Frisking the Fixtures

Who has the best fixtures at the start of the 2021/22 FPL season?

The fixtures for the 2021/22 Premier League season were released on Wednesday morning.

We’ll offer our initial reaction throughout the day, starting with this cursory look at the clubs with the ‘best’ schedules – on paper, at least – at the start of the campaign.

A six-Gameweek lookahead is our initial focus but we’ll cast our eyes further where necessary.

Manchester United and Liverpool stand out at first glance, with Leicester City and Everton also enjoying decent medium-term runs.

For those Fantasy managers not looking quite so far ahead, Aston Villa and West Ham United are perhaps the pick of the bunch in the opening month.

Eagle-eyed readers will have seen that our Season Ticker has also been swiftly updated.

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Subscribers to Fantasy Football Scout can use this helpful tool to pick out the best and worst runs of matches for each club, sort by rotation pairings, use their own customised difficulty ratings and more.

BEST FIXTURES

MANCHESTER UNITED

  • FIRST SIX FIXTURES: LEE | sou | wol | NEW | whu | AVL
  • POSSIBLE TURNING POINT: lei (GW8)

Manchester United avoid any of the traditional ‘big six’ in the first eight Gameweeks of the campaign, although whether we should be using that elite group as a strict barometer of difficulty is another question after underwhelming 2020/21 campaigns for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

Indeed, two of last season’s upstarts – Leeds United and West Ham United – await in the first five weeks.

But you’d be hard pushed to argue that the Red Devils’ opening run of games is not one of the more favourable, with three of last year’s bottom-half also-rans to come between Gameweeks 2-4.

Bruno Fernandes‘ ownership in Fantasy Premier League will likely be sizeable on the opening weekend, then, with Luke Shaw – who had the best minutes-per-chance-created average of any defender last season – also a potential target for the first two months at the least.

Gameweeks 8-14 are less appealing, with six of the teams who finished in the top eight in 2020/21 to come.

United don’t face a newly promoted club until November, with Watford the visitors in Gameweek 12.

LIVERPOOL

  • FIRST SIX FIXTURES: nor | BUR | CHE | lee | CRY | bre
  • POSSIBLE TURNING POINT: MCI (GW7)

While United’s opening-day fixture against Marcelo Bielsa’s impressive troops is a potential banana skin, Liverpool’s looks altogether more enticing.

Championship winners Norwich City are first up for the Reds, a club they have an excellent record against in recent years.

The Canaries may well be more streetwise on their return to the top flight but there’ll be few of us going without one or more of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Trent Alexander-Arnold and/or Andrew Robertson in our initial FPL drafts.

Jurgen Klopp’s side beat Norwich 4-1 in Gameweek 1 of 2019/20 and have scored three or more goals in seven of their last nine meetings with the East Anglians.

A Burnley side that were surprisingly porous in the second half of last season (four clean sheets in 20 games) then follow, with perennial mid-table finishers Crystal Palace and newcomers Brentford also to come in the first half-dozen Gameweeks.

Indeed, Liverpool face all three of the newly promoted sides in the first eight Gameweeks, with a trip to Watford on the horizon.

It’s not all plain sailing: the Chelsea/Leeds double-header in Gameweeks 3 and 4 will be a test, with the visit of champions Manchester City in Gameweek 7 off-putting.

EVERTON

  • FIRST SIX FIXTURES: SOU | lee | bha | BUR | avl | NOR
  • POSSIBLE TURNING POINT: mun (GW7)

Everton are top of our Season Ticker in the first six Gameweeks.

The currently managerless Toffees don’t face any of last season’s top eight until a trip to Manchester United in Gameweek 7 and there is plenty to be encouraged by even beyond that clash at Old Trafford.

Eight of their first ten opponents either finished ninth or below in the Premier League last season or came up from the Championship.

Few clubs have better opening runs on home turf, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and co facing Southampton, Burnley, Norwich City, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in their first five matches on home soil.

Carlo Ancelotti’s erstwhile troops were in awful form on Merseyside in 2020/21 but the return of supporters to Goodison Park, the regime change and the fixture calendar will give them an excellent chance of remedying that.

LEICESTER CITY

The best Neto replacements and whether FPL managers should stick with Fernandes
  • FIRST SIX FIXTURES: WOL | whu | nor | MCI | bha | BUR
  • POSSIBLE TURNING POINT: MUN (GW8)

The Champions League nearly men of the last two seasons will have an excellent chance of getting their 2021/22 campaign off to a flyer.

A seven-Gameweek run that includes four bottom-half clubs, a returning Norwich and a West Ham United side that were conceding for fun at the tail-end of last season will no doubt raise interest in Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy, although the former will be set for a considerable price rise and the latter’s goalscoring powers are perhaps on the wane.

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION

BHACRY
  • FIRST SIX FIXTURES: bur | WAT | EVE | bre | LEI | cry
  • POSSIBLE TURNING POINT: MCI (GW9)

Brighton’s impressive defensive numbers in the second half of last season will no doubt see Robert Sanchez rise in price in 2021/22.

If he somehow does remain at £4.5m, then he’ll likely be the go-to custodian for many FPL managers in the opening two months and beyond.

All three promoted clubs face the Seagulls in the opening eight Gameweeks, with Leicester City the only top-seven side from 2020/21 that Albion meet in that time.

ALSO CONSIDER

Grealish in Aston Villa matchday squad as Guaita benched for Crystal Palace

Aston Villa (wat | NEW | BRE) assets will be in demand in the first three Gameweeks, with their opening trio of matches arguably the best in the division.

They meet two sides coming up from the Championship and a Newcastle United outfit whose only clean sheets in the final 17 Gameweeks of 2020/21 came against the three relegated clubs.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (lei | TOT | MUN | wat | BRE | sou) have the opposite problem: their first three games aren’t great but a fixture swing in Gameweek 4 will see them rise up the Season Ticker.

It’ll also give Fantasy managers a chance to assess the mob from Molineux in their first set of games without Nuno Espirito Santo.

Like Villa, West Ham United (new | LEI | CRY | sou | MUN | lee) appeal in the short term; the Hammers will sit towards the top of our Season Ticker in the first four Gameweeks before they face a brace of tricky Uniteds.

Watford (AVL | bha | tot | WOL | nor | NEW) look to have the best run of the newly promoted sides and actually sit top of our Season Ticker from Gameweeks 1-7, although many Fantasy managers will perhaps adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach before the September international break.

404 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Winston.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Any news about KDB? Will he start?

  2. Thomas Magnum
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Okay so is anybody here not playing limitless? haha

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Not yet 😉

    2. nadman89
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      makes way too much sense to play it

      1. Thomas Magnum
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        I sense this too lol, feels like putting TC on Kane that dgw this past season when most people did and it didn't live up to expectations cause he got injured after 1 game even though it made the most sense to do it. If most 'big teams' play out low scoring 2-1 wins somehow there'll be a lot of unhappy people but if there's 4-0 wins they'll be laughing

    3. PompeyUpNorth!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      I’m not...each to their own but LL next week n WC in Quarters is for me

    4. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      I'm not

    5. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      I'm not.

      I can field this team with no hits which feels perfectly adequate for this week:

      Lukaku Kane Mbappe
      Berardi Yazici Malinovskyi Foden F. Torres
      Kjaer Zabarnyi Mings Boril P. Torres
      Cakir Bachmann

      I have the same front 3 as everyone else, x2 Ukraine and good captains for every day. And I kinda like my cheap differentials as well. The only pick that is outright bad is Kjaer imo but it's 1 defender...

      1. PompeyUpNorth!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Agreed Camzy.. save it 100%

        1. Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 9 months ago

          It's Mount not Foden but still, I'm happy with it.

          Did Ronaldo + Denayer > Kane + Mings to have captaincy rotation.

          1. Thomas Magnum
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 9 months ago

            Interesting moves, I like them. I feel people will have the usual gripes that the side they had before outscored the players they brought in with the chip.
            When do you plan to play it?

            1. Camzy
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              2 years, 9 months ago

              MD3. I like that I have Limitless with 4 full lineups.

              I can go in on the starting Italians with no repercussions.

              1. The Red Devil
                • 9 Years
                2 years, 9 months ago

                Like your logic, but knowing lienups of turkey, switzerland or even wales won't be of much use. belgium/dutch sides are the teams who'll rotate more

  3. Atimis
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Olmo, Torres or Pogba?

    Kane, Ronaldo or Griz?

    1. Nando7
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Kane if you got Mbappe?
      Ive personally got Pogba, with the thinking that hungary will be camped in their box and thus pogba will be key in making runs from deep as well as having ball just outside...

  4. Bonus magnet
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    ON Limitless, please advise on captain picks and order of play

    Donarumma
    meunier Zinchenko Spinazzola hernandez
    kdb gini insigne
    kane yilmaz(c1) mbappe

    pickford pavard olmo perisic

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Yilmaz, Gini, Kane and Mbappe

      1. Bonus magnet
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        danke

  5. jay01
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Bale or Perisic for this gwk only?

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      I went with Perisic

    2. fenixri
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Perisic no doubt

    3. deyell
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Perisic if I had to choose but I avoid rather avoid both of them

      1. ChelseaGuy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        This

      2. jay01
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Current mid is Insigne-Wijnaldum-Sterling-Yarmolenko

        Who would your 5th mid be on LL?

        1. dark91
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 9 months ago

          A Belgian mid maybe?

          1. jay01
            • 9 Years
            2 years, 9 months ago

            Hazard not nailed, KDB wont play. I have lukaku and meunier may be enough i think

  6. fenixri
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Thoughts on M.Fernandes?

    1. deyell
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Might be good for a CS.

  7. ChelseaGuy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Donna Pickford
    Spinazzola Meunier Alba Hernandez Zinchenko
    Insigne Hazard Yarm Wijnaldum Olmo
    Lukaku Kane Mbappe

    On LL, any suggestions?

    1. deyell
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Why Olmo over F. Torres?

      1. ChelseaGuy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Been more dangerous than Ferran no?

    2. jay01
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Same as me apart from Hazard and Olmo

      I am yet to decidw who to have as the final 2 mids

      1. ChelseaGuy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        I'd have gone for KDB if he was sure to start, but Martinez comments doesn't point to that

        1. Stranger Mings
          • 3 Years
          2 years, 9 months ago

          Sorry what did he say about KDB?

          1. ChelseaGuy
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 9 months ago

            Nothing solid on him starting, but said Hazard should be good for 90mins, something on that lines.

            1. Stranger Mings
              • 3 Years
              2 years, 9 months ago

              Ok thanks may still gamble on KDB

  8. DannyDrinkVodka
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    On LL, what would you keep as a captain score?

    1. ChelseaGuy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Anything more than 8 ideally

    2. dark91
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      9 and above is a stick for me
      Even an 8 would be decent

    3. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Going for double digit this week since Mbappe vs Hungary is a decent pick on last day.

  9. -GK22-
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Capt spinazzola or immobile today?

    1. dark91
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Immobile

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Imm

  10. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Would you rather have Bale or Hazard?

    1. Drexl Spivey
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Hazard.

    2. jay01
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Bale as he is nailed

  11. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Thoughts all. Thanks
    Pogbas in there because he’s my favourite player but to be honest I’d happily switch if anyone had any suggestions.

    Donnaruma Olsen
    Alba Spinazolla Meunier Dumfries Pavard
    Sterling Wijnaldum Yarmalenko Insigne Pogba
    Mbappe Kane Lukaku

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Ridiculously standard.

      Would go for Simon over Olsen but I doubt it'll matter since I can't really see Italy conceding tbh.

  12. shakeyjake
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    On LL, pretty template I think. Considering Mount over Sterling and Wijnaldum over KDB, thoughts?

    Lukaku Kane Mbappe
    Insigne Bale Malinnovskyi Sterling KDB
    Spinazzola Meunier Alba Hernandez Dumfries
    Lloris Pickford

    Captain choices would be Bale > Lukaku > Kane > Mbappe

  13. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Kane or Griezmann for MD2?

    1. shakeyjake
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Kane for me

    2. antis0cial
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Kane

  14. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Limitless Draft
    Lloris Donnaruma
    Spinazzola Meunier XXX Zinchenko Dumfries
    Sterling XXX Yarmolenko Insigne Wijnaldum
    Kane Lukaku Mbappe

    last defender & midfielder to think about, go for bale/kdb/haz in mid & for defenders-french fullbacks/stones

    1. Nando7
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      hazard and hernandez

      1. The Red Devil
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        what about Alba as an option?

    2. jay01
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Definitely hernandez

    3. The Tinkerman
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Similar here, feel like Lloris is waste of a french pick so went for both french full backs and Pickford/Simon in goal, zinc misses out for me. That mid spot allows for differential. I’m going to Golovin at the moment, but KDB may come in if we get any indication he is ready in the next few hours....

  15. tim_oriordan
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Thoughts on this team? Hazard and De Bruyne a calculated risk that could pay off handsomely or a complete waste of time?

    Donnarumma - Simon
    Hernandez - Pavard - Alba - Zinchenko - Spinazzola
    De Bruyne - Hazard - Bale - Yarmolenko - Malinovskyi
    Mbappe - Lukaku - Kane

  16. BrutalLogiC
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Malinovski or Yarmolenko

    1. Drexl Spivey
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Tempted with both.

    2. antis0cial
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Yarmo on evidence of first game

    3. trinzoo
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Who is on pens?

    4. The Tinkerman
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Toss a coin. I’m going for Malinovski as think he will be lower picked and is on set pieces, main creator. Yarmo gets pens though I think

  17. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Why are FFS posting this article now?? Nobody cares about the premiership right now FFS

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Nobody would care about Fantasy Euro after GW3 here

  18. Igz08
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    KdB or Haz

    Dumphries or France def

    1. antis0cial
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Looks like Haz more likely to start

      France Def

      1. Igz08
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Yeah I’m leaning Haz. I actually fancy Hungary to score, am I crazy?

  19. Shteve
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Was working last night so didn't get to see France Germany. I am seeing a lot of people have added Pogba to their LL teams. I hear he played well but was he playing in an advanced role, getting/creating chances or why is suddenly so popular?

    1. antis0cial
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      He played extremely well, still quite a defensive starting point but he did create a good few chances. The machine Kante does most of the defensive work

      1. Shteve
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Got ya, so he was playing deep but free to get forward. Think I'll avoid, he prob won't get as much space in advanced positions against Hungary.

  20. -GK22-
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    gTg my LL attempt

    Hradecky, Lloris
    Spinazzola, stones, Dumfries, meunièr, Hernandez
    Sterling, foden, yarmalenko, insigne, gigi
    Mbappe, lukaku, immobile

  21. tim_oriordan
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Is Pavard a risky pick after going down with a head injury last game? Would it be better to pick a Varane?

  22. FIXTURE LIST 21/22 - EARLY THOUGHTS VIDEO
    Az
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Don't forget to check out my video with David on the new fixture list for the 21/22 season!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4aA3J60yDQ

  23. PompeyUpNorth!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Help! Final tweak please

    Cakir/Bachmann
    Spin Deneyer Wjindel Alioski Torres
    Torres Mount Insigne Beradi Nego
    Ronaldo Kaku Depay
    A. Ronaldo to Mbappe/Kane
    B. Wjindel to Zinchenko
    1.0 ITB 1 FT

    Cheers!

  24. Z
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    I can see so many LL used but i dont see Russian players.....
    For me....Golovin is C today

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      I had him until now but looked at their recent results, not much involvement from him except an assist.

  25. Nando7
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Is anyone worried about Belgium going into the Denmark game ? Thinking Denmark have a lot to play for and especially as its in Copenhagen ? or people feeling confident with their Belgium picks ?

    1. Shteve
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Belgium are good, Denmark are without their best player and as sad as it is, you'd have to wonder what their mental state is like after going through what they did, only a few days ago.

      1. Nando7
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Truee, safer to stick with the belgium ones it seems

        1. Shteve
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 9 months ago

          It seems logical anyway but you never know how teams react to such circumstances, it could spur the Danes on too!

  26. Better Call Raul
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Dumfries or Meunier?

    1. deyell
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Meunier

    2. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Zzz FCC

  27. jay01
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Stones or Zinchenko for LL gwk2? Englands CS odds higher?

    1. deyell
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Yes but Zinchenko has better chance to be involved in a goal. So I would pick him

  28. Disco Stu
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    A. Courtois/Berardi

    B. Donna/KDB

  29. Reggie Nainggolan
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Benzema or Mbappe?

    Can use the extra 2m for Meunier

  30. Ten Season Wonder
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Hi guys, is there a chip strategy guide for this Euro game at all please?

    And is it after the group games do we have a 'wildcard' as per previous
    tournaments?

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      LL MD2, WC before QF appears to be the optimum strategy assuming your teams good for MD3. If not others are using LL MD3, WC QF, or LL MD2 and WC MD3. There is a WC before the knockout stages, and price changes as well by the looks of it.