Frisking the Fixtures – Gameweek 4- The Weak

While the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool featured in our look at the teams with the strongest upcoming schedules, our focus this evening turns to those sides who face a more difficult time over the next six Gameweeks. The coming period is particularly interesting, with some teams facing four home fixtures, while others, such as Manchester United, are handed just two matches in front of their own fans.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Alan Pardew’s side have enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, picking up six points from their three matches, but the next trio of fixtures (che, MCI, tot) don’t look very helpful for the Fantasy prospects of the likes of Jason Puncheon, Yohan Cabaye and Scott Dann.

Puncheon (6.0) has registered two assists so far this season, but with the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Nathan Redmond performing so well, there are certainly plenty of alternatives in the budget price bracket for us to consider as possible replacements. Cabaye is slightly pricier at 6.6, and has failed to provide attacking returns in his last two outings, having produced a 10-point haul on the opening day against Norwich. Playing in the double-pivot also lessens the Frenchman’s Fantasy appeal right now, so with three difficult fixtures to come, this could be a good time to consider selling the former Newcastle man. Chelsea have conceded seven goals so far this season, though, and Palace will fancy their chances of finding the back of the net against the champions on Saturday, with their pace on the counter-attack likely to cause Jose Mourinho’s side some problems at the back.

The south London outfit have yet to keep a clean sheet so far, so while Alex McCarthy (4.0) and Joel Ward (4.5) are kind on the budget, the pair are probably best kept on the bench for the next three Gameweeks, with the Eagles schedule turning more favourably from Gameweek 7 onwards (wat, WBA, WHM). Scott Dann, available at 5.0 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), once again highlighted his attacking potential with a goal and an assist in the 2-1 victory against Aston Villa, and is probably one you have to consider starting most weeks, given it’s difficult to predict when those attacking returns will come.

EVERTON

After facing City on Sunday, the upcoming schedule (tot, CHE, swa, wba, LIV, MUN) doesn’t get any easier for Roberto Martinez’ men. Forward Romelu Lukaku has been the subject of a second price rise this week, now setting us back 8.2 in FPL, but with the fixtures very much in the favour of the likes of Liverpool’s Christian Benteke, and with cheaper options such as Bafetimbi Gomis, Mame Biram Diouf and Callum Wilson all facing more favourable schedules, the Belgian might have his work cut out to justify the levels of investment in the short-term, at least

Likewise, while Ross Barkley has enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, scoring twice and also providing an assist, the 6.6-valued midfielder was fairly quiet against the powerful City backline, and will face similarly difficult challenges over the next six Gameweeks.

The Everton backline was very impressive against Southampton in Gameweek 2, but further shut-outs may be hard to come by, given the quality of upcoming opposition. Phil Jagielka (5.5) and Seamus Coleman (6.0) have ownerships of 19.2% and 13.4% respectively in FPL, and look unlikely to provide great value for money until the fixtures turn for the Toffees from Gameweek 11 onwards, particularly if John Stones departs before the transfer window closes.

NEWCASTLE

While Steve McClaren’s side face four home fixtures (ARS, WAT, CHE, NOR) in the next six Gameweeks, there’s little doubt the Magpies will find it difficult to add to the two points they’ve accrued so far. The former England boss will have taken many positives from the goalless draw against United last time out, but with matches against last season’s top three in the next five Gameweeks, further clean sheets for the likes of Tim Krul (4.5) and Steven Taylor (4.0) appear unlikely, while the latter could lose his place in the starting XI, with right-back Daryl Janmaat returning from a one-match ban this weekend. Taylor and Chancel Mbemba look set to battle it out to partner Fabricio Coloccini at the heart of the defence, with Mbemba very much the favourite.

None of Newcastle’s attacking assets have an ownership of higher than 4%, and having scored just twice in the three matches so far, along with the difficult fixtures that lie ahead, that’s hardly a surprise. Georginio Wijnaldum (7.0) looks to have settled well in the North East, but it’s hard to press his claims ahead of the likes of Andre Ayew and Xherdan Shaqiri at similar prices for the time being.

Aleksandar Mitrovic performed well on his first start against United, but the 6.3-priced forward still has plenty to prove stepping up from the Belgian league, and with Papiss Cisse to compete against for a starting berth, it’s probably best to look elsewhere for forwards in our three-man frontlines until a clear first choice emerges and the schedule eases from Gameweek 9 onwards.

BE WARY OF…

Man United
With three favourable matches out of the way, the upcoming schedule for Louis van Gaal’s side (swa, LIV, sot, SUN, ars, eve) looks much tougher, with just two of the next six at Old Trafford. The big positive for the Dutch boss has been the Red Devils’ three clean sheets and while shut-outs look harder to predict over the upcoming period, owners of Matteo Darmian (5.7), Chris Smalling (6.1) and Luke Shaw (5.6) will probably be happy to hold tight.

It’s further forward where the question marks lie, with just two goals scored in the first three Gameweeks. Wayne Rooney has seen his price drop to 10.4 this week, with just a single assist to his name so far, and further sales look on the cards. Memphis Depay and Juan Mata (both 8.5) have also struggled to make much of an impact, and unless the return of Marouane Fellaini (6.5) from suspension reinvigorates United in the final third, it looks best to avoid their attacking assets at this point.

Southampton
Having conceded five goals in their first two matches, Ronald Koeman opted for a 3-4-1-2 formation against Watford on Sunday, and duly managed to tighten things up at the back with a clean sheet in the goalless draw at Vicarage Road. If he sticks with this more defensive system, the likes of Graziano Pelle may become a less attractive option, particularly up against some traditionally strong defences in the next five Gameweeks (wba, MUN, SWA, che). Providing he shrugs off injury, though, Sadio Mane’s (7.9) move up front last weekend should boost his prospects.

That switch of formation does enhance the prospects of Cedric Soares (5.0) though, with the Portugal international playing out-of-position as a wing-back, and looking very dangerous in his forays forward down the right flank. Clean sheets do look slightly more likely than goals over the coming period, with West Brom and United, in particular, struggling to find the back of the net.