Frisking the Fixtures

Who has the best and worst upcoming FPL fixtures?

Our regular frisk of the fixtures sees us assess the Premier League clubs and players with – in theory – the strongest and weakest runs of league matches over the coming weeks of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).

The primary focus in this article will be on the next six Gameweeks but we will scrutinise the longer-term prospects where appropriate.

Our colour-coded Season Ticker is the primary source for this piece; using this tool as a Premium Member, you can sort by difficulty, rank by attacking and defensive potential or find budget rotation pairings. You can also set your own difficulty ratings, should you disagree with our own.

BEST FIXTURES

CHELSEA

Saturday’s comprehensive 7-0 win over Norwich City brought a hat-trick from Mason Mount (£7.5m), who had lost 390,000 owners since his previous start in Gameweek 5, rather than the much-bought Kai Havertz (£8.1m). The German was the only Chelsea starter to blank – a beautiful summarisation of what FPL is all about. However, those new owners could still benefit from Romelu Lukaku‘s (£11.5m) injury if Havertz delivers the goods against Newcastle United – a side yet to keep a clean sheet.

The Blues then face Burnley at home, completing the sequence of facing relegation zone sides. After that are two games that seem difficult at first but, looking deeper, still present strong attacking fixtures. Leicester City haven’t kept a clean sheet since Gameweek 1 and conceded twice in each of the four games preceding Sunday’s 2-1 win at Brentford, whilst Manchester United have let in 11 goals from their last three matches in all competitions.

Six clean sheets have been kept from nine attempts. Although their three goals conceded is the league’s lowest, Chelsea are bettered by several sides in terms of shots conceded, shots conceded in penalty area and expected goals conceded (xGC). The other defensive issue is guessing who will play for Thomas Tuchel. Only Ben Chilwell (£5.8m) and Trevoh Chalobah (£4.9m) have started the last two league matches, with Marcos Alonso (£5.8m) and Andreas Christensen (£5.1m) waiting to step in.

BRENTFORD

Another side facing the bottom three in succession is Brentford. The newly-promoted side have impressed many over early matches, despite the last four fixtures being against teams from last season’s top six. Before that, the Bees won two and drew two of the first five and many FPL managers will be hoping that Ivan Toney (£6.5m) is joined by Bryan Mbeumo (£5.6m) in attack, should the Frenchman recover from the hamstring issue that forced his half-time withdrawal at the weekend.

Mbeumo is a cheap midfielder, playing as a striker. his expected goals (xG) tally of 3.47 is the best of all sub-£7.5m players and only beaten by six of any price. Only two goals have been scored, although an incredible six shots have hit the woodwork. Toney only has an assist from the past four gameweeks but is on penalty duty.

Burnley (a), Norwich (H) and Newcastle (a) present three of the four worst xGC numbers, conceding a total of 434 shots so far – an average of 16-per-match. Norwich have only scored twice, with them and Burnley having the lowest team xG numbers of 7.29 and 8.78, boding well for Ethan Pinnock (£4.7m) and Pontus Jansson (£4.7m). Beyond that, Everton have just conceded five times at home to Watford, Tottenham have let in 13 from their last six and Leeds United’s defence is the only one competing with the bottom three for worst back line.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Kane and Wilson enter FPL differential conversation ahead of Gameweek 9 5

Between defensive woes, two successive defeats and the drop in form of Harry Kane (£12.1m), Tottenham’s imminent clash with Man United will be an interesting battle to see which club is most in crisis right now. For owners of Kane and Son Heung-min (£10.2m) – who is still managing to have a good season – the fixture defies its red colouring on the ticker. Then it’s a trip to Goodison Park and a stretch of fixtures that exceeds the four shown in blue above. Between Gameweek 12 and Gameweek 22, Spurs only face one of last season’s top four.

This gives an opportunity to those with plenty of money in the bank from selling Lukaku or Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.5m), as the temptation to get either Son or Kane strengthens. Defensively, Nuno Espirito Santo’s men started the season with three clean sheets but have none since, yet the cheap prices of Eric Dier (£4.5m) and Sergio Reguilon (£5.1m) could persuade FPL managers to grab one for these opponents.

NORWICH CITY

Top of the fixture ticker are Norwich, although with an asterisk that they’re bottom of the league, winless and with only two goals so far – it would an incredibly maverick move to go for forward Teemu Pukki (£5.8m). A decent £4.5m bench option could be Mathias Normann who, since his Gameweek 5 debut, comes top for goal attempts (11) at his price point. Their defence did keep consecutive clean sheets against Burnley and Brighton, before returning to normality with the 7-0 crushing at Chelsea.

Whilst one perspective is that Leeds (H), Brentford (a), Southampton (H), Wolves (H) and Newcastle (a) are good fixtures for Norwich, the other is that managers should target assets from these five teams because they are about to have a very promising opponent.

WORST FIXTURES

WATFORD

Is now the time to sell Everton's value-for-money FPL midfielders? 1

Just when it seemed that Watford’s early mid-table position was about to collapse, new manager Claudio Ranieri watched his side overturn a 2-1 deficit at Everton into a remarkable 5-2 win inside the last 15 minutes. The Hornets are now in 14th place and will be thankful for a six-point gap over the relegation zone, knowing that the home match against Southampton is followed by Arsenal (a), Man United (H), Leicester (a), Chelsea (H) and Manchester City (H).

Some of these sides’ weaknesses were mentioned above but, make no mistake, they will still be tough challenges for Watford. Emmanual Dennis (£5.2m) delivered 12 points in his 26-minute cameo but is suspended for Gameweek 10, whilst Joshua King (£5.5m) added a hat-trick to his brilliant record versus Everton to bag his first goals of the season. Star man Ismaila Sarr (£6.2m) wasn’t involved in any of the five at Goodison Park and his price drops are expected to continue when FPL managers see these fixtures. At the back, Watford join Newcastle in still not having collected any clean sheets.

WEST HAM UNITED

Vestergaard injury latest as Antonio and Benrahma haul again 2

The time might have felt right to ditch Michail Antonio (£8.1m), having blanked in consecutive matches and with Liverpool (H), Man City (a) and Chelsea (H) on the horizon. Then the striker netted the winner against Tottenham to join Jamie Vardy on 57 points as the joint-second highest FPL scorer behind Mohamed Salah (£12.9m). Many managers have other fires to put out right now, with Mbeumo, Jamie Vardy (£10.8m) and Raphinha (£6.7m) potentially injured and Ronaldo losing form, meaning Antonio’s goal should see him survive a cull.

However, team mate Said Benrahma (£6.5m) may be one of those fires. After delivering a goal, an assist and 12 points from the first pair of matches, he he since been involved in one goal from seven. It isn’t for a lack of trying – his four games since scoring in Gameweek 5 have amassed 16 shots, a number only topped by Salah throughout the league.

Again, the Mbeumo and Raphinha situations could spare him an abandonment, but patience must surely be thining amongst his 33.7% ownership. Defensively, the Hammers have followed a leaky start by keeping two successive clean sheets. Aaron Cresswell (£5.5m) added an assist on Sunday. However, it’s ill-advised to purchase one with these upcoming fixtures.

FPLMarc Newcastle fan that spends far too much time thinking about FPL.

1,574 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Hello

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Wazzzuupp

  2. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Open controls...

  3. SHOWSTOPPERRR
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Is Mark going to wildcard???

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      He’s going to open controls

  4. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Not bothered about the Raphinha news as I got rid.

    Vardy will be an utter headache if he is not available this weekend.

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I think you did the right thing.

    2. Fish up a tree
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      How long is he out for?

    3. Konstaapeli
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      What's the Raphinha news?

      1. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Ben Dinnery says he is likely to miss this weekend, based on his current analysis.

  5. Corona is not good 4 U
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Ronaldo -> Vardy (if fit) for free?

    Yes or No?

    Thank you!

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yes

    2. Stranger Mings
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yew

  6. Harry Ball Bag™⚽⚽…
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Thoughts on the wildcard. Had to get rid of ronaldo and lukaku along with alonso.

    Foster / sanchez

    TAA / Chilwell /Cancelo / livermento / manquillo(new 4.0)

    Salah / foden / mount / ESR / mbembo

    Antonio / hwang / broja

    4.8m itb to bring back lukaku or another big hitter when the time is right
    .

    1. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      4.8 is too much itb, esr to son spends the money well

      1. Baps hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        I like that idea. Team should be solid enough to save one ft and then to downgrade Son if needed. Not absolutely certain about Antonio on WC any longer.

  7. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Open controls, forget hot topics etc...

  8. sovietrockettes
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    what is open controls/permalink?

    1. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      It’s the new feature on this site … loved by all.

    2. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Not spending the income on site management

  9. dbeck
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Double city def or double chels def on WC?

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      CHE

    2. Stranger Mings
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Chelsea

    3. Geriatric Unathletic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Neither. Spread the rik. TAA, Che, City...

      1. Geriatric Unathletic
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Doh.....risk.

        1. dbeck
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          It will be Trent, chilly, cancelo, livra plus one more, 5.5m, James, Laporte come to mind

  10. Amartey Partey
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Ahh sheeet here we go again.

  11. TeddiPonza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Pick one to get in for Greenwood:

    A. Havertz
    B. Mount
    C. Foden

    Still got WC to play so probably for the next 5-6 gw's maximum.

    1. Geriatric Unathletic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Mount, whilst Lukaku is out at least. Followed by Foden next for me.

    2. Fulchester's New Centr…
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Foden, so hot right now

  12. Stranger Mings
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    A) Tielmans or b)!mbeumo or c)!other below 6.8?

    1. Fulchester's New Centr…
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      B if fit

      1. Stranger Mings
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Thanks lots of people really rate him although only scored 2 goals ?

        1. Fulchester's New Centr…
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Hit the post 6 times is it? Half of those had gone in and he'd be the new Michu

          1. Stranger Mings
            • 3 Years
            2 years, 5 months ago

            Ok cheers will hsve a think

    2. Geriatric Unathletic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      A, for me from those. If you have Toney that is? Otherwise B...

      1. Stranger Mings
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        No shipping Toney out on WC for hwang

        1. Geriatric Unathletic
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Brave..

          1. Stranger Mings
            • 3 Years
            2 years, 5 months ago

            Fed up with Toney

  13. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    How many do believe will start out of Vardy, Raphina and Mbuemo?

    1. Fulchester's New Centr…
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      3, cause it is what I want to be true

    2. Geriatric Unathletic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      When you find out let the rest of us know, lol. 🙂

    3. luk46
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Mbeumo starts, Vardy 50/50, Raphinha probably not imo

  14. Arteta
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    "The German was the only Chelsea starter to blank – a beautiful summarisation of what FPL is all about."

    Rubbing salt into the wound as deep as it gets.

    1. Fulchester's New Centr…
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I don't know much, but I knew not to get Havertz

      1. Fulchester's New Centr…
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        But could easily have been the other way

    2. Je suis le chat
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Hope Kai gets his hattie next week. The cool kids are giving him captaincy then!

  15. Stranger Mings
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    A) Mbuemo & Jesus or b) Vardy & brownhill?

    1. Fulchester's New Centr…
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      A but not till we know something

      1. Stranger Mings
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Ok thanks a) does look stronger

  16. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    58% template?

    Bench order correct, play Livramento?

    Sa
    Cancelo, Rudiger, Chilwell
    Salah, Saka, Gray, Foden
    Vardy, Toney, Auba

    4.0, Livramento, Tierney, Sissoko

    1.3

    1. Fulchester's New Centr…
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      All good as is

      1. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Cheers

  17. Je suis le chat
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    I wish fpl would include having a manager in the game. Be nice to put metrics on managers performances.

    1. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      But....we are.....the managers?

      1. Je suis le chat
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Ole would have got - 4 whereas Raineiri would have scored 12 points.

  18. flipperallstars
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Pogba to mount done, would you do vardy to Jesus or Toney for a minus 4?

    1. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Wait to see if Vardy is fit or not

  19. Philosopher's Stones
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    What's your thing?

    A: Open Controls
    B: Permalink

    1. Fulchester's New Centr…
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Can't seem to do either

      1. Philosopher's Stones
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        There are only a few who can

  20. Philosopher's Stones
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Just realised.. FFS was giving us a sign to perma cap Salah with the permalink all along. Just that some of us couldn't see it.

  21. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Good article.

  22. Konstaapeli
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    What's the latest on Raphinha?

    1. SINGH
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      BBC REPORT INJURY NOT AS BAD AS FIRST THOUGHT BUT RESTED FOR TONIGHT

  23. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    On WC, A or B?

    A) Auba, Foden + Manquillo
    B) Hwang, KDB + Livramento

    Rest of team:

    Sanchez Foster
    TAA Cancelo Chilwell James _____
    Salah _____ Mane Cornet McArthur
    Toney _____ Gelhardt

  24. NotsoSpursy
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Evening all.

    I've been moderately cruising since my WC :-/
    Alonso I think is the priority but who to get in?
    Chilwell seems the obvious no? But then do I have too much $$$ at the back?

    I would really appreciate your advice

    Ramsdale - Foster
    Cancelo - Alonso* - TAA - Dias - Liv
    Benrahma - Salah - Saka - Raph - Brownhill
    Antonio - Vardy - Toney

    1. Konstaapeli
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Just Chilwell and chill 😎

    2. NotsoSpursy
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Thanks ok

  25. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    CHO RWB today. Good for James owners... probably.

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        2 years, 5 months ago

        James starts doesn't he

        1. Hazz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Ooh RCB. Oops. Azpi rested!

          1. AC/DC AFC
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 5 months ago

            Injured?

      • Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Has something happened to Azpi? Rested on weekend and now not in squad? Clutching at straws as a hames owner here x

    2. ZAMUNDA
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      a fall from 190k to 650k sees me activating wildcard finally, your thoughts please?

      Sanchez - Foster
      TAA - Chilwell - Laporte - Livramento - Duffy
      Salah - Foden - Son - Hodson Odoi - Mbeumo
      Antonio - Toney - Wilson

      ITB: 0.7
      RMT, what would you change?

      1. Qui-Gon-Joe
        • 2 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        You think hudson odoi will get regular minutes?

        1. ZAMUNDA
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Can get ESR instead yeah

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

        Ouch how are you coping? Captained Havertz? I dropped from 365k to 630k and already feel season is derailed.

        I'd rather have James over Laporte and not a big fan of CHO pick. Takes a valuable Chelsea spot and will give you lots of no-shows and1 pters. 5.3 is too much to pay for that. I'd rather have ESR.

        1. ZAMUNDA
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Considering ESR atm yeah! Well, I captained Wilson instead

    3. Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      ESR starts, Odegaard not in the squad meaning he likely has an injury.

    4. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yuck James and havertz starting. That’s him benched against newcastle then ffs, if he plays 90 I’m going to bench

    5. Gazwaz80
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Alonso starting grrrrr

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        I don’t think he’s going to be anywhere near the first team any time soon, anyway. I say this as an owner of him.

        1. Gazwaz80
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Yep, think you’re right, Alonso to Chilly it is 🙂

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

            And then Tuchel mindfooks all of us by playing Alonso on Saturday

    6. Flair
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Azpi and Christensen are injured.

      https://twitter.com/AbsoluteChelsea/status/1453055773785870336