There has been plenty of discussion about the ideal midfield line-up in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) lately.
With many FPL managers on a Wildcard or pondering potential changes through transfers, we decided to ask our panel for their top five midfielders for the upcoming period.
OPINION: BEST FIVE MIDFIELDERS
Milanista, six-time top 10k finisher
At this point, my top five midfielders to own are Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Enzo Fernandez.
Under Michael Carrick, a double-up on the Manchester United midfield looks very appealing. Bruno is pulling the strings and creating magic from the No 10 role, while Mbeumo is leading the attack and benefiting from United’s strong upcoming fixtures, which are simply too good to ignore.
Despite Arsenal’s loss to United last week potentially impacting confidence, I expect them to bounce back against Leeds United, Sunderland and Brentford, making both Saka and Rice solid holds. A possible Double Gameweek for the Gunners could also be on the horizon, so maximising Arsenal assets feels key.
The final spot, in my view, has to go to a Chelsea midfielder. While I currently have Cole Palmer, the uncertainty around his fitness makes Enzo the more logical option, especially after confirmation last week that he is the first choice on penalties whenever Palmer isn’t on the pitch.
Camzy, five top 10k finishes + best rank of 84th
The way I see it, five playing midfielders is the default at the moment for teams looking to Wildcard in Gameweek 24. There are lots of attractive assets showing form, with good fixtures and with lots of routes to points. Every Wildcard draft I’ve worked on so far has had five strong midfielders, and I recommend other Wildcarders go the same route.
Getting straight into it, I think Bruno Fernandes is essential for Gameweek 24 moving forward. He’s nailed for minutes, he has amazing fixtures, Manchester United have no midweek games and the team looks rejuvenated since Michael Carrick’s arrival. He has defensive contributions (DefCon), penalties and a more attacking role, so there is very little downside.
The other player I feel should be in every single Wildcard is Enzo Fernandez. Chelsea embark on an amazing fixture run from Gameweek 24 that reads WHU/wol/LEE/BUR. Enzo has penalties when Cole Palmer isn’t starting and also plays in the No 10 role from time to time. He’s nailed for minutes, gets occasional DefCons and has a decent number of routes to points. I think he’s a must-own for this period.
A second United attacker looks like a sound investment from Gameweek 24 as well. Manchester United have the third-highest xG in the league behind only Manchester City and Arsenal. Bryan Mbeumo has had the most big chances of any midfielder this season and has been playing as the number nine in recent games. He looks like a great choice for a double-up since Fernandes is likely to be a non-factor as his ownership rockets to near 100%. It is worth noting, though, that he hasn’t played 90 minutes in either of the last two games. It’s possible that Matheus Cunha or Amad Diallo are superior for minutes going forward, but if I were to pick another United midfielder, I’d go for Mbeumo for his goal threat.
The last two spots in a Wildcard midfield are hotly contested between three players for me. Declan Rice, Antoine Semenyo and Morgan Rogers.
Rice is the simplest to back. He’s Arsenal’s set-piece taker, he has great fixtures and is nailed for minutes. He also gets occasional DefCons from time to time. Arsenal’s fixtures are good for the short-medium term, plus he has a potential Double Gameweek in 26, depending on Arsenal’s progression to the League Cup final. The only reason I’m hesitant about Rice is Arsenal’s poor attacking form and his comparative lack of open play threat compared to the other two options.
Semenyo is the highest-scoring midfielder in FPL so far after a stellar campaign for Bournemouth. He’s joined Manchester City now and has scored three goals in his first four games. The ceiling is definitely there, and he has the added benefit of being able to play on both the right and left wing. City’s fixtures, however, are not as kind as other rivals, and then there’s the minutes uncertainty considering he’s joining a Pep Guardiola team. I personally think he will start the majority of Premier League matches, but we still don’t know yet how he will settle at City or whether he will have the same freedom to attack as he did at Bournemouth.
Rogers is the last midfielder that I’m strongly considering. On paper, Rogers is a perfect FPL asset. He plays in an attacking position (No 10), gets 90 minutes every game and plays for a good team with good fixtures. Rogers is also putting up good but not fantastic underlying numbers. He has zero big chances in the last six games, nine shots in the box, while creating four big chances. Rogers passes the eye test for me when I watch Villa play. He’s involved in a lot of the build-up and does have good finishing ability, which he’s shown already this season with back-to-back braces in Gameweeks 16 and 17.
To sum up, my top picks are Bruno Fernandes, Enzo Fernandez, Bryan Mbeumo, Antoine Semenyo and Morgan Rogers – in that order of preference, with Declan Rice narrowly behind. If you’re looking for something with a bit more spice, I’d look at punting on Cole Palmer or Estevao as a second Chelsea midfielder. The fixtures are there for a brave manager to take a punt.
Marc, staff writer who is currently sitting at 17k in the world
If the whole world is buying Bruno Fernandes, I’d like a second part of the league’s best team for attempts (372) and efforts on target (123). That’s right, Bryan Mbeumo. Even without penalties, this shot machine is bringing value for money.
At this stage, I think covering Chelsea’s fixtures with Enzo Fernandez rather than Cole Palmer is hard to argue against. He’s without injury concerns and is scoring goals, all for a much lower price.
Yet I’m going to be immediately hypocritical by preferring Bukayo Saka to Declan Rice. More expensive, on fewer points and sometimes benched, but I still like owning him. Should Arsenal get a Double Gameweek 26, he feels more captainable, if that’s a word.
In terms of price points, I think a well-balanced 3-5-2 needs a midfielder costing £6.0m or below. Marcus Tavernier is out, so I’d reluctantly say Harry Wilson, even though this run surely can’t be sustainable! There’s always the temptation to have Rice and Morgan Rogers over Saka and Wilson. I myself am a Rogers owner, but don’t feel overly excited by him.
Lateriser, The Wire co-host and two-time Indian FPL champion
The midfield I would go with at the moment would be Bruno Fernandes, Antoine Semenyo, Enzo Fernandez, Morgan Rogers and Declan Rice.
Fernandes is almost a no-brainer playing as the No 10 in an in-form Manchester United side, particularly with so many routes to points. Even against deep blocks, he will get a high volume of shots and chances created.
Semenyo is one of the most potent picks in the game, although I don’t think many FPL managers will prioritise him, as they will go for the United midfielders or Arsenal/Chelsea assets, as they have a potential Double Gameweek on the way. Semenyo’s ceiling is very high, he’s looking fresh and Manchester City are smelling blood with Arsenal’s form a little wobbly.
Rice and Enzo are there as good value picks with a potential double in the future, while Rogers is just the talisman for Aston Villa, who is a minute’s monster, has good fixtures and is in a good moment, too. What I like about him is that his underlying data is trending in the right direction.
I am slightly tempted to start with Matheus Cunha instead of Rice as I think he’ll be effective against deep blocks. I’d then move him to Rice, Bukayo Saka or Cole Palmer if there’s a future double.
Tom, deputy editor and five-time top 1k finisher
Let’s get the obvious ones out of the way first.
Bruno Fernandes is a no-brainer due to his vast routes to points, including penalties, corners, free-kicks and DefCons, as well as open play threat as a No 10 in Michael Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 formation.
Enzo Fernandez, meanwhile, is about to embark on a fine run of fixtures against West Ham, Leeds, Burnley and Wolves, with three of those four matches on home turf. Liam Rosenior has said that Cole Palmer will continue to be managed carefully, which should mean he’ll be the penalty-taking No 10 for some of it, too.
Declan Rice should also do well, particularly with three of Arsenal’s next four matches away from home, where he’s averaging 7.1 points per start. We could see Wolves away added to that run in Gameweek 26, as well. I’d pick Rice for now, pair him up with Gabriel Magalhaes, then decide on the third Arsenal asset ahead of Sunderland in Gameweek 25.
After Bruno, Enzo and Rice, I’d include Morgan Rogers and Antoine Semenyo. Rogers starts every game and with a World Cup place up for grabs, I think he’ll continue to perform at a very high level. As for Semenyo, his tactical flexibility – being adept on both wings, as a split striker or in a central role – suggests he’ll receive ample playing time, crucially in a system which really suits him.
However, if you are looking for someone a bit cheaper, I do wonder if Ismaila Sarr can force his way into the conversation. Crystal Palace have struggled recently, but I think the anticipated arrival of Jorgen Strand Larsen could have a positive impact on his game, given the Norwegians ability to hold up the ball and bring runners into play.
