Frisking the Fixtures

Which teams have the best and worst upcoming fixtures?

We take our regular “frisk” of the Premier League fixture list ahead of Gameweek 7.

In this feature, we assess the top-flight clubs with the strongest and weakest runs of league matches over the coming weeks.

Although our primary focus will be on a six-Gameweek lookahead, we will scrutinise the long-term fixtures beyond that point where relevant.

We’ll be using our Season Ticker to help – Members using this tool can sort by difficulty and teams that rotate well, filter home and away fixtures, and separate attack and defence.


The Strong

Chelsea

Next six: BHA | sou | NEW | bur | wat | CRY

Chelsea avoid not only the other big six sides over the next half-dozen Gameweeks, they also dodge any other club that finished in the top half of the Premier League table last season.

Further beyond this lookahead, a daunting trip to the Etihad in Gameweek 13 is a cloud on the horizon but there are still appealing home fixtures against West Ham, Aston Villa and Bournemouth before we get to the busy festive period.

The games at Stamford Bridge are particularly enticing as the Blues don’t meet any of last season’s top six clubs in west London until late-January.

Chelsea’s backline hasn’t convinced so far and they are still without a clean sheet under Frank Lampard but the next six matches look attractive from a defensive perspective.

Five of their next six opponents are currently scoring at a rate of one goal per game or worse, with all of the teams they face in Gameweeks 9-12 in the bottom six for big chances created.

Most of us are concerned with Chelsea’s attacking assets, of course, and the fixtures are tempting for those not already on the runaway Mason Mount (£6.6m) and Tammy Abraham (£7.5m) trains.

While Watford are the worst defensive team in the division this season, it should be said that Chelsea are likely to encounter a number of teams over the next two months whose primary objective will be to frustrate.

Burnley, Palace and Brighton are among the eight best clubs for fewest big chances conceded this season.

Arsenal

Next six: mun | BOU | shu | CRY | WOL | lei
And then: SOU | nor | BHA | whu

Monday’s trip to Manchester United precedes a run of nine league matches in which Arsenal avoid any of the ‘big six’.

From Gameweeks 8 to 16, Unai Emery’s side face the two newly promoted clubs and four of last season’s bottom ten.

With Arsenal’s defence still giving cause for concern, Fantasy managers will be likely be focusing more on the Gunners’ attacking assets for this run – although their next four opponents after United sit in the bottom six for attempts on goal this season.

Trips to Old Trafford and the King Power Stadium won’t be easy, with those two clubs having the best expected goals conceded (xGC) totals of 2019/20 so far.

Bournemouth, Palace and Wolves, Arsenal’s next three opponents at home, at least sit in the bottom half of the table for that statistic.

The Gunners put eight goals past those three sides in the corresponding fixtures last season.

No FPL forward scored more goals than Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) against non-big six sides in 2018/19 (19 in 26 games).

Manchester City

Next six: eve | WOL | cry | AVL | SOU | liv

Manchester City sit second in our Season Ticker over the next five matches, although the trip to Anfield in November knocks them down a few places when we scrutinise the six-Gameweek lookahead.

City’s next two opponents haven’t kept a clean sheet between them in the last four Gameweeks, with Wolves and Everton’s early-season solidity giving way to some slack defensive displays.

Those two clubs have shipped a combined 19 goals in their last four fixtures.

Crystal Palace have been solid at the back at home this season but the Citizens are, to use a hackneyed word, surely “fixture-proof” given their attacking swagger: Pep Guardiola’s side have registered more than twice as many big chances this season than all Premier League sides bar Liverpool.

From a defensive perspective, the Citizens’ next five opponents are in the bottom half of the table for goals scored this season.

Norwich City

Next six: cry | AVL | bou | MUN | bha | WAT

For Norwich, read Chelsea.

Like the Blues, most Fantasy interest centres around the Canaries’ attacking assets, with Daniel Farke’s side still without a clean sheet.

Luckily, Bournemouth and Watford are also still yet to record a shut-out in 2019/20, so the omens look positive for the likes of Teemu Pukki (£7.1m) and Todd Cantwell (£5.0m) in those upcoming fixtures.

Norwich’s next three opponents at Carrow Road are yet to keep a clean sheet on the road, while Brighton haven’t recorded a shut-out on their own soil.

West Ham United

Next six: bou | CRY | eve | SHU | NEW | bur

Having recorded three clean sheets on the bounce, West Ham are suddenly the form defensive team in the Premier League.

A trip to Bournemouth is perhaps their biggest test before Gameweek 13 but there are positive portents for further shut-outs beyond that.

All of the Hammers’ opponents from Gameweeks 8-12 are in the bottom seven for expected goals in 2019/20.

Newcastle, Palace and Burnley are in the bottom three for big chances, with all of their next six opponents in the bottom 11 for shots on target.

At the other end of the pitch, four of their next five opponents sit in the bottom nine for big chances conceded.

Burnley

Next six: avl | EVE | lei | CHE | shu | WHU
And then: wat | CRY

Having been at the foot of the Season Ticker in Gameweeks 1 to 4, Burnley’s fixture schedule is looking a whole lot more appealing now.

The Clarets meet only one of the ‘big six’ in the next eight Gameweeks, with that being a home fixture against a Chelsea side who are still without a clean sheet under Frank Lampard.

No other top-flight club has fewer meetings with last season’s top half-dozen teams between now and the end of November.

From a defensive perspective, four of the Clarets’ next five opponents sit in the bottom seven for expected goals this season.

At the other end, five of the next seven teams they face are conceding at least two big chances per game.

Also Consider

Wolves (WAT | mci | SOU | new | ars | AVL) and Leicester (NEW | liv | BUR | sou | cry | ARS) are two clubs whose fixtures are about to get very favourable and indeed both sides have appealing games in Gameweek 7.

Trips to the Etihad and Anfield in Gameweek 8 are obviously off-putting so for that reason, we will keep our powder dry for our next Frisking the Fixtures article during the October international break.

Suffice to say, both clubs only face Arsenal – who are hardly unbeatable themselves – of the big six between Gameweeks 9 and 16.

We can’t ignore Tottenham Hotspur‘s (SOU | bha | WAT | liv | eve | SHU) ongoing excellent home fixtures, with the Lilywhites’ next five in north London all against teams that finished outside of the top ten last season.

A double-header on Merseyside is a little off-putting, though, even if Spurs did win 6-2 at Goodison Park last season.

The Weak

Southampton

Next six: tot | CHE | wol | LEI | mci | EVE
And then:  ars

Southampton’s forthcoming fixture run is a bit of a horror show as they face teams that finished in the top half last season in each of the next seven Gameweeks.

The Saints, unsurprisingly, sit bottom of our Season Ticker from Gameweeks 7-13 as a result.

Away matches at Spurs, Manchester City and Arsenal look particularly unappealing and their defence is surely a no-go zone until the fixture swing in Gameweek 14.

The four ‘big six’ sides they face in this run are among the top half-dozen clubs for goals scored this season.

Chelsea, Wolves and Arsenal can be got at defensively, of course, but there would seem little incentive to invest in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side at present given the wealth of mid-price options with much better fixtures elsewhere.

Crystal Palace

Next six: NOR | whu | MCI | ARS | LEI | che
And then:  LIV

Crystal Palace face four big six sides in the next seven Gameweeks and languish second-bottom of our Season Ticker from Gameweeks 5-13.

Even the “winnable” games within this run come against teams who have impressed from an attacking perspective so far this season: Norwich and West Ham, for example, sit in the top half for shots on target so far in 2019/20.

City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea are, to compound matters, all in the top four for that statistic.

No team has scored fewer goals than the Eagles this season and any little interest we have in their attacking assets is likely to be put on ice until Gameweek 14.

Jordan Ayew (£5.1m) could be a good benchable third striker for the coming months, at least, having started the last four.

Sheffield United 

Next six: LIV | wat | ARS | whu | BUR| tot
And then: MUN

John Lundstram (£4.4m) may find himself being benched quite a bit over the coming weeks, with Sheffield United’s fixtures stiffening.

All bar Watford of the Blades’ next seven opponents have found the net at least eight times already this season.

Five of the teams that United play in Gameweeks 7-13 sit in the top eight for attempts on goal in 2019/20.

Also Consider

There’s no escaping the fact that Liverpool‘s fixture run (shu | LEI | mun | TOT | avl | MCI) is far from ideal for those of us with assets from Jurgen Klopp’s side.

While the schedule from Gameweek 8-12 may be enough for us to swerve a triple-up, there will be many of us willing to stick with the likes of Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m) through the choppy waters ahead.

Klopp’s troops are, let’s remember, on a 15-match winning run in the Premier League.

The Reds face three other big six clubs between now and the November international break but games against newly promoted Sheffield United and Aston Villa offer promising clean sheet opportunities.

Brighton and Hove Albion (che | TOT | avl | EVE | NOR | mun) also face three of the big six in the next half-dozen Gameweeks.

While home games against poor travellers Everton and Norwich are more appealing fixtures, Liverpool and Arsenal await in Gameweeks 14 and 15.

As a result, the Seagulls sit bottom of our Season Ticker between now and early December.

Lessons learned from Gameweek 6:

1,535 Comments Post a Comment
  1. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Would quite like Dendoncker to fall in price

  2. Bruno Bruno!!
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Is Alonso a good differential pick ?

    1. torisak
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      If nailed for the next two, yes!

  3. Bruno Bruno!!
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    who to loose first out of these 2?

    A - McGinn

    B - Cantwell

    1. Lumberjack
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I wouldn't lose either in a rush.

      1. In a Rush
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Did someone say my name?!

        1. Lumberjack
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          🙂

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Neither if possible, B if forced

  4. Lumberjack
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Three transfers I want to do...but only 1FT. How many/which ones would you do this week? To do B I also need to do C to get the cash...

    A - Haller to Tammy
    B - Ceballos to Mount
    C - Digne to Tarkowski (or similar - 5.4m or lower)

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I done A

      1. Lumberjack
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers, probably the best option for no hit.

        1. THFC4LIFE
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Yep that’s what swayed me and also because Haller hasn’t a shot in the last 2 gw’s

          1. Lumberjack
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            He's been very disappointing, certainly from an FPL perspective.

            1. THFC4LIFE
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 6 months ago

              Yep. Good luck

              1. Lumberjack
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 6 months ago

                Same to you!

  5. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Play two of:

    1. Lundstram (LIV)
    2. Digne (MCI)
    3. Greenwood (ARS)
    4. Dendoncker (WAT)
    5. Rico (WHU)

    Thanks

    1. Dirty Harry
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Sheesh... flip 5 counts, number of heads is the one you should pick. Flip 4 coins, number of heads your second pick.

      If no heads land. Go get beers.

      1. FCSB
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Haha classic

  6. BrutalLogiC
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    who is Raz?

    1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      The goal machine that is Raheem Sterling

      1. BrutalLogiC
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        thx

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      The blanker 😉

      1. FCSB
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        I’ve heard on here you’re captaining him.....

  7. Super salah
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Which combination is best for this gameweek only?

    A) TAA, mane, chillwell, tielemans
    B) Matip, mane, suyoncu, vardy
    C) TAA, mane, pereira, chillwell
    D) TAA, SALAH, suyoncu, chillwell

    Thanks

  8. mackan
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Mount and 4,5
    Or
    Tammy and 4,5
    Need help!

    1. aapoman
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Tammy

    2. Dirty Harry
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Where would you use the extra funds if you want Mount?

    3. Lumberjack
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Tammy

  9. aapoman
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    How's my WC team looking? 0.0itb
    Might drop Rico to a 4.0 and get an extra 0.1itb

    Pope (4.0)
    TAA Otamendi Soyuncu (Lundstram Rico)
    Salah Mane KDB Mount (Hayden)
    Haller Abraham Pukki

    1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Looks very solid.
      Brighton won't be pushovers this week mind.
      Captain?

      1. aapoman
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Currently on Salah

        1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Fair play, gl!

  10. Dirty Harry
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    GTG peeps?

    Pope (4.0)
    TAA Soyu Tomori
    Salah KDB Son Cantwell
    Kun Tammy Pukki

    Subs: Guendouzi Lund Rico

    1. Onana Whatsmyname
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yep bang on

    2. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Play Guendouzi over Cantwell.
      Norwich lads need Delia's home cooking it seems.

  11. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who to go out for Abraham?

    1) Pukki
    2) Wilson

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Wilson imo

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks, any reason?

        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Just feel he has been rather fortuitous with his returns so far, even last game he was quite poor throughout, but was gifted a goal on a plate in the dying seconds. Would keep Pukki because he’s tremendous value.

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Tough, Wilson better player imo but Pukki highly owned so hauls could hurt....

    3. Onana Whatsmyname
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Lose Pukki if you have Cantwell

  12. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    How does this look?

    Adrian
    TAA Otamendi Rico
    Salah Pepe DSilva Cantwell
    Aguero Haller Tammy

    Button Lundstram Guendouzi Hanley

    1. aapoman
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Hanley and Rico is bad because they are both not regular starters.

    2. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Pepe oh dear.

  13. torisak
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Tammy

    1. torisak
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Reply fail to Mackan:)

  14. konrad.sygula95
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Hi guys
    Which option would You choose?

    A) Jota to Abraham
    B) Greenwood to Abraham and downgrade some else on - 4
    C) Siggy to Kdb
    D) Siggy to Son

    2.6 itb 1ft

    Pope
    Zinchenko/Digne/Robertson
    Salah(c)/Sterling/Siggy/Mount/Cantwell
    Pukki/Jota

    Bench: Heaton/Lundstram/Montoya/Greenwood

    1. Onana Whatsmyname
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A

  15. QUEN
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Can someone send me a link to the press conferences today I can’t find any but I see that Maddison is now at 50% likelihood to play

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Look in the scout tweets

  16. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    First time I'll bench Lundstram.
    I hope I won't regret it!

  17. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Bench Lund or Rico ??

  18. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Vardy (c) going with my gut.

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Good luck fella

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers mate

    2. STONEROSES
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Great Differential. Hope it pays off and your team does well as a direct consequence.

  19. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Digne & Barnes to Aurier & Abraham for free?

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Nice moves

    2. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Move's i did a few days ago.

  20. _Gunner
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Aguero or Sterling on a WC?

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Aguero , do you have Salah to ? Salah to Sterling is easy at some point.

      1. _Gunner
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Yeah I have Salah too
        Just debating Sterling vs Aguero

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Aguero out of the two

  21. Tonyawesome69
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who to start:
    1. heaton
    2. pope

    start 1:
    a. greenwood
    b. lundstram
    c. dedoncker
    d. digne

    heaton
    VVD TAA rico
    mane sterling kdb mount
    pukki abraham (c) greenwood

    pope lundstram dedoncker digne

    1itb 0ft

    1. wulfrunian
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      1
      a

  22. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    GTG?

    Adrian
    TAA Otamendi Aurier
    Salah Pepe DSilva Cantwell
    Aguero(C) Abraham Haller

    Button Rico Lundstram Guendouzi

    1. wulfrunian
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      yes.Guendouzi second sub for me.

    2. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Pepe! You must be an Arsenal fan. Good luck though. 😉

  23. Superkitten
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Fabianski is going to score me loads of points!

    1. STONEROSES
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Nice one, Kitty! 🙂

  24. Lumberjack
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    I know Rico is pretty awful, but genuinely tempted to start him over Digne this week - feel attacking returns could be likely against WHU...

    1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      agree and I am a WHU fan and have Rico in my team

      1. Lumberjack
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Good man! That helps with the decision!

    2. MTPockets
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Not that awful at 4ppg but think I'd start him on just relative cs odds

        1. Lumberjack
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Yeah I guess I mean he never looks like a very reliable defender when watching the games, he is getting points though. I started considering him after seeing the odds, think I'll go for it. Thanks.

          1. MTPockets
              4 years, 6 months ago

              Fair enough. Don't think I've ever watched him beyond highlights - just an fpl entity in my world
              In full candour though I have him and not Digne so not a real decision

              1. Lumberjack
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 6 months ago

                Haha fair enough...pretty much a coin-toss decision anyway so will take my chances and see what happens! Cheers.

        2. Pukki Party
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          I'm thinking both will concede but Digne better chance of attacking returns. West Ham haven't been great away though.

      • AC Yew
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        McGinn to Mount?

        1. Lumberjack
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Yeah if you've nothing more pressing.

        2. pingissimus
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Not for me.

          He's bombarding the goal. All from distance really but there are so many shots one or two are bound to go in. He also has a nice little fixture run in the next three and is keeping pace with Mount anyway.

        3. Shineonme
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Good move imo

      • Shark Team
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Two questions. I'd love if you help me.

        1)Who to play between:
        Rico (WHU)
        Maitland Niles (mun)

        2)Who to captain between:
        Salah (shu)
        Son (SOU)
        Aguero (eve)

        Thanks a lot mates!

        1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Rico and Salah

        2. STONEROSES
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Rico & Mo Salah

          Best of luck matey

        3. Pukki Party
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Rico Son

        4. wulfrunian
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Rico
          Salah

      • Ksimparomenos
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Is it time to bring Perez into reckoning? Only 6.1 and playing vs his old team (scoring vs old team syndrome?) . Any thoughts?

        1. STONEROSES
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Not for me, Clive

        2. Pukki Party
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Tielemans better option.

      • Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        No mention of Bournemouths good run of fixtures.

      • STONEROSES
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Don’t think any are in for a bumper weekend but who to start from there three:

        A. Digne (MCI)
        B. Lundstram (LIV)
        C. Montoya (che)

        Ta...

        1. Pukki Party
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          A

      • jamiet
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Wildcard Team

        Good to Go ??

        Pope (Button)

        Robertson, Tomori, Söyüncü, (Rico, Lundstrum)

        Salah, KDB, Cantwell, Yarmelenko, Mount

        Aguero, Aubameyang (Greenwood)

        I do want Tammy but i am not sure who to drop and not sure about the triple up of Chelsea.