Frisking the Fixtures

Who has the best fixtures at the start of the 2022/23 FPL season?

With the Premier League fixtures now released for 2022/23, we are able to assess which teams we should invest in and which we should avoid.

We have already taken a look at the top-flight teams with less favourable schedules, and now turn our attention to those sides with the best runs of opening fixtures on paper.

The primary focus in this article will be on a six-Gameweek lookahead but we will scrutinise the shorter and longer-term prospects where appropriate.

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

Who has the worst fixtures at the start of the 2022/23 FPL season? 2

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:


BEST FIXTURES

LIVERPOOL

Who are the best FPL captain options for Gameweek 2? 7

Liverpool are top of our Season Ticker in the first six Gameweeks of 2022/23.

The Reds only face one of last season’s top six in that time and it’s against a far-from convincing Manchester United in Gameweek 3.

Championship winners Fulham are first up for Jurgen Klopp’s side, and given that Mohamed Salah is traditionally a strong starter – he has scored in five successive opening-weekend matches – there’ll be few of us going without the Egyptian in our Fantasy Premier League (FPL) drafts.

Notably, it will be the fourth season in a row which Liverpool have started a new campaign against a Premier League newcomer.

SeasonGW1 fixtureScore
2019/20Norwich City (h)4-1
2020/21Leeds United (h)4-3
2021/22Norwich City (a)0-3
2022/23Fulham (a)?

Crystal Palace then follow, with another newly-promoted side Bournemouth, plus Newcastle United and Merseyside rivals Everton, to come in the first half-dozen Gameweeks.

MANCHESTER CITY

The Complete Guide to FPL Pre-Season 2022/23
276 Comments Post a Comment
  1. KeanosMagic
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    The higher the frequency of players names in forums like this, the higher the starting price....

    1. Sheffield Wednesday
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo
      Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo Firpo

      1. el polako
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        +1 to price.

    2. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      Haaland will be 14.0m then 😆

      If he's is above 12.0m i think I'll just stick to the tried and tested FPL titans Salah and Son. Probably the sensible thing to do anyway... lots of unkowns with Haaland.

      1. Zimo
        • 5 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        True true. I'll just buy Son as well if he's cheaper than Haaland

  2. R.C
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    With Chelsea losing half their defence and Spurs 2nd season with Conte, can they both keep 15-20 clean sheets??

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      both combined? yes.

      1. R.C
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        Not.combined lol

    2. The Mentaculus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      Spurs yeah I think so - I'd guess 16-17. Chelsea I imagine dipping down to 12-13

    3. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      Depends on signings. I'm sure Chelsea will spend.

      What's Perisic like defensively? Is Spence the finished article, or one to develop?

      1. TheBiffas
        • 3 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        Jedd is star quality

        1. Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          1 year, 9 months ago

          He's on the other side. Sess challenges for Perisic's spot.

    4. Camino Aleatorio
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      I wonder how Chelsea adjusts and adapts.

      They have dozens of players out on Loan and good players they don't use like Sarr and Chalobah.

      They could sign much better players than Christiansen. Rudi is not easy to replace, too good. But a more disciplined player can replace him. Rudi was out of position frequently. That's why Chelsea would dominate and still lose the clean sheet. Not because of Rudi entirely, but as an overall undisciplined defensive team.

      Still want Chilwell and James in my FPL team.

      1. Andy_Social
        • 11 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        They're shaking up their first team front (Sterling, striker) and back. I'm happy to wait and see how they settle, even though their opening fixtures are decent. In my draft, I've just got Kovacic as a 5th midfielder.

  3. el polako
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    How old is Perisic ?
    Without checking it feels like he's been around for ages and is quite old now.
    People talking about him a lot round here, dissapointment incoming.

    1. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      33

      1. el polako
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        Why the hype then ?
        New to PL at 33, might struggle.

    2. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      33. I got the answer by typing 2 words rather than 29 😉

      but yes, it's pretty old to be a wing back in the prem, can't see him playing week in week out.

      1. el polako
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        Wanted to highlight my concern rather than give people answer on the plate 🙂

        Personally I don't see his appeal.

        1. No Professionals
          • 6 Years
          1 year, 9 months ago

          he's clearly a class player (more from what I've seen from international football), but the pace in italy is slower, can see him struggling at wingback. Although Doherty did ok in Conte's system, so maybe it will work.

        2. Piggs Boson
          • 12 Years
          1 year, 9 months ago

          He was a winger for most of his career, and a very good one! So if he's classified as a defender he might be a very strong FPL asset whilst Spurs only play 1 game a week. Should get attacking returns whilst feeding Son and Kane.

          As soon the schedule gets congested, that's when you offload. But he should he able to manage one game a week, surely?

    3. Exxtreme
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      He's Croatian. Stubborn and annoying, he might do well.

  4. R.C
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    Biggest dilemma is Son or Haaland

    1. Bavarian
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      Both

    2. Haa-lala-land
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      Haaland isnt nailed.
      Son is nailed.

    3. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      Son is my 1st name. The others not sure about yet.

    4. Stimps
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      I'll be going Haaland and Kulu

  5. Scots Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    After my first tinkers on Live FPL, it’s obvious how tight our budget will be this season.

    Even a No Salah draft becomes tricky to squeeze in enough City/Pool.

    I like it.

  6. Babit1967
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    Non premium Man City attacker, who do you think might have a great season?

    For those of you going with Salah & Son/Kane as your premiums, do you think Foden, Mahrez or Silva could be the one to have?

    1. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      All the non-premium minds and forwards will be heavily rotated.

      1. Babit1967
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        Yeah I know just doesn’t feel right not having a City attacker tho

  7. Eze Really?
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    Considering the transfer news we are getting and fixtures being released, who are your first choice:
    Goalkeepers
    Defenders
    Mids
    Forwards.
    I am leaning towards:
    Raya
    Robbo
    Son
    Jesus.

    1. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      Alisson
      3 premiums from Liverpool and City, 2 rotations
      5 starters, no one nailed yet
      Haaland, 2 cheapies

      1. Eze Really?
        • 9 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        I like the Alisson pick. Assured points at 6 mil.

        1. Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          1 year, 9 months ago

          It's also because I expect the nailed defenders to be too expensive to own more than one.

          1. No Professionals
            • 6 Years
            1 year, 9 months ago

            but does a 4.5 keeper (say Sanchez) and a 6.0 defender (say Chilwell) score more points than Alison and a 4.5?

            tricky.

            1. Andy_Social
              • 11 Years
              1 year, 9 months ago

              A very valid point. My wider thinking is this - in defence, including goalkeeper, I want 4 from City and Liverpool. I'm going with TAA and Cancelo, so after that I need to be a little cost-conscious, so I'm looking at the cheapest from Robbo, VVD, Alisson, Ederson, Dias and Laporte. I feel I have a potential 4.5/5m rotation for the other 2 defender spots that would bring more points than a 4.5 keeper.
              Basically, I try to look at my whole squad structure, rather than just think 'A or B'.

              1. No Professionals
                • 6 Years
                1 year, 9 months ago

                yeah. Also the fact that the people that do well so often (in terms of FPL managers) don't seem to go premium goalkeeper suggests it's not an optimal use of funds.

                1. RedLightning
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • Has Moderation Rights
                  • 13 Years
                  1 year, 9 months ago

                  It is true that FPL Managers who regularly do well don't normally go for premium goalkeepers at the start of the season, but I have in the past sometimes seen early leaders who even rotate two premium goalkeepers, such as those from City and United (when United used to have a strong defence).

                  But there are very few premium goalkeepers that provide good value, and they are often from top teams that we may want to include three outfield players from.

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

                    There are some very rare exceptions to starting with one premium keeper. You really shouldn’t ever start with two you’d be benching 1.5M of usuable funds on a goalkeeper you aren’t even getting points from every week and using multiple transfers to fix it and redistribute funds. It’s just not sensible

                  2. Andy_Social
                    • 11 Years
                    1 year, 9 months ago

                    Last season I'd have TAA and another defender, or one defender, Salah and Jota. This season I think we'll be priced out of those structures, hence my assumption that one defender and one further up the pitch is as much as I'll be able to afford.

      2. adstomko
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        Tempted to go with 3 LIV defenders (Trent, Van Dijk, Robertson) for the whole season. Think City & Spurs will rotate a lot, Chelsea need to gel

        1. Eze Really?
          • 9 Years
          1 year, 9 months ago

          Matip instead of VVD?

          1. Andy_Social
            • 11 Years
            1 year, 9 months ago

            He was brilliant for me last season, but I think Kounate will be challenging him this time.

            1. Eze Really?
              • 9 Years
              1 year, 9 months ago

              Maybe. In my view, Matip was Pool's best defender if the noise is ignored.

              1. Andy_Social
                • 11 Years
                1 year, 9 months ago

                If I was confident he's nailed, I'd be all over him instead of Alisson. I need security though. Pre-season might illuminate some.

        2. Nomar
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          1 year, 9 months ago

          I think reality will hit when the prices come up for the players and 3 premium defenders plus 2 prem attackers pretty much leaves you with no money to buy anyone else decent for the other 10 spaces you need to fill.

          1. Eze Really?
            • 9 Years
            1 year, 9 months ago

            Overdoing premiums never seems to work. A premium should be a captain pick. Outside of this its points per million as a simple look at.
            So many times last season the likes of Matip, Tireney, Bowen etc saved my. The likes of not having Ramsdale hurt me.
            2 premiums at the start is the limit I think. The structure almost forces people to have 1 keeper + bench, 4 defenders + bench. 5 mids with fodder and 2 attackers as if only one there is no sub to take his place.
            Maybe 1 premium will work out when we move forward. Value is in the backs; even at 8 mil.

            1. Andy_Social
              • 11 Years
              1 year, 9 months ago

              I'm going with one 10m+ premium (Haaland), No Salah, no Son. Next most expensive is likely to be Diaz. Another reason not to go overboard on premiums is that in this congested WC season, there will be a lot of rotation and if your star man is rested, you don't want to put out a load of wallies. In my current draft, my cheapest midfielder will be 6m. It's about spreading your load.

              1. Nomar
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 14 Years
                1 year, 9 months ago

                Which is all well and good, but my guess is that 6m will get you nothing in terms of decent mids.

                When I say premium defenders I mean Liv, Che and Man City defs. I think it is going to be hard to have 1 of each because of the way the pricing structure is likely to be now.

                I could be wrong, but at the moment I'm anticipating that most of the players I had last year aren't going to be possible this year once I've decided which one of Salah or Haaland I'm going to have.

                1. Andy_Social
                  • 11 Years
                  1 year, 9 months ago

                  In my draft, I have 4 players I finished with last season, and one of those is Gelhardt for the bench. It stands to reason the successful ones from last season will be more expensive.

                2. Eze Really?
                  • 9 Years
                  1 year, 9 months ago

                  There will always be a mid coming out of the woodwork. Getting 2 premiums may hurt but money spent on defenders was the way to go last season. Is, if not captaining a 12.5 and a 5.5 mil better than two 8 mil players?

                  1. Andy_Social
                    • 11 Years
                    1 year, 9 months ago

                    Is Haaland not enough? With Diaz as vc and occasional captain.

                    1. The Mentaculus
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • Has Moderation Rights
                      • 2 Years
                      1 year, 9 months ago

                      You can also cap your premium defenders. They get ignored by some but Trent/Robbo/Cancelo are perfectly valid captaincy candidates

                      1. Andy_Social
                        • 11 Years
                        1 year, 9 months ago

                        In theory. I noted in the recent article about the top players last season, every time they captained a defender, it didn't work out. Never has for me either.

                    2. Eze Really?
                      • 9 Years
                      1 year, 9 months ago

                      Could be but if he fails? (injury/rotation etc) i would choose the tried and tested in GW1 IMO

              2. Eze Really?
                • 9 Years
                1 year, 9 months ago

                My take on it too. We don't even know what the cold weather brings in terms of Covid too.

          2. RedLightning
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 13 Years
            1 year, 9 months ago

            In 2018-19 I started with four premium defenders (Robertson 6.0, Alonso 6.5, Walker 6.5, Mendy 6.0) and also had Salah 13.0, Aguero 11.0 and Mane 9.5 in a 3-4-3 formation, and was in the top thousand from GW2 to GW4 (the only weeks I have ever spent in the top thousand).
            So it was possible at the start of that season to include three or more premium defenders and two premium attackers in a strong squad.
            With TAA, Robertson and Cancelo now all costing 7.0 or more though, this is now far more difficult and may not still be realistically possible.

            1. Eze Really?
              • 9 Years
              1 year, 9 months ago

              The truth comes out after the game has started, but outside captaincy, points per mil is fairly important.

  8. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    Finding early drafts tough. City and Spurs GW1 fixtures being reversed would make it a lot easier!

    1. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      How are guys doing drafts without prices?

      1. Andy_Social
        • 11 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        Camzy and fpllive have very plauible guesstimates.

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

        predicting players price and then predicting their FPL drafts 😀

        1. Nomar
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          1 year, 9 months ago

          Like mentally spending your annual bonus before you get it and then when you do get it you realise most of the things on your wishlist are now unaffordable.

          1. Andy_Social
            • 11 Years
            1 year, 9 months ago

            We'll see. I'm enjoying tinkering anyway.

      3. Brimble82
        • 5 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        Ragabolly has pulled yet another blinder on LiveFPL too:
        https://www.livefpl.net/myteam/1

        Though his pricing is a bit more conservative than Camzy's - which I think is closer to the money.

        I'm looking forward to finding out that the team I have 'perfected' is actually £1.5m short.
        And the bench of pure unadulterated fodder has zero fat to give!

        1. FPL Insanity
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 2 Years
          1 year, 9 months ago

          Where can I see Camzy's pricings?

          1. Andy_Social
            • 11 Years
            1 year, 9 months ago

            Hot Topics

  9. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    Looking like Arsenal will be signing Vieira and Jesus in the coming week, Tielemans to follow.

    Looking like a good window so far if these all come in.

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      oh, finally you are looking happy...

      1. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
        • 3 Years
        1 year, 9 months ago

        Yes I am

  10. Sloths
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    Hey guys!

    How long will it take until we can tinker with our new teams? 🙂

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      maybe in july

    2. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 9 months ago

      Before Aug 5th (smile)

  11. Waddlinho
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 9 months ago

    I think memories from the last season fool us a bit right now. Because no premium forward performed well for a long time, it was suddenly easy to go both big at the back AND have two premiums at the midfield. By the time Kane started to find the goal, team values had already gone so up that you were able to have TAA, Cancelo, Salah, Son and Kane without sacrificing the team balance.

    It will be a different ball game this season. It will become clear as soon as the prices are revealed.