News

Premier League fixture announcement awaited after Leicester reach FA Cup final

Leicester City will play Chelsea in this year’s FA Cup final after the Foxes defeated Southampton on Sunday.

From a Fantasy perspective, this will have ramifications next month.

As things stand, the final of England’s premier cup competition clashes with Gameweek 37 in Fantasy Premier League – but a free midweek follows, which would neatly accommodate the league meeting between (coincidentally) Chelsea and Leicester City currently scheduled for May 15.

But, such is life and the nature of this rollercoaster FPL season, there is an expectation that something different entirely will occur.

It’s all to do with the planned return of fans to Premier League matches, which can only happen after May 17.

Nothing has yet been confirmed by the Premier League but the Athletic suggest:

The schedule has been readjusted to push the 36th round of fixtures — originally scheduled for midweek kick-offs on May 11 and 12 — to the weekend of May 15 and 16.

Any fixtures that will be displaced by the FA Cup final on May 15 will be moved to May 11 or 12.

Matches for the 37th round of fixtures are now due to take place on May 18 and 19.

The final round of fixtures for the season, however, will remain on Sunday, May 23.

So to summarise this proposed scenario: Gameweeks 36 and 37 will each shuffle back a few days, with Gameweek 35 being the ‘double’ that will accommodate Chelsea v Arsenal and Manchester United v Leicester City – and, probably, the other two postponed games from earlier in the campaign: Southampton v Crystal Palace and Aston Villa v Everton.

Those eight teams will have a Double Gameweek if this does pan out.

We should reiterate that this is all just educated conjecture at this stage, with nothing official announced.

But we likely won’t have to wait long for the Premier League’s new schedule as the results of the weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals were the final piece of the jigsaw before the television companies can start portioning out the remaining games.

Onto Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final itself and Kelechi Iheanacho (£6.1m) kept up his sensational form by grabbing the game’s winner.

The Nigerian finished at the second attempt after good work from strike partner Jamie Vardy (£10.1m), in doing so registering his 10th goal in his last seven matches.

As for Vardy, he has now gone 11 competitive games without finding the back of the net. That represents his longest goal drought since a run of 16 games in late-2016, with a spurned one-on-one opportunity in the first half against the Saints representative of his current wastefulness in front of goal.

The veteran forward was visibly shattered at the end of the game, although the Foxes do at least have four days before they take on West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League.

Second-half substitute James Maddison (£7.2m) was once again reduced to bit-part player status as Brendan Rodgers handles his comeback from injury carefully and he has now been omitted from the starting XI in the three matches since he was passed fit, although his no-show in Gameweek 31 was disciplinary-related.

There was encouragement for owners of the Foxes’ defensive assets, too, with Southampton not able to muster a single shot on target. Rodgers’ troops were at full strength at the back, with Caglar Soyuncu (£5.3m) returning from illness to bolster the backline.

As for the beleaguered Saints, there wasn’t much to champion ahead of their future Double Gameweek.

FPL midfielder Nathan Redmond (£6.4m) was again stationed ‘out of position’ up front but a lack of service and creativity saw him and Danny Ings (£8.4m) fail to register a single shot between them, with four of Southampton’s six efforts coming from outside the box.

Fraser Forster (£4.0m) at least retained his place between the posts and the fact that he has started seven of the last eight matches in all competitions bodes well for those Fantasy managers who are relying on the budget goalkeeper for appearance points this week and beyond.

197 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Just hope fans who moan now about this new league will not act hypocritically and go to games or subscribe to channels.

    1. Hect.OR 98th
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Good luck with that...

    2. Limbo
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I'm not going to hate the fans for this - it's the owners/clubs putting everyhting at risk for profit. Hate them.

      1. Philosopher's Stones
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        True, but fans also play a role. What money are they going to earn in the long run if everybody literally boycotts their ESL?

        1. Ajax Hamsterdam
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          This.

      2. El Presidente
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        No. Whoever goes along with this BS watching matches or engaging in social media has his/hers fingerprints in it as well!!

    3. Do I Not Like Orange
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I have minimal interest in it as a neutral (much like I have in international qualifiers or the modern CL). However, if they want to make it hard for fans like me to stay clear of it, they'll immediately ban VAR. Football without VAR is an infinitely more entertaining product.

    4. Riverside Red
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Potential issue for any broadcaster associated with new league. Could be massive boycott of fans continuing subscription

  2. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mourinho should win Manager of the Year

    1. Ohh1454
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      This is my take on it and if it’s true it’s very smart from Jose. He knew he was gonna get sacked at the end of the season but instead he makes a stand against this and knows that he’ll be gone and he leaves with his head held high

    2. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Well done Mourinho, The fightback has started.

  3. YoungPretender
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Most important players to own for the rest of the season? WCing this week. Cheers

    1. El Presidente
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Who cares

      1. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        This

      2. YoungPretender
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        You’re literally on a fantasy football forum

  4. Rassi
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    So... Jose knew he was probably getting fired anyway and saw a perfect escape route: take the moral high ground and be a man of the people?

    1. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Or maybe not and he is a man of principle

      1. Rassi
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Could be but somehow I doubt that.

      2. El Presidente
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        This

        1. Rassi
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          I think more likely he is just an ego maniac who only cares about himself and his image.

          1. LAMELA_AND_CONSUELA
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Nevertheless, even if this is true good timing and quick reaction:)

      3. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I mean, there's a wealth of evidence to suggest otherwise.

  5. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    LOUD NOISES!!!

    Basically all my WhatsApp groups this AM.

    Mental scenes

  6. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Good on psg not to take part in this shambles. Thought they d be the typical club to join.

    Not surprised by Bayern they are an intelligent club.

    1. Rassi
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Oh, PSG will definitely be one of the three.

    2. McSauce
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      PSG werent invited and Bayern will accept

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        How do you know this ?

      2. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        You sure about that Bayern?

        The German model has always been different . Long history there of clubs keeping club ownership within the control of members with their 50 plus 1 rule. It's an entirely different philosophy.

    3. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      This comment won’t age well.

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Haha probably 🙂

    4. Ruth_NZ
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Nothing to do with it. Qatar have the World Cup next year and don't want to prejudice it.

      As for Bayern, the German football model prevents things like this. It also prevents Bayern from ever being realistically challenged for dominance in German football.

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Just posted the same above - didn't spot this

        The one club that might be booted out of their league if they did join would likely be Bayern I imagine. Sky wouldn't allow the big 4 plus 2 to leave the PL

      2. LAMELA_AND_CONSUELA
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Agree with this at least partially. Qatar just does not want to mess with FIFA at this stage, but as regards to the German Football they have much more balanced approach to the clubs ownership. It is called formula 50+1. Therfore, they not allow to big companies or investments funds to take over football clubs as it is in UK. There are some exemptions like Leverkusen or Wolsburg, but generally they have rules respected by everybody( exempt RB Liepzg:)

    1. SHOWSTOPPERRR
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Same person who tweeted yesterday that Newcastle as the 7th team to join esl. So not trustable.

      1. waldo666
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        It's a fake/parody account.

  7. Do I Not Like Orange
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mourinho is clearly on the Benitez downward trajectory of his powers, but totally classless sacking him 6 days before a cup final. Hope City spank them, and will be hilarious if they end up with some nobody like Eddie Howe.

  8. El Presidente
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    You need to stamp this greedy MF out into oblivion! NOW!! Kicked them out of the PL effective immediately!

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Hear hear

  9. SHOWSTOPPERRR
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Why have they decided to get rid of the manager?
    Tottenham saw Mourinho as their way to get back into the Champions League but now that is impossible, he was on borrowed time.

    The club were also unhappy with Mourinho's constant criticism of the players in public, and very conscious of how the fans had turned on Mourinho.

    They knew that if the fans came back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium they would make their feelings on.

    - The Athletic.

    So nothing to do with esl as it seems.

    1. GROBARI
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Before cup final? Spurs also need to pay 30 million to Mourinho,i think.

  10. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Klopp might be going.

    1. Rassi
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Wouldn't be surprised.

  11. onceuponatyne
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    JoMoGo

  12. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    And I thought last year's All or Nothing Tottenham documentary was interesting and eventful...imagine Spurs did it for this season

    1. Do I Not Like Orange
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Footy docs with clubs in turmoil are always the best ones. It's why the City one was such a dud.

  13. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Sacked a week before the cup final? That's quite surprising.

  14. El Presidente
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    OMG... someone sent me a text saying Klopp will resign over this Super League BS... managers taking a stand?

    1. Pompel
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Liverpool will have to walk alone .. at least without me 😉

  15. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Team for the next year

    Martinez, Fabri

    Pereira, Digne, Tarkowski, Veltman, Coufal
    Lingard, Madisson, Traore, Grealish, Pereira
    Bamford, Ihaenacho, Jimenez

    15millions itb

    Don't be negative, European league will boost fpl

    1. Nedvěd11
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Would actually be fun to play FPL....

      Me and some mates did this 5 years ago. Played MLs with players from 10-20th only.

      1. Peter Ouch
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        haha I can imagine it was fun but definitely not in fpl!

        1. Nedvěd11
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Haha 😛

    2. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      16.5 million in goal?

      1. Peter Ouch
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        haha not with the current price 🙂

  16. Bartowski
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Lots of talk about TV companies making a stand about this and not paying for rights but this is for the international market. That's where the extra money is going to come from. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Amazon have already entered into negotiations.

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I’m convinced it will happen.

      My only surprise is it hasn’t happened sooner. They’ve been wanting to do this for decades now.

      The teams involved genuinely feel they have outgrown the rest of the teams in their respective leagues and are the major reason why FFP was introduced.

      That was never ever about fair play, it was about making sure a team like Blackburn Rovers could never ever again emerge and be bankrolled by a rich owner and take one of their precious titles away from them, or usurp them from their place at the pinnacle of the league.

      I’m glad this has come out now so that people can see how blatantly greedy and total disinterested in the grass roots level of football these super clubs really are.

      They’re all like the giant supermarkets who want to stomp all over the small local shops.

      I hope they do it, and maybe the rest of the league can thrive better without them taking other lower teams best young players and letting them waste away on a bench or in a reserve team rather than let anyone else have them.