Frisking the Fixtures – Gameweek 24 – The Weak

Having assessed those sides with favourable fixtures to follow, we turn our attentions to those with some tricky schedules over the next four-to-six Gameweeks. Burnley and Leicester face a tough task to steer clear of the drop zone, whilst Merseyside duo Liverpool and Everton brace themselves for for testing times ahead.

Burnley

Sitting just one point clear of the bottom three, the Clarets have managed just a single win in the last 11 league fixtures, and their home meeting with fellow relegation battlers West Brom this weekend could prove vital, considering the schedule list that lies beyond. Further bottom of the table clashes with Hull and Aston Villa await in the final three matches of the season, but before then Sean Dyche’s men need to navigate their way through an evil schedule which involves meetings with United, Chelsea, Liverpool and City in the next six.

With just one shutout registered in their previous 12 outings, few were eyeing up the Clarets’ rearguard anyway and the forthcoming fixture list simply compounds matters in that department. Kieran Trippier, from whom so much was expected round these parts at the beginning of the campaign, has tallied just two assists thus far, and the full back’s chances of convincing Fantasy managers of his potential now looks spent. Further forward, George Boyd, so dependant as a fifth midfield option up until now, is unlikely to deliver too many points from the bench from here on in, whilst Danny Ings’ 4.5% ownership may well be searching for alternatives in the budget forward bracket even in spite of the striker’s three goals in his last four showings.

West Ham

A 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last Saturday saw the Hammers topple down to eighth spot in the table, and judging by their upcoming schedule, Sam Allardyce’s side will have their work cut out to climb back up the rankings. The east Londoners face trips to Southampton, Spurs and Arsenal alongside home meetings with Man United and Chelsea in their next six, in a run of fixtures that is likely to determine whether they are destined for anything greater than mid-table obscurity come the conclusion of the season.

With injuries currently casting doubts over a number of their backline assets, Allardyce may have to rely on his attack to conjure up the points in the coming weeks. Stewart Downing has reached an ownership of over 28% on the back of his recent displays, though will be hard tasked to continue to justify that popularity from here on in. Up top, Andy Carroll’s renaissance in Claret and Blue has seen the Geordie fire in five goals in the last six league matches he has completed the full 90 minutes but Big Sam is sweating over his fitness after he was forced off through injury at the weekend. With the Hammers unable to field Diafra Sakho until the debacle with Senegal is resolved, Allardyce will be desperate for Carroll to recover, though whether he can continue to produce is another matter entirely.

Tottenham

The irrepressible form of Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane has seen Spurs win six of their last eight league matches, but with the schedule stiffening from here on in, they now need to prove their top four credentials. Mauricio Pochettino’s men face Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham in their next three, all of whom are currently rivalling them in the upper echelons of the table, before a blank Gameweek 27 arrives due to their Capital One Cup final commitments.

The aforementioned duo of Eriksen and Kane will have to be at their best then, as – despite tallying an imposing seven goals between them in the last four Gameweeks – they are still sure to be hard pushed to maintain that goal threat. Nonetheless, Kane certainly proved that he is up to the challenge the last time he faced one of the top sides, producing an 18-point haul against league leaders Chelsea. Owners are unlikely to ditch the young striker, then, though with the forthcoming blank looming ever closer, many will already be planning how to react; the fact that a double Gameweek 28 follows means that few are likely to get rid of their White Hart Lane assets, and instead will focus on building the strength of their benches over the coming weeks to account for the blank.

Be Wary Of…

Leicester
Let’s not kid ourselves: the Foxes’ assets were hardly top of anyone’s Watchlist anyway. But throw in trips to Arsenal, Everton and Man City and a blank Gameweek in their next five, and the case is surely closed. Leicester may only be three points away from safety, but that fixture list could see a gap open between themselves and their fellow relegation rivals over the next few weeks and leave them languishing at the foot of the table. Even the return of Riyad Mahrez from the African Cup of Nations is unlikely to have little impact upon their prospects, whilst Jeffrey Schlupp, who has made a case for inclusion in recent times thanks to his out of position spot in left midfield, is set to fall out of favour once again.

Liverpool
Fantasy managers may be scrambling to acquire the services of fit-again Daniel Sturridge, but one look at the fixture list tells you that the England striker, who marked his recovery with a goal at the weekend, faces a tough return. Trips to Everton and Southampton are coupled with Anfield encounters with Spurs and Man City, and the Reds’ newly found optimism could well be dissipated before we know it. Raheem Sterling has registered returns in four of his last five outings, but is another who will be hard tasked to reward his substantial ownership of the next four, whilst their backline – which have now recorded three consecutive shutouts in the league – is set to be firmly put to the test.

Everton
The Toffees are in a similar position to their Merseyside rivals. Having halted their losing streak with a battling draw against Man City, the Toffees then earned their first victory since Gameweek 16 at the weekend, but despite the upturn in fortunes, their time ahead looks stormy. Clashes with Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal are all on the horizon, along with a tricky away day at Stoke, and Leighton Baines’ recent resurgence in form could be brought to a halt. Romelu Lukaku notched his first goal in nine against Crystal Palace last Saturday, but at 8.8 and with the schedule so poor, still has a long way to go until he is back in favour around these parts.