With the deadline for the first Double Gameweek of the campaign behind us, it’s time to consider Gameweek 27 – as well as what lies beyond it.
In our latest installment of ‘Frisking the Fixtures’, we focus on the six-game stretch between Gameweeks 27-32.
If you’re new to this series, we pinpoint the FPL teams and players with the most appealing medium-term runs of matches.
This is a particularly fitting six-match block as a likely Double Gameweek 33 and Blank Gameweek 34 immediately follows it. Plenty is still unknown about those two Gameweeks.
ABOUT THE FIXTURE TICKER
As always, our colour-coded Season Ticker is the primary source for this piece.
Using this tool as a Chief 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 ours.
And new, as of this season, is the ability to customise the colours!
There’s the:
- Premier League green/red colour scheme
- Good old Scout red/blue
- Colour-blind-friendly combo
- Option to set your own colours – if you fancy pink and purple, you absolutely can!
SEASON TICKER OVERVIEW: NEXT SIX GAMEWEEKS
LIVERPOOL
Sitting atop the Fixture Ticker between Gameweeks 27 and 32 is Liverpool.
There’ll be fears of a ‘new manager bounce’ with Nottingham Forest, of course, following Vitor Pereira’s appointment. Forest beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield back in November.
After that, it’s struggling West Ham and Wolves in consecutive weeks, both of whom the Reds have already beaten in 2025/26. The same goes for lower-mid-table Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton, who are both on the slide at the wrong end of the table.
That all means Arne Slot’s side have five decent chances in front of them – all against bottom-half sides – to rack up crucial wins in the fight for Champions League places.
Each half of the blossoming partnership of Hugo Ekitike (£8.9m) and Florian Wirtz (£8.4m) is likely to gain some more backers during this run, while free-kick-taker extraordinaire Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.7m) is back from his one-match ban in Gameweek 27. Mohamed Salah (£14.0m) might be too rich for some, however.
As for Gameweek 26 hauler Virgil van Dijk (£5.9m), this Ticker-topping run surely presents some ideal opportunities to nab further clean sheets and maybe even another attacking return, especially given Forest and the Hammers are particularly vulnerable from set pieces.
ASTON VILLA
Next up is Aston Villa, who begin this appealing stretch of games with a double-header against Leeds and Wolves.
Villa beat both of those sides during their impressive winning streak earlier this season, although Leeds have shown good fight in many matches since then while Wolves’ defence has notably tightened up since the turn of the year.
The following double-header against Chelsea and Manchester United may be more difficult. Again, though, these are teams Villa managed to beat (2-1 on each occasion) in the reverse fixtures.
Both the Blues and United have changed managers and undergone an upturn in form since their last meeting with Villa, presenting Emery and co with a fresh challenge, but you wouldn’t bet against Morgan Rogers (£7.6m) spoiling the party for Liam Rosenior and/or Michael Carrick. It was Rogers who bagged a brace last time against the Red Devils, while Ollie Watkins (£8.6m) did the same against Chelsea and now has Tammy Abraham (£6.0m) there in support.
This run concludes with West Ham (H) in Gameweek 31 – a great-looking fixture, on paper, in a week where several clubs will blank due to the Carabao Cup final – followed by Nottingham Forest (A) in Gameweek 32. Again, Villa have beaten these two already in 2025/26, with Rogers at the double versus the Hammers and Watkins on the scoresheet against Forest.
The fact that Villa kept only one clean sheet (Wolves, Gameweek 13) in six attempts against these clubs earlier this season is a slight cause for concern if you’re going for the ever-present Ezri Konsa (£4.4m), so perhaps Matty Cash (£4.9m) – if he’s passed fit for Gameweek 27 as expected – is worth the extra outlay for the bonus attacking threat he carries.
BRENTFORD
Brentford are flying high at the moment, having recently carried some of their commendable season-long home form into away games.
European football qualification – in a season where many had them tipped for a relegation scrap – is a real possibility if the Bees keep this up.
First up, they face Brighton at a great time to get revenge for November’s 2-1 defeat, given the Seagulls’ recent poor displays and lack of wins.
Then it’s a trip to struggling Burnley for the reverse match of one in which Igor Thiago (£7.0m) scored twice (13 FPL points). Dango Ouattara (£5.8m) grabbed a goal and assist (12 FPL points) in the same game.
Brentford beat Gameweek 29 opponents Bournemouth 4-1 at home just after Christmas, with Kevin Schade (£6.9m) netting a hat-trick. He’s available again now having served his suspension for a red card a few weeks ago.
Wolves and Everton were both put to the sword by Keith Andrews’ men earlier this season, the latter with a six-goal thriller that included a Thiago hat-trick, while the reverse fixture against Leeds ended in a stalemate. Those are actually rare high spots against teams in the bottom half, who Keith Andrews’ side have generally struggled against.
The Gameweek 31 trip to Elland Road or the away day in Bournemouth two rounds prior are probably Brentford’s two toughest tests on paper during this period. But, after successive away wins at the renowned fortresses of Villa Park and St James’, you can’t put it past the Bees – who aren’t even missing any key players at present – to get the job done.
FULHAM
As for Fulham, the immediate trip to Sunderland in Gameweek 27 is probably the least appealing of this bunch given the Black Cats’ stellar home form since returning to the top-flight.
Still, the Cottagers did win the reverse fixture 1-0… could they become the first team to do the double over Regis Le Bris and co?
Even if they don’t manage that feat, Fulham enjoy three home games in their four outings that follow. That is good news for Marco Silva, given his side have picked up 23 points at Craven Cottage but just 11 on the road.
Sandwiching the Gameweek 30 visit to Forest (who, like Sunderland, suffered a 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture), meanwhile, are the aforementioned home ties, against Tottenham, West Ham and Burnley.
The Clarets, winless in 16 before Gameweek 26, have conceded a league-worst 32 goals in away games this season. Harry Wilson (£6.0m) – who terrorised them with a 16-point haul in the reverse fixture – has scored six of his eight Premier League goals at home.
Wilson also netted against Spurs in the reverse fixture.
Also of note is the fact that four of Fulham’s five clean sheets this term have been earned at home. Three of those were earned against three of these clubs (Sunderland, West Ham, Forest). Hello, Joachim Andersen (£4.5m)?
BOURNEMOUTH
The final team we’ll discuss in their own section is Bournemouth.
Despite ranking seventh in the overall Gameweek 27-32 outlook, the Cherries would be FIRST when looking only at Gameweeks 27-31.
Arsenal only narrowly beat the Cherries in their previous meeting, on the south coast, but Bournemouth – like Fulham – have been much worse away than at home this term.
Luckily for Andoni Iraola, his side’s only two other road games in this stretch are against West Ham and Burnley, whose deficiencies we’ve discussed.
Interspersed between those are home ties against Sunderland, Brentford and Man Utd.
All three have taken points off the Cherries, with United the other party in an entertaining 4-4 draw while Sunderland won 3-2 and Brentford 4-1 on their own turf.
The Black Cats have been far worse on the road. They, on paper, are probably the most bankable win for Bournemouth of those three home games, while the main mission against the Bees and the Red Devils should be… not to concede another four goals!
If that is achieved, or even if the defence is tightened up just a bit, Marcos Senesi (£4.8m) and James Hill (£4.0m) could be solid picks, particularly given their defensive contribution (DefCon) potential.
Elsewhere, the midfield is fairly thin on the ground but Rayan (£5.5m) has hit the ground running with three returns in his first three appearances.
There are reservations about Evanilson (£7.0m), given his profligacy, and Eli Kroupi Jr (£4.7m), who dropped to the bench in Gameweek 26.
ALSO CONSIDER
Aside from those teams already discussed, the trio of Arsenal, Manchester City and Crystal Palace all rank in the top half of the Gameweek 27-32 Fixture Ticker.
But – and it’s a big but – they are all very likely (or in Arsenal’s case, certain) to blank in Gameweek 31. If you’re not Free Hitting that week, you’ll have to make contingency plans for life without players from these clubs.
Burnley, meanwhile, have a promising run from Gameweek 28. Scott Parker will be desperate to build on Gameweek 26’s win, but as things stand we’re unlikely to want many if any of their assets besides Martin Dubravka (£4.0m) and Maxime Esteve (£3.9m).
Could set-piece specialist James Ward-Prowse (£5.6m) change that? We’ll see.
Then there’s United. If Michael Carrick’s side keep up their unbeaten run, this stretch offers a good few chances to earn vital wins that would heighten the likelihood of a return to Champions League football in 2026/27.
Bruno Fernandes (£9.8m) is nearing (or already at, in the eyes of many) must-have status due to his various routes to FPL points, while Diogo Dalot (£4.5m) has quietly ticked over to seven attacking returns (one goal, six assists). Bryan Mbeumo (£8.6m) has been playing up front more often than not under the interim boss, with three goals in four to show for it.
