Who has the worst early FPL 2024/25 fixtures?
Tuesday brought the anticipated announcement of 2024/25 Premier League fixtures, so we’re looking at the worst early runs for FPL managers.
Although most Fantasy attention is currently on the European Championship – which we’re covering in detail on this site – all 380 domestic matches of next season have now been revealed.
Starting on Friday 16 August and ending on Sunday 25 May, there’ll be no mid-season break. Plus, as we heard in April, there will be fewer Blank and Double Gameweeks from now on because FA Cup fifth rounds are moving back to weekends.
So which teams have the worst early fixtures from an FPL perspective? We use Fantasy Football Scout’s season ticker to find out.
WORST EARLY FPL FIXTURES
WOLVES
A promising campaign under Gary O’Neil faded, as only one win from the final 10 ensured it was a 14th-placed finish.
Hwang Hee-chan was a bargain and Matheus Cunha was similar, with a particularly hot streak between Gameweeks 13 and 23. It’s just a shame that Pedro Neto suffered injury setbacks.
However, as Wolves face six of last season’s top seven in this run, it’s best to begin with assets from elsewhere.
BRENTFORD
Meanwhile, Brentford have to visit both Liverpool and Man City in their opening four matches. Such alternation with decent home games will frustrate those FPL managers interested in Bryan Mbeumo.
He could turn out to be a bargain once again but it may be best to wait a bit. As for Ivan Toney, his future is still unknown at the time of writing.
ARSENAL
Arguably fixture-proof, it should still be noted that their first three trips being at Aston Villa, Tottenham and Man City is quite cruel from the fixture computer. Arsenal will be confident for each of the early home games though.
Managers will remember their supreme 2023/24 defence that kept 10 clean sheets during the final 15 outings.
Combine that with the superb Bukayo Saka and some strong late Kai Havertz form, many squads will still likely have at least one Gunner. Even if the latter two are set to rise in price, with Havertz probably being reclassified as a forward.
IPSWICH
Whilst the general collection of eight opponents isn’t too bad, it’s hard to ignore that a side that a side on consecutive promotions begins versus Liverpool and Man City. Unless a £4.0m goalkeeper or defender looks nailed, it therefore makes any Ipswich investment look difficult.
Keeping manager Kieran McKenna at Portman Road is big, though. It says a lot that he was linked with both the Chelsea and Man United vacancies.
Strangely, the Championship’s highest scorers (92) didn’t contain an individual with more than 13 goals. But Leif Davis could become the next Alfie Doughty, as he assisted a whopping 18 times.
BRIGHTON
Only Gameweeks 4 and 5 look promising for the Seagulls, especially with so much uncertainty about how life will be under new boss Fabian Hürzeler.
His St Pauli side used a wing-back system but rumours keep linking key midfielder Pascal Gross with a return to Germany. Losing that creativity will have a negative impact.
At the back, Brighton didn’t keep a clean sheet until Gameweek 20 of last season. In 2. Bundesliga, St Pauli conceded the fewest number of goals.
