Gameweek 19 marked a key turning point in the Fantasy Premier League season. It delivered a mixed set of results on the pitch already, while also representing the final chance for managers to use their first set of chips.
As expected, that added deadline pressure led to a noticeable increase in chip usage across the game. With the Gameweek 19 deadline past, all managers’ chips have reset for the second half of the season, reshaping the strategic landscape and shifting the focus firmly towards long-term planning.
Early captaincy data from Gameweek 19 follows a familiar pattern, with Erling Haaland once again dominating armband selections across all manager tiers. However, with Manchester City still to play Sunderland away on New Year’s Day, it remains to be seen whether sticking with the safe option will pay off this Gameweek.
| Player | Top 1M | Top 100K | Top 10K | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haaland | 78.7% | 79.4% | 79.9% | 70.7% |
| Cunha | 6.1% | 7.2% | 7.8% | 3.7% |
| Ekitiké | 11.7% | 10.3% | 9.5% | 8.1% |
| Saka | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 1.1% |
Several popular captaincy alternatives have already played — and results have been mixed. Matheus Cunha disappointed against Wolves, returning just 2 points from two shots and an xG of 0.12. For those who moved away from Haaland in search of upside, this represents an early setback.
Bukayo Saka, meanwhile, provided a more respectful return, registering an assist and 6 points in Arsenal’s convincing 4–1 win over Aston Villa. While not explosive, that contribution may still prove valuable depending on how the remaining fixtures unfold.
Effective ownership factors in captaincy, inflating a player’s overall ownership % and offering a clearer picture of risk as Gameweek 19 progresses. With several high-ownership players still to play, significant rank swings remain very possible on New Year’s Day.
| Player | Top 1M | Top 100K | Top 10K | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haaland | 180.0% | 180.2% | 180.3% | 162.2% |
| Ekitiké | 76.8% | 79.8% | 80.5% | 36.1% |
| Cunha | 48.1% | 55.1% | 59.2% | 13.6% |
| Saka | 45.1% | 52.7% | 54.0% | 21.4% |
| Foden | 74.1% | 78.4% | 79.8% | 40.4% |
| Guéhi | 39.4% | 32.6% | 32.9% | 41.7% |
| Raya | 38.8% | 40.9% | 40.9% | 35.8% |
| Semenyo | 38.5% | 35.6% | 33.9% | 46.5% |
David Raya has already featured and returned just 2 points, despite Arsenal’s strong performance overall. Meanwhile, Antoine Semenyo punished sellers by producing an assist against Chelsea, returning 5 points despite being transferred out heavily ahead of the deadline.
With Liverpool, and Manchester City assets still to play, effective ownership remains a crucial factor. Managers sitting under key thresholds could still see major rank swings once the remaining matches are completed.
Gameweek 19 concludes on Wednesday 1 January, with four fixtures still to be played. These matches will have a decisive influence on final outcomes.
Crystal Palace vs Fulham and Liverpool vs Leeds kick off the day, offering opportunities for returns from Ekitiké, Guéhi, Wilson and Virgil. Liverpool’s home fixture in particular remains central to both captaincy and effective ownership dynamics.
Later in the evening, Brentford face Spurs in a match that often delivers goals, before attention shifts to the headline fixture as Manchester City travel to Sunderland. This match continues to underpin Erling Haaland’s overwhelming backing and could define the Gameweek once and for all.
With this Gameweek marking the end of the first half of the season, chip usage was always expected to spike — and the early data reflects that.
| Chip | Top 1M | Top 100K | Top 10K | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple Captain | 2.2% | 1.3% | 0.9% | 2.9% |
| Bench Boost | 9.1% | 6.0% | 4.9% | 10.0% |
| Free Hit | 9.8% | 7.5% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| Wildcard | 3.4% | 4.4% | 6.3% | 1.5% |
As expected, chip usage spiked as Gameweek 19 represented the final opportunity to deploy first-half chips before the reset. Bench Boost and Free Hit emerged as the most popular options. However, a small but notable 1.7% of top 1 million managers backed Erling Haaland with the Triple Captain, underlining confidence in his remaining fixture.
Early transfer and financial data continues to highlight the advantages held by top managers, who maintain higher squad values while limiting points hits.
With fixtures still to be completed, Gameweek 19 remains unfinished business. Final conclusions will only be possible once all matches are played — but what is already clear is that this Gameweek represents a natural breakpoint, ushering FPL managers into a fresh phase of the season with renewed tools, new risks, and renewed opportunity.
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