It’s time for another episode of ‘Frisking the Fixtures’, where we identify the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) teams and players with the most compelling run of fixtures from Gameweek 14.
In these articles we start with a preview of six Game Weeks, but where necessary we look further than that.
As always, our color code Fixture sticker is the primary source for this piece.
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SEASON STICKER OVERVIEW: NEXT SIX GAME WEEKS
MANCHESTER UNITED
As things stand now, Manchester United sits at the top of our Fixture Ticker heading into the coming period.
Before their Gameweek 12 defeat to Everton, Rúben Amorim’s side had collected a whopping 11 points from a possible 15, with wins over Sunderland, Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool, in addition to draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur. They bounced back from that disappointing loss to the Toffees with a solid win at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
The short-term schedule could provide further encouragement. United will face Wolverhampton Wanderers, currently bottom of the table, twice and will also host West Ham United in the coming Gameweeks. Bournemouth will also score goals along the way, while Leeds United and Burnley will follow in matchweeks 20 and 21.
It’s a series of games that is likely to push United shares up the transfer rankings.
Nevertheless, investments are not without some caveats. Defensive issues persist even as the injury persists Benjamin Seško (£7.2m) and the impending AFCON departure of Bryan Mbeumo (£8.6 million) and Amad Diallo (£6.3 million) raises questions about how the attack will proceed.
For now, the safest long-term option is to take a penalty Bruno Fernandes (£8.9 million). The Portuguese midfielder continues to offer multiple routes to points via goals, assists and bonus potential, and it would be no surprise to see his ownership rise sharply in the coming gameweeks.
If you have to go for a defender, Matthijs de Is (£5.0m) is United’s leading stopper for shots (11) and DefCon points (eight). This season he played every minute for the Red Devils.
LIVERPOOL
After a seismic slump, Sunday’s win over West Ham United brings hope that Liverpool may have turned a corner.
As the old FPL saying goes, fixtures bring shape, and that’s exactly what potential investors will be hoping for in the coming weeks. Liverpool’s upcoming fixture list offers that opportunity.
From a defensive perspective, there have been major concerns of late, but the clean sheet from Gameweek 12 was desperately needed. Virgil van Dijk (£6.0 million) and Ibrahima Konate (£5.4m) are the safest bets at the back, especially the former, which also leaves its centre-back behind in the return at DefCon:
Upcoming games against bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers, struggling Leeds United (home and away) and Sunderland – who are 19th for goals scored on the road – could provide further opportunities for a defensive revival.
Attacking performances have also been up and down, but Liverpool, despite their slump, have still had more shots than any Manchester United team this season. That keeps the long-term appeal alive for the versatile Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.6m), who is the best bet for minutes – if not attacking returns – over the festive period.
Strong Sunday shows from Alexander Isaac (£10.4 million) and Cody Agat (£7.5m) also boost their potential, although rotation and squad depth remain a question mark over their weekly minutes.
As for Muhammad Salah (£14.1m), he’s off to AFCON soon – and Sunday’s benching certainly makes him a no-go.
MANCHESTER CITY
Manchester city returned to winning ways (just!) on Saturday before their narrow 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United in Gameweek 12, Pep Guardiola’s side had collected 15 points from a possible 18 in their previous six league matches.
There’s every chance the momentum will continue into the upcoming run. City will take on three sides from the bottom six countries over the next five Gameweeks and will also face goal-shy travelers Sunderland, further strengthening their short-term appeal on the Fixture Ticker.
Defensively the numbers remain strong. With only twelve goals conceded so far, City are among the top five teams in goals conceded. Only Arsenal also has a better expected goals conceded (xGC). That increases the appeal of options such as Nico O’Reilly (£5.1 million). Since his first start in Gameweek 4, he is the best among defenders in terms of expected goal involvement (xGI):
At the other end of the pitch, the prospects are just as encouraging: City are the division’s top scorer with 27 goals. More than half of those strikes come from Erling Haaland (£14.9m), which remains almost essential for many managers.
However, the favorable schedule also increases the appeal of Phil Voet (£8.1 million) and Jérémy Doku (£6.6m) as attacking alternatives. Foden has started the last ten league games in a row, with him and Doku among the top ten midfielders for xGI without penalties in 2025/26.
ARSENAL
Arsenal have been ruthless this season and are unbeaten in all competitions since the end of August.
With that level of form, it’s hard to see Mikel Arteta’s side dropping many points, even after two Test matches against the ever-improving Aston Villa. They also face Brentford, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion, a series in which they are expected to produce set points.
From a defensive point of view, no team has been stronger than Arsenal so far. Whether it’s clean sheets (seven), goals conceded (seven) or xGC (7.01), the Gunners are at the top. A double-up at the back will then be back on the radar after the recent more difficult run David Raya (£5.9 million) and The wood jury (£6.4 million) (£6.4m) the clear frontrunners due to the injuries suffered by both first-choice centre-backs.
On the other hand, only Man City can better Arsenal’s 25 goals scored. Taking penalties Bukayo Saka (£10.1 million) and Declan Rice (£7.0m) are the standout options: the Gunners’ two main chance creators, capable of not only popping up with a goal but also delivering DefCon points. Saka surprisingly has six in his bank account, with Rice on ten.
God bless you (£7.8m), Arsenal’s most important player this season, is in vogue after his Gameweek 12 treble, but the early return to fitness of Odegaard, Madueke, Gyokeres, Jesus and Martinelli boosts the prospects of rotation in this busy period.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Sean Dyche has seen a sharp rebound in the sector Nottingham forest‘s form, although the unbeaten run was spoiled by Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.
A trip to bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers starts a promising schedule for Dyche’s men. Forest also face an inconsistent Everton team twice (who will be missing the defensive midfield lynchpin). Idrissa Gana Gueye in both matches) and colleagues Fulham, who could offer even more chances for points.
With three clean sheets in their last five games in all competitions, Forest are once again emerging as a side to watch for defensive investment. Goalkeeper Matz Sels (£4.7m) offers a budget-friendly route to their backline, while defenders Neco Williams (£4.7 million) and Nikola Milenkovic (£5.2 million) is also appealing.
Interestingly, Williams is among the top six defenders in terms of defensive contributions since Dyche took over:
Of Morgan Gibbs White (£7.3m) an injury doubt, defensive contribution specialist Elliot Anderson (£5.3m) also stands out with set-piece duties and a chance to take penalties if key names remain sidelined. He created a Gameweek-high six chances this weekend.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Crystal Palace have impressed under Oliver Glasner, but is the schedule now the Eagles’ biggest enemy? Last Thursday, Palace started a run of 13 games in 42 days. That’s more than any other Premier League club has to deal with.
A home game against Manchester City is clearly the toughest test in their immediate series, but the wider schedule remains attractive. Matches against Burnley, Fulham home and away, and Leeds United offer great appeal for Fantasy managers.
From a defensive perspective, Palace continues to stand out. They are tied for second for fewest goals conceded and tied for second for total number of clean sheets (eleven and six respectively).
Maxence Lacroix (£5.1m) offers serious DefCon potential (see above), with little concern about the minutes we might get with the cheaper Chris Richards (£4.6 million) in a busy December. The more attack-oriented Daniel Munoz (£6.0m) remains a popular upside choice.
Further forward, with Ismaila Sarr (£6.7m) may be ready for a spell-out and then to AFCON, penalty taker Jean-Philippe Mateta (£8.1 million) is the obvious standout name. His recent early substitutions and hectic schedule obviously mean slight minutes concerns, despite his persistent goal threat.
THE REST
It’s no surprise to see Newcastle United also scores high on the Fixture Ticker. Recent defeats to Brentford and West Ham United have raised concerns, but the win over Manchester City signals a possible shift in momentum. Just like the end of the away day hoodoo in Gameweek 13.
It is the double-header against Burnley that really stands out, even if the games surrounding it are not easy: Spurs and Sunderland were much better home and away respectively.
Uncertainty around the goalkeeping situation means central defender Malick Thiaw (£4.9m) is emerging as the safer route for those looking for minute security.
Further forward, predicting starters remains a challenge with wingers in and out of the squad. Nick Woltemade (£7.4m) may get the odd benching, as he did in the Champions League last week, but should start most games.
Fulham only creeps into our minds from Gameweek 14, while Bournemouth may be in the last chance: Gameweek 19 is the starting point, if not earlier for the suspended Mark Senesi (£5.0 million).
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