Updated 18 September 2026. The final GW5 bench calls are now clearer after Thursday's cup and European matches.
The hardest decisions are not about obvious premiums.
They are about good players with:
- hard fixtures;
- injury uncertainty;
- midweek workloads.
Quick start/sit table
| Player | Fixture | Call |
|---|---|---|
| Pascal Groß | Arsenal (H) | START if alternatives are weak; not an automatic bench |
| Maxim De Cuyper | Arsenal (H) | START/rotation call |
| João Pedro | Brentford (A) | START if in squad; strong first sub needed |
| Bogle | Palace (H) | START |
| DCL | Palace (H) | START |
| Schade | Chelsea (H) | STARTABLE |
| Kluivert | Liverpool (H) | BENCHABLE after European workload |
| Strand Larsen | Leeds (A) | STARTABLE but 74 European minutes |
Groß vs Arsenal
This is the debate many managers are having.
Groß has:
- 33 early points;
- set pieces;
- penalty evidence;
- another cup goal.
But Arsenal have the league's strongest defence.
The right call depends on the replacement.
Bench Groß for:
- a secure Forest attacker vs Coventry;
- a strong Everton attacker vs Ipswich;
- a Newcastle attacker vs Hull.
Do not bench him automatically for a low-upside £4.5m defender.
Set pieces create routes even in difficult matches.
Latest FPL news
De Cuyper
The same logic applies.
He has an advanced role and came off the bench to score against Manchester United.
But Arsenal reduce clean-sheet expectation.
De Cuyper is easier to bench than Groß if your alternative defender has:
- a strong home clean-sheet fixture;
- DefCon;
- set-piece threat.
João Pedro
Chelsea have confirmed that João Pedro remains in contention for Brentford.
He has not been ruled out.
That means owners should generally leave him in the starting XI if they believe he is one of their best players.
The key is first substitute.
If João Pedro gets zero minutes, you want a real starter entering.
Bogle
Start.
Palace at home is a playable fixture and Bogle's £4.5m wing-back role provides more attacking upside than a normal budget defender.
Ignore the historical points confusion around the DCL appeal.
The decision is about GW5 role.
Schade
Schade got a complete midweek rest.
Chelsea is a difficult opponent, but Brentford are at home and Schade has real goal threat.
He is startable over low-upside defenders.
Kluivert
This is where Europe matters.
Kluivert started and scored in Bournemouth's 2-1 Europa League win at Real Sociedad.
Bournemouth now face Liverpool after a Thursday European trip.
That creates:
- fatigue;
- short recovery;
- a harder opponent.
Owners can bench him if they have a strong alternative.
Strand Larsen
Strand Larsen started Palace's 4-0 Europa League win, scored a penalty and came off around 74 minutes.
Penalty duty improves his FPL ceiling.
The workload creates some short-turnaround risk.
Against Leeds, he is still startable because forwards need fewer routes than defenders to haul.
Bench-order rule
Remember that auto-subs must preserve a legal formation.
Your first substitute is not always the player who enters if replacing the starter would leave an illegal XI.
Read Auto Subs & Bench Order.
OneFPL verdict
The hardest bench decision is Groß vs a strong fixture alternative.
João Pedro should usually stay in the XI with a good first substitute.
Bournemouth assets deserve more caution after Thursday travel.
Use Player Lab to compare expected role before locking the bench.
