Fixtures

Which FPL Gameweeks could be affected by European rotation?

The UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League recommence in February following a two-month break.

As we have learned the hard way in the past, that could have a knock-on effect for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers regarding squad rotation in the top-flight.

Six Premier League sides are still involved in European action: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, West Ham United and Leicester City.

With that in mind, we thought it was worth a look at the fixture schedule for those teams up until the next international break in March, and then revisit the article at that point, when we’ll know more about postponements and rearranged matches.

MANCHESTER CITY

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  • Saturday 5 February: FA Cup fourth round – Fulham (h)
  • Wednesday 9 February: Gameweek 24 – Brentford (h)
  • Saturday 12 February: Gameweek 25 – Norwich City (a)
  • Tuesday 15 February: Champions League last 16 – Sporting (a)
  • Saturday 19 February: Gameweek 26 – Tottenham Hotspur (h)
  • Saturday 26 February: Gameweek 27 – Everton (a)
  • Wednesday 2 March: FA Cup fifth round
  • Sunday 6 March: Gameweek 28 – Manchester United (h)
  • Wednesday 9 March: Champions League last 16 – Sporting (h)
  • Monday 14 March: Gameweek 29 – Crystal Palace (a)
  • Saturday 19 March: Gameweek 30 – Brighton and Hove Albion (h) *

* possible blank due to clash with FA Cup quarter-finals

City’s schedule is predictably intense, with only two free midweeks right up until the international break in March, providing they get past Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round of course.

Having dropped points at Southampton last weekend, their lead at the top of the table could be cut to six points if Liverpool win their game in hand, which encouragingly for Fantasy managers, suggests they won’t be taking their foot off the gas anytime soon.

The league match against Norwich City in Gameweek 25 could see a degree of rotation, however, with their Champions League tie in Portugal just three days later followed by the visit of Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur. Still, Pep Guardiola’s previous comments about City’s players needing “rhythm” are worth bearing in mind, given that they will have only played two fixtures following the winter break when they visit Carrow Road.

In terms of personnel, the centre-backs could perhaps be at risk, with Ruben Dias (£6.3m), Aymeric Laporte (£5.7m) and John Stones (£5.2m) all featuring recently. Further forward, Ilkay Gundogan (£7.2m) could step-in, having barely been involved in first-team action during January, whilst Phil Foden (£8.0m), Raheem Sterling (£10.8m), Riyad Mahrez (£8.6m), Gabriel Jesus (£8.5m) and Jack Grealish (£7.6m) are all options in the attacking spots.

Notably, no fixtures need rescheduling, at least for now.

LIVERPOOL

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  • Sunday 6 February: FA Cup fourth round – Cardiff City (h)
  • Thursday 10 February: Gameweek 24 – Leicester City (h)
  • Sunday 13 February: Gameweek 25 – Burnley (a)
  • Wednesday 16 February: Champions League last 16 – Inter Milan (a)
  • Saturday 19 February: Gameweek 26 – Norwich City (h)
  • Sunday 27 February: Carabao Cup final – Chelsea (n)
  • Wednesday 2 March: FA Cup fifth round
  • Saturday 5 March: Gameweek 28 – West Ham United (h)
  • Tuesday 8 March: Champions League last 16 – Inter Milan (h)
  • Saturday 12 March: Gameweek 29 – Brighton and Hove Albion (a)
  • Sunday 20 March: Gameweek 30 – Manchester United (h) *

* possible blank due to clash with FA Cup quarter-finals

Like City, Liverpool’s schedule is also pretty chocka, with their Champions League first-leg tie at Inter Milan sandwiched between Premier League fixtures against Burnley and Norwich, which could therefore see a bit of rotation.

After their trip to Carrow Road, they could also feasibly fit in one of their postponed matches – Leeds United (h) or Arsenal (a) – as a result of UEFA allowing Premier League fixtures to be rearranged on Champions League nights. That would mean they play twice in Gameweek 26, though that is purely speculation at this point.

The Reds, of course, have a blank Gameweek 27, given their involvement in the Carabao Cup final on that same weekend. There is potential for a fixture to drop in during the following midweek, and as a result stay in the Gameweek, though that would require them to lose against Cardiff City in the FA Cup fourth round.

Jurgen Klopp, at least in the past, hasn’t been one for mass rotation, but the fact his squad performed admirably during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) may encourage him to step that up if necessary, with the likes of Ibrahima Konate (£5.1m), Kostas Tsimikas (£3.7m), Curtis Jones (£5.0m) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (£5.8m) all squad options who could come in.

CHELSEA

The best FPL midfielders for a Double Gameweek 22 Free Hit 2
  • Saturday 5 February: FA Cup fourth round – Plymouth Argyle (h)
  • Wednesday 9 February: Club World Cup semi-finals
  • Saturday 12 February: Club World Cup final/third-place play-off
  • Saturday 19 February: Gameweek 26 – Crystal Palace (a)
  • Tuesday 22 February: Champions League last 16 – Lille (h)
  • Sunday 27 February: Carabao Cup final – Liverpool (n)
  • Wednesday 2 March: FA Cup fifth round
  • Saturday 5 March: Gameweek 28 – Burnley (a)
  • Sunday 13 March: Gameweek 29 – Newcastle United (h)
  • Wednesday 16 March: Champions League last 16 – Lille (a)
  • Saturday 19 March: Gameweek 30 – Norwich City (a) *

* possible blank due to clash with FA Cup quarter-finals

With up to three blanks in the next four rounds, FPL managers are understandably looking to move on their Chelsea assets right now, rather than invest further.

Realistically, the next time we’ll be looking at Thomas Tuchel’s troops is in March, when they face off against Burnley (a) and Newcastle United (h), before a visit to France for the second-leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Lille.

Notably, the Blues have two fixtures to be rescheduled – Arsenal (h) and Leicester City (h) – though given the volume of competitions they are still involved in, we may have to wait a while longer before we see them added.

MANCHESTER UNITED

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  • Friday 4 February: FA Cup fourth round – Middlesbrough (h)
  • Tuesday 8 February: Gameweek 24 – Burnley (a)
  • Saturday 12 February: Double Gameweek 25 – Southampton (h)
  • Tuesday 15 February: Double Gameweek 25 – Brighton and Hove Albion (h)
  • Sunday 20 February: Gameweek 26 – Leeds United (a)
  • Wednesday 23 February: Champions League last 16 – Atletico Madrid (a)
  • Saturday 26 February: Gameweek 27 – Watford (h)
  • Wednesday 2 March: FA Cup fifth round
  • Sunday 6 March: Gameweek 28 – Manchester City (a)
  • Saturday 12 March: Gameweek 29 – Tottenham Hotspur (h)
  • Tuesday 15 March: Champions League last 16 – Atletico Madrid (h)
  • Sunday 20 March: Gameweek 30 – Liverpool (a) *

* possible blank due to clash with FA Cup quarter-finals

Following Wednesday’s announcement that United will play twice in Double Gameweek 25, Ralf Rangnick’s side now have the busiest February schedule of all, with seven matches to contest in all competitions.

As a result, Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.5m) may be at risk of some rotation, with their vital Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid sandwiched between Premier League clashes against Leeds United (a) and Watford (h). Prior to that, in Double Gameweek 25, a Saturday/Tuesday turnaround also looks quite tight, so we could feasibly see Edinson Cavani (£8.4m) get a run out in one of those matches.

Elsewhere, there could be rotation in the full-back positions, whilst Mason Greenwood (£7.2m), Marcus Rashford (£9.4m), Jadon Sancho (£8.8m) and Anthony Elanga (£4.8m) are all potential starters on the wing.

Given the importance of their Premier League clashes in March, it’s also difficult to see Rangnick approaching those matches with minute management in mind, suggesting a bit of rotation in February could be on the cards.

WEST HAM UNITED

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  • Saturday 5 February: FA Cup fourth round – Kidderminster Harriers (a)
  • Tuesday 8 February: Gameweek 24 – Watford (h)
  • Sunday 13 February: Gameweek 25 – Leicester City (a)
  • Saturday 19 February: Gameweek 26 – Newcastle United (h)
  • Sunday 27 February: Gameweek 27 – Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)
  • Wednesday 2 March: FA Cup fifth round
  • Saturday 5 March: Gameweek 28 – Liverpool (a)
  • Thursday 10 March: Europa League last 16
  • Sunday 13 March: Gameweek 29 – Aston Villa (h)
  • Thursday 17 March: Europa League last 16
  • Sunday 20 March: Gameweek 30 – Tottenham Hotspur (a) *

* possible blank due to clash with FA Cup quarter-finals

Whilst the majority of West Ham United’s squad will be resting up during the winter break, Michail Antonio (£7.9m) is off representing Jamaica on international duty, which is a bit of a concern for his owners. Notably, the 42.3% owned forward already looked a bit ‘leggy’ heading into this period, something David Moyes touched on after the recent defeat against Leeds United.

However, as a result of finishing top of their Europa League group, the February fixture list has been kind, with only one midweek game in the schedule. Furthermore, they don’t have any additional fixtures to be slotted in, either.

March may well be the point to hop off their assets, however, with Premier League fixtures against Liverpool (a), Aston Villa (h) and Tottenham Hotspur (a), alongside two Europa League last 16 ties and a potential FA Cup fifth round clash.

LEICESTER CITY

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  • Sunday 6 February: FA Cup fourth round – Nottingham Forest (a)
  • Thursday 10 February: Gameweek 24 – Liverpool (a)
  • Sunday 13 February: Gameweek 25 – West Ham United (h)
  • Thursday 17 February: Europa Conference League play-offs – Randers (h)
  • Sunday 20 February: Gameweek 26 – Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)
  • Thursday 24 February: Europa Conference League play-offs – Randers (a)
  • Wednesday 2 March: FA Cup fifth round
  • Saturday 5 March: Gameweek 28 – Leeds United (h)
  • Thursday 10 March: Europa Conference League last 16
  • Sunday 13 March: Gameweek 29 – Arsenal (a)
  • Thursday 17 March: Europa Conference League last 16
  • Saturday 19 March: Gameweek 30 – Brentford (h) *

* possible blank due to clash with FA Cup quarter-finals

Despite four games that need rescheduling – Norwich City (h), Everton (a), Burnley (a) and Chelsea (a) – it’s going to be a while before we see any Foxes Double Gameweeks, if they progress in both domestic and European cup competition, that is.

They are also currently due to blank in Gameweek 27, though if they lose to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fourth round, they could feasibly see a fixture dropped into the following midweek.

Despite Jamie Vardy (£10.3m) being out until March, the above schedule suggests we’ll still see plenty of rotation in the attacking positions, with Patson Daka (£7.1m) and Kelechi Iheanacho (£6.9m) both perhaps seeing starts at centre-forward.

140 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Any changes needed here or good to go fellas?

    Foster
    TAA, Cancelo, Digne
    Salah, Son, Foden, Jota, Bowen
    Watkins, Dennis

    Sanchez, White, King, Livra

    0ft, 0.3 itb

    1. circusmonkey
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Less Watford

    2. FPL_Crisis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Dennis/king to Broja
      How long you holding Son for?

    3. BarryFabregas
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Livra to Ait Nouri