With half the season gone, and the international break in full swing, we take the opportunity to get a high-level view of the upcoming schedule.

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Whether you are interested in making short-term gains, prefer longer-term planning, or sit somewhere in between, this article has got you covered.

Short-term (4 Gameweeks)

Gameweeks 21-24

With two games against newly promoted sides in the next four Gameweeks, Luton are ranked top for attacking fixture difficulty in the short-term. That being said, Luton are themselves a newly promoted side and a move for one of their assets would probably be a move wasted.

Of greater interest is Liverpool who, bar an away trip to Arsenal in Gameweek 23, have a great run of short-term fixtures. Frustratingly, FPL legend Mohamed Salah (£13.2m) will miss at least some – and possibly all – of these Gameweeks due to his AFCON commitments. Covering a Liverpool attacking spot will therefore require delving into a world of potential rotation. Of course, investment in Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.5m) could be a safer, albeit more expensive, option to consider.

While only making sixth on the list, it is important not to write off Manchester City. Their ranking in the fixture difficulty table is, in part, due to a ‘difficult’ away game against Newcastle. The algorithm takes into account data from the entire season and therefore recognises Newcastle’s historic defensive prowess. If, however, we take a more recent view, we can see that Newcastle are currently ‘there for taking’ – as has been demonstrated by the 14 goals they have conceded in the last six Gameweeks. Let’s not forget also that Erling Haaland (£13.9m) could return in time for Gameweek 21.

Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United are amongst the top teams who are about to endure a difficult run in the Premier League. To take an extremely short term of view (Gameweeks 21-22 only), then Arsenal’s fixtures are actually very good – so there is no panic to sell assets. It is only a home game against Liverpool and away to West Ham which spoils the run.

Owners of Dominic Solanke (£7.1m) should also be aware that Bournemouth’s run is about to turn sour. However, with returns against Liverpool, Newcastle, and Manchester United so far this season, Solanke has shown that he doesn’t just turn up for the easier fixtures.

Medium-term (6 Gameweeks)

Gameweeks 21-26

Looking slightly further afield and we can see that Liverpool are the best team for the medium-term, with two tantalising home fixtures against newly promoted Burnley and Luton. Managers will want to keep an eye on how Egypt are doing in their cup competition to gauge when Salah may be returning.

It is also important to note that this weekend’s FA Cup results will probably have an impact on the schedule. If, for example, Liverpool beat Arsenal on Sunday, there is a reasonable chance this would force them to double in Gameweek 25 and blank in Gameweek 26, something managers need to bear in mind when future proofing their squads.

If you are on the lookout for differentials, then both Brighton and Crystal Palace have fantastic medium-term fixtures. For the former, the return of Pervis Estupiñán (£4.9m) is one to add to the watchlist. Since returning from injury, he has registered a clean sheet and a goal in just 135 minutes of football. For the latter, a move for 3% owned Eberechi Eze (£6.0m) – who scored against Brentford in Gameweek 20 – could be a shrewd transfer.

Even with the expanded horizon, Chelsea and Arsenal still rank poorly for fixture difficulty. While we shouldn’t be rushing to fill up on either team’s assets, the likes of Cole Palmer (£5.6m) and Bukayo Saka (£9.0m) remain solid investments.

Long-term (8 Gameweeks)

Gameweeks 21-28

Looking to the long-term, it would appear Crystal Palace have the best fixtures over the next eight Gameweeks; whether we trust their assets is another matter, but this does provide managers with an opportunity to get ahead of the curve, if you are willing to make an investment for the future.

Aston Villa, whose short-and-medium-term fixtures fall somewhere in the middle, come back into the conversation when focusing as far as Gameweek 28. According to Live Insight, almost 90% of the Top 100k owns Ollie Watkins (£8.9m), but Villa’s fixtures look good enough to potentially double up on Villa’s attack. Players like Douglas Luiz (£5.5m) or Moussa Diaby (£6.6m) are both owned by less than 10% of managers and could be good options going forward.

It is worth pointing out that West Ham has featured in every Gameweek horizon concerning good fixtures. A move for Jarrod Bowen (£8.1m) could be a sensible long-term option, with both short-and-medium-term benefits.

For those who are eyeing up the imminent return of Ivan Toney (£7.9m), it is worth considering that Brentford are ranked third worst for long-term fixtures. Only Nottingham Forest and Everton have a worse run in the next eight Gameweeks.

Chelsea, who have enjoyed 3 wins in their last 4 games, are also about to endure a difficult patch. FPL managers who have been buoyed by Pochettino’s recent turnaround may wish to consider the longer-term dangers of investing in more Chelsea players.

By Matt Whelan

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