Looking at Gameweek 6 and beyond in Fantasy Premier League, we’ve reached a phase of significant fixture swings for multiple clubs which could shake up our teams.
Arsenal, Brentford and Chelsea players are among the most bought for this week already, while it could also be time to move away from Liverpool’s attackers.
So, how should these fixture swings impact your transfer plans for FPL Gameweek 6, and are they significant enough to trigger your first wildcard of the season?
Brentford
Brentford top the Fantasy Football Hub fixture ticker over the next four gameweeks. In that period, they have three home games, against West Ham, Wolves and Ipswich. Their longer-term schedule remains attractive until Gameweek 14, giving us eight gameweeks to target.
The biggest problem is knowing where to invest.
With Ivan Toney having departed in the summer window, and Yoane Wissa (£6.0m) and Igor Thiago (£5.9m) out for the next two months with injury, Bryan Mbeumo (£7.2m) is set to be the focal point for this upcoming period. He is their biggest FPL returner this season, scoring four goals in six games from seven shots on target, and also their key creator, with 10 key passes and four big chances created to his name.
Mbeumo’s routes to points are plentiful, given he takes a large proportion of Brentford’s corners and free kicks, and is on penalties.
The only concern is that the personnel around him aren’t as prominent as we’d like, weakening the overall output from the Brentford attack. We saw Fabio Carvalho (£4.8m) start in their front three away at Tottenham last weekend while Kevin Schade (£5.4m) is still being carefully managed on his return from a groin injury.
Mbeumo feels like a must-own right now to take advantage of those fixtures, but given the uncertainty in the rest of their attack, I wouldn’t look to add a second Brentford midfielder. Their defence, however, presents several intriguing options, with Mark Flekken (£4.5m) the best goalkeeper target at this price point, despite failing to keep a clean sheet yet this season.
There are plenty of budget-friendly routes into their back line too, although they have played a five-man defence in their past two fixtures, so one player could drop out if they revert to a flat four. Ethan Pinnock (£4.5m) is perhaps the safest path into their defence when searching for minutes but Sepp van den Berg (£4.0m) is worth a look too, with the Dutchman possessing the versatility to play full-back as well as centrally. I am tempted by him on a wildcard this week.
Arsenal
Arsenal’s next three fixtures are significant ones to target as they host promoted sides Leicester and Southampton back-to-back before travelling to Bournemouth. Given their balance of both form and fixtures, a triple-up on their assets looks wise here and is worth spending those precious free transfers on.
Martin Odegaard (£8.2m) being out injured weakens their attack and there are no guarantees that Kai Havertz (£8.1m) continues in the No 9 role for these more attractive matches. That means I’d sooner double up on their defence than further forward, with Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) the key target for this spell.
The only player besides Erling Haaland (£15.3m) of Manchester City to deliver an attacking return in every game this season, with one goal and five assists, Saka has plenty of routes to points: he’s produced seven shots on target plus five big chances created, and takes the majority of Arsenal’s set pieces, including penalties.
Mikel Arteta’s side have kept three clean sheets in this campaign, conceding just three times. With goals in consecutive games, defender Gabriel (£6.1m) feels like a must-own, having had three big chances on goal. Adding goalkeeper David Raya (£5.6m) into the mix provides the cheapest route into that defence, plus he’s nailed-on to play 90 minutes in every game if fit. He is third for saves this season with 23.
However, Raya missed Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday with a thigh issue and after the game Arteta said he doesn’t know if the Spaniard will recover in time for the visit of Leicester on Saturday.
We saw last season that managers who backed the Arsenal double-up in defence early were hugely rewarded and having two members of their defence is a big differential against the template. It’s the smart play on a wildcard this week.
Chelsea
Chelsea also have some of the easiest-looking attacking fixtures in the next four gameweeks. They also have three home games in this spell, entertaining Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle.
Given Chelsea’s impressive form in recent games, it’s absolutely key to gain a slice of their attack. They’ve scored 11 goals this season, with only Manchester City scoring more.
In the short term, I believe Cole Palmer (£10.6m) has the potential to justify his price, as the talisman of their side. His exclusion from their Conference League squad for the league phase over the next three months bodes well for his secure minutes in the Premier League.
Palmer was the top performer of the 2023-24 fantasy season and is playing in a No 10 role early in this one, with six goal involvements (two goals, four assists) for the opening six gameweeks. He has been one of the most creative players in the league this season, with 13 key passes and five big chances created yielding four assists, and dominates Chelsea’s set pieces, including penalties.
The England international’s price is perhaps the biggest barrier to signing him, and striker Nicolas Jackson (£7.7m) is friendlier for your budget. Jackson also has six goal involvements this season, with four goals and two assists. He is prone to some early substitutions but will get opportunities. I would look to bring one of Palmer and Jackson on board this week, or consider both if playing a wildcard.
Liverpool
At the opposite end of the fixture ticker are Liverpool, who have three away trips in their next four games. They travel to Wolves and Crystal Palace before hosting Chelsea, then visiting Arsenal.
This is the natural point to move on from their players, with a switch from Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) to Saka justified at this point, while I also prefer Mbeumo to Luis Diaz (£7.9m), who is going to share minutes with Cody Gakpo (£7.2m). Salah still has the potential to deliver but Haaland is the superior captain pick in this spell, while the likes of Saka and Palmer are over £2.0m cheaper — providing vital funds to spend across the other positions in your squad.
Going to Arsenal defenders from Liverpool ones this week is another significant step ahead of the next four gameweeks.
On wildcard this week, I’m planning to triple-up on Arsenal and Chelsea players, while moving away from Liverpool altogether. I may revisit their players in Gameweek 10.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
