Following yesterday’s look at the teams who face the most favourable upcoming schedules, our focus now turns to those braced for trickier times ahead.

The limited assets among the Stoke City and Hull City’s rosters have their stock reduced by a testing spell, while Tottenham Hotspur’s prospects must also be called into question in the coming month.

Stoke City

(liv, che, WAT, sun, MUN, EVE)

The Potters face four of the current top nine over the coming period, suggesting that returns are likely to be in short supply, particularly in attacking areas.

Over the last four Gameweeks, Liverpool have allowed the fewest shots inside the box (16), while Chelsea have only conceded once.

Goals also look set to be hard to come by against Man United, given that Jose Mourinho’s men have been breached on just two occasions in their last four matches, while Sunderland have kept clean sheets in two of their last four at the Stadium of Light.

So while the Watford match-up is pretty favourable, it’s likely that Joe Allen and his fellow Stoke City attackers will struggle to garner returns over the next month or so.

From a defensive standpoint, it’s more of a mixed bag.

Liverpool have netted nine goals in their last four matches and will be backed to find find further goals, while Chelsea haven’t failed to score since Gameweek 6. United look to have turned the corner over the past week, so they also appear likely to breach the Potters rearguard.

Nonetheless, with Everton’s Romelu Lukaku struggling for goals and the Watford and Sunderland clashes also offering a decent chance of defensive returns, owners of Erik Pieters and Lee Grant may be happy to hold for now.

Hull City

(MCI, EVE, wba, BOU, che, mun)

Up against six of the current top 10, it’s difficult to find any positives among the Tigers’ forthcoming schedule.

Certainly, from a defensive standpoint, clean sheets are surely set to remain scarce, with Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United all fancied to notch against Mike Phelan’s rearguard, while West Bromwich Albion have scored 10 goals in their last four home matches.

Bournemouth have also netted in each of their last three away trips, while Everton will provide testing opposition.

Hull’s defenders have been off the radar all season, having conceded 36 goals, and that will surely remain the case over the next six Gameweeks.

From an attacking point of view, goals appear unlikely at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford, but the other four fixtures could perhaps see Phelan’s side grab featch a handful of goals.

City have only managed one clean sheet in seven, while Bournemouth have conceded six goals in their last two away matches.

The West Brom and Everton match-ups could also see Hull score, but with no favourable fixture in the next six, Robert Snodgrass’ 5.2% ownership in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) will no doubt be forming exit plans in and around the festive spell.

Tottenham Hotspur

(sot, wat, CHE, WBA, mci, sun)

Mauricio Pochettino’s side only face two of their next six at home, and face a very mixed run of fixtures over the upcoming weeks.

Goals could be hard to come by in the short-term, given that Southampton have kept clean sheets in their last three home encounters, while Chelsea have managed nine shut-outs in their previous 11 matches.

Watford have shipped eight goals in their last four, but West Brom are unlikely to concede many, while, although City are vulnerable at the back, a trip to the Etihad also has to be seen as an unfavourable match-up.

The trip to Sunderland is appealing, however, particularly if the Black Cats are without the likes of Lamine Kone and Papy Djilobodji due to the Africa Cup of Nations.

The form of Christian Eriksen could mean he can still keep ticking over though this spell, but three consecutive blanks has the alarm bells ringing for Harry Kane owners.

The Tottenham forward is the second most transferred player out in FPL this week, with over 87,000 managers shedding the England international.

The outlook isn’t perhaps quite so gloomy for the prospects of Spurs defenders, with Saints having failed to score in two of their last four, while Sunderland and Watford are also struggling for goals, managing just three and four respectively over the last four Gameweeks.

The West Brom clash in Gameweek 21 is also reasonably favourable, although defensive returns appear unlikely against Chelsea and City.

It’s the ability of Tottenham defenders to register attacking returns that keeps them as viable options for our five-man backlines, but premium defenders from Chelsea and Arsenal, in particular, may prove to be stronger options over the next few weeks.

Also be wary of…

Sunderland
The Black Cats come up against a number of tough defences over the next six Gameweeks (mun, bur, LIV, STO, wba, TOT), so Jermain Defoe’s 25.4% ownership should perhaps be considering their options.

The Sunderland striker has proven he can score against any opposition, but chances are going to be at a premium, with United, Liverpool and Spurs the three sides allowing the fewest number of shots inside the box over the last four Gameweeks.

Burnley and West Brom are also fairly strong at home, while Stoke City have kept three clean sheets in their last five.

Sunderland defenders haven’t been popular options this season, mainly due to the value offered by Jordan Pickford, and save points will likely be required for the young goalkeeper to keep ticking over through some difficult fixtures.

Liverpool
The Reds face a very mixed run of fixtures (STO, MCI, sun, mun, SWA, CHE) over the next six Gameweeks, although four of their next six are at home.

They will also have to deal with the absence of Sadio Mane due to the AFCON, with the winger expected to leave after the Gameweek 20 clash against Sunderland. The expected return of Philippe Coutinho in the New Year should soften that blow, however.

Jurgen Klopp’s side should still be able to find the back of the net on a regular basis, particularly in the short-term, although goals may be scarce against United and Chelsea.

Defensive returns appear less likely, though, with City, United and Chelsea all expected to breach the Reds backline, meaning Liverpool defenders are perhaps best ignored over the coming window.

Swansea City
Once the next two home matches against West Ham United and Bournemouth are out of the way, the Swans’ schedule (cpl, ARS, liv, SOT) turns particularly nasty.

Clean sheets, in particular, appear very unlikely in those four matches, so Jordi Amat looks likely to remain consigned to our benches, as he has been for the majority of the season.

Gylfi Sigurdsson’s ownership has increased over the past few weeks, with form and fixtures both in his favour, but with that about to change, the Iceland international looks set to be moved on by many Fantasy managers in the New Year.

The same can also be said of Fernando Llorente, as there looks to be stronger budget forward options available once we edge into 2017.