FPL GW35 Review2025/26 GW35 Review how did you do?
Published · refreshed
Hero of the week0.3% owned
Awoniyi made the difference. The template did not.
Gameweek 35 of the 2025/26 season proved to be a brutal affair for many Fantasy Premier League managers, with an average score of just 50 points. Captaincy was particularly challenging, as even highly-owned picks failed to deliver significant hauls. This week highlighted the immense value of differential picks. We'll dissect the key performances and extract reusable principles for GW36 and beyond.
How the field scored
The average manager scored 50. Around 65 was a useful target for a green arrow; 80+ made it an elite week.
Did the armband deliver?
- 62.4%7→14Missed
Haaland
MCI· 62.4% owned - 50%2→4Missed
SemenyoMCI· 50% owned - 47.2%5→10Missed
B.Fernandes
MUN· 47.2% owned - 44.7%6→12Missed
Gabriel
ARS· 44.7% owned - 40.1%8→16Missed
João Pedro
CHE· 40.1% owned
Heroes and villains
- AwoniyiNFO · 0.3% owned16ptsSpearheaded Nottingham Forest's impressive 3-1 victory over Chelsea with significant attacking returns.
GyökeresARS · 13.1% owned16ptsWas instrumental in Arsenal's dominant 3-0 clean sheet win against Fulham, contributing heavily to their goals.
DokuMCI · 3.1% owned15ptsProvided crucial attacking output in Manchester City's thrilling 3-3 draw with Everton, finding returns in a high-scoring game.
Senesi
BOU · 20.9% owned14ptsCombined a clean sheet with an attacking return in Bournemouth's solid 3-0 home win against Crystal Palace.
- SemenyoMCI · 50% owned2ptsDespite Manchester City scoring three goals in their draw, Semenyo returned a mere 2 points, punishing half of all FPL managers who owned him.
Virgil
LIV · 31.9% owned1ptsLiverpool's defence conceded three goals against Manchester United, leading to a minimal 1-point haul for the popular premium defender.- Dúbravka
BUR · 26.9% owned2ptsConceded three goals in Burnley's 3-1 loss, resulting in a blank and a disappointing 2 points for a highly-owned budget goalkeeper.
Three lessons
- 01
Embrace the Differential Edge
Gameweek 35 showed that highly-owned players are not the only path to success. Low-ownership players like Awoniyi and Doku delivered massive hauls, providing significant rank gains for those brave enough to back them. Identifying form players outside the template can be crucial for an explosive gameweek.
- 02
Captaincy is Inherently Volatile
Despite significant ownership percentages for players like Haaland and B.Fernandes, none of the popular captain picks truly 'delivered' by setting a benchmark score of 100 points for the gameweek. This underscores the unpredictable nature of the captaincy decision and the importance of spreading risk or looking for consistent routes to points rather than just perceived 'easiness' of fixture.
- 03
Defensive Points Are Not Guaranteed
High-ownership defenders, even from top teams, are susceptible to poor returns when their teams concede multiple goals. Virgil's 1-point return highlights that relying solely on perceived defensive strength without considering potential vulnerabilities or fixture difficulty can lead to significant disappointment.
Get the GW36 captain picks
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