Welcome back to the final week of Hive FPL 25/26!
The Premier League title race may have failed to go the distance but that is certainly not true of the leagues here on Hive - there is a huge amount still to play for!
I think we all pretty much understand the permutations of the Premier League relegation battle and the contest for the last couple of European spots so lets dive straight into our Hive fixtures.
Classic League
GW37 was very much like GW36 in that top team Blue Mooners continued to edge away from their closet rivals while the likes of Sutter Kane and Suffragette City continued to move up through the pack.
If there were a couple of gameweeks after this one you might fancy one of those sides to carry the moment forward and make charge for the title but to me it feels like they/I have themselves a bit much to do in just a single week.
While stranger things have happened then overturning a 23 point deficit, it's the battle for position below that and a larger cut of the prize fund that is the most intriguing.
The real question is which players are likely to have the biggest impact on these league standings in the final week?
I've done an analysis of the top 14 teams in Hive FPL to see which Premier League stars are in most of these sides and which are less popular picks.
It won't come as any major surprise that the likes of Haaland, Fernandes and Gabriel are all in 13 out of the top 14 sides. Accepting that the choice of captain can still be major factor, whatever these players score is generally irrelevant in regards moving up and down the league.
Van Heck, Saka, Semenyo and O'Riley are also very popular, appearing in the majority of those teams.
However, there are few dark horses floating around out there who could be the difference makers come the final reckoning on Sunday. They include...
Dango (Suffragette City) - The Brentford man scored a brace in his last outing to take him to 15 goal involvements for the season. Liverpool's shaky defence may offer further opportunities to add to his 134 points.
Gibbs-White (Racibo) - The Forest man is absolutely flying at the moment and yet he's in only 1 of the top 14 teams in Hive FPL. 8 goals and 2 assists in his last 9 appearances have given him a shot at the WC Squad and he'll be keen to finish off in front of his home fans this weekend.
Palmer (Fire Power) - It's been another diasppointing FPL season for Palmer but we all know what he's capable of. Another player who'll be keen to prove form and fitness to secure a spot at the World Cup. No goal involvement in his last 8, it almost feels like he's due one of those monster returns!
Trossard (Racibo) - Again on Racibo's team, Trossard's late season form has been a major factor in the Gunners getting over the line. The concern for him and other Arsenal assets is whether Arteta opts to rest them ahead of the Champions League final.
VVD (Tengo Rangers) - How the mighty have fallen! Van Dijk was once one of the most picked players in the game but Liverpool's performances across the course of the season have eroded confidence in their squad amongst FPL players. In fact, the Liverpool captain is 1 of just 2 Liverpool players to be found in the top 14 sides in Hive FPL, the other being Szoboszlai (in 2 squads). However VVD is still scoring points, he got 14 of them last week and his 6 goals this season are his best ever return. Could he pop up with a points haul in GW38 to send Tengo Rangers into the top 10?
Pedro Porro (Emeka4) - Another defender who was very popular at the start of the season appearing in over 2 million fantasy teams for GW1. That number halved during the course of the season and only Emeka4 has kept faith in the Spaniard. Porro has delivered just a single clean sheet bonus in his last 18 game weeks and more concerning, just 4 goal involvements all season. Spurs desperately need a clean sheet and a goal. Emeka4 in 12th place wouldn't mind that either!
Hive FPL Cup
It's the final!
Suffragette City ended Blue Mooner's hopes of a treble by beating them in the semis while Murima's cup dreams roll on after they overcame higher ranked opposition once again. Their late season charge has moved them up to 21st in the Classic League and perhaps more importantly 5th in H2H Division 2, more on that later...
v 
Both these sides have been putting up consistently good scores in recent weeks (I guess they'd have to in order to reach the final!) but from quite different squads.
Murima have gone for the tactic of investing in 2 high price keepers while Suffragette City are married o Raya in goal. Could he be rested for this game?
In fact more generally, Suffragette City are incredibly reliant on Arsenal's back line with 3 defensive assets from the champions squad. That looked like a decent call when it appeared the title race would go to the wire, is it now a liability?
In midfield, Murima are probably left asking the same question over Rice while Aston Villa may opt to give Morgan Rogers a breather after his European heroics.
Ngumoha is a nice wildcard pick and exactly the type of player who will and indeed has gotten minutes late in the season. Harry Wilson and Fulham's season has fizzled out a bit, no goal involvement in his last 6 matches for the Welsh wizard. With his contract about to expire, this is likely to be his last apperance for the Cottagers, can he sign off in style?
Suffragette City have 4 in form differentials in their midfield. Collectively they've provided 14 goal involvements over the last 4 weeks catupluting them into this final and up to 4th in the Classic League.
Upfront Murima have players who have enjoyed a strong finish to the season. Beto has 6 goal involvements in his last 7 appearances and faces a nervy Spurs team on the final day. Watkins too is in excellent form but like Rogers may be afforded a rest.
Thiago will be up against a shaky Liverpool defence at an Anfield where the atmosphere is set to be interesting to say the least. Atmosphere will also be a factor for West Ham captain Jarod Bowen, they need their talisman to deliver at home to Leeds in order to pull off the great escape!
H2H Division 1
It's a fascinating finish to the top flight after the top 2 both lost in GW37!
Likodra FC recorded just 39 points in their defeat with 13 of their 15 man squad blanking at a crucial moment. However, BlockchainFPL were unable to capitalise as they lost to Cunha Do Sum4 Mee.
Those 2 defeats also mean that Steve Herbae are ready to pounce and snatch the title should those 2 slip up once again.
Likodra FC play Suffragette City (see above for their squad) a side 6 places below them in the H2H league but who have scored 199 more points across the course of the season - go figure!
Blockchain are up against Red Cards of Rohan another very solid outfit and perenial contenders across the board while Steve Herbae take on 23/24 H2H champions Shamzy FC. It suggests that there will be more twists and turns over the course of Sunday afternoon!
It the bottom, huge wins for FC McKane and Formidable Milano in GW37 boosted their chances of surival. FC McKane can mathmateically still go down but it seems unlikely.
Nonzy FC are sinking faster than Hive's price, no win in their last 5.
Hungry Lions and Skander played out a draw in GW37 which did neither side any great favours. However, it's Skander whose destiny is no. longer in their own hands.
Spero FC also choose a bad time to have a crap game week, delivering just 45 points in GW37 and sliding back into the relegation zone. It's their final match against Hungry Lions that we'll focus on now...
v 
The equation for these 2 is quite simple - win and you stay up!
For Hungry Lions, there is a world in which they can lose and still avoid a bottom 5 finish but presumably they'll be keen to get the job done themselves.
Spero FC were going into the final game week of the 24/25 season chasing the Classic League title - they won that. Can they hold their nerve once again at the last reckoning this season?
Defensively there are more similarities than differences between the 2 squads. The Bournemouth assets on both sides could be crucial. The Cherries were within seconds of holding City midweek for what would have been their 3rd clean sheet in a row but neither of these sides have regularly picked either Senesi or Petrovic in their starting XI's.
In midfield Spero FC have in form Jack Hinshelwood playing at home for a Brighton side that needs a result to guarantee European football next season. Hungry Lions have Danny Wellbeck looking to do the same and against his boyhood club.
Again, if I were Hungry Lions, I would worry about the involvement of the likes of Saka and Eze in the Arsenal match at Palace. Rotation seems highly likely in the circumstances.
In Dewsbury-Hall and Calvert-Lewin, Hungry Lions have players who will be involved in those highly emotional matches at the moment of the table.
H2H Division 2
Congratulations to Sutter Kane, Hasalaand and baring a near miracle Racibo who have all been promoted to Division 1 next season alongside Blue Mooners.
Division 1 is already tough enough but it's going to be elite next season with those 4 joining!
The only question that remains to be answered is who will join them?
Murima, who of course play in the Cup Final this weekend (see above) are in pole position. A win will be enough for them to be promoted and to be honest it's difficult to see that they won't achieve that.
They play bottom of the league, 7 wins all season, Sportin.
As you can imagine, this is a team that hasn't been updated in a very long time. However, they do still have 14 players who are very likely to score points this weekend so they are not quite the lame ducks that you sometimes find in this situation.
Sportin opted for Salah over Haaland in their initial pick and he's had the captain's armband ever since. Can he deliver one last hurrah in front of his home crowd and torpedo Murima's hopes of promotion?
GW38 Tips and Picks
The joys of the final week. If you've got transfer or chips it's now of never!
Hangovers and headaches
This time last week, it was looking as though we'd be heading into a nervy afternoon at both ends of the table but with Arsenal clinching the title on Tuesday evening without kicking a ball in anger it means we're left with a few damp squibs in their place.
For the Gunners in particular, they can now take their foot off the gas this weekend and focus entirely on their Champions League Final against PSG.
Reports that the players were up into the early hours of Wednesday are understandable. How many of them are going to be in tip top shape to take on Palace?
Of course Palace themselves have a cup final to focus on!
For those that do play it could end up being one of the gentlest games of football you've ever seen as players simply go through the motions in order to avoid an injury.
Man City then take on an Aston Villa side that didn't make it back home until Thursday and have already enjoyed an open top bus tour and player party since then.
With Champions League football assured, I'm not sure how committed that group of players will be either and I'd expect significant squad rotation once again.
Where it matters most
West Ham v Leeds and Spurs v Everton sees matches in which 2 teams are fighting for their respectively lives.
The Hammers have to win and hope that Spurs lose in order to stay up. They were timid against Newcastle in the early stages of their last match and paid the price, they will have to come out swinging in this match so expect drama and hopefully for FPL players some goals!
Spurs home form has been diabolical for the last 18 months. They are by no means assured of anything against even an Everton side who have failed to win in their last 6.
There is a world in which Liverpool don't qualify for the Champions League. It'd take a big loss for them at home to Brentford and a big win for Bournemouth at Forest but still something to play for.
The Liverpool and Villa results will then have a big impact on whether 6th is good enough for a Europa League spot or a Champions League spot. If Villa finish 5th, 6th place goes into the hat with Europe's elite - Barcelona vs Bournemouth?
There is then a massive crush beneath them for the remaining European spots. Sunderland take on Chelsea. The Blues know a win will get them some form of European football next season but a loss opens the door for Sunderland to grab one of those spots.
Best Differential Picks
Being the last game week, it is a complete free hit with your transfers. No need to worry how they'll go next week, it's all on Sunday!
Zian Flemming - 10 Premier League goals in a struggling side is very respectable return for the Burnley forward. Usually FPL managers would be targeting the bottom 2 for points but of course this weekend they play each other. Flemming is in just 0.5% of teams and a very affordable £5.3mil
Richarlison or Tel - If you're looking for guaranteed starters then Spurs are a decent place to visit. You can't rotate the squad when you don't have one! If they are to secure just their 3rd home win of the season then you'd anticipate one or both of these 2 will be involved in a goal. The Brazilian has 15 goal involvements for the season including 3 in his last 4 while Tel has managed 2 in his last 3 and came close to adding to that at Chelsea on Tuesday.
Kroupi Jnr - The secret has been out on this kid for a while and the real question remains as to whether Bournemouth can keep a teenager who has scored 13 Premier League goals in 25/26. Securing Champions League football next season might just convince the Frenchmen that has immediate development is best served by another season on the South coast. He's scored in 5 of his last 7 matches.
Brobbey- When you consider that he didn't start a Premier League match for Sunderland until December then Brobbey's return of 8 goal involvements ( including 7 goals) is very respectable and if afforded opportunities from the start of next season, he's definitely one to keep an eye on. I think the Stadium of Light will be rocking for this one and his physicality might be too much for a shaky Chelsea backline to handle.