Next up in this long Fantasy Premier League (FPL) break is a look at those players who should be doing much better, according to expected goals (xG) statistics.

While names like Antoine Semenyo (£8.2m), Harry Wilson (£6.1m) and Bruno Guimaraes (£6.8m) are outdoing their expectations in this area, boasting a positive xG Delta score, others are underachieving.

Using information from the Members Area, we’re able to investigate this.

2025/26 EXPECTED GOALS (XG)

In front of goal, no team has underperformed anywhere near the level of Crystal Palace (-12.75), partially explained by Jean-Philippe Mateta‘s (£7.5m) appearance on top of this list. Even more damning is that the out-of-favour Frenchman has only played 30 minutes of their latest seven matches.

Mateta has missed 17 of his 24 big chances, and none were penalties.

Of those who’ve racked up 10 or more of these huge opportunities, only Harvey Barnes (£6.1m, 81.8%), Tolu Arokodare (£5.3m, 80.0%), and Mohamed Salah (£14.0m, 76.9%) are guilty of missing a higher proportion. David Brooks (£5.0m) spurned eight of nine.

In fairness to Mateta, our ‘xG On Target’ table says the 28-year-old has been very unlucky. He’s not been putting shots high and wide like Salah, Cody Gakpo (£7.3m), and Bruno Fernandes (£10.3m) regularly do. His shots on target should’ve brought in 7.48 goals instead of five.

Meanwhile, a name of current interest is Anthony Gordon (£7.4m). The Newcastle United attacker was third on this list until netting in three consecutive matches. But bear in mind that he’s just recently ended a year-long run of not scoring in open play.

On the other hand, Gordon is in good form, has ok fixtures, takes penalties and seems to be playing as a centre-forward. Should the Magpies receive a Double Gameweek 33, his popularity will continue to rise.

GAMEWEEKS 24 TO 31

Over the last eight Gameweeks, it’s Marcus Tavernier (£5.4m) who keeps dodging points.

A bunch of FPL managers bought the midfielder because of his underlying stats and an assumed taking of Bournemouth penalties. But he’s top of this table despite only starting the latest four encounters.

It was enough time for Tavernier to hit the woodwork three times and, rubbing salt into the wounds, he didn’t take the Cherries’ Gameweek 31 spot kick either.

Elsewhere, three players have been an individual Gameweek’s biggest underachiever on two occasions: Evanilson (£6.8m), Thierno Barry (£5.7m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.6m). Both of the latter’s occurred recently, in Gameweeks 28 and 30.

Of course, we know all about Calvert-Lewin’s reputation as a misser of big chances. Combine this Leeds United campaign with his final four at Everton, the England international should have scored 16.66 extra goals on top of his actual 27.

There must be something about the Toffees’ strikers, as Beto (£5.0m) ranked first, second and fourth for underachievement between Gameweeks 4 and 9.

Perhaps some frustrated owners will be surprised not to see Morgan Rogers (£7.5m) here, considering he’s followed a November and December burst with just one goal in 14, despite a league-leading number of shots (41) across this period.

Accumulating a low 2.94 xG (averaging 0.07), only two of these 41 have been Opta-defined big chances.

BIGGEST MATCH FAILURES

Finally, we’ve seen several players end a Gameweek more than one goal below their xG.