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FPL tips: Manchester City leading the way amid excellent form

After 19 straight wins, back-to-back doubles can help Pep Guardiola's men produce even more value for your fantasy team.

Manchester City offer options in all four positions for those looking to freshen up their Fantasy Premier League teams for gameweek 26.

Top of the league and with 19 successive wins in all competitions, Pep Guardiola's side now face successive double gameweeks so now is the time to jump on board if you have not already done so.

Gundogan heads strong midfield selection

Top midfield picks for FPL gameweek 26
Ilkay Gundogan marches on while Harvey Barnes has emerged as an FPL force (PA graphic)

Ilkay Gundogan's goalscoring form has made him a popular pick and a regular recommendation in the PA news agency's Transfer Score system, which combines FPL's form, cost, ownership and fixture difficulty ratings.

He leads the way this week with a transfer score of 84 but is not far ahead in midfield, with Leicester's Harvey Barnes close behind after a goal and an assist in each of his last two games.

That helps the youngster to a transfer score of 81, with Leeds winger Raphinha on 74 after he continued his good run with a goal against Southampton. The ex-Rennes man also scored against Everton in gameweek 22, had assists against Crystal Palace and Arsenal and has recorded bonus points in his last two games.

Team effort from City

Top goalkeeping picks for FPL gameweek 26
Ederson is our top goalkeeping recommendation (PA graphic)

Gundogan is not alone in excelling for City recently, as their record would indicate, and wherever you need reinforcements there is a man in light blue to help you out – or in shocking pink, in the case of goalkeeper Ederson.

With clean sheets galore, an assist against Tottenham and still a clear hankering to take penalties, the Brazilian finds a way to consistently produce points and edges out Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez 73 to 71 for top spot among keepers in this week's rankings.

Oleksandr Zinchenko makes the defensive podium on 68 while Gabriel Jesus (62) cracks the attacking recommendations – though beware the possible return of Sergio Aguero.

Seagulls stoppers still soaring

Top defensive picks for FPL gameweek 26
Defeat to Crystal Palace has not dented Brighton defenders' FPL stock (PA graphic)

Brighton duo Lewis Dunk (71) and Joel Veltman (68) are the defenders ranked ahead of Zinchenko this week, while Robert Sanchez completes our goalkeeping podium.

They have kept only one clean sheet in three after a run of four in a row previously, but the underlying statistics are still promising – Crystal Palace's two goals on Monday came on a total of 51 points of Threat in FPL, with 100 typically equating to one goal.

They are also cheap, with Dunk at £4.9million and his colleagues all £4.5m or less, though they are one of the half-dozen clubs with only one game this week.

At the other end of the field, options remain limited with West Brom's Mbaye Diagne our top recommendation at 63. The Senegal international shapes up as a low-cost gamble, but does have a goal and two assists in five games. Jesus edges Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins (62) into third.

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Manchester City's Phil Foden celebrates scoring against Liverpool in the Premier League on February 7, 2021
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City158342721627
6Aston Villa167452425-125
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Fulham166642422224
10Brentford157263128323
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
12Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton153661421-715
16Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
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