Sportsdunia FPL Predicted Lineup for Gameweek 1 in 2025/26 season

Welcome to Sportsdunia’s FPL Predicted Lineup for Gameweek 1 (2025/26)! The start of the Fantasy Premier League season means every manager is itching to finalise their squad, and naturally, the buzz surrounding FPL predicted lineups is louder than ever. We’ve scoured the latest pre-season team news, dived into expert opinions, and thrown in our own best guesses to help you tackle those last-minute doubts.

Our Take on FPL Predicted Lineups for GW1

FPL predicted lineups are always a blend of research, tactical guesses, and a healthy pinch of wishful thinking. This year is no different, especially with a host of summer transfers and preseason injuries rattling managers’ plans. Here’s our very own Sportsdunia outlook, opinionated, but as rooted in current intel as you’ll get before the Gameweek kicks off.

Goalkeepers: Go Set-And-Forget, or Double-Down on Rotation?

One of the biggest talking points in FPL predicted lineups this season is the choice between the Best Budget Goalkeeper and the now-popular rotating pair. Brentford’s new signing, Caoimhín Kelleher, is emerging as a fan-favourite budget pick thanks to promising stats last year at Liverpool, where he notched 4 clean sheets in just 10 games. But Matt Sels at Nottingham Forest and Petrovic at Chelsea are giving managers plenty to think about, especially if you fancy a bench boost in GW1.

Defence: Attacking Full-Backs Dominate the Predicted FPL Lineups

Let’s be real, full-backs with attacking threat are gold dust in FPL predicted lineups. This season, names like Gabriel (Arsenal), Wan-Bissaka (now thriving at West Ham), and Ait-Nouri (Man City) stand out. Arsenal’s defence remains a solid bet, with Raya between the sticks and a settled back four of Timber, Gabriel, Saliba, and Lewis-Skelly. Wan-Bissaka also looks like one of the best £4.5m defenders, with West Ham’s opening fixtures boosting his appeal.
Don’t be surprised to see managers squeeze in Gvardiol and Cucurella as left-backs offering solid clean sheet odds and attacking returns. Romero at Spurs and Milenkovic at Forest have become wildcard picks for those chasing early-season differentials.

Midfielders: Stacked with Essential and Differential Options

No FPL predicted lineups debate is complete without addressing the midfield. Salah is close to essential—a home fixture against Bournemouth means he’s likely to don the armband for many. At £14.5m, he’s expensive, but his predicted points are just too good to ignore.
Cole Palmer (Chelsea) at £10.5m and Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) at £8.0m are both on everyone’s watchlist. Palmer, especially, with pre-season form behind him, stands out in the predicted FPL lineups of virtually every serious manager. Up-and-coming differentials like Mitoma (Brighton, now classified as a midfielder on penalties) and Indai (also on pens) round out the popular midfield picks this year, among the Best Budget Midfielders.
If you want to gamble, watch how new signings like Wirtz (Liverpool) and Rogers (Aston Villa) settle during pre-season—their inclusions could shake up template teams ahead of the deadline.

Forwards: Premium and Budget Options to Mix & Match

Here’s where opinion divides the most within the FPL predicted lineups community. Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland is always tempting, and at £13.5m you’ll be sweating every time City play if you go without him. However, many managers are sacrificing the striker in favour of a beefed-up midfield.
Watkins (Aston Villa) and Solanke (Bournemouth) are as nailed as they come, with fixtures and minutes both assured. Solanke’s spot in the template can’t be questioned, especially facing Bournemouth’s leaky defence in GW1. The real debate is in Who are the Best FPL Budget Forwards: Betto (Everton) and Barry (also Everton) are likely to rotate, but many are punting on Betto for GW1 with leads away. For a touch more risk, look at Ekitike (Liverpool), who could become a huge differential if Isak’s rumoured transfer to Liverpool doesn’t materialise.

FPL Predicted Lineups: Our Gameweek 1 Top Picks

Here’s our very own Sportsdunia predicted FPL lineup, based on all the above research, pre-season performances, and that all-important gut feel:
Formation: 3-4-3 (flexible to 4-4-2)

Bench options: Sels (Forest, GK), Boly (Forest, DEF), Cucurella (Chelsea, DEF), King (Fulham, MID) for rotation, value, and a bit of a safety net.

Final Word from Sportsdunia

Remember, these are opinion-based FPL predicted lineups. Nobody gets it 100% right every season, especially with late transfers and pre-season form throwing tactical curveballs. But if you stay flexible, trust your research, and keep your ear to the ground for late team news, you’ll be ahead of the herd.
May your Gameweek 1 points be plentiful and your captain not blank. Don’t forget to check back with Sportsdunia all season for more FPL predicted lineups, advice, and that little extra edge that’s always needed in FPL. Good luck, and let the games begin!