Our weekly analysis of the upcoming fixture list casts an eye over the strength of schedule over the next four to six Gameweeks. The top three all have a run of games to boost their appeal, though Villa and West Brom have little to smile about as the fixtures stiffen for the midlands pair…
The Strong
Man United
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are handed a superb run of games to return to winning ways after the disappointment of losing a last-ditch equaliser at Tottenham yesterday afternoon. Five of United’s next six opponents currently reside in the bottom half of the table, offering Robin Van Persie further chance to extend his lead at the top of the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) rankings, with home clashes against Southampton and Norwich supplemented by trips to Fulham, QPR and West Ham.
Due to back-to-back double Gameweeks, the Dutchman has been mainly overlooked as a captaincy option in the last two but now looks a strong armband contender for the foreseeable future, while Wayne Rooney’s owners will be somewhat concerned by his substitute role at the Lane as Ferguson opted for a 4-2-3-1 system. Patrice Evra is set for further investment at the back, though United’s midfield continue to offer little to tempt us – Michael Carrick is their top scoring FPL midfielder with just 59 points to his name.
Man City
Roberto Mancini’s outfit are also afforded a kind schedule in their pursuit of their neighbours at the top of the table. While home clashes with Liverpool and Chelsea are far from straightforward, City face four of the bottom six in the next six Gameweek (qpr, sot, avl, WIG), with Fantasy managers anticipating plenty returns from that quartet of fixtures.
At the back, Pablo Zabaleta has revealed he expects to shrug off the ankle problem that forced him off against Fulham last weekend and offers the greatest potential for points at both ends of the pitch, while Matija Nastasic’s continues to offer a consistency of starts ahead of Joleon Lescott at centre-half. With fit-again Sergio Aguero preserved for last weekend’s win, it seems rotation may continue to hamper the potential of City’s forwards – David Silva’s double on Saturday could sway many to acquire his playmaking talents instead; the Spaniard has now started the last 13 and has scored or assisted in seven of those fixtures.
Chelsea
Rafa Benitez’s side also have an encouraging run of games on the horizon. The Blues face three of the bottom five next (rdg, new, WIG) and also play host to West Brom before making their way to neighbours Fulham in Gameweek 29. With six wins and a draw in their last eight, Chelsea are hitting their stride and could well benefit from such a promising schedule – Juan Mata looks the man most likely, though Frank Lampard has offered a viable alternative to Eden Hazard in recent weeks from midfield. Rest and rotation continue to blight the backline and lone forward role – John Terry’s imminent first-team return is set to further increase Benitez’s options at the back, while Demba Ba and Fernando Torres look likely to continue alternating up front as the interim-manager looks to keep both match-fit over the remainder of the season.
Arsenal
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal have three home clashes in the upcoming four Gameweeks to boost their appeal. The Gunners welcome Liverpool, Stoke and Villa to the Emirates and also travel to Sunderland – many Fantasy managers will likely hold their Arsenal assets following the end of the double Gameweek. Much may depend on the possible return of Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The pair missed out at Chelsea through illness but a comeback for both could benefit Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla for Wednesday’s game with West Ham – a reshuffle may see Walcott shift back up front and Cazorla return to the role in “the hole” after both were fielded on the flanks against the Blues. With five assists to his name so far, Kieran Gibbs remains a long-term option, while Wojciech Szczesny offers a cheaper alternative route into the Arsenal defence.
Also Consider
Stoke – Tony Pulis’ side have three strong home games (WIG, RDG, WHM) and a trip to Fulham in the next five Gameweeks to get their season back on course after a poor run of form. The Potters have conceded 13 goals in the last four but will fancy their chances of picking up the clean sheets once again, with the appeal of Asmir Begovic and Ryan Shawcross likely to be on the rise. Jon Walters remains a mid-price midfield option, though doubts have surfaced over Kenwyne Jones – he was dropped to the bench for the first time since Gameweek 13 last Saturday as rumours continue to circulate over a possible move away from the Britannia.
Sunderland – a run of form which has harvested four wins in the last six is afforded further chance to continue as the schedule smiles kindly on the Black Cats. Martin O’Neill’s in-form side now welcome Swansea and Fulham to the Stadium of Light in the next six and also face road trips to Reading, West Brom and QPR. Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson have been the men in form from an attacking perspective, while Simon Mignolet’s displays have propelled him to second top in the FPL keeper standings – with a lack of defensive options in front of him, the Belgian remains the most secure route into O’Neill’s backline.
West Ham – the next three Gameweeks look particularly enticing from a Hammers perspective before the schedule stiffens. Sam Allardyce’s side make their way to Fulham and Villa and also play host to Swansea, suggesting the potential for points could be on the cards for those who loaded up on the likes of Joey O’Brien, Jussi Jaaskelainen and Joe Cole for the double.
The Weak
West Brom
The Baggies will be buoyed by last Saturday’s comeback draw against Villa but a poor run of form that has earned a single point from the last four could well be extended. Up next for Steve Clarke’s side are matches against four of the current top seven, with trips to Everton, Liverpool and Chelsea, in addition to a home clash against Tottenham. With in-form Sunderland and Swansea also rolling up to the Hawthorns in the next six, many Fantasy managers will be keen to keep clear of the midlands outfit. At the back, they’ve managed just two clean sheets since Gameweek 5 and have conceded in every road trip thus far – hardly assuring for owners of the likes of Ben Foster and Liam Ridgewell – while Romelu Lukaku could struggle to justify the level of investment which saw almost 70,000 new owners snap him up prior to last weekend’s deadline.
Southampton
The Saints are still recovering from the loss of Nigel Adkins and with a protest planned for tonight’s game with Everton, new boss Mauricio Pochettino has plenty to do to win over the home support. Southampton then square up to both Manchester clubs, with a trip to Old Trafford and home clash with City in the next four, while a trip to Newcastle could be tricky if Alan Pardew’s side can find their feet again. With question marks hanging over the new manager’s ability to hit the ground running in the Premier League, owners of Rickie Lambert and Jason Puncheon will be a little concerned whether the pair can maintain their value.
QPR
Harry Redknapp’s side extended their unbeaten league run to three with a draw at Upton Park last Saturday but, despite three home games in the upcoming four, the R’s are set for a testing time. Both Manchester clubs roll up to Loftus Road between now and Gameweek 27 and while the visit of Norwich holds appeal, Redknapp’s side also travel to Swansea – a schedule that is perhaps enough to deter those eyeing up Loic Remy’s acquisition until the fixture lost takes a turn for the better in Gameweek 28. Julio Cesar’s heroics between the sticks will be more crucial than ever in the weeks to come, while Adel Taarabt may struggle to maintain the displays that have earned him seven FPL points per game over the last three.
Also Be Wary Of
Aston Villa
Two points, four goals scored and 20 against in their last six is indicative of the midlanders’ struggles. Sitting a single point above the drop zone, Paul Lambert’s side have it far from easy over the next few – trips to Everton and Arsenal, in addition to a home clash with City, look unlikely to yield any points. While Newcastle and West Ham pay visit in the next five, Lambert’s side have taken a single point from the last four in front of their own fans – hardly reassuring for those Fantasy managers swayed by the mid-price appeal of Christian Benteke.
Liverpool
It’s mainly the next two fixtures that cause Brendan Rodgers’ side to feature in this section. Trips to Arsenal and City may just be enough to stall investment in the likes of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard until the schedule changes significantly from Gameweek 26, though the Reds also have a Gameweek 29 clash with Tottenham over the next six. That trio of attacking options are likely to be acquired by many after the Etihad trip, while Glen Johnson’s attacking sensibilities from the back will also see him find his way onto Fantasy radars in the near future.
