Managers in Fantasy Premier League you should already be planning ahead to navigate the busy upcoming holiday season.
There will be seven Gameweeks in December, with the midweek fixtures starting next week in Gameweek 15.
There is also a Blank Gameweek 18 for Brentford and Manchester City, which will affect popular picks such as Erling Haaland (£14.0m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£7.0m).
In addition, managers must also start factoring the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the Asian Cup into their thinking.
Both competitions take place during Weeks 21-24, which could have huge implications for Fantasy giants such as Liverpool and Egypt Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) and Tottenham Hotspur and South Korea Son Heung-min (£9.6m), if their nations progress to the final stages.
Mbeumo will again be affected here, along with the likes of Chelsea Nicholas Jackson (£6.9m), of Manchester United Andre Onana (£4.8m) and West Ham United Muhammad Qudous (£6.6m).
FPL managers will have to look ahead and consider key match changes for a number of clubs. By selling a player just as his good run ends and moving for someone whose fine run is just beginning, managers can jump up the rankings in relation to the busy upcoming spell.
Here, Scout highlights the best time to invest in a range of clubs and players, starting with those who have an enticing schedule right now, from Gameweek 14.
Arsenal: GW14-15 & GW19-22
Arsenal’s short-term and long-term program enhances the attractiveness of investment at both ends of the pitch.
Their next two games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Luton Town both score two goals each Match difficulty ratings (FDR), as are their four games in Gameweeks 19-22 against West Ham, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal’s schedule
GW | Opp. | FDR | GW | Opp. | FDR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | WOL (The) | 2 | 19 | WHU (H) | 2 |
15 | LUT (A) | 2 | 20 | FUL (A) | 2 |
16 | AVL (A) | 3 | 21 | CRY (H) | 2 |
17 | BHA (H) | 3 | 22 | NFO (A) | 2 |
18 | LIV (A) | 4 |
*Installation difficulty ratings (1= easiest, 5 = hardest)
Bucayo Saka (£8.8m) could be a key element in managers’ midfields in this run, with the winger’s goalscoring and assist potential helping him to return in 10 of his 12 appearances so far this season .
While William Saliba (£5.5m) is the safest option at the back, Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.1m) has the highest rise for goals, assists and bonus points of any Arsenal defender.
Liverpool: GW14-16
Each of the Reds’ next three games against Fulham, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace saw them score just two at FDR.
While this increases Salah’s appeal as a great captain alternative to Haaland, managers could also consider playing a double with Darwin Nunez (£7.6m) to target this course.
Nunez could be a better short-term option than Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins (£8.5m), who face Manchester City and Arsenal in the same period.
Liverpool’s next three games
GW | Opp. | FDR |
---|---|---|
14 | FUL (H) | 2 |
15 | SHU (A) | 2 |
16 | CRY (A) | 2 |
Liverpool’s next schedule, however, is one of the most difficult. From Week 17-20, they face Man Utd, Arsenal and Newcastle United.
Bearing in mind that Salah could then be playing in the AFCON from GW21-24, there is even an argument for selling him.
West Ham: GW14-17
If he can face Crystal Palace this weekend, Jarrod Bowen (£7.6m) is on schedule to punish its huge number of sellers.
The Hammers face Crystal Palace, Fulham and Wolves in the next four Game Weeks, giving Bowen more chances to score.
Summer signing Kudus has two double-digit runs in three outings and could be a handy short-term acquisition.
West Ham’s next four matches
GW | Opp. | FDR |
---|---|---|
14 | CRY (H) | 2 |
15 | TOT (A) | 3 |
16 | FUL (A) | 2 |
17 | WOL (The) | 2 |
Brentford: GW14-21
Mbeumo has an excellent short-term schedule to immediately reward the manager, with the Bees facing three of the four sides who have yet to keep a clean sheet – Luton, Brighton & Hove Albion and Sheff Utd – in the next three Game Weeks.
The big issue, of course, is his Blank Gameweek 18, but if managers can deal with his bench then Brentford will face Wolves and Crystal Palace before the Cameroonian star departs for the AFCON.
The Brentford programme
GW | Opp. | FDR | GW | Opp. | FDR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | LUT (H) | 2 | 18 | – | – |
15 | BHA (A) | 3 | 19 | WOL (The) | 2 |
16 | SHU (A) | 2 | 20 | CRY (A) | 2 |
17 | AVL (H) | 3 | 21 | NFO (H) | 2 |
Newcastle: GW15-19
The Magpies face a very kind line-up of opponents from matchday 15, facing Everton, Fulham, Luton and Nott’m Forest in four of their next five games.
Doubling me up Kieran Trippier (£7.0m) and Anthony Gordon (£5.9m) seems the best tactic, though Alexander IsaacHis tally (£7.4m) of seven goals in nine matches suggests he could be worth the rotation risk as a big difference forward.
Central defender Jamaal Lascelles (£4.1m) is a cut-price alternative to Trippier in defence.
Newcastle’s games from GW15
GW |
Opp. | FDR |
---|---|---|
GW15 | LLC (A) | 2 |
GW16 | TOT (A) | 3 |
GW17 | FUL (H) | 2 |
GW18 | LUT (A) | 2 |
GW19 | NFO (H) | 2 |
Man City: GW16-20
The schedule of champions on both sides of Blank Gameweek 18 looks very encouraging for offensive returns.
All four of their games from GW16-20 score two at FDR, with Haaland facing Luton, Crystal Palace, Everton and Sheff Utd.
While managers who own Haaland and Mbeumo should be wary of over-investing in any other BGW18 player, players such as Jeremy Doku (£6.7m) or Phil Foden (£7.5m) could reward those looking to double Man City’s attack.
Man City GW16-20 fixtures
GW |
Opp. | FDR |
---|---|---|
GW16 | LUT (A) | 2 |
GW17 | CRY (H) | 2 |
GW18 | – | – |
GW19 | LLC (A) | 2 |
GW20 | SHU (H) | 2 |
Chelsea: GW16-21
The Blues’ lineup of opponents from Gameweek 16 can reward coaches on both ends of the floor.
Each of their six games score only two on FDR, with Cole PalmerHis £5.3m cost and penalty liabilities make him their most attractive option.
Raheem Sterling (£7.0m) has only been blanked twice in six starts alongside Palmer and offers a differential option.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez (£4.6m) could be the best option at the back as Mauricio Pochettino’s side look to improve after six games without a clean sheet.
Chelsea’s fixtures from the G16
GW | Opp. | FDR |
---|---|---|
16 | LLC (A) | 2 |
17 | SHU (H) | 2 |
18 | WOL (A) | 2 |
19 | CRY (H) | 2 |
20 | LUT (A) | 2 |
21 | FUL (H) | 2 |
Spurs: GW17-20
Son’s rise in the program since Matchday 17 could make him the perfect replacement for Salah until he departs for the Asian Cup with South Korea.
Spurs face Nott’m Forest, Everton and AFC Bournemouth in their next four games, with all three scoring twice at FDR.
The home match against Everton in Gameweek 18 is particularly attractive from a captaincy point of view, in a Gameweek where Haaland is out and Salah faces Saka at Anfield.
Back full speed Pedro Poro (£5.3m) has defensive or attacking returns in eight of his 12 appearances and is the best option at the back.
Spurs fixtures GW17-21
GW | Opp. | FDR |
---|---|---|
17 | NFO (A) | 2 |
18 | Ltd. (H) | 2 |
19 | BHA (A) | 3 |
20 | BOU (H) | 2 |
21 | MUN (A) | 4 |
Aston Villa: GW18-21
While Watkins is sure to be a short-term sell-off given he is an injury doubt for Gameweek 14 and faces Man City and Arsenal in Gameweeks 15-16, Villa’s schedule from Blank Gameweek 18 onwards suggests that many they will rush back to the Aston Villa striker.
Unai Emery’s side host Sheffield United in this reduced round of fixtures, while they also face Burnley and Everton between then and matchday 21.
This also brings Douglas Louise (£5.6m) and Moussa Diaby (£6.8m) as more budget-friendly midfield options.
Villa’s GW18-21 matches
GW | Opp. | FDR |
---|---|---|
18 | SHU (H) | 2 |
19 | MUN (A) | 4 |
20 | BUR (H) | 2 |
21 | LLC (A) | 2 |
See all the latest FPL tips ahead of Matchday 14 in the Fantasy Premier League