FPL GW20 Review2025/26 GW20 Review how did you do?

Published · refreshed

Hero of the week21.5% owned

Rice made the difference. The template did not.

Arsenal crestDeclan Rice, Arsenal
17points · Crucial goal and assist in Arsenal's 3-2 away win against Bournemouth

Gameweek 20 proved to be a brutal affair for many FPL managers. With an average score of just 40, popular captaincy picks largely misfired, leading to widespread disappointment. The top performers were largely unexpected differentials, highlighting a challenging week for conventional strategies. This review dives into the key moments and outlines reusable principles to navigate future gameweeks, especially when the template falters.

  • The strategic gamble on in-form differentials like Rice (17 pts) and Brentford's key players yielded significant rank boosts.
  • A collective captaincy misstep saw highly owned assets such as Haaland (2 captain points) and Semenyo (2 captain points) deliver minimal returns.
  • For GW21, critically assess captaincy options beyond just high ownership; recent strong actual performances are paramount.
See the GW21 captain picks
01The field

How the field scored

40average score
55green-arrow target
70elite week

The average manager scored 40. Around 55 was a useful target for a green arrow; 70+ made it an elite week.

02Most-picked captains

Did the armband deliver?

  • Erling Haaland, Man CityHaalandMan City crestMCI· 74.2% owned
    74.2%1→2Missed
  • Antoine Semenyo, BournemouthSemenyoBournemouth crestBOU· 45.1% owned
    45.1%1→2Missed
  • Marc Guéhi, Crystal PalaceGuéhiCrystal Palace crestCRY· 40.5% owned
    40.5%2→4Missed
  • Phil Foden, Man CityFodenMan City crestMCI· 38.3% owned
    38.3%1→2Missed
  • Hugo Ekitiké, LiverpoolEkitikéLiverpool crestLIV· 35.1% owned
    35.1%0→0Missed
03Hauls and blanks

Heroes and villains

Heroes
  • Declan Rice, ArsenalRiceArsenal crestARS · 21.5% owned17ptsCrucial goal and assist in Arsenal's 3-2 away win against Bournemouth.
  • John McGinn, Aston VillaMcGinnAston Villa crestAVL · 0.9% owned15ptsA goal and an assist in Aston Villa's 3-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest.
  • Igor Thiago Nascimento Rodrigues, BrentfordThiagoBrentford crestBRE · 26.5% owned14ptsSignificant attacking returns, demonstrating Brentford's offensive output.
  • Malick Thiaw, NewcastleThiawNewcastle crestNEW · 3.8% owned14ptsA rare defender's haul, combining defensive solidity with attacking contributions.
Villains
  • Erling Haaland, Man CityHaalandMan City crestMCI · 74.2% owned1ptsMassive ownership and widespread captaincy trust, resulting in just 2 captain points and a collective rank hit.
  • Antoine Semenyo, BournemouthSemenyoBournemouth crestBOU · 45.1% owned1ptsHigh ownership and significant captaincy percentage, failing to deliver in Bournemouth's home loss to Arsenal.
  • Phil Foden, Man CityFodenMan City crestMCI · 38.3% owned1ptsAnother heavily owned Manchester City asset who delivered a minimal return, compounding captaincy woes for many managers.
04Actionable for GW21

Three lessons

  1. 01

    Don't blindly follow captaincy ownership

    GW20 saw highly owned captain picks like Haaland, Semenyo, and Foden return minimal points, severely impacting manager scores. This highlights the risk of relying solely on the 'template' for captaincy, especially when actual recent performance might suggest otherwise.

  2. 02

    Differential hunting can yield huge rewards

    While many struggled with template picks, managers who identified and backed lower-owned players like McGinn (0.9% ownership) reaped significant benefits. These high-scoring differentials were key to achieving elite scores in a difficult gameweek.

  3. 03

    Look for form clusters within teams

    Brentford players like Thiago (14 pts), Collins (10 pts), and Janelt (10 pts) delivered strong returns. Identifying teams with multiple players hitting form, even if individually low-owned, can indicate a profitable target pool beyond just single standout assets.

Get the GW21 captain picks

Leverage our in-depth analysis tools and comprehensive data to make informed decisions for your Gameweek 21 squad. Stay ahead by understanding what truly matters.

GW21 captain picks

Questions managers ask

What was the average FPL score in Gameweek 20?
The average FPL score in Gameweek 20 was 40 points. Around 55+ was a useful green-arrow target, and 70+ an elite week.
Who were the highest scoring FPL players in Gameweek 20?
The top FPL performers in Gameweek 20 were: Rice (17 pts), McGinn (15 pts), Thiago (14 pts), Thiaw (14 pts).
Did the top FPL captain picks deliver in Gameweek 20?
Haaland disappointed as captain in GW20 with 2 captain points (1 base points).
Which FPL players disappointed in Gameweek 20?
The biggest FPL disappointments in Gameweek 20 were: Haaland (1 pts), Semenyo (1 pts), Foden (1 pts).