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FPL GW20 Review · 2025/26

GW20 Reviewhow did you do?

January 4, 2026By FPLai

Scoreboard

How the field scored

40Average

55Green Arrow

70Elite

Key takeaways

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.

Captaincy verdict

Haaland

74.2% owned

Base1 Captain2

Missed

Semenyo

45.1% owned

Base1 Captain2

Missed

Guéhi

40.5% owned

Base2 Captain4

Missed

Foden

38.3% owned

Base1 Captain2

Missed

Ekitiké

35.1% owned

Base0 Captain0

Missed

Heroes & villains

Heroes

Rice

ARS · 21.5% owned

Crucial goal and assist in Arsenal's 3-2 away win against Bournemouth.

17pts

McGinn

AVL · 0.9% owned

A goal and an assist in Aston Villa's 3-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest.

15pts

Thiago

BRE · 26.5% owned

Significant attacking returns, demonstrating Brentford's offensive output.

14pts

Thiaw

NEW · 3.8% owned

A rare defender's haul, combining defensive solidity with attacking contributions.

14pts

Villains

HaalandMCI · 74.2% owned — Massive ownership and widespread captaincy trust, resulting in just 2 captain points and a collective rank hit.

SemenyoBOU · 45.1% owned — High ownership and significant captaincy percentage, failing to deliver in Bournemouth's home loss to Arsenal.

FodenMCI · 38.3% owned — Another heavily owned Manchester City asset who delivered a minimal return, compounding captaincy woes for many managers.

The lesson

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.

Actionable for GW21

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.

Actionable for GW21

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.

Actionable for GW21

Get 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

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the average FPL score in Gameweek 20?

The average FPL score in Gameweek 20 was 40 points. A score of 55+ was needed for a green arrow, while 70+ was considered an elite score.

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).