FPL Captaincy Conundrum: Gameweek 22

The Hard Tackle lists the five best options to consider for the captain’s armband heading into FPL Gameweek 22 of the 2025/26 season.

Manchester City’s goal machine Erling Haaland tops the captaincy polls once again for Gameweek 22 of the 2025/26 FPL. With juicy fixtures lining up, players like Bukayo Saka, Harry Wilson, Hugo Ekitike, and Igor Thiago also make strong cases to double their points.

Gameweek 22 brings a mix of mouthwatering clashes where defences look shaky and attackers are firing on all cylinders. Managers everywhere are scratching their heads over who gets the armband, knowing one smart pick could rocket them up the rankings. Forget the safe bets, this is about spotting the hauls waiting to happen against leaky backlines.

The Premier League table tells a story of chaos at the back for several sides right now. Teams shipping goals left and right give forwards and creators a golden chance to feast. Picking the right captain here is not just luck; it is about matching form with fixture favor.

We have zeroed in on five standout options who could deliver big. Each faces a opponent with glaring holes, backed by red-hot runs of late. Time to break them down and see why strapping the armband on one of these lads might be your smartest move yet.

Haaland against the Manchester United nightmare

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland stands tall as the prime FPL captaincy shout for Gameweek 22, facing a Manchester United side that has been a defensive disaster this term. The Red Devils sit 14th in the goals conceded chart after 20 games, leaking 32 goals at a clip of 1.55 per match, and Old Trafford is hardly used to be.

Their backline has crumbled under pressure, leaving gaps a predator like Haaland loves to exploit, especially in derbies where he has historically feasted. Haaland’s season reads like a cheat code: 20 goals and 4 assists from 21 games for a whopping 163 FPL points already.

Sure, he has blanked a couple recently, but rewind to his last Manchester United clash and he bagged two goals plus max bonus for 26 captained points. That underlying threat, averaging over 8 points per game, keeps him in every debate, blanks or not.

Bukayo Saka vs Forest Frailties

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka screams captain material against Nottingham Forest, whose defence ranks a shaky 15th, shipping 34 goals in 21 outings at 1.65 per game. Forest struggle to contain wide threats, and Saka’s dribbling terror has exposed similar setups all year. Arsenal’s trip to the City Ground looks primed for him to dazzle.

Saka has been Arsenal’s sparkplug, with recent hauls including three assists over four gameweeks and eight key passes to boot. He has notched 11 points in tough spots lately, doubling nicely for captains, and his shot volume—12 in recent outings—means returns lurk. Penalty shares have not dulled his edge; he’s built for these kinds of fixtures.

Harry Wilson’s Leeds Loot

Fulham’s Harry Wilson emerges as a sneaky captain gem versus Leeds United, who rank 16th defensively with 37 goals conceded from 21 games, 1.8 per match and climbing. The Whites, fresh off promotion, cannot handle creative midfielders carving them open, making Wilson’s set-piece prowess and crossing a nightmare matchup.

The Welsh winger’s on fire, blending goals and assists like clockwork: a goal each against Chelsea and Liverpool, an assist against West Ham, and a goal-plus-two-assists stunner over Burnley. He now is seven goals and six assists this season, turning budget buys into rank-climbers. No red flags here, just pure value against a porous Leeds.

Ekitike’s Burnley Banquet

Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike eyes a captaincy explosion at home to Burnley, a side 18th in defence leaking 41 goals already at nearly 2.0 per game. Burnley’s woes away from Turf Moor amplify the danger, and Ekitike’s nose for chaos in the box has Burnley pegged as perfect prey.

Fresh off injury, Ekitike notched a goal and an assist in 30 minutes during an FA Cup romp, boasting 10 goal involvements in FPL this term, and over half at Anfield. His 6.1 points-per-start edges even top forwards, with Burnley next followed by teams he has already done well against. Liverpool’s injury mess hands him the reins for a potential double-digit haul.

Igor Thiago’s Fireworks

Brentford’s Igor Thiago tops the in-form charts, making him a captaincy must against a Chelsea defence that has shown real vulnerability this season. Thiago has shredded Everton with a hat-trick plus doubles elsewhere pushing him to 16 goals in 21 games, and another hat-trick vibes persist. He has kept Golden Boot pace with Haaland. Chelsea’s backline gaps scream another multi-goal bonanza.

Thiago’s recent tears include six shots (four on target) in one outing and non-stop output. Facing Chelsea’s leaks elevates his sky-high prospects, with FPL radars buzzing as the most-bought in Gameweek 22. This youngster is the hottest ticket going.

Key FPL captaincy options at a glance

Honourable Mentions

Rayan Cherki, Enzo Fernandez, Jarrod Bowen, Florian Wirtz, Morgan Roger, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin earn honourable mentions for their sneaky upside this week. Keep your eyes peeled; these could sneak hauls too.