Arsenal have this afternoon announced their Gameweek 19 home clash with West Ham, which was scheduled for Boxing Day, has been postponed due to the proposed industrial action on the London Underground.
The Gunners have, however, confirmed the game will now take place on either Wednesday January 23 or Saturday January 26, depending on both sides’ respective third round results in the FA Cup. This affords the pair a double Gameweek in the middle of the FPL winter wildcard window – an enticing scenario for Fantasy managers.
Certainly, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the two sides could exit the FA Cup at the first hurdle. The Gunners travel to Swansea on Sunday January 6, while West Ham play host to Man United the previous day – if they both go out, they would then be free to square up on Saturday January 26. Alternatively, if either of the pair progress, the game will be rescheduled for Wednesday January 23. Both dates will fall in Gameweek 23, which already finds Arsenal travelling to Chelsea, while West Ham playing host to QPR before the rescheduled encounter.
In the short-term, it’s potentially problematic for owners of the likes of Santi Cazorla. The Spaniard has already been drafted in by over 40,000 FPL managers after his 23 point haul at Reading on Monday and with a trip to Wigan to follow, he could be in for another potentially prosperous weekend. Strong benches are more essential than ever right now and while many may be tempted to ship out their Arsenal and West Ham Fantasy assets after this weekend, the pair still have strong fixtures prior to the upcoming double – the Gunners face Newcastle and Southampton after their trip to Wigan, while West Ham’s schedule (rdg, NOR, sun) also looks favourable.
