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FPL tips: Manchester City leading the way amid excellent form

After 19 straight wins, back-to-back doubles can help Pep Guardiola's men produce even more value for your fantasy team.

Manchester City offer options in all four positions for those looking to freshen up their Fantasy Premier League teams for gameweek 26.

Top of the league and with 19 successive wins in all competitions, Pep Guardiola's side now face successive double gameweeks so now is the time to jump on board if you have not already done so.

Gundogan heads strong midfield selection

Top midfield picks for FPL gameweek 26
Ilkay Gundogan marches on while Harvey Barnes has emerged as an FPL force (PA graphic)

Ilkay Gundogan's goalscoring form has made him a popular pick and a regular recommendation in the PA news agency's Transfer Score system, which combines FPL's form, cost, ownership and fixture difficulty ratings.

He leads the way this week with a transfer score of 84 but is not far ahead in midfield, with Leicester's Harvey Barnes close behind after a goal and an assist in each of his last two games.

That helps the youngster to a transfer score of 81, with Leeds winger Raphinha on 74 after he continued his good run with a goal against Southampton. The ex-Rennes man also scored against Everton in gameweek 22, had assists against Crystal Palace and Arsenal and has recorded bonus points in his last two games.

Team effort from City

Top goalkeeping picks for FPL gameweek 26
Ederson is our top goalkeeping recommendation (PA graphic)

Gundogan is not alone in excelling for City recently, as their record would indicate, and wherever you need reinforcements there is a man in light blue to help you out – or in shocking pink, in the case of goalkeeper Ederson.

With clean sheets galore, an assist against Tottenham and still a clear hankering to take penalties, the Brazilian finds a way to consistently produce points and edges out Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez 73 to 71 for top spot among keepers in this week's rankings.

Oleksandr Zinchenko makes the defensive podium on 68 while Gabriel Jesus (62) cracks the attacking recommendations – though beware the possible return of Sergio Aguero.

Seagulls stoppers still soaring

Top defensive picks for FPL gameweek 26
Defeat to Crystal Palace has not dented Brighton defenders' FPL stock (PA graphic)

Brighton duo Lewis Dunk (71) and Joel Veltman (68) are the defenders ranked ahead of Zinchenko this week, while Robert Sanchez completes our goalkeeping podium.

They have kept only one clean sheet in three after a run of four in a row previously, but the underlying statistics are still promising – Crystal Palace's two goals on Monday came on a total of 51 points of Threat in FPL, with 100 typically equating to one goal.

They are also cheap, with Dunk at £4.9million and his colleagues all £4.5m or less, though they are one of the half-dozen clubs with only one game this week.

At the other end of the field, options remain limited with West Brom's Mbaye Diagne our top recommendation at 63. The Senegal international shapes up as a low-cost gamble, but does have a goal and two assists in five games. Jesus edges Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins (62) into third.

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Manchester City's Phil Foden celebrates scoring against Liverpool in the Premier League on February 7, 2021
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool17133140172342
2Chelsea18105338211735
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1810442419534
4Arsenal1796234161833
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle188553021929
6Bournemouth188552721629
7Manchester CityMan City188463026428
8Fulham187742623328
9Aston Villa188462629-328
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1872939261323
12Brentford177283232023
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham186572330-723
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd186482124-322
15Everton173861522-717
16Crystal Palace183871826-817
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1843112940-1115
18Leicester CityLeicester1835102240-1814
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1813141137-266


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