FA Cup wins for Premier League sides are achieved in markedly different ways as the Gameweek 31 schedule remains threadbare.
Chelsea and Leicester City gave Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers two more compelling reasons to perhaps delay the Free Hit chip by confirming their absence from Gameweek 31.
Had the Blues lost at home to Hull City and Leicester done likewise against Sheffield United in last night’s FA Cup fifth round ties, then Gameweek 31 would have been boosted by an additional two fixtures.
As it was, both top-flight teams progressed to the quarter-finals, to be played on the weekend of March 17, meaning their league matches on that date will now have to be rescheduled.
The Blues were due to travel to Burnley, while the Foxes would have entertained Arsenal.
We’ll have a far clearer idea as to the final make-up of Gameweek 31 once today’s four cup ties are played, but it’s already starting to look like a particularly light weekend of Premier League action.
Only two matches are already certain to go ahead – Stoke City v Everton and Liverpool v Watford.
They will be joined by the losers of this evening’s tie between Huddersfield and Man United.
If that’s the Terriers, they’ll entertain Crystal Palace in Gameweek 31, while United will travel to West Ham should they bow out of the cup.
There had been a strong case for managers to employ their Free Hit chip to cope with Gameweek 31’s fractured schedule.
But exploiting the benefits of the chip on a Gameweek involving just three matches would be a tricky proposition; potentially there will be very few effective differentials at our disposal.
And as the FA Cup quarter-finals could very well involve exclusively Premier League teams, that will also have an impact on Gameweek 35’s fixtures when the semi-finals are due to be played. That would make using the Free Hit chip at that point all the more attractive.
Willian the Conqueror
Last night’s victories couldn’t have been more different.
Chelsea were home and hosed by half-time, four goals to the good thanks to a brace from Willian and one each for Pedro and Olivier Giroud, the latter scoring his first for his new club.
Assists came from Cesc Fabregas, Emerson and two from Giroud, while any thoughts of an unlikely Hull comeback after the break were quickly snuffed out when Willy Caballero saved a penalty.
While Willian’s clinical finishing will have turned heads, the biggest news for Fantasy managers arrived in Antonio Conte’s post-match press conference. The Chelsea boss confirmed that he expects Marcos Alonso to return from an ankle sprain to face Barcelona in midweek.
Alonso is the most sold asset player of Gameweek 28, with over 112,000 moving him out. His remaining owners may now look to hold the top-scoring defending, though investing in Chelsea assets at present is an unattractive proposition.
Conte’s men will face both Manchester sides – and both away – over the next two Gameweeks, with a visit from Spurs looming in Gameweek 32.
The Gameweek 31 blank therefore means they’ll play three of the top five over their next four matches, with two Champions League Round of 16 clashes with Barcelona to add into the mix as well.
Vardy strikes again
Leicester fielded a strong side against Championship promotion-chasers Sheffield United but had to wait until the 66th minute to break the deadlock.
Jamie Vardy scored what turned out to be the winner, set up by the returning Riyad Mahrez, who came out to boos but left the pitch to a standing ovation.
Vardy has now notched in five successive matches in all competitions and has picked up 55,000 new owners ahead of Gameweek 28. Only Oumar Niasse and Roberto Firmino have enjoyed more transfer interest.
Meanwhile, Fantasy managers will have welcomed Ben Chilwell’s presence at left-back for the Foxes. He ousted Christian Fuchs to provide another hint at the pecking order. Club skipper Wes Morgan also returned to the teamsheet, as Aleksandar Dragovic dropped out of the squad.
Leicester’s schedule is far more obliging than Chelsea’s.
A visit from Arsenal and a trip to Spurs are the only blots on an otherwise agreeable fixture landscape all the way through to the end of the season.
But with their Premier League status in no major doubt, coach Claude Puel picked a very strong team last night to signal his intention to make the FA Cup a priority.
That could eventually lead to squad rotation in the league, although their schedule, for now, is sufficiently well-spaced to make that an issue for the longer term, particularly if they make the cup semi-finals.
The whole picture will be a lot clearer following today’s ties and tonight’s quarter-final draw. But for now, Gameweek 31 looks to be a case of make do and mend for most FPL managers.
For further reference, we’ve written two articles providing a detailed look at the FA Cup implications for Fantasy managers.
Part One is available here, while Part Two can be found here.
