Welcome back to the Hive head to head FPL!

From a double game week for 4 of the teams in GW25 we move directly into a blank for 4 EPL teams in GW26. For many managers then it's going to be a case of feast to famine in a matter of days.

While we saw 4 teams break the 100 point mark in GW25, GW26 is likely to see sides scrambling around to get 11 players on the pitch!

GW25 saw a large number of sides across both divisions opt to use a chip with Haaland as a triple captain the most popular option. His 10 points trebbled to 30 was not a bad return for those who took that route but I'm sure most managers would have wanted more and many of them would have been sitting anxiously watching Brentford hanging on until deep into the 2nd half before their man finally got his goal.

The blanks in GW26 could of course prompt managers to utilise chips once again. With Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea and Luton all out of action this weekend then the most likely option would be the free hit unless sides are looking to completely revamp via the wildcard. Even then, completely changing your side and not including 3 or 4 players from those 4 clubs would be challenging and therefore put you back to square 1 as far as game week 26 is concerned.

Of the 8 fixtures that do take place, their are home macthes for Villa, Arsenal and Brighton that managers will certainly have their eyes on while a rejuvenated United side also play at home against Fulham.

Man City travel to Bournemouth in a 3pm kick-off knowing that a win would take them to within a point of Liverpool and 4 clear of Arsenal who entertain Newcastle in the evening kick-off that follows.

The Toon Army are just about coming out of an alarming dip in form but face an Arsenal side who have been rampant in the league of late. However, the Gunners did struggle in the CL during midweek and will not be as rested as their opponents for this one. Newcastle have taken 7 points from their 4 most recent matches against Arsenal and interestingly this fixture has been won to nil in 10 of the last 11 times it's been played with the remaining game a nil nil. You have to go all the way back to 2018 for a match between Arsenal and Newcastle where both teams scored.

GW25 Results

Prizes for winners of last week's head to head matches will be sent soon.

Division 1

Team	Hive Account	Score	Score	Team	Hive Account
Legion Fc	@b0s	62	90	The Amirians	@amirtheawesome1
YAGMAN FC	@yagman01	63	87	Augment Fc	@vickoly
thoth442FC	@thoth442	90	97	BlockchainFPL	@blockchainFPL
Shamzy FC	@shamzy	112	82	Likodra FC	@teofilex11
Suffragette City	@talesfrmthecrypt	94	86	Hiveheadz	@borran
Content Creators	@Pvmihalache	78	79	Nonz FC	@nonsowrites
Izanagi FC	@belemo	85	90	FC McKane	@McKane
I Feel Qatari	@deniskj	61	80	WhyteFC	@Ipalibo
Espada Numero Uno	@elmose	78	83	Creekside FC	@pappyelblanco
Lazz	@Martinlazizi	81	79	Hungry Lions	@GvKanten

Division 2

Team	Hive Account	Score	Score	Team	Hive Account
Emeka4	@Emeka4	70	79	Folox fc	@thelonegreywolf
abu78	@abu78	70	83	George Of D Jungle	@George-dee
BLAngechys Matildas	@blanchy	51	57	rubilu	@rubilu
racibo	@racibo	73	85	Skander TN	@skanderh
HappyBoys FC	@Happyboy1	105	78	Hivetastic	@acidyo
legaliza	@legalizabrazil	90	86	Stom FC	@stomade
Testing FC	@sperosamuel15	82	73	Average	n/a
Yahuzah	@yahuzah	75	80	Uwabbs Fc	@uwabbs001
Smiley Team	@carita-feliz	90	69	Twycejoy	@twicejoy
adedayoolumide	@adedayoolumide	117	67	Tengo Rangers FC	@tengolotodo
Praiz Empire	@praizking	72	63	Lens world fc	@Lensworld
Beyond Horizon	@beyondhorizonmm	46	81	Stevenson FC	@stevenson7
Diistroyers	@diikaan	55	79	The inferno Squad	@jimah1k
valchiz fc	@valchiz	78	51	Mount Everest	@khaleesii
RHYDA1	@rhyda1	67	81	SOLAT	@reservedsingle
The Beast	@iamchuks	59	59	Samostically	@samostically
Roboski	@Gentleshaid	59	65	Stevelight (Herbae)	@Herbae
Formidable Milano	@Damolexy	85	66	Rosh FC	@officialrosh1
Unbothered	@Dapomolaaaa	102	87	Apples and Pears	@stuartcturnbull
Tequeños United	@aaalviarez	76	73	Satoshi99	@kraken99
Happy Fc	@Happy411	92	74	EVIAN CF	@nasfyneboy92
Simcard fpl	@akomoajong	83	77	HighWay2Anfield	@kenechukwu97
Michupa Brasil F.C.	@michupa	78	76	MUFC	@tiyumtaba

GW26 Fixtures

Division 1

@pappyelblanco v @b0s

Creekside got a much needed win in GW25 to ensure they don't lose any further ground in the title chase. At the other end of the league, Legion FC's patchy form sees them drop into the relegation spots.

One thing in Legion FC's advantage is that they were one of the few sides last week not to use a chip but they be tempted to utilise one in GW26 as they seek some momentum. That being said they aren't too badly impacted by the blank game week with only Palmer and Jota (who is injured anyway) missing in that regard.

By comparison, Creekside are without 4 outfield players which does limit their options. Hee Chan at home for Wolves against a leaky looking Sheffield United might be a key differential in this head to head.

@ipalibo v @gvkanten

These 2 sides are separated by just a point and a place in the league table so certainly a big opportunity for each to exert pressure on an immediate rival.

Not very much to choose between them at the moment but then both sides are without 5 outfield players for this game week so you assume something will change in either the transfer market or via a free hit/wildcard.

Of the actual differentials both have Arsenal centre backs while Hungry Lions alongside many FPL managers will be concerned to see Estupinan losing his spot in the Brighton starting XI. In forward areas, it's pretty even but you might say that Whyte FC's players have the more appealing fixtures with Saka and Gordon going head to head in what could be a tight match.

@mckane v @martinlazizi

Lazz kept up their title challenge despite hitting a relatively low score in GW25 while FC McKane returned to winning ways themselves and shot back up to 8th place.

FC McKane will be more concerned about the blank game week with 4 outfield players missing compared to Lazz's 3. Having said that with Mykolenko an injury doubt and Estupinan not a guaranteed starter for Brighton at the moment then it might not be quite as easy to get a point scoring XI on the field.

Of the differentials, Watkins at home to Forest looks a strong pick and it could well be that he is a popular for captain for many FPL sides this weekend.

@nonsowrites v @elmose

Nonz FC didn't put massive points on the board in GW25 but their win does move them up to 4th and at the head of a very long chasing pack at which their opponents today are very much at the back end of. It means that a win for the former could stretch the gap to 10 points but victory for the later would shave it down to just 4.

Nonz FC will either have to use a free hit / wildcard or take a significant points hit because they are without 7 players in GW26.

Espada Numero Uno aren't in quite the same position but with some of their differentials (Turner, Estupinan and Archer) not guaranteed a start and the likes of Trippier facing a tough away match at Arsenal then they may be tempted to make significant changes themselves.

@borran v @deniskj

Defeats for both these sides despite utilising the triple captain chip would have hurt. Victories for 3 of the 5 teams that started GW25 in the relegation zone also didn't help. Hiveheadz are just outside that particular battle at the moment but a 3rd straight defeat to sides below them in the table would certainly drag them into the equation.

I Feel Qatari almost certainly have to drop another chip. Assuming that Turner is now a bench player for Forest then they have no keeper and are without 5 outfield players.

Hiveheadz could theoretically muddle through by utlising just aa single free transfer but it wouldn't be an especially strong side. Doubling on Newcastle defensive assets would be high risk for a start while the option to play a West Ham keeper also looks fraught with danger given their current form.

@teofilex11 v @belemo

Both these sides are struggling for form at the moment and both really need a win to start moving clear of the melee that is forming below them.

Likodra might have been able to avoid wholesale changes but for the recent news that Hojlund will not feature in GW26. Now given that a few of their differentials looked a little shaky anyway - Zinchenko no points in the last 2 weeks, Trippier & Gordon away at Arsenal and Bowen leading the line for a West Ham side who can't score - then it begins to look like a chip might just be worthwhile.

Inzanagi are themselves without 4 outfield players and it would be high risk to bank on Baldock returning from a 5 game absence to add points away at Wolves.

@blockchainfpl v @pvmihalache

Massive game towards the foot of the table at 17th takes on 19th in a relegation 6 pointer.

Blockchain FPL have just started to move through the gears in recent weeks and their squad for GW26 has enough options to avoid using a chip or taking a big points hit if they choose. At the same time, having 3 Newcastle players including 2 defenders does limit their flexibility or requires them banking on Newcastle frustrating Arsenal at the Emirates.

By contrast, Content Creators are without 7 outfield players for this one so it's either use a chip or lose.

@vickoly v @talesfrmthecrypt

Suffragette City made it 3 wins on the bounce to haul themselves out of the relegation zone for the first time in a while. Augment also got back to winning ways to maintain their position right in the middle of the chasing pack.

Again Augment FC are a side that might not have needed to take the nuclear option to cover all bases in this game week had it not been for the injury to Hojlund. Bowen and Kudus were looking like a good combination earlier in the season but West Ham haven't scored from open play in the Premier League since the 21 January, a dry spell spanning 422 minutes of play.

Suffragette City have sufficient resources to avoid major changes if they wish although they only have 2 available defenders so will certainly need to make some adjustments to their side for this one.

@amirtheawesome1 v @shamzy

It's top versus bottom but it's not perhaps the cake walk that you might think as The Amirians enter the match with back to back victories. A 3rd win in the row and it might really be time to start considering this the start of the great escape.

That'll be tough though as Shamzy FC are beating all and sundry at the moment and come into this fixture off the back of a monster points haul in GW25.

The Amirians used their 2nd wildcard in GW25 and so as you'd expect they do have sufficient cover coming into this fixture. By contrast, Shamzy FC are without 5 outfield players so expect their starting XI to be very different from the one that played so well last week.

@yagman01 v @thoth442

In a chip heavy game week, Yagman FC's score of 63 was not nearly enough to get them a win but the fact that they didn't follow suit on the triple captain means they have that up their sleeve for later in the season. Thoth442 FC meanwhile will feel aggrieved to scored 90 points and still lost.

Both sides will need to make substantial changes to their squads to eek out points from this challenging game week. Thoth442 have no goalkeeper (assuming Strakosha is on the bench) while they are also missing 4 outfield players.

As you can see from the differentials list, Yagman FC have plenty of options at the back but they'll be without 3 first choice midfielders as well as Adebayo up front. It'd be a major surprise if they went 2 weeks without a chip...

Division 2

Team	Hive Account		Team	Hive Account
Stevenson FC	@stevenson7	v	Folox fc	@thelonegreywolf
Lens world fc	@Lensworld	v	The inferno Squad	@jimah1k
Tengo Rangers FC	@tengolotodo	v	Mount Everest	@khaleesii
Twycejoy	@twicejoy	v	SOLAT	@reservedsingle
Uwabbs Fc	@uwabbs001	v	Samostically	@samostically
AVERAGE	n/a	v	Stevelight (Herbae)	@Herbae
Stom FC	@stomade	v	Rosh FC	@officialrosh1
Hivetastic	@acidyo	v	Apples and Pears	@stuartcturnbull
Skander TN	@skanderh	v	Satoshi99	@kraken99
rubilu	@rubilu	v	EVIAN CF	@nasfyneboy92
George Of D Jungle	@George-dee	v	HighWay2Anfield	@kenechukwu97
Emeka4	@Emeka4	v	MUFC	@tiyumtaba
abu78	@abu78	v	Michupa Brasil F.C.	@michupa
BLAngechys Matildas	@blanchy	v	Simcard fpl	@akomoajong
racibo	@racibo	v	Happy Fc	@Happy411
HappyBoys FC	@Happyboy1	v	Tequeños United	@aaalviarez
legaliza	@legalizabrazil	v	Unbothered	@Dapomolaaaa
Testing FC	@sperosamuel15	v	Formidable Milano	@Damolexy
Yahuzah	@yahuzah	v	Roboski	@Gentleshaid
Smiley Team	@carita-feliz	v	The Beast	@iamchuks
adedayoolumide	@adedayoolumide	v	RHYDA1	@rhyda1
Praiz Empire	@praizking	v	valchiz fc	@valchiz
Beyond Horizon	@beyondhorizonmm	v	Diistroyers	@diikaan

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Good luck in your head to head matches this week!