FPL best midfielder picks: Gameweek 5 complete budget, differential and premium tips
Having the right midfielders in your FPL team can be the difference between glory and failure. We’ve crunched the numbers to identify the best picks ahead of Gameweek 5.
Among the higher point-scorers in FPL are the players who pull the strings from the middle of the park, whether they excel in making or scoring goals.
Our FPL rating system — Squawka Score — has been engineered to identify the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League, judging a player’s output per 90 minutes for a group of specifically selected stats.
What is the Squawka Score? You can learn more about how we devised our fantasy football ranking system here.
If you think you can beat our FPL boffins, you can join the Squawka Challenge League here.
Best FPL midfielders
Top midfielder pick for Gameweek 5
Best cheap midfielders for Gameweek 5
Best midfielders with easy fixtures
Best FPL Midfielders
Here are the top 10 Premier League midfielders based on their FPL Squawka Score from the 2023 calendar year.
| Player | FPL Squawka Score | 23/24 Team | 23/24 FPL Price |
| Mo Salah | 80% | Liverpool | 12.5 |
| Solly March | 80% | Brighton | 6.6 |
| Bruno Fernandes | 80% | Man United | 8.4 |
| Phil Foden | 77% | Man City | 7.6 |
| Bukayo Saka | 76% | Arsenal | 8.7 |
| Jack Grealish | 75% | Man City | 7.3 |
| Bryan Mbeumo | 75% | Brentford | 6.8 |
| Gabriel Martinelli | 73% | Arsenal | 7.9 |
| James Maddison | 69% | Spurs | 7.8 |
| Eberechi Eze | 68% | Crystal Palace | 6.3 |
Top midfielder pick for Gameweek 5
Every week, we will bring you a Differential Duel to highlight a player who both ranks well according to our Squawka Score system and isn’t being picked by the vast majority of FPL managers.
We will then crunch the numbers and pit the chosen differential against a comparable asset who is proving popular — it is then on you to choose your fighter.
This week, we are comparing Liverpool’s Dominic Szoboszlai (4.5% ownership) and teammate, Luis Diaz (12.8%).
You can net 0.7m in savings by switching from Diaz to Szoboszlai this week. The Hungarian midfielder has shown his ability since his big money move to Anfield this summer, matching his teammate for points, so far.
With the saving in cash, coupled with the big differential in ownership, could a move of Liverpool midfielders set you apart in your mini-league?
Here’s how their 2022/23 stats compare on our Comparison Matrix.
Best cheap midfielders for Gameweek 5
We all want to load up on premium picks, but your £100million budget must always be in the back of your mind.
This is where bargains come in handy to balance out your squad. Using our Squawka super computer, we have picked out some budget midfielders for consideration who fare best according to the key fantasy football metrics. Where a Squawka Score cannot be provided, players did not reach the minimum Premier League minutes threshold for the calendar year 2023. Scores will be available from Gameweek 6.
The best 4.5 picks for 23/24 FPL
- Saša Lukić, Fulham (10%)
- Elliot Anderson, Newcastle (N/A)
- Marvelous Nakamba, Luton (N/A)
The best 5.0 picks for 23/24 FPL
- Jacob Murphy, Newcastle (64%)
- Alejandro Garnacho, Man United (54%)
- Harvey Elliott, Liverpool (47%)
The best 5.5 picks for 23/24 FPL
- Leon Bailey, Aston Villa (50%)
- Willian, Fulham (48%)
- Pedro Neto, Wolves (47%)
The best 6.0 picks for 23/24 FPL
- Saïd Benrahma, West Ham (60%)
- Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool (55%)
- Dwight McNeil, Everton (50%)
Best midfielders with easy fixtures
Is your midfield almost set and ready to go? Hold fire for a moment — we have only more factor for you to consider before submitting your team.
Below, using our Squawka Score system and the FPL’s official Fixture Difficulty Rating (FDR), we have the identified the top selections from each of the Premier League clubs deemed to have an ‘easy’ fixture in Gameweek 5.
| Team | Top pick | FPL Squawka Score | 23/24 FPL Price |
| Arsenal | Bukayo Saka | 76% | 8.7 |
| Aston Villa | Leon Bailey | 50% | 5.5 |
| Burnley | Luca Koleosho* | — | 5.0 |
| Chelsea | Raheem Sterling | 59% | 7.2 |
| Fulham | Willian | 48% | 5.3 |
| Liverpool | Mo Salah | 80% | 12.5 |
| Luton | Tahith Chong* | — | 5.0 |
| Nottingham Forest | Morgan Gibbs-White | 49% | 5.9 |
| Spurs | James Maddison | 69% | 7.8 |
