A 5-3-2 formation maximizes value this week, stacking budget defenders with clean sheet potential while maintaining premium firepower up front.
Key picks
• Erling Haaland (£15.5m, 6.5 xP) - The essential captain pick faces Crystal Palace away, and with 68.6% ownership, not having him is a dangerous gamble that could decimate your rank.
• João Pedro (£7.6m, 7.3 xP) - The standout differential with exceptional value at 0.96 points per million, facing Brighton at Stamford Bridge in a favorable home fixture worth backing as vice-captain.
• Adrien Truffert (£5.5m, 5.1 xP) - The Bournemouth defender offers elite budget value at 0.93 points per million with a 55.2% clean sheet probability against Everton at home, yet sits at just 4.2% ownership.
Captain choice
Haaland is the obvious armband choice despite modest 6.5 xP, given his explosive potential and the template status at 68.6% ownership. João Pedro makes an excellent vice-captain option with superior 7.3 xP and Chelsea's home advantage against Brighton. With doubled points, Haaland's captaincy offers 13.0 expected points, providing the safest floor while maintaining upside against Palace.
Budget breakdown
The £99.8m squad invests heavily in defense (£35.1m across five starters including Raya at £6.0m, Gabriel at £8.0m, and three budget options), while midfield (£23.6m for three slots) features Saka alongside Man City's Cherki and O'Reilly. The forward line commits £23.1m to Haaland and João Pedro, leaving £4.5m bench fodder across all positions.
Key differentials include Truffert (4.2% owned) and Pinnock (0.1% owned, 5.7 xP) who could deliver massive rank gains. Man City's O'Reilly at £6.5m offers 5.1 xP with potential rotation risk worth monitoring. The template Arsenal triple-up (Raya, Gabriel, Saka) provides safety despite a tough Villa away fixture.
Build this squad in the optimizer
Pre-selected 5-3-2 formation. Tweak the squad with your own preferences.