As we approach the crucial mid autumn period of the 2025-26 Fantasy Premier League season, fixture difficulty becomes paramount in transfer planning and team selection. With Gameweek 10 upon us, managers are already looking ahead to identify which teams offer the best schedules for both attacking and defensive assets.
Gameweek 10: Immediate Targets
This Gameweek offers several excellent opportunities, with two matches standing out for potential high scores.
| Match | Teams to Target | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal (A) vs Burnley | Arsenal Attack & Defence | Burnley has one of the worst defensive records in the league. A prime captaincy option for premium Arsenal assets like Bukayo Saka or defensive returns from Gabriel and Timber. |
| Brighton (H) vs Leeds | Brighton Attack & Defence | Leeds’s poor away form and high goals conceded make this a top fixture for Brighton players like Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck |
| Man City (H) vs Bournemouth | Haaland and Bournemouth attack | Erling Haaland is always captaincy material, regardless of the FDR. Bournemouth’s decent form means a clean sheet is not guaranteed for City’s defence. |
| Chelsea (A) vs Spurs | Avoid Both | A high risk London Derby. It’s a key week to bench or transfer out Spurs assets even after the monster haul from Van De Ven as Spurs enter a tough fixture run. |
Gameweek 11: Mid Week Power Plays
The focus shifts to teams with appealing away trips against mid to lower table opposition.
| Match | Teams to Target | Key Points |
| Arsenal (A) vs Sunderland | Arsenal Attack & Defence | A great follow up fixture for the Gunners, making their defensive double up even more appealing. |
| Everton (H) vs Fulham | Everton Attack & Defence | An excellent fixture for Everton to keep a clean sheet and potentially for Iliman Ndiaye to rack up attacking returns. |
| Man City (H) vs Liverpool | Avoid Defence | A blockbuster fixture where attacking returns are possible but defensive points are unlikely. Prepare to bench City and Liverpool defenders if you have any. |
| Spurs (H) vs Man Utd | Avoid Both | Another tough clash for Spurs. Favouring the less expensive players from these teams if you must hold. |
Gameweek 12: Focusing on Away Days
This Gameweek features the best fixtures being away from home, highlighting the appeal of road friendly assets.
| Match | Teams to Target | Key Points |
| Crystal Palace (A) vs Wolves | Crystal Palace Attack & Defence | Palace hits the sweet spot in their schedule. A perfect time to invest in Mateta or a Palace defender like Muñoz if you have not already. |
| Man Utd (H) vs Everton | Man Utd/Everton Defence | A more evenly matched contest. Man Utd assets like Mbeumo remain a moderate target, while Everton’s defense is still worth holding. |
| Man City (A) vs Newcastle | Man City Attack | An incredibly tough away game for City, but Haaland remains unbenchable. Defensive returns are a huge ask. |
| Arsenal (H) vs Spurs | Avoid Defence | The North London Derby. Focus on your other assets this week this is one of those games where even the Arsenal defence fail most times. |
Gameweek 13: The North vs South Showdown
A mixed bag of fixtures, with a few high stakes derbies making for a challenging week.
| Match | Teams to Target | Key Points |
| Liverpool (A) vs West Ham | Liverpool Attack | An attacking opportunity for Liverpool against a leaky West Ham side. Cody Gakpo could be an explosive captain choice and one to consider as Liverpool enter a great fixture run, hopefully they would have bounced back by now. |
| Spurs (H) vs Fulham | Spurs Attack | A welcome relief for Spurs after two brutal Gameweeks. Time to hope their main attackers deliver. |
| Chelsea (H) vs Arsenal | Avoid Chelsea Attack | Yet another high difficulty fixture. However the Gunners are great against the big six so start any of your Arsenal defenders anyways |
| Man Utd (A) vs Crystal Palace | Avoid Attacking Assets | Palace’s strong form and defensive improvements make this a tough away day for Man Utd’s attackers. |
Gameweek 14: Final Push Targets
This Gameweek, which falls mid week, provides a strong return to green fixtures, making transfers here useful for immediate impact.
| Match | Teams to Target | Notes |
| Crystal Palace (A) vs Burnley | Crystal Palace Attack & Defence | The easiest fixture of the run for Palace. Mateta is a strong differential captain option. |
| Man City (A) vs Fulham | Man City Attack | A fantastic fixture for City, boosting the appeal of all their key attackers. |
| Arsenal (H) vs Brentford | Arsenal Attack | A strong home fixture for Arsenal to deliver goals, even against a tough Brentford defence. |
The period from Gameweek 10 to Gameweek 14 presents an excellent opportunity for managers to gain rank by targeting teams with favorable fixture clusters and avoiding those entering difficult runs.
Palace emerges as the standout team for short term investment, topping the fixture ticker. Their run features three of the easiest fixtures. Assets to Target: Jean-Philippe Mateta, Ismaïla Sarr and either one of Richards/Guehi/Munoz.
The Gunners offer stability and high clean sheet potential throughout the period. Assets to Target: Bukayo Saka (MID) and nailed on defensive double ups such as Gabriel and Timber/Raya. I do not trust Gyokeres and Arsenal are not able to score a lot of goals from open play.
Brighton start with a crucial home fixture (GW10 vs. LEE), Brighton’s run is favorable until GW14. They offer excellent mid priced options. Assets to Target: Budget enablers like Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck, their defence has been awful this season and i would stay away from Verbruggen and Van Hecke.
