GW26 Underlying Stats Radar: The ICT Monsters Running the Show (Before the Hauls Arrive)

Introduction

Gameweek 26 is where process starts to matter more than vibes. If you’re hunting for players who are controlling games (and are often one good bounce away from a haul), the best place to look is the ICT Index—a blended signal of Influence, Creativity, and Threat.

Below is a deep, numbers-first scan of the top ICT performers normalized by minutes from the provided dataset, with a focus on the profiles that scream: “returns are coming.”

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GW26: The Big Picture (ICT + xGI + Form)

These are the headline metrics that help separate “hot streak” from “repeatable involvement.”

How to read this for GW26:

• •ICT Index = who is consistently involved in the game’s decisive actions.
• •xGI (xG + xA) = who is consistently involved in chances (scoring + creating).
• •Form/PPG = what has already converted into points (useful, but noisier).

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The GW26 “Control the Game” Shortlist (Even If Points Lag)

These are the players whose ICT + xGI suggest they’re driving outcomes—whether or not the recent points have matched.

1) Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd) — The complete ICT profile

Bruno is the cleanest “control” pick in the dataset.

• •ICT Index: 224.7 (elite, basically matching Haaland’s 226.1)
• •xGI: 14.60 (massive involvement)
• •xA: 6.44 (creation volume that sustains returns)
• •Form: 8.8 and PPG: 6.4 (the process is already converting)
• •Market signal: 306,515 transfers in (GW26 managers are buying the engine)

GW26 takeaway: If you want a midfielder who can win you a week through both Influence (control) and Creativity (assists), Bruno’s profile is the gold standard here.

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2) Rayan Cherki (Man City) — Creativity-led control at a mid-price

Cherki’s numbers are the blueprint for a player who can explode when finishing variance swings.

• •ICT Index: 127.7 (strong, especially for 6.5)
• •xGI: 7.95 driven by xA: 5.79
• •xG: 2.16 (not purely a scorer—he’s a chance architect)
• •Form: 3.2 and PPG: 4.5 (steady, not yet “mega-haul”)

Why this matters for GW26:

• •High xA + strong ICT is the classic “returns can spike quickly” profile.
• •If you’re chasing upside without paying premium prices, Cherki’s underlying creation is the selling point.

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3) Phil Foden (Man City) — Elite ICT despite cold form

Foden is the poster child for “don’t overreact to recent points.”

• •ICT Index: 150.8 (higher than Salah’s 143.1)
• •xGI: 8.48 (healthy involvement)
• •Form: 0.8 (this is exactly where many managers panic-sell)
• •Transfer trend: 193,089 transfers out (a potential buy-low window)

GW26 takeaway: The underlying involvement is still there. If you’re looking for a minutes-normalized ICT performer whose points haven’t followed, Foden is one of the clearest candidates.

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4) David Brooks (Bournemouth) — The stealth “process” pick

Brooks is the most interesting low-ownership control profile in the entire list.

• •ICT Index: 85.6 (very strong for a 5.0)
• •xGI: 7.21 (this is the headline)
• •Split: xG 4.41 + xA 2.80 (balanced threat + creation)
• •Yet: Form 0.2 and PPG 2.2 (points haven’t arrived)
• •Ownership: 0.2% (true differential)

GW26 takeaway: If you want a differential based on underlying numbers rather than recent returns, Brooks is a pure “bet on regression” profile.

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Threat vs Creativity: Who’s Driving Points (and How)?

A quick way to spot “control” players is to see whether their xGI is chance creation-led (xA) or finishing-led (xG).

GW26 interpretation:

• •If you want control + consistency, prioritize players with meaningful xA and strong ICT (Bruno, Cherki, Brooks).
• •If you want pure goal threat, xG-heavy profiles dominate (Haaland, Kroupi).

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Injury/Availability Flags (Don’t Ignore for GW26)

Two high-ICT names are marked as doubts:

• •Bukayo Saka (d): ICT 161.4, xGI 10.69, but 230,152 transfers out suggests managers are reacting to the flag.
• •Jérémy Doku (d): ICT 123.8, xGI 6.06—strong creativity signal, but availability risk is real.

For GW26, these are watchlist profiles: the underlying numbers are excellent, but the status marker changes the decision.

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GW26 Buying Logic: What the Data is Really Saying

If you’re building a GW26 plan around underlying dominance rather than last week’s points:

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  Pay for control when it’s proven:

  • •Bruno Fernandes is the standout “runs the game” pick: 224.7 ICT + 14.60 xGI.
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  Target buy-low ICT when the crowd sells:

  • •Phil Foden has 150.8 ICT with 0.8 form and heavy sales—classic mispricing of short-term variance.
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  Chase creation-led upside at mid-price:

  • •Rayan Cherki: 5.79 xA is the kind of number that can turn into a multi-return week quickly.
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  Differential hunters should circle one name:

  • •David Brooks: 7.21 xGI with 0.2% ownership is exactly the profile that wins mini-leagues when it finally clicks.

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Conclusion

For Gameweek 26, the best edge in this dataset comes from backing players with elite ICT involvement and repeatable xGI, especially when recent points haven’t caught up.

• •Bruno Fernandes is the premier “control the match” asset.
• •Foden and Cherki offer the most compelling “underlying > form” cases.
• •Brooks is the standout differential: strong ICT, strong xGI, minimal ownership.

If you’re playing the long game, GW26 is a perfect week to let the ICT Index and xGI do the talking.