As the hectic festive schedule approaches, Gameweek 13 is the calm before the storm, and the perfect moment to fine-tune your FPL team to target reliable starters with plenty of upside.
With several big-name midfielders either misfiring or sidelined &#8211; from Mohamed Salah to Cole Palmer &#8211; we’ve turned to the <a href="https://www.squawka.com/en/comparison-matrix/?compare=yk0n1H_GcADJLfEepvop3">Squawka Comparison Matrix</a> to handpick three excellent value £6-7m midfield options you can set and forget over the festive period.
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<h3 id="h.5a3ntc1rot58">Declan Rice (£6.9m) &#8211; Arsenal</h3>
Declan Rice has put forward a strong early case for Premier League Player of the Season, and he’s impressed in FPL terms too, where he sits second among midfielders with 71 points &#8211; trailing only Antoine Semenyo (75).
Arsenal’s midfield general has delivered across the board with two goals, five assists, 10 bonus points, and six clean sheets.
He&#8217;s also accumulated an impressive 45 defensive contributions in his last three matches alone; which as we’ve seen, can be an excellent avenue for points.
Speaking of which, the Comparison Matrix highlights Rice’s influence in key DEFCON metrics: 22 clearances, 22 tackles, nine interceptions, four blocked shots, and 52 ball recoveries.
Additionally, he’s created 20 chances, has a 70% take-on success rate, won possession 31 times in the middle third, and has a 69.57% aerial duel success rate.
Rice’s set-piece prowess is also a factor, putting the ball on a plate for the likes of Gabriel to thunder home.
Reliable, consistent, and multi-dimensional, Rice is the ideal set-and-forget option in a high-performing Arsenal side intent on delivering the Premier League title this term.
<div id="attachment_75673" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-75673" class="size-full wp-image-75673" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-2244471743.jpg" alt="Declan Rice" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-2244471743.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-2244471743-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/GettyImages-2244471743-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Declan Rice. Picture by Getty Images</div>
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<h3 id="h.xzwkl7zfnzx3">Yankuba Minteh (£6.1m) &#8211; Brighton</h3>
Yankuba Minteh is the cheapest option in this rundown at £6.1m, and the Gambia international is surprisingly still only 6.5% owned.
The Brighton winger delivered a season-high 11 points last weekend, adding to the nine-point return he produced against Leeds two games earlier.
He clearly enjoys home comforts, posting 9+ point hauls in three of his last four matches at the Amex.
Minteh somehow only has one goal to his name this season. Still, he’s been central to Brighton’s attacking play through contributing an FPL high seven assists &#8211; including five in his last four games &#8211; and he ranks third in the league for completed take-ons (30), has created 20 chances, and attempted 58 crosses.
He also contributes defensively, registering 43 recoveries, 23 tackles, and a 52% ground duel win rate, with an outside chance of picking up defensive contributions in tougher matches &#8211; as he did against Manchester City.
With Gambia failing to qualify for AFCON, Minteh is likely to be an ever-present for the Seagulls throughout the winter period, and with upcoming fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, and West Ham, he has a prime opportunity to keep the points rolling in.
<div id="attachment_73730" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-73730" class="size-full wp-image-73730" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Minteh-2.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="672" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Minteh-2.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Minteh-2-300x197.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Minteh-2-768x504.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Yankuba Minteh. Picture by Getty Images</div>
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<h3 id="h.8d6z6tveji4r">Morgan Rogers (£6.8m) &#8211; Aston Villa</h3>
Morgan Rogers is flying after overcoming a difficult start to the season, blanking in all of his opening five fixtures.
Since then, the English playmaker has burst into form with five goal involvements in his last seven games, including a superb brace and 15-point haul against Leeds last time out.
His display against Leeds showcased the full range of his game: two goals, six possessions won, five duels won, four successful take-ons, and two chances created.
Admittedly, Rogers isn’t the most reliable source of defensive contribution points, having yet to hit the scoring threshold in that category in any of his 11 games. Yet, he’s a minutes magnet (1,068) whose value lies firmly in his attacking output: no Aston Villa player has more Premier League goal involvements in 2025 than Rogers (5 goals and 9 assists).
This season he’s attempted 42 take-ons, regularly winning possession in the final third, and only two players have attempted more through balls.
With his ownership still at just 6.5%, Rogers offers strong differential potential and could make an instant impact in your team this weekend &#8211; at home to a winless Wolves team that have shipped a league-high 27 goals.
<div id="attachment_73341" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-73341" class="size-full wp-image-73341" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Rogers.jpg" alt="Morgan Rogers. Picture by Getty Images" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Rogers.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Rogers-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Rogers-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Morgan Rogers. Picture by Getty Images</div>
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FPL tips: Best midfielders for festive fixtures ahead of rotation chaos | Squawka

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