Frisking the Fixtures

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

Little more than three weeks since the end of 2020/21, the fixtures for the upcoming Premier League season are out.

We’ve already taken a look at the top-flight teams with the best runs of opening games on paper, so now we switch attention to those sides with less favourable schedules.

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

Our Season Ticker was updated almost immediately after the fixtures were released at 9am BST on Wednesday, with the opening six Gameweeks sorted by difficulty below:

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.

You can see a tutorial on the Season Ticker below:

WORST FIXTURES

NORWICH CITY

  • FIRST SIX FIXTURES: LIV | mci | LEI | ars | WAT | eve
  • POSSIBLE TURNING POINT: WAT (GW5)

Welcome back to the Premier League, Norwich City.

The champions of the English second-tier sit rock bottom of our Season Ticker in the opening month, having been handed a nightmare start.

Liverpool and Manchester City are first up, with Leicester City to follow before the September international break.

It’s difficult to know which incarnation of Arsenal will turn up when the Canaries welcome the Gunners to Carrow Road in Gameweek 4 but Mikel Arteta’s Jekyll-and-Hyde side were second in the Premier League form table in 2021, hinting at some modest improvement.

Daniel Farke’s troops have some respite from Gameweeks 4-7, at least, with fellow new boys Watford to come as well as Everton, Brighton and Hove Albion and Burnley.

Fantasy investment in Teemu Pukki may have to wait, then, although the Finn did of course bag against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City in the first few weeks of 2019/20.

CHELSEA

  • FIRST SIX FIXTURES: CRY | ars | liv | AVL | tot | MCI
  • POSSIBLE TURNING POINT: SOU (GW7)

A number of Chelsea assets may well be on Scout Picks duty in Gameweek 1 but the medium-term outlook is not so rosy for the European champions.

Crystal Palace visit Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend and have provided obliging opposition recently, losing their last seven encounters with the Blues – including both fixtures last season by a combined 8-1 scoreline.

The Eagles may be a bit of an unknown quantity given the change of manager, of course, while more traditional stiffer tests then await Thomas Tuchel’s troops.

A triple-header of away games at Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur is punctuated by a clash with Aston Villa, who defeated Chelsea 2-1 in Gameweek 38.

Champions Manchester City then follow in Gameweek 6.

Write off Tuchel’s side at your peril, though: Chelsea beat City in all three of their league and cup meetings in 2021 and shut out the likes of Liverpool, Spurs, Manchester United and Leeds United after Frank Lampard departed.

LEEDS UNITED

  • FIRST SIX FIXTURES: mun | EVE| bur | LIV | new | WHU
  • POSSIBLE TURNING POINT: new (GW5)

For Leeds, read Chelsea: iffy opening fixtures but a side that showed big improvements at the back in 2021 and who proved themselves capable of going toe to toe with the traditional elite, especially on home soil.

In truth, it’s only really the clashes with Manchester United and Liverpool that should be off-putting.

Everton are an unknown quantity at this stage following the change of manager, while Burnley, Newcastle and West Ham’s defensive form deserted them in the second half of last season: only Southampton kept fewer clean sheets than that trio of clubs (four each) from Gameweek 20 onwards.

The Gameweek 5 trip to Newcastle indeed heralds a six-match run in which Leeds are catapulted to the top of our Season Ticker.

CRYSTAL PALACE

  • FIRST SIX FIXTURES: che | BRE | whu | TOT | liv | BHA
  • POSSIBLE TURNING POINT: WOL (GW11)

Whoever takes over at Crystal Palace faces a baptism of fire.

Extending the Season Ticker lookahead to Gameweek 10 sees the Eagles drop to the bottom, with seven of the teams who finished in the top eight last season awaiting Roy Hodgson’s former charges.

Home games against Brentford, rivals Brighton and Newcastle are chinks of light amidst that run but there’ll few Fantasy managers gambling on Wilfried Zaha and co until November at the earliest.

ALSO CONSIDER

No team kept fewer clean sheets than Southampton (eve | MUN | new | WHU | mci | WOL) in the second half of last season and shut-out opportunities may be thin on the ground in the first few months of 2021/22.

The opening six games aren’t a complete write-off, with an Everton side in flux, Newcastle, a defensively suspect West Ham and Wolves all to come.

But taking the Gameweek 7 and 8 clashes with Chelsea and Leeds United into consideration does push the schedule towards unfavourable territory, particularly as encounters with both Manchester clubs are to come before then.

Tottenham Hotspur (MCI | wol | WAT | cry | CHE | ars) have the trickiest test of Gameweek 1, meanwhile, with four London derbies to come between Gameweeks 3-6.

Spurs do rise to third in our Gameweek 2-8 ticker once the visit of Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions is out of the way, however.

There is not much to like about Burnley‘s (BHA | liv | LEE | eve | ARS | lei) opening set of matches, meanwhile.

That goes doubly true for Chris Wood, given that Brighton, Liverpool, Leeds, Everton and Arsenal were all in the top seven for clean sheets in the final 12 Gameweeks of the campaign.

Our Euro 2020 Fantasy coverage

BEST PLAYERS

Group A: Turkey | Italy | Wales | Switzerland

Group B: Denmark | Finland | Belgium | Russia

Group C: Netherlands | Ukraine | Austria | North Macedonia

Group D: England | Croatia | Scotland | Czech Republic

Group E: Spain | Sweden | Poland | Slovakia

Group F: Hungary | Portugal | France | Germany

BY POSITION: Goalkeepers | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards

ALL OUR TEAM REVEALS

STRATEGY

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179 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Limitless Team

    Any changes?

    Kane, Lukaku, Ronaldo
    F. Torres, Sterling, Bale, Insigne, M Llorente
    Guerreiro, Chiellini, Spinazzola, Meunier, Hernandez
    Hradecky, Lloris

    Thanks?

    1. Dr. Rog
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      might want to consider a french attacker

      1. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Which one?

    2. Neves say Neves
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      llorente is a defender isn't he?

      1. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        M Llorente the midfielder

        1. Neves say Neves
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 9 months ago

          oh my bad. Get mbappe btw at any cost

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

    Will Kdb play next game ?

    1. Neves say Neves
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      no, will be on bench apparently

  3. COLLIN QUANER
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Olmo or Torres?

    I did not see Spain play so I am unsure.

    Many thanks and good luck this week!

    1. Hungaryman 2021
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Olmo, solely judging on their last game

      1. COLLIN QUANER
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Okay thanks!

    2. Michu stole my mojo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      They didn’t look great but Olmo looked much more promising for sure

      1. COLLIN QUANER
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Thanks for the info!

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

    Limitless
    GTG?

    Lloris Donnaruma
    Spinazzola Meunier Hernandez Zinchenko Dumfries
    Sterling Hazard Yarmolenko Insigne Wijnaldum
    Kane Lukaku Mbappe

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

      Griezman over Kane

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

      Hazard is expected to be benched I think

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

    Fernandes is starting for Russia.

    Don't think he'll displace anyone from my LL defence though:

    Spinazzola, Meunier, Dumfries, Alba, Hernandez.

    1. ★Kuntheman★
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Exact same defense as me, and I’m considering Dumfries out for Fernandes

      I can’t see Finland scoring tbh

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

      Dumfries maybe, because Austria is awesome

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

    We will have 2 wild cards and limitless on whole euro fpl, right ?
    Anyone can answer me, or it's something that nobody knows ? 🙂

    1. Michu stole my mojo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Yes essentially. Wildcard after group stages

  7. JamieC180
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Kindly pick ONE and solve my existential crisis.

    A) Jota
    B) F. Torres
    C) Gnabry
    D) Foden
    E) Hazard

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

      Foden

    2. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Gnabry looked good but think Foden has the highest ceiling due to Scotland

    3. Ange Ball
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      D

  8. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Had a look at defensive rotation pairings from the clubs outside the top half (per their finish in the PL last season) that target what I consider the 'Bottom 6' clubs for goal scoring. The 'Bottom 6' being Brentford, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Norwich and Watford. I didn't care about home or away, just targeting fixtures against these clubs for defensive returns.

    Best defensive combo was Brighton and Leeds from GW1 to GW11. Brackets indicate the team the defender you are picking plays for.

    GW1: bur (BHA)
    GW2: WAT (BHA)
    GW3: bur (LEE)
    GW4: bre (BHA)
    GW5: new (LEE)
    GW6: cpl (BHA)
    GW7: WAT (LEE)
    GW8: nor (BHA)
    GW9: WOL**** (LEE) - Bad fixture
    GW10: nor (LEE)
    GW11: NEW (BHA)

    1. Dr. Rog
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      LL2, WC3 ftw

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Aston Villa / Wolves is an option, but for that combo you might as well buy an Aston Villa defender from GW1 to GW3 and then switch to a Wolves defender for GW4. So less of a rotation set and more of a straight transfer.

  9. shakeyjake
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 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

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

      I think, with the being able to sub-out, may as well go KDB.
      I also reckon that with the ability to change Caps, I'm going for attacking defenders each step until Mbappe as cover. Better haul if it comes off.

  10. Shafinology
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Should I keep Grealish or take a -4 hit to bring someone else? (8.0m will be left ITB) I will play Limitless in MD3

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

    On LL. Would you swap one of Sterling/Foden to Golovin/Wijnaldum/any other mid?

    Donnarumma
    Spinazzola, Meunier, Zinchenko,
    Yarmolenko, Sterling, Foden, Malinovski, Insigne
    Kane, MBappe

    Courtois, Greizmann, Hernandez, Alba

  12. Neves say Neves
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Think I'm done!

    Bushchan
    Spinazzola Alba M.Fernandes Meunier
    Sterling Insigne Yarmo Wijnaldum
    Kane Dzyuba

    Picko Mbappe Pogba L.Hernandez

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

      Are you convinced by Sterling?

      1. Neves say Neves
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Definitely not, swithced him to foden 2 seconds ago ffs. Who would you have instead? (doesn't have to be english)

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

          I'm not really sure tbh. 😀

          Had Golovin but his ceiling is probably low, same for Forsberg. Considering Olmo as of now.

          1. Neves say Neves
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 9 months ago

            Olmo looked really dangerous vs swe. Do you know how good the polish defence is?

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

              Not really good based on Slovakia game.

              Were fine in Nations League, 6 goals conceded in 6 games.

      2. Michu stole my mojo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        I’m not convinced by Sterling either. Tempted to double up on Ukr and go Malinovskyi

  13. N00B
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    https://twitter.com/martynziegler/status/1405135413371674629 Arnautovic out vs Holland

    1. ★Kuntheman★
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Pretty big for Dumfries tbh

      1. Neves say Neves
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        ah crap i just took him out my team

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

        We are not keeping a cleansheet against Austria anyway. With or without Arnie 😀

  14. smash
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Can you still make transfers midweek if you are on a active LL chip?
    (say you have Sterling and he gets Covid tomorrow and you've picked him in your team, could you transfer him out for someone before England play or would you only have the option to swap him for someone on the bench)

    Guessing not tbh
    cheers.

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

      Nope, Russia game is deadline for any transfers

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

        Ahh I see, glad I asked as I assumed you could make transfers throughout the week even if not on LL/WC and just playing normal transfers (as long as they'be not player prior to bringing them in)

        Thanks.

  15. Vlad Tepes
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Lloris or Courtois?

    1. Ange Ball
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      olson

      1. Vlad Tepes
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        No I am not picking a defender/goalie from Sweden, not trusting them / A Swede

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

      Courtois so u have space for more french attackers and hernandez

      1. Vlad Tepes
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Can take Lloris to, will only pick Fernandez and Mbappe

  16. FDMS All Starz
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Why are people picking Greizmann over benzema? Against Hungary surely benzema will have a ton of chances as he is their main striker?

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

      Set-piece and possibility of Giroud starting over him.

  17. Ange Ball
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Stuck which two one Def and one mid.

    A) Stones
    B) Tripp

    1) Fernandez
    2) Hazard

    Thanks

  18. Gooner97
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Would you change anything from this lot? 2FT

    Donnarumma, Hradecky
    Kjaer Denayer Alioski Wijndal P.Torres
    F.Torres Malinovskyi Insigne Mount Nego
    Kane Griezmann Lukaku

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

      Would get rid of Nego and Kjaer as they have the toughest fixtures, put in Spinazzola or meuiner for kjaer and yaziki for nego maybe

      1. Gooner97
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        I have 0€ Itb...

  19. fricky_
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Yilmaz or Depay as last attacker? I feel like risking Yilmaz tbh, not sure though

    1. Neves say Neves
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      dzyubaaaa

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

        This

  20. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Ronaldo or French forward?

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

      Mbappe or Griezmann all day

  21. LLoris
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Are we 100% sure Alba will play?
    Also Stones or Zinchenko?

    1. Neves say Neves
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      pretty sure
      m.fernandes

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

    A) Zinchenko Pogba
    B) Varane Yarmelenko

    1. Neves say Neves
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      B

  23. Dr. Rog
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Think I can summarise most LL2 questions here:

    a) Foden or Sterling
    b) Griezmann or Kane
    c) Dumfries or Alba
    d) Olmo or Forres

    1. Neves say Neves
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      fkao

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

      A) sterling
      B) Kane if have Mbappé
      C) both
      D) neither as going for KDB

  24. Firminooooo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Golovin on LL2 or Foden.

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

      golooo

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

      Ha. Just asked the same question below.

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

    De Boer just confirmed that De Ligt will start tomorrow against Austria
    https://sportinnederland.com/de-ligt-gaat-spelen-tegen-oostenrijk/?amp&__twitter_impression=true

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

      Would you go De Ligt over Dumfries or Zinchenko?

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

        Nope. De Ligt has aerial threat of course and should strengthen the Dutch defence but I don't believe we will keep a cleansheet against Austria.
        I would pick Zinchenko out of these 3 if you have to

  26. nicecat
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Foden or Golovin?

    My MID is Insigne, Yarmo, Wijnaldum and Sterling (+ got Kane)

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

      Would go Golovin between those 2

    2. Michu stole my mojo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 9 months ago

      Golivin. 3 Eng is overkill for me

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

    Last question; Zinchenko or dumfries?

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

      Had the same dilemma and went with Dumfries, Arnautovic supposedly being out added to it.

  28. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Yarmo good captain punt this week for other games?

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

      Yep

  29. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Golovin on pens?

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

      Dzyba

  30. Michu stole my mojo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 9 months ago

    Think I’m done! Need to stop looking at it at some point!

    Donna / Lloris
    M Fernan / Spina / Meunier / Alba / Hernandez
    Perisic / Wiljnal / Malinov/ Yarmo / Insigne
    Kane / Lukaku / Mbappe

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

      12/15 the same as me.

      1. Michu stole my mojo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        Which are different?

      2. OPTA FPL
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 9 months ago

        that's why I call limitless chip is terrible idea, everyone will have the same team, stupid more people suggest it for FPL. The biggest thing make FPL great, is it's variablem no limit budget will make all team the same