Fantasy Football Files - 2025/26 - Gameweek 36 - 'The Return Of Pep Roulette'

My gameweek 36 opponent was my longtime friend Andrew. As now I had steered away from the bottom three, I was much calmer when making any decisions. So, although I obviously still wanted to win, I was not as concerned about losing. However, if I was to win then I had the chance of going as high as 13th if the other results went in my favour.

I used my free transfer to sell Morgan Gibbs-White who had a head injury, and I brought in Pascal Gross. With the German on some set pieces accompanied by his good work rate meant he may be able to get defensive contributions points I wanted him in. I also looked at Jack Hinshelwood but deemed Gross to have more avenues to accumulate points. Andrew made one change and sold Hugo Ekitike who had been injured for a while, and he got in Viktor Gyokeres. I captained Erling Haaland as it was a double gameweek and Andrew had Joao Pedro as his captain.

The action began early on Saturday, as Liverpool hosted Chelsea. Things started well for the home side as after some tricks from Rio Ngumoha, Ryan Gravenberch fired in a superb goal from outside the box. Not too long after Virgil van Dijk missed a great chance that would have justified me keeping him in my XI. Arne Slot’s men are in the position they are in as they are basically ‘Robin Hood’ and give to the poor and this was not to change here. A freekick from Enzo Fernandez was not to be touched by anyone and went straight into the goal. Chelsea had lost six games in a row and had not scored in five of those encounters, so trust Liverpool to let them find the net. I was fortunate here as my opponent left Enzo on his bench. Szoboszlai who Andrew and I both owned had a shot that was bound for the top corner saved and another effort that hit the foot of the post. Despite being held by Moises Caicedo, van Dijk had a header from a Szoboszlai corner that struck the bar and it was to stay 1-1. I at least avoided a return from Joao Pedro.

In the 3pm’s, I had greatly anticipated Brighton and Wolves. The Seagulls were 2-0 up in only 5 minutes and I assumed that Gross had surely been involved although he had not when I checked. Hinshelwood (£5.2m) opened the scoring as I should have just listened to the voices in my head like Randy Orton and got him. Lewis Dunk headed in the second as Maxim De Cuyper (£4.3m) assisted both goals. Gross almost made me look like a genius when his goalbound flick was saved in the second half. I did eventually get a return from the German as his touch eventually found its way to Yankuba Minteh who smashed the ball in for 3-0.

Since I let go of Marcos Senesi with my ‘Wildcard’ a few weeks ago he has been doing well and that continued as 10-man Bournemouth won 1-0 at Fulham. Senesi got 8 points for Andrew as the only good thing from this match was that I benched Harry Wilson and he blanked. Sunderland held Manchester United to a goalless draw at the Stadium of Light. I was more than happy with this as I was up against Bruno Fernandes, the caveat was Nordi Mukiele was only on my bench, so a clean sheet was missed there.

In the 5.30pm contest Manchester City had to win to keep the pressure on Arsenal. City could not find the net in the first half and the fans started to get nervous. Pep Guardiola’s men got into gear in the second period and scored three times. Matheus Nunes cancelled out my Nico O’Reilly clean sheet whilst O’Reilly was also booked.

Antoine Semenyo blanked which was good and Igor Thiago also did not return for Andrew. Thiago did come close in the second half as he had a low effort saved. Jeremy Doku got the first, then Haaland vindicated my captaincy as he flicked in the second and assisted the third for Omar Marmoush. The managers who triple captained Haaland were laughing. Andrew had Caoimhin Kelleher in goal and without him Brentford would have conceded at least 5 as he got 3 points. I trailed 44-38 at Saturday’s close.

On Sunday, Aston Villa were held to a 2-2 draw by relegated Burnley. After Unai Emery’s men fell behind, Ollie Watkins had a goal disallowed, Villa pulled level shortly afterwards, however. Watkins did get his goal at the start of the second half which was huge as he ended up with 9 points. There was another 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park as Crystal Palace and Everton shared the spoils. Jaydee Canvot was in my opponent’s team, and he ended with 1 point. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner was deflected towards James Tarkowski for the opener getting him a ‘fantasy’ assist which was key.

In the most important fixture of the gameweek, a late Leandro Trossard goal got Arsenal all three points at West Ham. There was late drama when a controversial call denied the Hammers of an equaliser. Therefore, the clean sheet meant Gabriel Magalhaes got Andrew 11 points as I was still not certain of a victory as Jarrod Bowen of course blanked. Sunday had me ahead but not by much, 54-46.

Monday saw Tottenham needing to beat Leeds. They took the league through a Mathys Tel goal that was placed brilliantly. Tel was to be the villain later though as he tried an overhead kick but ended up kicking Ethan Ampadu. Dominic Calvert-Lewin dispatched the penalty, which was terrible for me as I doubled up at the back with Spurs. Antonin Kinsky got three points as he made some good saves and Pedro Porro who was on for maximum bonus points before Leeds scored ended up with just one point as he got booked. I needed more from them, but I was thinking I should still be okay.

Wednesday came and when the teams were named, I realised I was not okay. Pep Guardiola had warned that with the FA Cup Final coming up that he was going to rotate and after seeing the team I was worried. Cherki and Haaland were both on the bench and my third City player O’Reilly was not even in the damn squad. This gave Andrew the chance to win as he had Matheus Nunes starting and Semenyo, so if they both returned then he would edge it. Palace almost took the lead, only then to put numerous players behind the ball to make it awkward, until the deadlock was finally broken by Semenyo. I started to panic; it was 2-0 a few minutes later when Marmoush scored. In the second half I was fearing that Nunes would be getting clean sheet points when he was subbed off just before the hour meaning that he only got one point, I could not believe my luck! Cherki came on to assist the third for Savinho to get us both points as I scraped a win.

It finished 62-60 and as the other results went my way I have climbed to 13th. If I had got Hinshelwood then it would not have been so close, so it was the Nunes substitution the main reason I held on, if only I had some of this luck earlier in the campaign, nonetheless I am grateful.

@DubulDee