Eight New Premier League Managers: The FPL Impact
Eight clubs start 2026/27 with a new head coach. Last season's roles, minutes and team statistics cannot simply be carried forward — here is what to watch at each one.
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Managerial changes make early FPL selection more difficult.
Eight Premier League clubs enter the 2026/27 pre-season with a different head coach. Previous player roles, expected minutes and team statistics cannot simply be carried forward unchanged.
The clubs to monitor include Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Ipswich Town.
Liverpool: Andoni Iraola
Iraola is associated with aggressive pressing, direct attacks and winning possession high up the pitch.
FPL managers should monitor:
- Which winger replaces the departed attacking production.
- Whether Florian Wirtz moves into a more advanced role.
- Alexander Isak's involvement in the press and penalty area.
- The attacking freedom given to Milos Kerkez.
- Whether defenders become more vulnerable to transitions.
Liverpool's favourable opening fixtures increase the importance of getting these answers before Gameweek 1.
Chelsea: Xabi Alonso
A possible back-three system could make Chelsea's wing-backs particularly relevant.
Monitor:
- Whether Cole Palmer plays centrally behind the striker.
- Which wing-backs are first choice.
- Whether Chelsea use one or two attacking midfielders.
- The impact of European-free weeks on rotation.
- Who takes penalties and other set pieces.
A central Palmer role would be positive, but the surrounding system and official price still matter.
Manchester City: Enzo Maresca
The departure of Pep Guardiola creates one of the largest tactical changes in the league.
Monitor:
- Whether Erling Haaland remains the uncontested focal point.
- The role of the attacking midfielders.
- Which full-back moves into midfield.
- How frequently Maresca rotates.
- Whether new midfield arrivals are secure starters.
- The defensive effect of City's possession structure.
Strong opening fixtures may tempt managers into an early triple-up, but pre-season minutes are essential.
Nottingham Forest: Oliver Glasner
Glasner has frequently used a three-centre-back system with wing-backs.
Potential effects include:
- More advanced roles for the wide defenders.
- Morgan Gibbs-White playing close to a lone striker.
- Additional competition among centre-backs.
- A different pressing structure.
- Changes to defensive contribution totals.
Forest's favourable home fixtures make their established attackers and possible wing-backs worth monitoring. Our defensive contribution guide explains why a shape change can move a defender's points floor.
Bournemouth: Marco Rose
Bournemouth face one of the league's more difficult opening schedules.
Managers should therefore demand strong evidence before investing early.
Monitor:
- The front-line structure.
- How aggressively the team presses.
- Whether defenders continue playing high.
- Rotation caused by European competition.
- Which attacker becomes the central creative figure.
A difficult schedule does not make every asset unusable, but it raises the standard required for inclusion.
Crystal Palace: Pierre Sage
Key questions include:
- Whether Palace retain a back-three shape.
- Which wide players receive the most attacking freedom.
- How the new coach replaces departing or injured players.
- Whether defensive stability improves.
- Who controls penalties and set pieces.
Fulham: Alvaro Arbeloa
Monitor whether Fulham become:
- More possession-oriented.
- More aggressive without the ball.
- Narrower in attack.
- More dependent on overlapping defenders.
- More willing to rotate younger players.
Budget players can become valuable quickly if a new manager gives them reliable starts.
Ipswich Town: Gary O'Neil
Promoted clubs frequently contain cheap FPL options, but Ipswich also face managerial uncertainty.
Monitor:
- The preferred goalkeeper.
- The first-choice back line.
- Whether O'Neil uses wing-backs.
- Which attacker leads the line.
- Penalty responsibility.
- The level of rotation among new signings.
Ipswich are covered in more depth in our promoted teams FPL guide.
The correct FPL response
Do not attempt to predict every tactical detail before the first friendly.
Instead, create a question list for each club and update it as evidence arrives.
Use the following evidence hierarchy:
- Competitive match lineups.
- Final pre-season lineups.
- Repeated tactical patterns.
- Manager comments.
- Earlier friendlies.
- Transfer speculation.
- Social-media assumptions.
Work through the wider checklist in our 2026/27 pre-season guide, then **compare new-manager fixtures on OneFPL** to see whose opening run rewards early investment.
FAQ
Which Premier League clubs have new managers for 2026/27?
Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Ipswich Town all begin the season with a different head coach.
Should I avoid players from clubs with new managers?
Not automatically, but demand more evidence. A new coach can change formation, minutes and set-piece duties, so wait for pre-season lineups before committing.
What is the most reliable pre-season evidence?
Competitive match lineups rank highest, followed by the final pre-season lineups and repeated tactical patterns. Transfer speculation and social-media assumptions rank lowest.
How does a formation change affect FPL points?
Switching from a back four to a back three changes which defenders start, how advanced the wide defenders play, and how many attacking midfielders are selected — all of which move expected minutes and returns.
When should I make my final call on a new-manager club?
Wait for the last one or two friendlies, when coaches typically field something close to their intended Gameweek 1 side.