Premium defenders can be some of the most reliable FPL assets, but timing when to bring them in is key to maximising their clean sheet returns.
Clean sheets account for around 50% of defender points in FPL, meaning a defender from an elite defence effectively starts each match with a 4-point upside before factoring in DEFCON, bonus points, or attacking returns.
This table highlights the clean sheet odds for all Big 6 teams across the first half of the season, helping managers plan when to target, bring in, or hold their defensive assets. Each team's best 5-game streak is bolded.
DON'T FORGET: A clean sheet percentage (CS%) below 50% means a clean sheet is still less likely than not.
Arsenal | Chelsea | Liverpool | Man City | Man United | Tottenham | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GW1 | 61% | 25% | 23% | 34%🔥 | 45% | 21% |
GW2 | 35% | 28% | 37% | 33%🔥 | 42% | 27% |
GW3 | 37% | 15% | 35% | 47%🔥 | 31% | 25% |
GW4 | 47% | 47%🔥 | 36% | 21%🔥 | 20% | 34% |
GW5 | 35% | 24%🔥 | 24% ❄️ | 44%🔥 | 29% | 26% |
GW6 | 49% 🔥 | 29%🔥 | 20% ❄️ | 18% | 30% | 15% |
GW7 | 42% 🔥 | 29%🔥 | 26% ❄️ | 45% | 29% | 40% |
GW8 | 50% 🔥 | 28%🔥 | 30% ❄️ | 26% ❄️ | 31% | 15% |
GW9 | 26% 🔥 | 23% | 23% ❄️ | 26% ❄️ | 18% ❄️ | 33%🔥 |
GW10 | 60% 🔥 | 32% | 30% | 33% ❄️ | 30% ❄️ | 25%🔥 |
GW11 | 37% ❄️ | 34% | 25% | 32% ❄️ | 16% ❄️ | 38%🔥 |
GW12 | 32% ❄️ | 27% ❄️ | 31% | 39% ❄️ | 33% ❄️ | 30%🔥 |
GW13 | 38% ❄️ | 35% ❄️ | 41% | 19% | 24% ❄️ | 32%🔥 |
GW14 | 35% ❄️ | 20% ❄️ | 18% | 39% | 44%🔥 | 19% |
GW15 | 44% ❄️ | 12% ❄️ | 37%🔥 | 28% | 30%🔥 | 38% ❄️ |
GW16 | 37% | 28% ❄️ | 30%🔥 | 27% | 17%🔥 | 12% ❄️ |
GW17 | 42% | 35% | 42%🔥 | 51% | 37%🔥 | 27% ❄️ |
GW18 | 41% | 33% | 23%🔥 | 34% | 41%🔥 | 26% ❄️ |
GW19 | 54% | 29% | 44%🔥 | 33% | 23% | 11% ❄️ |
AVERAGE CS% | 42% 🥇 | 28% | 30% 🥉 | 33% 🥈 | 30% 🥉 | 26% |
Clean sheet data courtesy of Rob T @robtFPL
Arsenal:
Best 5-week period: GW6-GW10 🔥
Worst 5-week period: GW11-GW15 ❄️
Chelsea:
Best 5-week period: GW4-GW8 🔥
Worst 5-week period: GW12-GW16 ❄️
Liverpool:
Best 5-week period: GW15-GW19 🔥
Worst 5-week period: GW5-GW9 ❄️
Manchester City:
Best 5-week period: GW1-GW5 🔥
Worst 5-week period: GW8-GW12 ❄️
Manchester United:
Best 5-week period: GW14-GW19 🔥
Worst 5-week period: GW9-GW13 ❄️
Tottenham
Best 5-week period: GW9-GW13 🔥
Worst 5-week period: GW15-GW19 ❄️
The Takeaways:
FIXTURES ARE KEY
Arsenal are the outlier, with strong CS% regardless of opponent, while most Big 6 sides are far more fixture-dependent.
Even Arsenal's weakest period outperforms the strongest period of every other Big 6 defence.
Every team's highest CS% comes against newly promoted teams
Only 4 games exceed 50% CS%
Best CS% teams in order: Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool/United, Chelsea, Tottenham
