FPL Gameweek 1 tips: captain B.Fernandes over Haaland
By Arasi Rex · Updated 9 August 2026 · 7 min read
FPL Gameweek 1 tips start with one call: the captaincy, and it should not go to the most-owned player in the game. B.Fernandes returned 235 points last season, the most of any midfielder in the data and only four behind Haaland's 239, and he opens away at a promoted Hull City while Haaland hosts a Bournemouth side that finished 6th. When 74.8% of managers own the same forward, the armband is the one place you can make up ground.
FPL Gameweek 1 tips: the fixtures
| Fixture | Kick-off (BST) | Last season |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal v Coventry City | Fri 21 Aug, 20:00 | 1st v promoted |
| Hull City v Man Utd | Sat 22 Aug, 12:30 | promoted v 3rd |
| Nott'm Forest v Leeds | Sat 22 Aug, 15:00 | 16th v 14th |
| Ipswich Town v Sunderland | Sat 22 Aug, 15:00 | promoted v 7th |
| Everton v Crystal Palace | Sat 22 Aug, 15:00 | 13th v 15th |
| Brentford v Spurs | Sat 22 Aug, 17:30 | 9th v 17th |
| Man City v Bournemouth | Sun 23 Aug, 14:00 | 2nd v 6th |
| Brighton v Aston Villa | Sun 23 Aug, 14:00 | 8th v 4th |
| Newcastle v Liverpool | Sun 23 Aug, 16:30 | 12th v 5th |
| Fulham v Chelsea | Mon 24 Aug, 20:00 | 11th v 10th |
Two fixtures do most of the FPL work in Gameweek 1. Hull City v Man Utd sends the best midfielder in the data to face a promoted defence, and Arsenal v Coventry City pairs last season's champions, who finished on 85 points, with a side that was not in the division last season. The other eight matter less, and the fixture difficulty guide plus the full fixture list put the whole round in context. Every position in the current table reads zero because the 2026/27 season has not started, so last season's final positions are the only difficulty proxy that exists.
Captain picks
1. B.Fernandes (£12.0m, 48.7% owned). The case for: 235 points last season, the highest total of any midfielder in the data, and only four fewer than Haaland at £3.5m less. Man Utd finished 3rd last season and open against a Hull side that was not in the division. The case against: it is an away fixture, and 48.7% ownership is high enough that a quiet day punishes you like a template pick. Who it suits: managers who want rank upside instead of mirroring the field. The captaincy strategy guide walks through why ownership matters more in the armband decision than anywhere else.
2. Haaland (£15.5m, 74.8% owned). The case for: 239 points last season, the most of any player in the data, and a home game against a Bournemouth side that finished 6th. When three quarters of the game owns you, the safe play is to own the same result. The case against: captaining him only matches the field, and his price means a blank is felt twice. Who it suits: template holders and managers who want the scoring rules working on the safest possible base.
3. Saka (£9.5m, 10.6% owned). The case for: Arsenal are champions on 85 points, host a promoted side, and their best attacker is owned by barely one manager in ten. The case against: 157 points last season trails both premiums by a wide margin, and a single-goal week does not reward the armband. Who it suits: differential hunters who already own the two above and want a third angle into the friendliest fixture of the round.
Players to bring in
Gabriel (£8.0m, 209 points last season, 26.2% owned). The standout defender in the data. His 209 points last season were the most of any defender, and Arsenal host promoted Coventry City in Gameweek 1. Premium defenders usually wait for a fixture run; this one starts with the kindest game on the board.
Szoboszlai (£7.0m, 160 points, 47.0% owned). The value entry into Liverpool's attack. 160 points at £7.0m is elite per-pound output, and the fixture, away at a Newcastle side that finished 12th, is one of the better ones on the road this week. He gives you Liverpool exposure without paying the premium price.
Rice (£7.5m, 184 points, 22.4% owned). The highest-scoring Arsenal midfielder in the data, ahead of Saka's 157, at £2.0m less. 184 points last season also beat every 7.5m midfielder in the data, including Rogers (169), and the champions host a promoted side. If Gabriel is the defensive route into that fixture, Rice is the midfield one.
João Pedro (£7.5m, 177 points, 54.2% owned). The template forward who is popular for a reason. 177 points last season at £7.5m, and Chelsea's trip to Fulham, 11th last season to Chelsea's 10th, is a genuine toss-up rather than a trap. At under half of Haaland's price he is the budget striker play that lets you afford the midfield.
Raya (£6.0m, 162 points, 30.9% owned). The premium goalkeeper pick, and the data backs it. 162 points last season were the most of any keeper, 19 clear of the next best, and Arsenal's home game against a promoted side is exactly where a clean sheet lives. A £6.0m keeper is a statement; this one has the numbers to carry it.
Players to move on
Palmer (£9.5m, 114 points). The unpopular one, and it needs saying. 114 points last season is the worst return of any £9.5m player in the data, and Chelsea's Monday trip to Fulham is not a fixture that rescues the price. Rice and Szoboszlai both outscored him for less, which is the whole argument.
Isak (£9.0m, 41 points). The data is brutal here. 41 points last season for a £9.0m forward, and a Gameweek 1 trip to Newcastle. His name carries the price; his output does not. In a week with better forwards at lower prices, holding him is a reputation decision.
Pedro Porro (£5.5m, 117 points, 23.8% owned). The crowd-owned defender on the wrong side of the fixture. Spurs finished 17th last season and travel to Brentford, who finished 9th. Selling a defender in 23.8% of teams feels early, but his team's league position last season says more than his own 117 points do.
The differential
Gibbs-White (£8.0m, 188 points, 11.6% owned). Nott'm Forest finished 16th last season, which is exactly why his numbers get ignored. 188 points were more than Saka (157) and Palmer (114) managed at higher prices, and Forest host a Leeds side that finished 14th. He is the one pick in this article that outscored the premiums while being owned by roughly one manager in nine. If you are tempted to spend chips early, read the chips guide before you do, because the differential route is often the cheaper one.
Key takeaways
- Captain: B.Fernandes, £12.0m, 235 points last season, away at promoted Hull City.
- Best buy: Gabriel, £8.0m, 209 points, against promoted Coventry City at home.
- Best sell: Palmer, £9.5m, 114 points, outscored by cheaper midfielders in the same data.
- Differential: Gibbs-White, £8.0m, 188 points, owned by 11.6%.
- Budget forward: João Pedro, £7.5m, 177 points, the £8.0m saving over Haaland.
FAQ
Who should I captain in FPL Gameweek 1? B.Fernandes. His 235 points last season were the most of any midfielder and only four behind Haaland's 239, at £3.5m less, against a promoted side. Haaland is the safe alternative, not the better one.
When is the FPL Gameweek 1 deadline? Friday 21 August 2026, before the 20:00 BST opener between Arsenal and Coventry City. The deadline guide has the full rundown, and the fixtures page tracks every kick-off.
Is Haaland worth £15.5m? On the numbers, yes. 239 points last season were the most in the game and 74.8% of managers own him. The question is not whether to buy him, it is whether the captaincy should go to the most-owned player in the game.
What else should I know for FPL Gameweek 1? The headline is the deadline: Friday 21 August 2026, before the 20:00 BST opener. Beyond that, every FPL Gameweek 1 tips list agrees on the fixture (Arsenal v Coventry City) and disagrees on the captain, and the FPL hub is where the squad lists and prices live if you want to check the numbers yourself before locking your team in.