While it’s not the be-all and end-all, being a penalty taker can really boost a player’s appeal in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
Think back to Joao Pedro (£7.5m) last season, with five of his 10 strikes coming from 12 yards. He’s unlikely to take over from Cole Palmer (£10.5m) at Chelsea, however, following his move to the Blues.
Our Set-Piece Takers tab keeps track of who we think is on spot-kicks throughout the season.
But there are often some ‘unknowns’ every summer, with first-choice takers leaving clubs and new arrivals threatening to upset the established order.
Here we look at all 20 Premier League teams, picking out who is a nailed-on taker – and where it’s less clear cut.
THE ESTABLISHED FIRST-CHOICE TAKERS
- Bournemouth, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest
All of the names below were on penalty-taking duties at their respective clubs last season and remain at those teams going into 2025/26.
There’s a sliding scale of reliability but the hope is that these names will remain first choices.
BOURNEMOUTH
Evanilson (£7.0m) took – and spurned – Bournemouth’s first spot-kick of 2024/25. In the aftermath of that miss, Andoni Iraola said that the striker and Justin Kluivert (£7.0m) were his two trusted lieutenants.
“We are very clear. Evan[ilson] and Justin [Kluivert] are normally the ones. They have this responsibility, they talked between themselves and decided to go with Evan. It hasn’t been a bad penalty – for me, it’s a great save.” – Andoni Iraola, speaking in September
After that, however, it was solely about the Dutchman.
Kluivert was responsible for, and scored, the next six Premier League penalties – including a spot-kick hat-trick against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Gameweek 13!
One other line of note is that Antonie Semenyo (£7.0m) took a penalty in the FA Cup in February, but both Evanilson and Kluivert were not on the field.
CHELSEA
Chelsea have gobbled up two of last season’s first-choice penalty-takers, Brighton and Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro (£7.5m) and Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap (£6.5m)
Good luck to both of them if they hope to wrestle the ball away from Cole Palmer (£10.5m).
Palmer took all of Chelsea’s penalties in the league in 2024/25, with Christopher Nkunku (£6.0m) responsible for the spot-kicks in the cup competitions when Palmer wasn’t present.
The England international’s record from 12 yards is phenomenal. Out of 19 career penalties, Palmer has missed only one.
That miss came in Gameweek 28 of the season just gone but it was while Palmer was in the midst of what looked like a spiritual and existential funk, or at least a confidence-sapping goal drought.
He bounced back to score from the spot in Gameweek 35, indeed, and has looked revitalised since.
EVERTON
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was a long-time taker of penalties for the Toffees but has departed this summer.
Such was his miserable track record with injury that another player became de facto first choice in 2024/25: Iliman Ndiaye (£6.5m).
The Senegal international took and scored all three of the normal-time penalties that Everton got in league and cup. Two of which were in the presence of Beto (£5.5m), too, suggesting the latter – who scored from the spot in Ndiaye’s absence in pre-season – is back-up from 12 yards.
New arrival Thierno Barry (£6.0m) has some experience from the spot: he’s taken five in all, four converted.
But if it ain’t broke, why fix it? The usually risk-averse David Moyes surely doesn’t have much cause to shake up his penalty takers this term.
FULHAM
Raul Jimenez (£6.5m) took and scored five penalties for Fulham in all competitions last season, with Andreas Pereira (£5.5m) missing his only attempt.
Raul was actually chastised for taking one over Pereira in Gameweek 6.
By the New Year, however, things were very different.
Pereira missed his next effort from the spot in Gameweek 8 and hasn’t been seen from 12 yards since. Raul, indeed, scored two penalties with Pereira on the field in Gameweek 20 – and Marco Silva had changed his tune.
“He’s been doing that all his career. He’s our best penalty taker. He showed he is very good.” – Marco Silva on Raul Jimenez, speaking after Gameweek 20
Harry Wilson (£5.5m) has just scored one in pre-season but Jimenez was not on the field. Pereira was.
LIVERPOOL
One of the most straightforward entries on this page.
Mohamed Salah (£14.5m) has been in charge of Liverpool’s spot-kicks for some time, even more so since James Milner‘s (£5.0m) exit.
Salah took 12 penalties in all competitions in 2024/25, scoring all but one of them.
Cody Gakpo (£7.5m) deputised from 12 yards in the Champions League in January when Salah was absent.
New boy Hugo Ekitike has work to do to convince anyone he deserves a shot: he’s missed more penalties than scored in his career!
MANCHESTER CITY
Erling Haaland (£14.0m) is the regular taker at City, not that it stops the occasional pretender trying to muscle in on the action.
Riyad Mahrez tried it in 2022/23, before Omar Marmoush (£8.5m) surprisingly stepped up to take one – and missed – in the FA Cup final this May.
“They decide on the pitch, so I don’t know. I didn’t speak with them, I don’t know.
“For the free-kicks or penalties, especially, it’s how you are feeling, how you feel. They decide, they saw that Omar was ready to take it.” – Pep Guardiola on why Omar Marmoush took City’s penalty in the FA Cup final
Aside from that, though, it’s pretty much been all Haaland (other than in the cups when he wasn’t on the field). He did miss three times from eight attempts in all competitions in 2024/25, but was back on duty and netted in the Club World Cup last month.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Bruno Fernandes (£9.0m) has been United’s main taker for several years. He took – and scored – seven of the eight penalties that the Red Devils won in his presence last season.
The one exception came in Gameweek 38 when he generously allowed the soon-to-depart Christian Eriksen to take United’s 87th-minute spot-kick against Aston Villa.
“It was a nice gesture. Bruno is the number one and he decides. And luckily he gave it to me today. It was a good way to see it off.” – Christian Eriksen, speaking after Gameweek 38
United now, of course, have Matheus Cunha (£8.0m) joining the ranks. He’s not as experienced at spot-kicks as you might think: just nine in his career, two of them missed. Fernandes has taken well over 60. Even Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m), another recent recruit, is a relative rookie, taking just 12.
Fernandes has, in the past, benevolently allowed Marcus Rashford (£7.0m) and Cristiano Ronaldo to get involved from 12 yards. Given the incoming talent, you wonder if he’d do similar again.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Alexander Isak (£10.5m) was Newcastle’s first-choice taker in 2024/25, with Anthony Gordon (£7.5m) deputising in his absence.
Now that Callum Wilson – a long-time challenger from the spot – has gone, Isak should have even more of a stronghold.
Fabian Schar (£5.5m) meanwhile scored from the spot in the EFL Cup in October but both Gordon and Isak were not on the field.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Chris Wood (£7.5m) took all three of Forest’s penalties last season. He was successful with each of them.
Morgan Gibbs-White (£7.5m) previously scored one in 2023/24, when Wood was off the field.
FIRST-CHOICE TAKERS BUT…
- Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United
In this section, we look at players who were first choices in 2024/25 but who might not be regular starters, or move on, in the upcoming campaign.
LEEDS UNITED
Pascal Struijk (£4.5m) took four of Leeds’ five penalties in 2024/25.
On the one occasion when he was off the field, in February, Joel Piroe (£5.5m) stepped up and scored.
Pretty straightforward, then?
Not quite, with Struijk and Piroe not guaranteed starts as Leeds strengthen on their return to the big time.
New signing Lukas Nmecha (£5.0m) has plenty of penalty-taking experience but until Leeds finish their summer recruitment, it’s difficult to say for sure whether Struijk, Piroe, Nmecha or anyone else will be first in line.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
The Spurs’ penalty-taking pecking order looks pretty neat.
Dominic Solanke (£7.5m) took Spurs’ last three penalties of 2024/25 but Son Heung-min (£8.5m) was absent for all of them.
By contrast, Solanke was present for all three of the spot-kicks that Son had taken earlier in the campaign.
Mathys Tel (£6.5m) and Richarlison (£6.5m) deputised when neither of the above were on the field.
So, then, Son first in line, Solanke second and Tel/Richarlison falling in behind?
Son, however, is now 33. His powers have been on the wane for some time. How much of a part he plays in Thomas Frank’s plans remains to be seen but the capture of Tel and Mohammed Kudus (£6.5m) this summer could be followed by further attack-minded acquisitions.
Solanke could stand to benefit from his ageing teammate’s increasingly ancillary role (or departure), then.
WEST HAM UNITED
It’s fairly simple on paper at West Ham, too.
Lucas Paqueta (£6.0m) took two of West Ham’s three penalties last season. Jarrod Bowen (£8.0m) deputised when Paqueta wasn’t on the field.
Paqueta was also on target from the spot in Saturday’s pre-season friendly.
But how much Paqueta is going to be involved in 2025/26 is the next question. The Football Association charge still hangs over his head, with a ban an inevitability if he’s found guilty.
Bowen has a mixed record from the spot, scoring seven and missing three.
So too does James Ward-Prowse (£6.0m), with six missed from 26. He previously took two penalties for West Ham in 2023/24 before leaving for Nottingham Forest on loan. Back with the Hammers under Graham Potter, he could also come into the reckoning should Paqueta be suspended.
More impressive is Niclas Fullkrug‘s (£6.0m) 25 scored from 27 attempts. If the German stays fit and inherits spot-kicks, he’s kindly priced.
THE ANNOYING JOBSHARE
- Arsenal, Crystal Palace
Causing much gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair in 2024/25 were these two clubs.
It’s the kind of penalty-taking pecking order we FPL managers detest: the jobshare or the ‘we decide on the pitch’.
ARSENAL
Arsenal’s spot-kick situation has long been a source of frustration.
Ostensibly, Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) seems to be first choice – but for years now, he’s occasionally let others step up to take one.
Saka and Martin Odegaard (£8.0m) scored Arsenal’s only two Premier League penalties of 2024/25. Just to underscore the uncertainty, they came in the same game (v West Ham in Gameweek 13) and each player scored with the other on the pitch!
“Martin’s a top player, he’s been playing so good since he’s come back. He wanted to take the penalty to score today and I’m more than happy to give him the ball because he always gives me the ball. We have a good connection and, like I said, let’s just keep this form going.” – Bukayo Saka, speaking after the West Ham game
Saka took the Gunners’ last spot-kick of 2024/25, in the Champions League in April, but missed.
The winger was at least absent when all the other cup penalties were taken.
Odegaard, Leandro Trossard (£7.0m), Raheem Sterling and Jorginho took FA Cup or Champions League penalties in the season just gone, with all bar Jorginho missing. The Italian and Sterling have now left the club.
WERE SAKA AND ODEGAARD ON THE PITCH?
| Penalty taker | Result | Were Saka + Odegaard on the pitch? |
|---|---|---|
| Trossard (UCL, Oct 22) | Missed | No, neither |
| Saka (UCL, Nov 26) | Scored | Yes, both |
| Odegaard (PL, Nov 30) | Scored | Yes, both |
| Saka (PL, Nov 30) | Scored | Yes, both |
| Odegaard (FAC, Jan 12) | Missed | Odegaard yes, Saka no |
| Jorginho (UCL, Jan 29) | Scored | Odegaard yes, Saka no |
| Sterling (UCL, Jan 29) | Missed | Odegaard yes, Saka no |
| Saka (UCL, Apr 16) | Missed | Yes, both |
CRYSTAL PALACE
Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m) converted Palace’s first two league spot-kicks of 2024/25.
Eberechi Eze (£7.5m) then took the next two Premier League penalties, scoring one and missing one.
In between Eze’s two attempts, Mateta took and missed one in the FA Cup semi-final! That was the striker’s first-ever spot-kick failure.
Confused? You should be.
“Ebs and JP (Mateta) are the two penalty takers and they decide on the pitch. Ebs had the ball and takes many penalties after training. He scores many goals from these situations and we trust him completely.” – Oliver Glasner, speaking after Eze’s missed attempt in April
EZE V MATETA
| Penalty taker | Result | Was the other player on the pitch? |
|---|---|---|
| Mateta (PL, Sep 14) | Scored | Yes |
| Mateta (PL, Jan 18) | Scored | No |
| Eze (PL, Apr 16) | Missed | Yes |
| Mateta (FAC, Apr 26) | Missed | Yes |
| Eze (PL, May 5) | Scored | Yes |
ALREADY UP FOR GRABS
- Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Burnley, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers
In a section dedicated to the late, great Brian Moore, the clubs where it’s “up for grabs now”.
ASTON VILLA
Villa haven’t really filled the void left by Douglas Luiz in 2024.
Marco Asensio (infamously missing twice in one game), Marcus Rashford (£7.0m) and Jhon Duran all took penalties in 2024/25 but have since left the Villans.
Youri Tielemans (£6.0m) and Ollie Watkins (£9.0m) also had a bash, with mixed results. Tielemans took and missed Aston Villa’s first Premier League spot-kick of 2024/25 in Gameweek 12. Watkins then scored the next two but missed from the spot in the Champions League in January.
With no major incomings yet, Watkins could be first in line – but it probably hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Villa coaching staff that he has a woeful 50% career record from 12 yards.
The likes of Jacob Ramsey (£5.5m), John McGinn (£5.5m) and Morgan Rogers (£7.0m) have minimal experience from the spot.
BRENTFORD
We’ve already mentioned Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m) in this piece.
The Cameroon international took all of Brentford’s penalties in 2024/25 but has now departed for Manchester United.
The responsibility may pass to Yoane Wissa (£7.5m). He took one last pre-season when his good friend was absent. Competitively speaking, he’s taken 14 and scored a dozen of them in his career.
But Wissa, too, is being linked with a move away. Would the Bees let both star attackers go in the same window?
Given that Keane Lewis-Potter (£5.0m), Mikkel Damsgaard (£6.0m) and Kevin Schade (£7.0m) have never taken penalties before, perhaps Igor Thiago (£6.0m) – who was on spot-kick duty for Club Brugge before his summer 2024 move – could get a look-in.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
With Joao Pedro (£7.5m) gone, there’s a vacancy to be filled at Brighton.
Perhaps the main candidates have already put their arms up.
Danny Welbeck (£6.5m) took and scored one with Pedro absent in May, with Matt O’Riley (£5.5m) doing likewise on the final day with Welbeck and Pedro not present.
The dream would be a £4.5m penalty-taking defender. New arrival Maxim De Cuyper (£4.5m) took and scored two penalties for Club Brugge last season, having previously been on spot-kicks at Westerlo.
BURNLEY
Josh Brownhill and Jay Rodriguez took all of Burnley’s penalties in 2024/25 but have now left the club.
Two players who have rejoined the Clarets, Ashley Barnes (£4.5m) and Jacob Bruun Larsen (£5.5m), have taken spot-kicks for Burnley in their previous spells. Barnes particularly, however, will not be a regular starter in the Premier League next season.
Zian Flemming (£5.5m) does have experience from the spot, as does Marcus Edwards (£5.0m) and Loum Tchaouna (£5.0m). Another situation to monitor.
SUNDERLAND
Sunderland had a disaster from the spot in 2024/25.
The Black Cats missed four of their five spot-kicks, with Patrick Roberts (£5.5m) the only one to score.
Roberts, Wilson Isidor (£5.5m) (twice) and defender Luke O’Nien (£4.0m) all subsequently missed.
O’Nien was the last to take one and afterwards, manager Regis Le Bris suggested that he had a taker in mind – but didn’t say who it was.
“Who will take it? It is a secret now. But we will make a clear decision, and it will be very clear with the players.
“We had a session today with the leadership group, and it was a topic that was on the agenda. It will be clear. We have different options. Pat is the only one who has scored so far, so it could be Pat again. It could be Luke. It could be Wilson. It could be someone else. We will see.” – Regis Le Bris, speaking in April
Romaine Mundle (£5.0m) was miffed at not being given the chance to take O’Nien’s latest missed effort – but he’s now out of the picture after hamstring surgery.
Could one of the myriad new arrivals get a chance, then? Habib Diarra (£5.5m), for instance, took and scored both of Strasbourg’s Ligue I spot-kicks in 2024/25.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Wolves didn’t get a single spot-kick in 2024/25.
Matheus Cunha (£8.0m), Hwang Hee-chan (£6.0m) and Pablo Sarabia all scored penalties the previous season but Cunha and Sarabia have since left the club.
Hwang, meanwhile, will probably not get much game-time.
Could Jorgen Strand Larsen (£6.5m) benefit, then? He’s not got loads of experience from the spot: just three converted penalties for Norway under-21s. He’ll surely want them as a striker, however.
None of the other regulars have much experience from 12 yards, either. Fabio Silva (£5.0m) has a decent amount but will likely move on this summer.
