Captain Thiago and triple Arsenal boost FPL team for gameweek 35 in 2026

With four weeks remaining in the FPL season, balancing explosive differentials and consistent performers is key to ranking success.

Season strategy now With just four matchdays left in the FPL season, managers must strike a careful balance between targeting high-upside wildcards to leapfrog rivals and maintaining trust in players who have delivered consistently all campaign. This approach underpins the latest team selection. For many, the focus this week is preparing for the final double gameweek next time out, as Manchester City and Crystal Palace face each other twice in gameweek 36, so managers without three City assets should devise a transfer plan to capitalize on that fixture. ## Budget constraints in play The squad is assembled to reflect current FPL pricing and fit within a £100 million budget, assuming a Free Hit chip is deployed. A live Q&A session with expert Gianni Buttice is scheduled for Friday at 15:30 BST on the website to guide managers through key decisions. ## Last week’s review Casemiro contributed 12 points and Jarrod Bowen added 10, while Arsenal’s defensive unit also delivered strong returns. Less encouraging were multiple two-pointers, notably from Harry Wilson and Ollie Watkins, and Mohamed Salah’s withdrawal due to injury mid-game, leaving captaincy points on the table. Despite those drawbacks, the lineup still managed to amass 56 points for the week. ## Goalkeeper and defenders selected David Raya is chosen between the posts at £6 million, joined by William Saliba at £6.1 million and Gabriel at £7.2 million, all facing Fulham at home. With Arsenal in contention for the Premier League title, backing their defensive core remains a sound strategy this season. The double-Arsenal defensive pairing paid dividends last week, and a triple-up this time feels like a low-risk move. James Hill of Bournemouth at £4.2 million is preferred over Marco Senesi for budget flexibility, with Palace arriving from a European semifinal in Poland and likely to rotate key attackers. Nico O’Reilly of Manchester City at £5.1 million is selected for Everton’s away fixture, continuing his outstanding recent form as the highest-scoring defender over the past 10 gameweeks with five attacking returns and four clean sheets in eight appearances. ## Midfield and forward picks Bruno Fernandes at £10.4 million is included against Liverpool at home, having registered defensive contribution points against Leeds and not blanking in eight consecutive gameweeks. Liverpool have conceded 26 goals on the road, the ninth-worst tally in the league, making United’s attacking assets attractive options. Noah Okafor at £5.6 million lines up for Leeds United against Burnley at home, having scored 31 FPL points in his last three starts since returning to the starting lineup. Morgan Rogers at £7.5 million faces Tottenham at home, with Villa showing both attacking promise and occasional inconsistency, registering three shots—two inside the box—despite blanking last time out. ## Striker and captain choices Erling Haaland at £14.5 million is selected for the Everton away game, having rediscovered his shooting form with a goal in each leg of double gameweek 33. City are in strong form, Everton’s home record is modest, and Haaland remains a prime target for managers yet to secure his services ahead of the double gameweek 36 clash. Igor Thiago is named captain at Brentford for £7.4 million, facing West Ham at home in a pivotal relegation six-pointer where the hosts may commit fully to attack. Thiago, who has scored 21 goals, narrowly missed a hat-trick against Manchester United earlier this week, and his underlying metrics are exceptional—his expected goals total is nearly five higher than any other striker except Haaland, and he has created 15 more big chances than all but the Manchester City forward. ## Bench reinforcements Caoimhin Kelleher at £4.8 million of Brentford is on standby for the West Ham home game. Rayan Cherki at £6.5 million of Manchester City is named as midfield cover for the Everton away fixture. Marcus Tavernier at £5.4 million of Bournemouth provides cover for the Crystal Palace home game. Brian Brobbey at £5.3 million of Sunderland is selected for the Wolves away encounter.