Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers have four Gameweeks left to make or break their season and the fixtures will have a big part to play in that.
Admittedly, we thought we knew exactly what the schedule looked like between now and Gameweek 38, but then the protests that postponed Manchester United against Liverpool threw another spanner into our planning.
Nevertheless, almost everything is now settled in terms of the sequence of games for the run-in, so it’s time for us to take our last look of the season at which teams are ready and set and which teams we should forget.
DAZZLE SHIPS
Liverpool
Remaining Fixtures: SOU| wba | bur| CRY (plus mun)
Even before Sunday’s events at Old Trafford moved an extra fixture into their final four Gameweeks the reigning Premier League champions had a gift of a closing schedule.
Hopefully, managers who lost out because of the postponement can compensate for that with an unexpected Double Gameweek, especially if it comes immediately with the West Bromwich Albion fixture joining Southampton in Gameweek 35 as many predict.
Saints are the league leaders in conceding three or more goals away (41% of their games) and West Brom are the equivalent at home (42%). The following week would then bring the tough meeting with Manchester United, but that shouldn’t make anybody sell.
Burnley’s home defence is usually good for a goal or two and Crystal Palace in front of a returning Kop is a mouth-watering prospect. An attacking double-up featuring Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) looks worth considering.
You could add a defender, especially if you think Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.6m) will share in the attacking riches, but keep in mind that, despite a series of shut-outs in away games, the Reds have not kept a clean sheet at home in their last eight attempts.
Manchester United
Remaining Fixtures: avl/LEI| – |FUL| wol (plus LIV)
Manchester United’s Gameweek 36 blank was an obstacle to investing in their assets despite some great run-in fixtures for attack and defence alike.
The circumstances are, of course, not what anybody would have liked, but if the Liverpool match is moved there then that is solved from an FPL point of view, though the fixture is famously scrappy.
Aston Villa are stumbling towards the finish line which balances out the Gameweek 35 threat of Leicester City. Fulham look a spent force and, even though the Wolverhampton Wanderers defence can dig in, their attack is flimsy at best.
Antony Martial (£8.6m) is sidelined while Marcus Rashford (£9.6m) and Edinson Cavani (£7.9m) are having their minutes managed, but invest with confidence in attackers and defenders alike, not least Bruno Fernandes (£11.5m).
Everton
Remaining Fixtures: whu/avl| SHU | WOL| mci
In terms of pure opportunity, Everton’s defence looks to have the best closing fixtures in the league. Neither Sheffield United nor Wolves frighten anybody going forward and their Double Gameweek 35 opponents West Ham United and Villa have been mediocre up front recently.
A trophy parading Manchester City on the last day might be distracted in all sorts of ways. Yet, as many FPL managers will tell you, Everton are often their own worst enemies, forever conceding that one annoying goal, especially at home. We’d still urge you to see if you can’t find a place for Lucas Digne (£6.1m) who is also more involved in set-pieces when James Rodriguez (£7.7m) is unavailable.
The Toffees could well score three or four on their travels, where they seem happier, in Gameweek 35 alone and Sheffield United, as Tottenham Hotspur have just shown, can be thrashed, but don’t expect more than a goal in either of their last two games.
SUPPORTING CRAFT
Arsenal
Remaining Fixtures: WBA/che| – | cry| BHA
One big chance allowed in the last four games. Two goals conceded. That, believe it or not, is the form of Arsenal’s defence going into the final four rounds where the fixture list has seen fit to offer them West Brom, Crystal Palace and Brighton along with a Chelsea side having just played Real Madrid and title-hungry Manchester City in quick succession and about to face the FA Cup final.
If you can work around the blank in Gameweek 36 there should be plenty of points to be had, though Mikel Arteta is becoming almost as infuriating in his rotation policy as his mentor Pep Guardiola.
A rejuvenated Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.3m) could be a high-scorer in both Gameweeks 35 and 37, but he sits out in-between and Brighton’s defence is just not letting people anywhere near their goal at the moment.
Tottenham Hotspur
Remaining Fixtures: lee| WOL | AVL| lei
As if by magic, a settled team has appeared and looks set to walk through the door that leads to adventures.
Gareth Bale (£9.1m) is certainly enjoying himself again and many FPL managers are thinking twice about swapping out their expensive Spurs attackers, though after Harry Kane (£11.9m) failed to have anything to do with the quartet of strikes against Sheffield United we’re sure a few rage transfers have already ensued.
The home games against Wolves and Aston Villa at home look particularly promising, though all eyes should be on Marcelo Bielsa’s remarks about the fitness of Kalvin Phillips (£4.9m) before making captaincy decisions this week. The defence could also be worth a look, especially if you think Aurier (£5.2m) and Reguilon (£5.6m) will continue to contribute to Tottenham’s attacking Serge(io).
ICE BREAKERS
Crystal Palace
Remaining Fixtures: shu/sou| AVL | ARS| liv
Palace head a group of teams with excellent fixtures in Gameweeks 35 and 36, but whose prospects drop off a cliff after that.
Whichever way you slice it, the pairing of a beleaguered Sheffield United and a bewildered Southampton in Double Gameweek 35 is ripe for attacking exploitation which is why Wilfried Zaha (£7.1m) is already a hot property on the FPL transfer market this week.
Villa are also very obliging of late, but managers will probably want alternatives when Palace host Arsenal and then visit Liverpool. A bargain Eagles defender like Tyrick Mitchell (£3.8m) could also be useful over the next couple of rounds.
Southampton
Remaining Fixtures: liv/CRY| FUL| LEE| whu
Palace themselves have conceded the most goals of any Premier League side over their last four so Southampton attackers like James “All The Set-Pieces” Prowse (£5.8m) are very much on the Double Gameweek 35 agenda. Their other opponents, Liverpool also regularly concede at Anfield as mentioned above.
Fulham in Gameweek 36 is also very promising at both ends, but Leeds will probably have Phillips and Raphinha (£5.4m) back by the time fans return to St Mary’s and a final day at West Ham going for the Champions League doesn’t bode well.
Aston Villa
Remaining Fixtures: MUN/EVE | cry | tot | CHE
After a great start to the campaign the Villains now look as keen for it to end. The attack, disconnected since January from its talisman Jack Grealish (£7.5m), is still functioning on the back-up power of Bertrand Traoré (£5.8m), Anwar El Ghazi (£5.2m) and Ollie Watkins (£6.5m) but the defence keeps short-circuiting.
A Double Gameweek is always welcome, but you’d probably choose not to have an in-form Manchester United and top-class travellers Everton as your visitors.
A visit to Selhurst Park should provide some welcome respite, but finishing against Spurs and Chelsea is a forbidding prospect.
DEFENSIVE MANOEUVRES
Manchester City
Remaining Fixtures: CHE| new |bri| EVE
Some teams offer significantly more hope of defensive than attacking returns. It may seem faintly ludicrous to have Manchester City at the top of that list, but in Chelsea, Brighton and Everton they’ve contrived to face three of the most in-form defences in the Premier League.
Sure, they’ll probably nab three or four goals across that selection, but bonanzas are unlikely and the best of luck working out who will play in more than two of them. If the crystal ball tells you who’s starting at St James’s Park in Gameweek 36 you could be in for a significant rank rise.
What Newcastle, Brighton and Everton share is shyness around the opposition penalty area. Again, guessing the team is almost impossible, but a player like Ruben Dias (£6.1m) is surely likely to get three run-outs and, quite possibly, a trio of clean sheets to show for it.
Burnley
Remaining Fixtures: ful| LEE |LIV| shu
Burnley’s visits to Fulham and Sheffield United at the beginning and end of the run-in are top spots for clean sheet potential, not least because their defence already has seven of them on the road.
However, hosting a Leeds side with all its key components followed by Liverpool is probably a good moment to sit your Ben Mees (£4.8m) and your Matthew Lowtons (£4.4m).
Burnley’s attack (or, as it’s known locally, Chris Wood (£6.4m)) stands a chance against both of those slightly erratic defences, though, along with the bonus of the trips to Craven Cottage and Bramall Lane.
Chelsea
Remaining Fixtures: mci/ARS| – |LEI| AVL
On Saturday it’s The Battle of The Weary Champions League Semi-Finalists at City, then hosting Arsenal whose defence is almost as tight as Chelsea’s at the moment just before the blank for the FA Cup final, then Leicester at home who may need something and finally a visit to Villa, possibly with a ‘B’ team if the Champions League final is only days away. We sense a string of low scoring draws in the offing and a hair-pulling succession of team sheet reveals
Brighton
Remaining Fixtures: MUN/EVE| cry|tot| CHE
Brighton’s defence has become so adept at giving Robert Sanchez (£4.6m) the afternoon off that even the approach of West Ham, Manchester City and Arsenal is no longer intimidating. Their attack, however, is almost underwater save for moments of individual brilliance such as those offered by Danny Welbeck (£5.5m) against a disjointed Leeds.
FORWARD ASSAULT
West Ham United
Remaining Fixtures: EVE| bri |wba| SOU
The Hammer’s final two fixtures against West Brom and Southampton are just what an attacking side trying to break into the Champions League would want and managers can expect celebratory fireworks from the likes of Jesse Lingard (£6.7m) and Michail Antonio (£6.4m). Defensive prospects are humdrum though Vladimir Coufal (£4.7m) and Aaron Cresswell (£5.6m) in particular may join in the fun up front.
Leeds United
Remaining Fixtures: TOT| bur |sou| WBA
Closing match-ups against the suspect defences of Southampton and West Brom are beckoning, but the key is simple. In order to fly, the attack is dependent on Raphinha and the defence is dependent on Kalvin Phillips in front of it. With them in the side you’d fancy them to beat those two and Burnley as well as giving Spurs a run for their money. Otherwise it’s scraps amongst equals.
Leicester City
Remaining Fixtures: NEW/mun| – |che| TOT
The last of the Gamweek 36 blankers! Their defensive run-in is relentlessly awful unless Newcastle are permanently off the boil now and they struggle to keep clean sheets anyway. The attack has been on fire and should still get a handful of goals as they chase for top-tier Europe, but Manchester United, Chelsea and even New Spurs will not give way easily.
Newcastle
Remaining Fixtures: lei| MCI |SHU| ful
Who knows which Newcastle will turn up in any given week these days, but Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.1m) and Callum Wilson (£6.5m) in particular could rack up the points if they are showing signs of life by the time they finish against Sheffield United and Fulham
LOST AT SEA
Sheffield United
Remaining Fixtures: CRY| eve |new| BUR
The actual fixtures aren’t bad at all, but surely nobody is going there?
Fulham
Remaining Fixtures: BUR| sou |mun| NEW
The attack has a promising opening in Gameweek 36 at Southampton, but would you trust them to do anything with it? The defence has become a no-go area.
West Brom
Remaining Fixtures: ars| LIV |WHU| lee
Gameweek 37 might be OK for their attack at home to West Ham, but everything else looks as grim as their survival prospects.
Wolves
Remaining Fixtures: BRI| tot |eve| MUN
If you still somehow have a defender then Gameweeks 35 (Brighton at home) and 37 (at Everton) might be survivable. If you have an attacker… why do you have an attacker?
