The opening six Gameweeks are done and dusted and all teams now face an even split of three home and away fixtures each during the upcoming period.
Everton are the headline act for the first time this season, while Stoke City’s fixtures also improve dramatically following a tricky start.
Here’s our summary of those sides with the schedule to drive Fantasy investment, together with analysis of where the points could come and when the tide turns.
Everton
(BUR bha ARS lei WAT cry)
The Prospects – Goals
Only Swansea City have registered fewer shots than the Toffees (54), although it has to be remembered that Ronald Koeman’s side had an extremely difficult start to the campaign.
Everton’s forthcoming home fixtures are a mixed bag.
Weekend opponents Burnley have conceded more shots (122) than any other team, but have only let in five goals so far.
Arsenal’s improving defence will provide a barrier in Gameweek 9 – they have now kept three consecutive clean sheets.
While the Goodison Park meeting with Watford looks difficult to predict; Marco Silva’s side have won all three away matches and conceded just once.
The away trips could well prove more profitable.
Brighton & Hove Albion have conceded just seven goals, but the Seagulls have allowed 12 big chances – only four teams have allowed more.
The visits to Leicester City and Crystal Palace certainly promise attacking returns.
The Foxes have failed to impress defensively, shipping 12 goals, while no team has conceded more (13) than the Eagles so far.
The Prospects – Clean Sheets
Burnley have managed to score at Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool, and will provide dangerous opposition when they make their way to Goodison on Sunday.
Looking at their other visitors over this spell, although Arsenal have failed to score on their travels, they should still represent a tough match-up, after building momentum with two wins and a draw in their last three matches. And Watford also present another test – they have netted two goals in each of their three away encounters.
In terms of road trips, Brighton have won their last two home matches, but have created fewer big chances (two) than any other side.
Leicester will be hard to contain at the King Power Stadium but a visit to Selhurst Park could prove profitable, considering that Palace are still to score this season and will be devoid of the injured Christian Benteke.
Although the Toffees have only managed one clean sheet so far, then, with the schedule now more favourable, they’re expected to add to that total over the coming period.
The Turning Point
Everton enjoy a very nice run of fixtures all the way up to Gameweek 16, with clashes against Liverpool and Chelsea then providing stern tests.
Verdict
Despite this being the fixture window to invest in Toffees assets, a lack of form and confidence is proving to be a deterrent.
Gylfi Sigurdsson has yet to settle at Goodison Park, while it’s still not clear who will emerge as the go-to forward option. Oumar Niasse and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have scored two and three goals respectively in the last two in all competitions and could yet offer value at just 5.0 apiece if they can cement regular pitch time.
At the back, Jordan Pickford looks the safest bet, particularly as Michael Keane is struggling with a foot injury. Cuco Martina and Mason Holgate could yet emerge as sub-4.5 options if either can nail down the right-back berth, though neither is a secure pick right now. They’ve started three league matches apiece this term.
Stoke City
(SOT mci BOU wat LEI bha)
The Prospects – Goals
Stoke have mustered a mere five goals in six but will be relatively buoyed by their upcoming opponents, particularly from Gameweek 9 onwards.
Saturday’s home meeting with Southampton is hard to call, with Saints registering shut-outs in each of their away matches.
However, Bournemouth’s visit looks very promising – they have allowed more penalty area shots (62) than any other side – while Leicester also present another strong match-up.
Certainly, the Gameweek 8 trip to Manchester City looks tough but a visit to Watford shouldn’t hold too much fear – they’ve shipped nine goals at home already.
Meanwhile, Brighton have been fairly solid at home and Mark Hughes’ men may struggle to net at the Amex Stadium in what could be a battle of attrition.
The Prospects – Clean Sheets
Saints have only netted four times this season and should present Stoke with a good opportunity to produce a second clean sheet of the campaign.
However, Bournemouth’s paltry total of four goals makes that another kind home fixture, although Leicester do carry plenty of attacking threat, particularly with their pace on the break.
A trip to the Etihad Stadium offers little hope of defensive returns, yet Watford have struggled for a cutting edge at Vicarage Road, blanking in two of their three home matches. And Brighton generally struggle for goals and offer another decent fixture at the Amex.
The Turning Point
Clashes against Liverpool and Spurs in Gameweeks 14 and 16 curtail the kind run, although the outlook is otherwise positive all the way to Christmas.
Verdict
With injuries taking hold in defence, investment in that area of the pitch is unlikely, although Kevin Wimmer is one to monitor when he recovers from a hamstring problem due to his budget 4.4 price tag.
Further forward, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting continues to look a potential budget enabler, with the Cameroon international also at times playing as a central striker. Indeed, since being handed his first start in Gameweek 2, no midfielder has registered more shots in the box that the summer signing.
Swansea City
(whu HUD LEI ars BHA bur)
The Prospects – Goals
The next six look very strong for attacking prospects, but a total of three goals from six matches hardly encourages investment in the Swansea attack.
The home matches, in particular, look promising. Huddersfield Town have been pretty resilient thus far, but should offer a reasonable match-up, while Leicester have done little to convince from a defensive standpoint. Brighton, meanwhile, have kept out their opponents just twice in the opening six.
Looking at their road trips, West Ham United have earned clean sheets in two of their last three and yet lead the way with Palace for the most goals conceded (13) this season.
Goals will be hard to come by at the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal racking up three successive clean sheets, while Burnley have conceded just a single goal at Turf Moor to date.
The Prospects – Clean Sheets
Paul Clement’s side have been particularly resilient on the road and are yet to concede on their travels. But this weekend they face a West Ham team who have scored four goals in two home matches.
Similarly, the Arsenal fixture is unlikely to yield defensive returns, though Burnley have scored just one goal at Turf Moor and seem to be more prolific on their travels.
Assessing the home fixtures, Huddersfield’s goals are drying up, with just one in their last four, but Leicester will pose a strong threat at the Liberty Stadium.
The arrival of Brighton appears pretty promising, though as the Seagulls have netted just once in three away trips.
The Turning Point
Aside from the trip to Chelsea in Gameweek 14, the fixture list is kind all the way up to Gameweek 16. From that point onwards, Swans budget assets quickly lose their appeal and appear very negative away from home.
Verdict
It’s in defence where investment remains most likely, with Lukasz Fabianski and Kyle Naughton the standout budget options.
Fantasy managers are unlikely to exploit the soft schedule in the attacking areas, although Tammy Abraham should return to the starting XI this weekend after scoring from the bench in Gameweek 6. Clement’s formation and choice of attackers remains unclear and will be of great interest.
Southampton
(stk NEW WBA bha BUR liv)
The Prospects – Goals
Despite their woes in front of goal, the fixtures offer hope that the Saints attack can start to fire over the next month.
Of the three home matches, the Burnley clash appears the most promising as both Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion have impressed defensively this season.
All three away trips offer the prospect of goals, although none of the fixtures are overly favourable, particularly for a side with Southampton’s dire attacking record.
The Prospects – Clean Sheets
It’s at the back where investment is far more likely – Mauricio Pellegrino’s men have recorded three clean sheets so far.
The home matches, in particular, stand out, with Newcastle managing just one goal on their travels. West Brom, meanwhile, are without a goal in their last two encounters.
Burnley have improved as an attacking force, particularly on the road, but still present a reasonable match-up.
The Stoke and Brighton away fixtures are also pretty decent, with a trip to Anfield the only real negative during this spell.
The Turning Point
The Gameweek 12 meeting with Liverpool signals the end of Southampton’s incredibly favourable start to the campaign, with the appeal of their defensive assets lessening from that point onwards.
Verdict
Saints defenders look primed to continue offering solid value, particularly if Virgil van Dijk is handed his first start of the season at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday, bolstering the backline further.
Cedric Soares looks the safest option for the smallest outlay, with Wesley Hoedt potentially an alternative if Maya Yoshida is the man to make way for Van Dijk.
Also consider…
Leicester City
The Foxes are another side whose difficult start to the season is now behind them.
Their leading assets also look more tempting as their toughest fixtures, against Man City and Spurs, both come at the King Power Stadium.
The away schedule (bou swa stk whu new sot wat) all the way up to Gameweek 20 really catches the eye and, given their penchant for counter-attacking, could play into the hands of Jamie Vardy. He’s expected to recover from a minor hip issue in time for this weekend’s trip to Huddersfield.
The Leicester defence has failed to convince so far, but the set-piece threat of Harry Maguire makes the centre-back a possible differential candidate.
West Ham United
The next four fixtures (SWA bur BHA cry) really promote Hammers assets, before the fixture list gradually stiffens.
Manuel Lanzini and Michail Antonio will hope to recover from injury to afford us midfield options along with Marko Arnautovic. Meanwhile, Chicharito is still only simmering and seems to suffer when fielded alongside Andy Carroll.
The use of wing-backs in the last three matches brings Aaron Cresswell onto the radar, particularly as a short-term option.
Manchester City
Home fixtures against Stoke and Burnley in Gameweeks 8 and 9 stand out, although following an international break, and with a UEFA Champions League home meeting with Napoli sandwiched in between, rotation remains a concern.
Chelsea, Arsenal and Leicester provide sterner tests, particularly from a defensive perspective, while West Brom can be stubborn opponents, although Man City do have a great record at The Hawthorns.
David Silva looks the safest route into the attack, with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus boasting greater potential to score big, but with more of a chance of being rested.
In defence, it’s Nicolas Otamendi who perhaps appeals the most, due to his price tag, goal threat and the fact he appears to be the more secure starter. Two assists and four clean sheets in five starts suggests that Kyle Walker could appeal to those willing to fork out on a premium alternative, at 6.5 to the Argentine’s 5.7.
