With so many permutations to consider – double Gameweeks, Europa League and FA Cup Final – we’ve decided to break down our weekly regular into two parts. The first half focuses on those sides with strong upcoming schedules and also assesses those clubs with doubles on the horizon, with rest and rotation set to bite some more than others:
Tottenham
Once this Sunday’s home game with City is out the way, the fixtures fall kindly for Andre Villas-Boas’ side. The remaining four Gameweeks look persuasive (wig, SOT & che, sto, SUN) and after today’s double Gameweek 36 confirmation, plenty of Fantasy investment can be expected in the north London outfit. With a place in Europe still very much up for grabs, Villas-Boas can be relied upon to field his big-hitters from here on in, with no requirement for rest and rotation making Spurs’ options more appealing than most.
Gareth Bale can expect one almighty bandwagon if he recovers from an ankle injury sustained against FC Basel under a fortnight ago, while Jan Vertonghen’s recent attacking displays will also ensure the Belgian receives significant investment from here on in. Gylfi Sigurdsson and Emmanuel Adebayor remain differential options, with the Icelandic international having started each of the last five, while Clint Dempsey may make his way onto Fantasy radars if Aaron Lennon fails to recover from a hamstring injury.
Man City
There’s no doubt the fixtures fall in City’s favour and with a double Gameweek 36 (swa, WBA) confirmed earlier this week, there’s plenty opportunity for Fantasy points as Roberto Mancini’s side look to at least clinch second spot behind United. Aside from next weekend’s trip to Tottenham and the above-mentioned double, the defending champions have home games with West Ham and Norwich in addition to a trip to Reading on their agenda.
The downside, though, is the upcoming FA Cup Final – set to take place on Saturday May 11. With City’s match against West Brom rescheduled for the midweek of Gameweek 36, it would fall just a matter of days before they square up to Wigan at Wembley, thus reducing their double appeal. Mancini’s side also face Swansea that week but if they already have second place in the league sewn up, rotation would surely bite hard. Joe Hart would be the exception here – Mancini has already confirmed he will field Costel Pantilimon in the final, though there’s no doubt the upcoming fixtures certainly offer the likes of Sergio Aguero and David Silva the chance to rack up the points. Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko offer riskier alternatives but could benefit from increased game time as a result of the hectic schedule.
Wigan
While Roberto Martinez’s side also have a FA Cup Final to consider, the chance of the Latics boss resting his key players for the relegation run in seems slim by comparison. A trip to West Ham next weekend precedes a run of three home games in the following four, with a double Gameweek also thrown in for good measure (TOT, wba & SWA, ars, AVL).
Six wins and a draw in their last eight in all competitions is indicative of Wigan’s annual end of season resurgence and with two goals conceded in their last five in the league and cup, the 4.0 priced Joel Robles looks a definite option between the sticks. Emmerson Boyce’s out of position berth on the right of midfield remains an option, while Shaun Maloney and Arouna Kone have already shown their capabilities in recent matches as Martinez looks to engineer yet another great escape.
Swansea
Michael Laudrup’s side have three favourable looking Gameweeks in the final five which look set to boost their appeal. The Swans entertain Southampton and Fulham at the Liberty and also have a double in Gameweek 36 (MCY, wig) as they look to finish the season with a flourish. Having scored in each of his last two, Michu is sure to persuade more investors to jump on board the bandwagon – his security of starts will be a significant factor – though the rest of Laudrup’s squad look no more than punts at this point.
At the back, Swansea have conceded twice in each of their last four, while Ben Davies’ owners will be a little concerned after Laudrup admitted he plans to field Neil Taylor at left-back before the season is out. With rotation affecting the midfield area, Jonathan de Guzman is their second top scoring FPL scorer behind Michu and with set-pieces in his locker, may appeal for those on the hunt for a mid-price gamble.
Also Consider
Norwich – Chris Hughton’s side are not quite safe from the drop yet but with three home games in the next four, there’s reason for optimism. Reading, Villa and West Ham all roll up to Carrow Road between now and Gameweek 27 and with a trip to struggling Stoke also on their agenda, Norwich could barely ask for a kinder run of four matches before travelling to City on the final day of the season. Robert Snodgrass continues to pick up the points – the summer signing has produced a goal and assist across his last couple of matches and holds a 15 point advantage over Seb Bassong as the Canaries’ top scoring FPL option. With uncertainty between the sticks and up top, those two remain the obvious targets, with Russell Martin and Michael Turner offering cheaper options than Bassong at the back.
Sunderland – buoyed by last Sunday’s win at Newcastle, the Black Cats are also handed three home games in the following four. Paolo Di Canio’s side remain firmly ensconced in the relegation battle but now entertain Everton, Stoke and Southampton at the Stadium of Light and also travel to fellow strugglers Villa – all four fixtures look essential to their chances of survival before a testing trip to Tottenham in Gameweek 38. Stephane Sessegnon’ return to form bring the Benin international firmly onto Fantasy radars, while Adam Johnson seems a viable midfield alternative, with Simon Mignolet offering save points and clean sheet potential at the back.
West Brom – the next four Gameweeks are also likely to earn the Baggies extra investment. A home clash against Newcastle is followed by a trip to Southampton and a double Gameweek 36 against Wigan and City, with a showdown against Norwich also on the agenda before they square up to United on the final day of the season.
Earlier this term, such a run of fixtures would have boosted Romelu Lukaku’s chances but Fantasy managers are likely to be cautious – with their safety secured, Steve Clarke could now utilise his squad options up top from here on in, with the on loan Belgian dropped for Shane Long last time out. Factor in the loss of spot-kick duties and Lukaku is perhaps not quite as appealing. Two clean sheets in 15 highlight a lack of resilience for those eyeing up the likes of Ben Foster and Gareth McAuley and, while James Morrison is just six points behind Lukaku in the FPL standings, he has scored once (a converted spot-kick against Arsenal last time out) since Gameweek 11.
Chelsea – the Blues also have a double Gameweek 36, though a trip to United and home game with Tottenham are far from straightforward. Although Rafa Benitez’s side are still firmly in the battle for third spot, their upcoming Europa League duties are likely to play a significant part in their manager’s selection policy and may deter would-be suitors. If Chelsea get the better of FC Basel and reach the Europa League final on May 15, they will play nine fixtures in the 28 days between next Sunday’s trip to Liverpool and the end of the season – a real cause for concern, in spite of their extra league fixture.
Benitez’s side also have home clashes with Swansea and Everton in addition to a trip to Villa yet to take place but as their interim manager has repeatedly shown, rest and rotation will be a major factor. In spite of the double, their manic schedule may lessen the likelihood of Juan Mata and Eden Hazard starting both and continuing their superb Fantasy seasons, with many feeling Benitez may instead prioritise the chase for European silverware to boost his cv before departing Stamford Bridge next month.
