FPL Scout: Gameweek 26 hints, tips and advice

Brentford have teamed up with Fantasy Football Scout to help bring you hints, tips and advice during the 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season.

Scout will be using their expertise to provide info, advice and Gameweek tips which may prove useful in ensuring you sit on top of your mini-leagues.

Best of the Bees

Gameweek 25 brought a second consecutive away win at one of the league’s toughest grounds.

After scoring the only goal for ten-man Brentford at Villa Park, Dango Ouattara (£5.8m) starred once again versus Newcastle United.

Minutes after Vitaly Janelt (£4.9m) blocked a shot on the line, he successfully headed a deep Ouattara cross past the goalkeeper.

Then, on the verge of half-time, the Burkinabe set up a Mathias Jensen (£4.9m) opportunity that hit a hand, allowing Igor Thiago (£7.0m) to score from the spot and end his three-match goalless run. Expect the centre-forward to be bought by many FPL managers from Gameweek 27 onwards.

Rounding off another superb performance, Ouattara reached a lofted Jensen pass and fired home the winner. This 12-point tally was his fourth double-digit haul of the season.

The Spotlight

Meanwhile, centre-back Kristoffer Ajer (£4.4m) once again secured defensive contribution (DefCon) points. Having been in and out of Brentford’s line-up during this season’s early months, the Norwegian has started eight league matches in a row.

In this period, he’s bagged three clean sheets and five DefCon rewards. James Tarkowski (£5.8m) and Pascal Struijk (£4.3m) are the only defenders to accumulate more of such qualifying actions (clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles) than his 88.

Although Ajer is without any attacking returns so far this season, he’s come close from a couple of headed efforts.

The Bees face three of the bottom five teams over the next six outings, which should encourage many to invest in a backline that’s starting to look solid.

Best of the Rest

Joining Ouattara on 12 points were Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot (£4.5m) and Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres (£8.7m). The former added an assist to his clean sheet, whereas the latter netted twice past Sunderland.

In fact, the only players to outscore these were Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£4.9m) and Chelsea star Cole Palmer (£10.5m).

A lot of FPL managers have cautiously stayed away from Palmer because he’s seemingly having his minutes managed. Missing the recent trip to Crystal Palace didn’t quash such game-time uncertainty.

But his 60 minutes against Wolverhampton Wanderers included a first-half hat-trick and a total of 20 points. Well done to the almost 232,000 who riskily placed their captain’s armband on him.

In Demand

Remember, there’s a quick turnaround before this deadline. All transfers and team decisions need to be made by 6pm GMT on Tuesday 10 February.

Not only that, but it’s this campaign’s first Double Gameweek, as Arsenal and Wolves feature twice. So, it’s no surprise to see the Gunners names dominate the most-bought list.

Gyökeres is starting to look confident, all-rounder Declan Rice (£7.5m) combines Defensive Contributions with set-piece supremacy and the occasional goal, while millions of managers will want to double or triple-up on a defence that has kept four clean sheets in their last five matches.

Other popular purchases are Bruno Fernandes (£9.8m) and João Pedro (£7.6m).

Captaincy

Logically, it makes sense to captain someone who’ll play twice rather than once. More appearance points, more time to score.

That immediately thrusts Arsenal and Wolves individuals into the frame.

Captaining a defender is rare, but many will see Gabriel Magalhães (£7.1m) as the answer. Part of the league’s meanest backline, he’s often the target of their much-publicised set-piece success. That makes him a genuine goal threat, too.

Of the one-time performers, check out Erling Haaland (£14.9m) at home to Fulham andFernandesversus West Ham United.