potter, Thiago.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Pinnock, Schade, Nelson, Yarmoliuk, Collins, Damsgaard, Donovan, Furo.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Gross, Milner, Hinshelwood, Gomez, Welbeck, Mitoma.

Subs: Steele, Rutter, Minteh, Baleba, Kostoulas, Boscagli, De Cuyper, Veltman, Howell.


Chelsea XI: Sanchez, James, Fofana, Chalobah, Gusto, Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Palmer, Fernandez, Neto, Joao Pedro.

Subs: Slonina, Acheampong, Tosin, Sarr, Hato, Lavia, Garnacho, Delap, Guiu.

Burnley XI: Dubravka, Laurent, Esteve, Worrall, Walker, Ugochukwu, Hannibal, Humphreys, Edwards, Anthony, Flemming.

Subs: Weiss, Pires, Ekdal, Hartman, Florentino, Ward-Prowse, Tchaouna, Bruun Larsen, Barnes.

price change predictions
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  1. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    I’ve had Verbruggen for so many weeks conceding last minute. I finally bring in a playing second keeper and bench him for his 8 pointer while the rest of my team blanks. Ffs, can’t catch a break

    1. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      I wasn’t expecting anything from him this week at all… which funnily seems to be the time he brings home the points

  2. JBG
    • 7 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    So deserved by Burnley btw, Chelsea where proper shite.

    Same goes for Brentford and Villa tbh. All 3 shite today. Props to the underdogs.

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      English football

  3. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    From 11 points from 3

    Back to 6 and the tu tu

    Van Hecke 8 points on the bench

    Can't get it right

  4. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Can I undo Verb to Raya I did last week?

    1. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      You can now, but for next week 😉

  5. DRIZ ✅
    • 14 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Will Haaland get more points then JP (7) ?

    1. Jigger & Pony
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Hope not

    2. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Hope so. But I’d still be happy with 7pts if I’d captained JP (he was my vc)

  6. Jigger & Pony
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Time to sell Rogers?

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      And palmer, Enzo, Chalobah, Wilson

  7. Ignasi M
    • 8 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    If Summerville hauls today, I'm brining him in for rogers

    1. All Hail K
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Summerville faces Liverpool, Rogers against Wolves. I'd hang in for one more week.

  8. F4L
    • 11 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    senesi can you just score a goal please

  9. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Brighton must be the hardest team in the league to predict. Can never get a read on them.

    1. All Hail K
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Van Hecke has trolled me so much this season. Second on my Bench this week.

      1. fedolefan
        • 11 Years
        8 days, 7 hours ago

        Yeah he’s another pain. Not complained about him as he’s second on the bench but goes missing in the easy games, no defcons and bench him and he’s maxing out.

  10. Gandalf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Feel like I got away with murder with no Chelsea players.

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      JPedro was the only one to have

      1. Cheeky Reijnders
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        8 days, 7 hours ago

        Without Fofana red Chelsea get a clean sheet, Chalobah 8pts.

    2. All Hail K
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Was a good call. Had three players and the armband on Palmer this week that's how much I was in. Silly me, thought they were playing Burnley.

  11. Amartey Partey
    • 6 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    FPL towers obviously didn’t captain JP. Points stolen.

    1. panda07
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      He dropped 3 BPS because when Burnley equalised, the goal JP scored was no longer the winner.

      1. Amartey Partey
        • 6 Years
        8 days, 7 hours ago

        Ahhh. Thank you for explaining.

        1. All Hail K
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          8 days, 7 hours ago

          It's an odd one as Flemming gets bps for the equalizer but Pedro's was kind of an equalizer as well. He gets punished for scoring first?

  12. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Thrilled that I did not have the FT to swap out Verbruggen!

    1. All Hail K
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Sometimes it's the things we don't do that bring the joy.

      1. bso
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        8 days, 7 hours ago

        You're right mate! Hope your week is going well!

  13. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    So glad to have sold Watkins this gw

    Loses his place to Abraham now

    Shame that Thiago who I got did nothing

    1. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Abraham isn't anywhere near taking Watkins place. Remember how Duran scored off the bench every game but never started ?

      1. pundit of punts
        • 13 Years
        8 days, 7 hours ago

        That was because Watkins was also in good form then and scoring

        Not the case now

  14. Jigger & Pony
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Glad I didn’t waste FTs getting in Thiago and/or Dango.

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Wish I didn’t waste a WC on Palmer and Thiago

      1. pundit of punts
        • 13 Years
        8 days, 7 hours ago

        What is your team now

    2. Cojones of Destiny
      • 7 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      same with 4fts now into next gw ))

  15. OverTinker
    • 7 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    How many bonus for penalty merchant Thiago?

    1. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Ummm, you probably don’t want to know

  16. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    James went off in 89th minute, keeps CS. A small consolation for captaining Palmer.

  17. The-Red-1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Best midfielder up to 5.8?
    Considering

    Dango
    Rayan
    Adli
    Tavernier

    Any others?

    1. pundit of punts
      • 13 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Dango

      1. thegaffer82
        • 14 Years
        8 days, 7 hours ago

        I’m also in the Dango camp. Very exciting player

    2. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Dewsbury Hall

  18. MJF
    • 7 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Chelsea are really funny. A bunch of talented individuals who've been comical all year, especially at the back.

    1. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      They very visibly do not defend well at all. Doesn’t matter about fixtures

      1. Nightcrawler
        • 6 Years
        8 days, 7 hours ago

        arsenal will make them look good next week, just dilly dallying around their box like the pool game no doubt

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Never understood when Sanchez was the preferred goalkeeper pick

      But tbf I have riden it out with Chalabah

  19. panda07
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Enzo to Wirtz? Have exact cash and Enzo is close to a drop.

    I have 1 FT after anyway in case things go wrong.

    1. _Ninja_
      • 15 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Yeah do it

    2. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      I’m doing this, but may just wait until closer to deadline as have plenty of cash ITB

  20. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Time to ditch Palmer and Pedro

    Need a captain

    Salah or Palmer to get in?

    A. Palmer + Pedro ➡ Haaland + KDH

    OR

    B. Palmer + Pedro ➡ Salah + DCL

    1. pundit of punts
      • 13 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      *Salah or Haaland

    2. panda07
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      If chasing, go Salah

    3. Jigger & Pony
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Haaland

    4. nanxun
      • 4 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      Haaland. They're hunting ARS down.

  21. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Rogers and Thiago useless yet again.

    Rough stuff.

    1. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      You expect a Brentford striker to score every game?

    2. Nightcrawler
      • 6 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      yeah thiago hasnt been good lately. 1 goal in 6 games. was planning on getting him for the the fixtures but not sure now

      1. Nightcrawler
        • 6 Years
        8 days, 7 hours ago

        even that goal game was a 5 pointer. thats 15 points from 6 games

  22. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Oh

    It was a Neto assist

    Not an Enzo one

    Brilliant ...

  23. Jigger & Pony
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    3FTs. 0.9m itb. 5.4k OR so no need to take undue risks with team. What would you do next?

    Sanchez Sa
    Gabriel Timber Munoz Cash Maguire
    Semenyo BrunoF Mbeumo Rogers Rice
    Haaland JPedro Mane

    A. Mane, Rice, Timber > Ekitike, Dango, Hill
    B. Rogers > Wirtz
    C. Munoz > VVD
    D. Something else

  24. _Ninja_
    • 15 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    Have exact funds for Enzo/Chaolbah -> Mbeumo/Hill. worth it?

    Kelleher
    Gabriel Chalobah Guehi
    Rice Semenyo Bruno Enzo Rogers
    Haaland Pedro

    Dubravka DCL Alderete Timber

  25. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    May go for Semenyo this week. Have 9 players for GW 31 and will have time to bring in one or two more.

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      8 days, 7 hours ago

      I would. That's 3 weeks away. Too many times people forego short term points just to say they have XI in a blank gameweek.

      I play most gameweeks with only 3 or 4 players anyway.

  26. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    8 days, 7 hours ago

    2ft

    Rice, Enzo to Wirtz Dango?

  27. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    8 days, 6 hours ago

    Benny Hull show to blank line the rest of my golden bunch today

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 days, 6 hours ago

      *Hill

  28. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 13 Years
    8 days, 6 hours ago

    How's the Dango audition? Still looking attractive?