Following the confirmation that four teams will play twice in Gameweek 20, we thought it was worth another frisk of the fixture list ahead of Friday’s deadline.
This article sees us assess the clubs and players with, in theory, the strongest and weakest runs of matches over the next six Gameweeks.
Our colour-coded Season Ticker is the primary source for this piece; using this tool as a Premium Member, you can sort by difficulty, rank by attacking and defensive potential or find budget rotation pairings. You can even set your own difficulty ratings, should you disagree with our own.
You can see a tutorial on the Season Ticker here.
OVERVIEW
The teams above are sorted by fixture difficulty between now and Gameweek 25, with those with the most games likelier to be higher up the table.
However, it’s worth noting that further fixtures could potentially be added to Gameweek 21/22, while some teams could blank in 25, which you can read more about here.
BEST FIXTURES
MANCHESTER CITY
*Man City could potentially blank in Gameweek 25 if they reach the EFL Cup final
Man City currently have more fixtures than any other team in the next six Gameweeks, with eight. The immediate schedule isn’t exactly straightforward, with games against Man Utd, Spurs (home and away) and Arsenal coming up, yet the champions are the division’s leading scorers in 2022/23, averaging 2.6 goals per game, so attacking coverage is a must. In defence, no side has allowed fewer attempts on their goal all season, with their clean-sheet prospects against Wolves, plus the two promoted clubs, looking particularly bright.
Pinpointing the best Man City assets, however, is tricky, with Pep Guardiola’s starting XIs becoming harder and harder to second-guess. Ederson (£5.4m), Kevin De Bruyne (£12.5m) and Erling Haaland (£12.2m) are potentially the ‘safest’ picks, having played every minute of every league game since the restart. However, there are differential options available to those FPL managers willing to play ‘Pep Roulette’, including the in-form John Stones (£5.4m) and Rico Lewis (£3.9m), plus Jack Grealish (£6.8m) and Riyad Mahrez (£7.5m), who Guardiola has favoured on the flanks of late.
ARSENAL
*Arsenal could potentially blank in Gameweek 25 if Leicester City reach the EFL Cup final
Arsenal have an additional fixture in Gameweek 23, but like Man City, have some tougher immediate tests, with Spurs and Man Utd in the next two rounds. Gameweek 22 is potentially the best time to invest, then, with an appealing trip to Goodison Park proceeding their double-header. It’s also worth noting from Gameweeks 24 to 29, they sit top of our Season Ticker, so tripling up on the Gunners’ is an obvious tactic, given how well Mikel Arteta’s troops have performed across the season.
Since the restart, Martin Odegaard (£6.7m) is averaging a whopping 8.7 points per match, with Gabriel Martinelli (£6.8m, 7.0), Bukayo Saka (£8.1m, 6.0) and Eddie Nketiah (£6.5m, 5.0) playing catch-up. At the back, William Saliba (£5.3m) and Gabriel Magalhaes (£5.2m) are the most popular FPL options, owned by 34.7% and 14.0% respectively, yet Ben White (£4.7m) is the value option for those wishing to spend less.
MANCHESTER UNITED
*Man Utd could potentially blank in Gameweek 25 if they reach the EFL Cup final
With a Double Gameweek 20, plus Luke Shaw (£5.1m) and Marcus Rashford (£7.0m) bursting into life since the World Cup, now is a good time to think about Man Utd assets if you weren’t already. Not only that but they sit third on our Season Ticker over the next six Gameweeks. We might also have a juicy-looking Double Gameweek 22, should certain events in the FA Cup transpire.
While the aforementioned Shaw and Rashford are obvious targets, it’s worth noting that Diogo Dalot (£4.7m) returned from injury in the FA Cup third round, but will he play every game with Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.3m) impressing in his absence? Casemiro (£4.9m) has undoubtedly played a huge role in the reversal of fortunes in Manchester, especially defensively, so picking up one of their full-backs is a good idea. Further forward, Antony (£7.4m), Bruno Fernandes (£9.8m), Christian Eriksen (£6.3m) and Anthony Martial (£6.6m) are all differential options for those wishing to complement Rashford with a second attacker.
LEEDS UNITED
*Leeds could potentially blank in Gameweek 25 if Southampton reach the EFL Cup final
The jury is still out on Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United, but their fixtures are very good indeed, as they sit fourth on our Season Ticker from now until Gameweek 25. In fact, they only meet one member of the current top six from Gameweeks 20-28 and could play twice in Gameweek 22. The run includes games against some ropey-looking defences in the form of Nottingham Forest, Everton and Southampton, who have one combined clean sheet since the restart.
In terms of FPL transfer targets, Rodrigo (£6.3m) is clear as the standout pick, having scored 10 goals in his first 16 league appearances of 2022/23. Crysensio Summerville (£4.3m) is cheap and has supplied six attacking returns in as many matches, but has had his minutes managed following the restart. Despite those good fixtures, defensively they remain a no-go, with 18 goals conceded from Gameweek 12 onwards, more than any other side.
ALSO CONSIDER
The audition by Southampton assets under Nathan Jones doesn’t look too promising on paper, with four defeats in as many matches under their new boss. However, the performances of James Ward-Prowse (£6.2m) have been encouraging in spells, with two goals in his last three matches. At the other end of the pitch, it’s hard to get excited about a defence that has managed just one clean sheet all season.
Spurs ride high-ish on our Season Ticker from Gameweeks 20-25 but it’s fair to say their fixtures are a bit of a mixed bag. Double Gameweek 20 is as tough as it gets from an attacking and defensive perspective, although many will be happy to invest in Harry Kane (£11.6m) regardless, despite being on four yellow cards.
In a similar boat to Spurs but without the same quality of player is Crystal Palace. The Eagles are up against Chelsea and Manchester United in Double Gameweek 20, with Newcastle United and a second match against Erik ten Hag’s troops to follow.
Fewer clubs have better medium-term runs on home turf than Brentford, with David Raya (£4.6m) and co facing Bournemouth, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leicester in their next five matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
And anyone with Kieran Trippier (£6.0m) and Miguel Almiron (£5.9m) in their squads has a good next four games at their disposal, with Newcastle up against Fulham, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Bournemouth.
WORST FIXTURES
There is little doubt Wolves are improving under Julen Lopetegui, but with Man City and Liverpool in the next three Gameweeks, their assets are an avoid. Saying that, owners of Hugo Bueno (£3.9m) will be more than happy to bench him, with appealing fixtures against Southampton and Bournemouth to follow, where the Spaniard could feasibly start if needed. It’s also worth noting Wolves could potentially blank in Gameweek 25 if they reach the EFL Cup final.
Aston Villa’s next three matches look fine on paper, but top two Man City and Arsenal follow, while Everton’s fixtures are a decidedly mixed bag. They will also have to navigate the next three weeks without key midfielder Alex Iwobi (£5.4m), who picked up an injury at Old Trafford in the FA Cup.
Kepa Arrizabalaga (£4.6m) should supply a steady stream of save points even if Chelsea concede, yet given their poor form under Graham Potter, owners of Marc Cucurella (£5.2m) and Mason Mount (£7.6m) will potentially be looking for an exit route.
