Updated 20 September 2026 after Manchester City 5-3 Sunderland.
Manchester City remain perfect in the Premier League, but the FPL hierarchy has changed. Semenyo scored twice and assisted, Cherki scored, Haaland scored, and City conceded three at home.
Updated ranking
| Rank | Player | Current route |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haaland | Premium captaincy anchor |
| 2 | Semenyo | Midfield goal threat + ceiling |
| 3 | Gvardiol | Best defender route, clean-sheet confidence lower |
| 4 | Cherki | High upside, minutes risk |
| 5 | Donnarumma | Pure clean-sheet route |
Haaland
Still No.1. He scored against Sunderland even though Semenyo took the bigger haul. Penalties, central role and captaincy keep him ahead.
Liverpool away is difficult, but that should affect captaincy more than ownership.
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Semenyo
The biggest riser. Two goals plus an assist turns him into City’s strongest second attacking route.
Read Semenyo FPL.
Gvardiol
Still the best City defender because he combines clean sheets and attacking involvement. Sunderland scoring three reduces confidence in treating a City clean sheet as automatic.
Cherki
Cherki scored again. The issue remains minutes. City’s attacking depth means every buyer should check international and European workloads.
Donnarumma
The simplest pure clean-sheet route. If City’s clean-sheet edge is smaller than projected, premium goalkeeper value also falls.
What Sunderland taught us
The old assumption was elite attack plus elite defensive certainty. The better current view is elite attack plus selective defensive buying.
Haaland + Semenyo double-up
Viable. If you own both, hold. If buying Semenyo, the international break allows patience before Liverpool away.
Semenyo vs Cherki
Semenyo currently has stronger open-play goal evidence. Cherki offers cheaper access and more minutes uncertainty.
Use Player Lab Compare.
OneFPL verdict
The City hierarchy is now attack-first: Haaland > Semenyo > Gvardiol > Cherki > Donnarumma. Do not panic-sell City defence, but stop treating every green fixture as a guaranteed shutout.
