Scout Picks

FPL Gameweek 1 Scout Picks: Arsenal + Man Utd triple-ups

20 August 2026 519 comments
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The first Fantasy Premier League (FPL) deadline of 2026/27 is nearing – so it’s time to nail down our Scout Picks for Gameweek 1.

While we still have some press conferences to come (and some unexpected news could alter these selections), the managers of eight of our XI have already faced the media on Thursday.

This is a Free Hit in all but name, with the focus solely on the upcoming Gameweek. Selections made in the Scout Squad are a big factor when it comes to deciding who made the final cut.

As ever, we are limited by certain restrictions:

  • An £83.0m budget for our starting XI
  • An overall squad limit of £100.0m
  • No more than three players per team

GAMEWEEK 1 SCOUT PICKS

GOALKEEPER

Best £4.0m + £4.5m goalkeepers for FPL 2026/27

Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m) is our chosen goalkeeper after he was selected by two of our Scout Squad pundits.

Brighton and Hove Albion meet an Aston Villa side deprived of some key players (especially attackers), thanks to injury and plenty of exits in a summer of upheaval for the club.

Albion played in Europe on Thursday night, which is far from ideal.

However, they were the third-best team in 2025/26 for goals conceded (46), and the fifth-best for expected goals conceded (xGC, 49.13).

It’s also worth mentioning that Brighton kept clean sheets in their two most recent pre-season friendlies against Roma and Bologna, as well as Thursday’s draw with Tromso.

DEFENDERS

FPL Gameweek 10 Scout Picks: Calafiori part of Arsenal triple-up

 

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The rest of this article below is completely free to read but requires a Fantasy Football Scout user account for access – you can get yours at no cost here

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  1. FPLMACKEM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    1 hour, 4 mins ago

    Thoughts on this please?

    Plan is to BB1, FH3 and WC 4-6

    Raya, Scherpen
    Gabriel, Calafiori, Shaw, De Cuyper, Williams
    B Fernandez (c), Mbuemo, Palmer, Szobozlai, Ndiaye
    DCL, Pedro, Richarlison

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    1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 2 mins ago

      Your defence would look better if you dropped Gabriel and spread the money

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    2. Woking Wanderers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      39 mins ago

      Your attack would look better if you dropped Palmer and spread the money.

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    3. Tony Moon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      7 mins ago

      Your forwards would look better if you dropped Richarlison and spread the money.

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  2. marpy016
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 3 mins ago

    Having second thoughts on Gross for BB this week given he got 90, how to pivot:

    A) Gross to Sangare

    B) Muharemovic to Rodon
    Gross to N'Diaye/Schade

    C) Hold and pray

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    1. Beto Hall Tzol
      • 9 Years
      58 mins ago

      Same. Considering Sangare. Or down to cheapo 4.5mid for bench (and back to Mosquera until usurped by Konsa)

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    2. Pompel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      48 mins ago

      Grimes (Coentry) could be an option ? See post below

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    3. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 9 Years
      22 mins ago

      A

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  3. Hits Central
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 1 min ago

    Any suggestions gratefully received. No BB until much later for me.

    Kinsky
    Maguire - Calafiori - Aina
    Tozlois - E. Le fee - Bruno F - Wirtz
    Joao Pedro - Tiago - Haaland ©

    Dubravka - Hume - Sangare - Davis

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    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 12 Years
      7 mins ago

      I like it!

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      1. Beto Hall Tzol
        • 9 Years
        1 min ago

        Same. Maybe Wirtz -> Rogers… risk in new team, but been better PL asset than Wirtz.

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    2. Happyhiccup
      • 5 Years
      just now

      Like it. 2 decent benchers

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  4. RashFraud
    • 9 Years
    1 hour ago

    RMT/10

    First draft. Thinking BB1 without Haaland, WC/FT Haaland in for GW3 (may need a hit).

    Kinsky Verbruggen
    Maguire O’Reilly Calafiori White O’Shea
    Szoboszlai Mbeumo Bruno Semenyo Tzolis
    Isak Pedro DCL

    Maguire + O’Shea could also be Shaw + Kadioglu

    /bottomed

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  5. Brethren
    • 2 Years
    1 hour ago

    Great to see Verbruggen get the nod between the sticks.

    Hopefully my players do extremely well this week.

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  6. Khalico
    • 11 Years
    1 hour ago

    Thoughts on this team? Looking to BB GW1 or 2

    Verbruggen, Kinsky
    Virgil, Gabriel, Muharemovic, Ballard, Thomas
    Mbeumo, Semenyo, BrunoF, Ode, Le Fee
    DCL, Thiago, JP

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  7. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 13 Years
    59 mins ago

    0.5 to spend after doing Rogers > Szsoboszlai

    Any upgrade worth doing here?

    Lammens Roefs

    Gabriel Calafiori White Maguire Ballard

    Semenyo Mbeumo Wirtz Szsoboszlai MGW

    Pedro Thiago Brobbey

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    1. Beto Hall Tzol
      • 9 Years
      22 mins ago

      Looks good. Maybe Szob -> Rogers ;))

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      1. Count of Monte Hristo
        • 13 Years
        8 mins ago

        I just removed Rogers based on comments here and Alonso quotes 😆

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        1. Beto Hall Tzol
          • 9 Years
          just now

          Hahaha yes. I would pick Rogers over Szob tho. Good fitness and injury record, would expect him to be quick to recover post WC and be a key player. Imagine Alonso looking for fans to give him time to settle given the price tag pressure.

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    2. Woking Wanderers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      just now

      Having Gab before Fruno or H is clearly reckless 🙂 GL though!

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  8. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
    • 9 Years
    59 mins ago

    BB1, any glaring issues?

    Lammens - Verbruggen
    Calafiori - Maguire - Ballard - Ajer - Davis
    Mbeumo - Rogers* - Szoboszlai - Odegaard - Tzolis
    Haaland - Thiago - Pedro

    *Slight risk of not starting, leaning towards taking the risk, I think ?

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    1. Pompel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      45 mins ago

      Wouldn't double up on Ødegaard and Tzolis, would rather aim for double defense, with Konsa when he's ready

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      1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
        • 9 Years
        2 mins ago

        Thanks! I feel they are both bargains to start with.

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    2. Woking Wanderers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      28 mins ago

      Prefer Fruno to Szob and Isak to H, in my BB1 squad.

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  9. royals forever
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 17 Years
    57 mins ago

    Are there any changes that you would make to this team

    Rushworth Verbruggen
    Calafiori Gvardiol Shaw Mykolenko Mitchell
    Mbeumo Semenyo Szoboszial Le Fee Sangare
    Pedro Haaland Thiago

    Any ideas would be appreciated

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  10. Brosstan
    • 12 Years
    57 mins ago

    Ive ended up with Allison in goal lol. Anyone else?

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    1. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 13 Years
      33 mins ago

      😆

      Roefs > Allison/Donnarumma/Pickford now all on the table with 0.5 to spare

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      1. Woking Wanderers
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        4 mins ago

        Roefs & Pickford in my BB1

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  11. Feed tha Sheep
    • 14 Years
    56 mins ago

    First to 3- best option please and thank you?

    A. Wirtz, O’Reilly, Rodon, Ajer/ Hume
    B. Mbeumo, Muharemovic, Maguire, Ballard

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    1. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 13 Years
      33 mins ago

      B

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    2. Udogie-style
      • 2 Years
      32 mins ago

      B

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    3. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      17 mins ago

      Mbuemo trumps Wirtz
      NOR trumps Muharemovic
      Maguire trumps Rodon
      Hume v Ballard is a coin toss

      I slightly prefer Hume while OOP. So 2 apiece

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    4. Woking Wanderers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 mins ago

      B

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  12. damiang2233
    • 16 Years
    52 mins ago

    Thoughts?

    Kelleher, Verburgen
    Maguire, Guehi, Calafiori, Van Hecke, Kadioglu
    Mbeumo, Rogers, Rayan, Aaronson, Semenyo
    Georginio, Haaland, Pedro

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    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      just now

      Different. Don’t think Kelleher at 5m is good value. Nor Guehi at 6m. I’d downgrade and uograde Rutter. Aaronson doesn’t appeal to me either. I like the rest

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  13. Udogie-style
    • 2 Years
    52 mins ago

    After over 100 drafts, I'm now on this. It would be BB2

    GK: Roefs (Kinsky)
    DEF: Calafiori, Maguire, Ballard (van Ewijk, Thomas)
    MID: Schade, Tzolis, B. Fernandes, Mbeumo (Sangaré)
    FWD: Calvert-Lewin, João Pedro, Haaland

    Thoughts?

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    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      just now

      Looks good

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  14. Fernandito
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    51 mins ago

    DCL or Brobbey?

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    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 min ago

      Short term it’s even but longer term DCL

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  15. OffsidePenalty
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    50 mins ago

    Wirtz or Szoboszlai?

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    1. Feed tha Sheep
      • 14 Years
      2 mins ago

      I prefer Wirtz

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  16. Pompel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    49 mins ago

    Is Grimes (Coventry) the answer for a BB2 team 😕

    Kinsky Rushworth
    Calafiori van Hecke Shaw Hume Thomas
    Bruno Mbeumo Szobo Tozil Grimes
    Haaland DC JP

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    1. Not again Shirley
      • 9 Years
      45 mins ago

      Probably not. Much better options imo.

      Jack Clarke at Ipswich? On pens.

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      1. Pompel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        38 mins ago

        Thankee, will have a look

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  17. Not again Shirley
    • 9 Years
    47 mins ago

    A. Guimaraes, Schade and Le Fee

    or

    B. Mbeumo, Ndiye and Tzolis

    Thanks in advance.

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    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 mins ago

      Guitars is injured.

      B

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      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        just now

        Strange autocorrect

        *Guimaraes

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  18. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    45 mins ago

    Having not wavered from my BB2, FH3, WC4 strategy until this evening, I’ve somehow ended up tinkering with a BB1, FH3 and save WC draft.

    Thoughts and guidance appreciated. Which do you prefer?

    BB1, FH3

    Lammens
    Calafiori, White*, Hume
    Bruno, Mbuemo, Rogers, Tzolis
    Isak, Thiago, Pedro

    Verbruggen*, KDH*, Vuskovic*, Jacquet*

    BB2, FH3, WC4

    Lammens
    Gabriel*, Calafiori, Hume
    Bruno, Mbuemo, Rogers, Tzolis
    Isak, Thiago, Pedro

    Rushworth*, Kluivert*, Thomas,* Van Ew*

    Thank you

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    1. The 12th Man
      • 13 Years
      31 mins ago

      I like A but think Jaquet and Vuskovic are risky for wk 1.

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      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        7 mins ago

        Thank you. Do you know why Vuskovic was subbed on 48mins this evening?

        Jacquet certainly risky alright.

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        1. Ball Ake
          • 2 Years
          1 min ago

          Hurzeler is still managing minutes pre FPL season, hence the slightly odd looking selections/subs. Gross was never coming off, the fella is seriously fit.

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    2. Woking Wanderers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 mins ago

      I'ma committed BB1.

      Have Maguire instead of Lammens for upside.

      Only Calafiori in ARS DEF for me as prefer Oder & Tzolis in attack from the start (Oder starts I think but minutes may reduce after some weeks/injuries).
      Ballard instead of Hume I think though OOP Hume may be more of a threat.

      My back 5: Ballard, Maguire, Cala, Gvardiol, Kadioglu

      Have ELF and Oder instead of your Rogers and KDH. As a CHE supporter still not sure how we will shape up so only JP in my squad. Oder v KDH is close but ARS the stronger team and Oder will start until injured, and pre-season good form.

      My MIDs: Oder, Fruno, ELF, Boomo, Tzolis

      I have the same front 3 as you.

      GL.

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  19. The real slim shady
    • 10 Years
    45 mins ago

    Kinsky
    Virgil-Slobhead-Calafiori
    Szobo-Semenyo-Mbuemo-Tzolis
    Isak-Haaland-Pedro

    Any chages needed?

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    1. Happyhiccup
      • 5 Years
      15 mins ago

      Like it

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  20. _Freddo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 17 Years
    43 mins ago

    Thoughts on my BB & help if you would be so kind.

    Had 4 Arsenal with Bruno being one but can’t risk it with this knock & haven’t seen him in any training photos, Odegaard looks sharp now so it’s an easy swap.

    Roefs / Kinsky

    White / Gvardiol / Maguire / Shaw / Hume

    Semenyo / Mbuemo / Odegaard / Tzolis / Ndiaye

    Haaland / Pedro / DCL.

    I have 1m left but can’t think of where to put it.

    What do you think of the BB & where would you put the 1m?

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    1. The 12th Man
      • 13 Years
      5 mins ago

      Nice squad.

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      1. _Freddo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 17 Years
        4 mins ago

        Would you do anything to it? Thought about Schade instead of Odegaard then doubling up at the back but Odegaard looks sharp at the moment, haven’t seen much of Schade in pre season.

        That 1m is burning a hole in my pocket

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        1. The 12th Man
          • 13 Years
          1 min ago

          Maybe.
          Hard to call, I like both Odegaard and Schade.
          Personal choice.

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          1. _Freddo
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 17 Years
            just now

            Would you go Schade over Ndiaye?

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  21. The 12th Man
    • 13 Years
    43 mins ago

    Which option?
    A) Haaland,Shade + 1m
    B) Bruno Fernandes + Isak

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    1. _Freddo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      17 mins ago

      A

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    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      15 mins ago

      It’s so tough that one. I think B

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      1. The 12th Man
        • 13 Years
        12 mins ago

        Yeh I’m 50/50 on this.

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        1. _Freddo
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 17 Years
          8 mins ago

          Haaland has looked poor before in the C Shield then blown up in the first game, not worth the risk for me, you can get 3 decent United assets without Bruno.

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          1. The 12th Man
            • 13 Years
            6 mins ago

            Yeh actually thought about Dorgu.

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            1. _Freddo
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 17 Years
              2 mins ago

              Think Dorgu will start?

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  22. JuulKrapuul
    • 8 Years
    27 mins ago

    Best combo for first 10 GW?

    A) Verbrugge + Muharemovic (BB1 w Ndiaye + Oshea)
    B) Leno + Vuskovic (BB2 w Schade + Thomas)

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  23. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    17 mins ago

    Haven’t changed a thing in the last 24 hours. Pretty locked now.

    Kinsky
    Calafiori - Shaw - Mykolenko
    Bruno - Mbeumo - Tzolis - Gross
    Haaland - Isak - Pedro

    Dubravka - Rodon - Slater - Thomas

    No chips planned. Only a few planned moves to capitalise on the juicy fixtures.

    GW 3 - Bruno + Shaw ➡ Semenyo + NOR
    GW 4 - Mbeumo ➡ Palmer

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    1. Happyhiccup
      • 5 Years
      13 mins ago

      Love this

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  24. Wirtz Nightmare
    • 1 Year
    13 mins ago

    Any love for Ampadu here?

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  25. _Freddo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 17 Years
    1 min ago

    A Ballard & Lammens
    B Shaw & Roefs

    Same money, which one you picking?

    I’m leaning towards one and I just want to see.

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    1. _Freddo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      just now

      Actually, not same money but I have money.

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