Fantasy Football Files - 2025/26 - Gameweek 20 - 'Injury Time'

My cousin Clement was my opponent for gameweek 20. I needed to start the second half of the season well or I was going to end up rock bottom of the table at this rate. I also needed to avenge the fact that he beat me in the opening gameweek of the campaign.

I Initially was not going to make a transfer but then decided to sell Igor Thiago and bring in Jarrod Bowen. This transfer was one I was conflicted about I will admit as I believed Wolves would West Ham and I knew once I decide to get rid of Thiago that he would score, because that is just how things always go for me. Thiago being on penalties also made me not want to necessarily do it. Despite this I still acted on it anyway with a few minutes remaining before the deadline whilst recording the #FootyOnTop radio show. I left the captaincy with Erling Haaland. Clement did not make any changes so also had Haaland as captain.

The action started early on Saturday. Clement and I both owned Morgan Rogers and he assisted Ollie Watkins for the opening goal for Aston Villa against Nottingham Forest. In the second half I was happy as Matty Cash laid on the second goal for John McGinn. McGinn was to end with a brace, but I was denied of a clean sheet just before his second due to a good finish by Morgan Gibbs-White as it ended 3-1.

In the 3pm kick-off which effected the head-to-head, my fears were confirmed as Wolves got their first Premier League win of the season at home to West Ham. All three goals came in the first half as the Hammers were swept aside. The busy Mateus Mane was on the scoresheet, and he may be looked at as a third forward by some as he costs just £4.5m. West Ham had to work so hard that for the second time this season Bowen got defensive contribution points. That was not exactly what I got him in for, ‘but hey’, 4 points are better than 2.

The late Saturday game saw a poor back pass by Gabriel Magalhaes gift Bournemouth the lead against Arsenal. The Brazilian made amends and got the equaliser to please who brought him as he was the most transferred in player. It was then the Declan Rice show as he got a brace en route to 17 points. His second goal was assisted by Bukayo Saka who got Clement points although he started on the substitutes bench. Eli Kroupi pulled one back with a superb effort from outside the box. Antoine Semenyo was a differential for me in the head-to-head for the first time in ages, so trust him to put up a stinker which included him getting harshly booked. Saturday’s conclusion had me 15-9 ahead.

In the 3pm kick-offs on Sunday, there was the ultimate betrayal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. After selling Thiago, who had been annoying me with five blanks in his previous six games, the Brazilian scored not just once, not just twice, but he got a bloody hat-trick! He showed great composure on all three goals and Clement had him to top it off. I was disgusted beyond belief. Thiago is not someone who consistently features in link up play either which was another factor to my decision, but I should have known it would come back to haunt me. If you hear someone put Thiago in a headlock then it was me! Caoimhin Kelleher looked in a good position at 3-0 but then conceded twice as it ended 4-2 to the Bees. I was up against Michael Keane so that was the only good thing about Thiago’s exploits. Marc Guehi was in Clement’s team; he at least did not return at St James’ Park as Crystal Palace lost 2-0 to Newcastle. Jacob Murphy was also in my opponent’s side in the fixture, thankfully he blanked too. Tottenham took the lead against Sunderland and the notification I got from ‘Flashscore’ said that it was scored by Micky van de Ven to then be notified that Ben Davies got the goal. I was happy with the van de Ven assist, nonetheless. Sunderland levelled in the second period through a great goal by Brian Brobbey, van de Ven still got within the bonus points to my joy. Nordi Mukiele got defensive contributions despite the Black Cats conceding too. I therefore had to be satisfied with what I got at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Cristian Romero did not return for Clement, in fact he made the error for the Brobbey goal.

Liverpool’s trip to Fulham was delayed by 15 minutes. Liverpool compared to the trash they served up recently started okay only for their former player Harry Wilson to give the Cottagers the lead with another comprehensive finish. Alisson Becker was my cousin’s keeper, so I obviously did not want Liverpool to concede although in terms of the head-to head it helped. If possible, I do not start players in my squad against the team I support, but I put Wilson as my first substitute just in case and I got his points as Hugo Ekitike was not in the Reds’ squad due to a hamstring concern. In the second half, Arne Slot’s men levelled through a suspiciously offside looking goal from Florian Wirtz. The away side survived Wilson hitting the bar, to score what looked like the winner in injury time. I was not happy Jeremie Frimpong did not start however, he came on to cross for his compatriot Cody Gakpo to find the net. Gakpo got booked for taking his shirt off thinking he had won the game merely for Harrison Reed to score a contender for goal of the season as late as the 97^th minute. To say I was livid is an understatement!

So, it all hung on the last match at the Etihad Stadium between Manchester City and Chelsea, in what had become an extremely tight head-to-head contest. Us captaining Haaland cancelled each other out otherwise it was me with Phil Foden up against Josko Gvardiol and Rayan Cherki. Foden put a big chance in the first half just wide to my anguish. Haaland had an effort saved and hit the post. City were to take the lead thanks to another Tijani Reijnders (£5.2m) goal who is looking like the FPL player we all thought he would be before the season began. I do not like to see players injured ever and just after half-time Gvardiol unfortunately picked up an injury which aided me. Chelsea wasted a couple of good openings, then right at the death Enzo Fernandez grabbed an equaliser to put Arsenal in the driver’s seat for the title.

All this meant I amazingly won by a single point, 44-43. I cannot possibly really complain about not having luck this week. With the gargantuan error of selling Thiago to still win was crazy. Ironically the point Clement lost for Alisson conceding a second goal technically got me the win. Or you could say it was Gvardiol coming off injured before the hour mark, either way I was fortunate. I will say I deserved it though; I am just sorry it came at the expense of my own family. All is fair in love and FPL though, right?

@DubulDee