GW26 Midweek Deadline: Bruno's Essential Status & Palmer's Rotation Headache

Welcome back to Who Got The Points! Thanks for being part of our FPL community. With Gameweek 25 wrapped up and a massive Tuesday 6pm deadline for GW26 ahead, we've got some critical decisions to make. This isn't your typical weekend turnaround - we're diving straight into midweek action with rotation risks, injury concerns, and some serious template decisions to tackle.

Before you make any transfers, here are three injury and rotation updates that could make or break your Gameweek 26:

Transfers In: 61,000 | GW25 Points: 20 (Hat-trick in 60 minutes!)

The verdict here is genuinely complicated. Palmer's 20-point haul in Gameweek 25 with a hat-trick off the bench in just 60 minutes was extraordinary. That takes him to 7 goals and 1 assist from only 14 appearances this season, showing elite output per minute.

The Fixtures: Chelsea face Leeds at home on Tuesday - a team that recently shipped four goals to Arsenal. On paper, it's a dream fixture for attacking returns.

The Problem: He's still being managed carefully and played just an hour despite being in incredible form. For a double gameweek situation, you'd want guaranteed minutes, and Palmer simply doesn't offer that right now.

VERDICT: Good for a one-week punt if you're chasing ranks or feeling brave, but only after monitoring team news obsessively on Monday. If you want safety, wait. Palmer is electric when he plays, but 60-minute cameos are a captaincy nightmare.

Transfers In: 90,000 | GW25 Points: 10 | Season Total: 141 points

Bruno is in ridiculous form right now. His 10-point return against Spurs included a goal and a clean sheet contribution. That brings his season tally to 6 goals and 12 assists, with an average of 6.4 points per game - elite midfielder numbers.

The Fixtures: Man Utd face West Ham away on Tuesday. While that's not the easiest fixture on paper, Bruno is on penalties, free kicks, and basically every set piece under interim boss Michael Carrick. His expected points for Gameweek 26 sit at 8.8 - the highest of any midfielder.

VERDICT: Essential. If you don't own Bruno Fernandes, fix that before Tuesday's deadline. He's the most in-form midfielder in the game right now, nailed for 90 minutes, and has genuine captaincy appeal. At 34% ownership, you can't afford to miss his hauls.

Transfers In: 25,000 | GW25 Points: 10 | Season Total: 123 points

Rogers bounced back in style against Bournemouth with 10 points, scoring and picking up three bonus points. That takes his season tally to an impressive 8 goals and 5 assists - excellent output for a £7.6m midfielder.

The Fixtures: Villa host Brighton on Wednesday. Rogers is central to everything Villa create under Unai Emery, operating as the creative hub in their system. At this price point with Villa's decent upcoming fixtures, he offers genuine value.

VERDICT: Buy. Rogers is slightly under-owned for his output (29.9% is surprisingly low for 123 points) and offers a strong mid-price option with upside. If you need a Villa attacker, he's the pick. Lock him in.

Transfers Out: 9,000 | GW25: 1 point (59 minutes)

Here's the confusion in the data: Madueke is listed at Arsenal but only managed 59 minutes against Sunderland for a single point. With just 1 goal and 1 assist all season, he's simply not delivering - averaging just 2.3 points per game.

VERDICT: Sell immediately. With Arsenal's double gameweek coming up, he's not getting near the starting eleven ahead of their better attacking options. Use that £6.8m elsewhere - there are far better options at this price point.

GW25: 4 points (30 minutes as substitute, grabbed an assist)

Martinelli came off the bench for 30 minutes and managed an assist for 4 points, but that's all he is now - a bench option. His season numbers tell the story: just 1 goal and 3 assists in 19 games is nowhere near good enough, averaging just 1.9 points per game.

VERDICT: Sell. Even with Trossard doubtful, Arsenal have better options to fill in. At 0.9% ownership, very few managers have this problem, but if you're one of them, move him on. Even at £6.8m, he's not worth the gamble.

GW25: 2 points (full 90 minutes)

Scott managed just 2 points against Villa despite playing the full 90 minutes. While he's cheap and offers a playing bench option, Bournemouth's fixtures aren't great with Everton away on Tuesday. His season stats - 2 goals and 2 assists - show limited attacking threat.

VERDICT: Sell if you need funds. With 6,000 managers shipping him out, the message is clear: there are better enablers out there who offer more upside, even at the £5.0m price point.

GW25: 9 points (goal + 2 bonus)

Rayan exploded against Villa with 9 points from a goal and two bonus points. Here's the catch: he's only played two games this season, but if he's nailed in the team, this is an absolute bargain midfielder with attacking threat at £5.5m.

Upcoming Fixtures: Bournemouth face Everton and West Ham next - both winnable games where Rayan could continue his attacking output.

Worth a punt for the truly differential seekers. At 0.1% ownership, he's completely off the radar but could be this season's budget breakthrough.

GW25: 7 points (assist in the Villa draw)

Hill picked up 7 points with an assist in the draw, taking his season tally to 2 assists despite being a defender. At £3.9m, he's an absolute bargain enabler who actually plays AND contributes attacking returns.

With 14,000 managers bringing him in, the secret is starting to get out. If you need defensive funds freed up or a reliable bench option, Hill is your man. He's not just a bencher - he can genuinely chip in with points.

GW25: 12 points (goal + assist + 2 bonus)

O Dango exploded against Newcastle with 12 points from a goal, an assist, and two bonus points. His season numbers are genuinely impressive: 5 goals and 5 assists from just £5.8m - that's outstanding value.

The Catch: Brentford face Arsenal away on Thursday, which is a tough fixture. However, he's clearly in form and criminally under-owned at just 0.4%. If you're chasing in mini-leagues and need a differential midfielder with genuine upside, O Dango is a tasty option.

The Safe Pick: Bruno Fernandes vs West Ham (A)

It has to be Bruno Fernandes for the sensible captaincy shout. He's the most in-form player in the game right now, takes everything for Man Utd (penalties, free kicks, corners), and has an expected 8.8 points for Gameweek 26. With 141 points already banked this season and averaging 6.4 per game, he's delivering consistently elite returns.

The Risky Differential: Cole Palmer vs Leeds (H)

If you're brave and chasing ranks, Palmer at home to Leeds is the high-risk, high-reward pick. Leeds conceded four to Arsenal recently, and Palmer's hat-trick shows his ceiling. BUT - and this is crucial - only captain him if he's confirmed to start. Given his 60-minute outing last time despite the hat-trick, there's genuine rotation risk.

Recommendation: Play it safe with Bruno unless you're desperately chasing in your mini-league. Palmer's upside is massive, but the minutes risk makes Bruno the smart play.

Don't panic sell João Pedro despite his 8-point return. Yes, 8 points might seem underwhelming given expectations, but he delivered two assists against Wolves and faces Leeds at home next - a fantastic fixture.

The numbers back him up: 42% of managers own him (significant template coverage), 79,000 brought him in recently, and he's averaging 4.9 points per game with 9 goals and 7 assists this season. Chelsea have a great fixture, and he's still their most reliable attacking asset for consistent returns.

HOLD and consider Bruno for the captaincy instead. João Pedro remains a strong pick - don't let one 8-pointer convince you otherwise.

Gameweek 26 deadline: Tuesday, February 10th at 6:00 PM GMT

This is a midweek deadline, so don't get caught out! Get those transfers locked in early, monitor team news on Monday and Tuesday morning, back your picks with confidence, and let's go get those points.

Key Action Points:

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That's your comprehensive guide for Gameweek 26! Make sure you're subscribed at whogotthepoints.com for daily FPL insights, and we'll see you tomorrow with more essential analysis.

Good luck this gameweek, and may your captain haul big! 🚀