The Scout is using the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR) to determine the sides with the most favourable opening schedules in 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League.
Liverpool
The Reds’ kind run of early opponents gives new head coach Arne Slot an opportunity to get his tenure off to a successful start.
According to the FDR, five of Liverpool’s first six matches score only two. That includes visits to Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as home encounters with Brentford, Nottingham Forest and AFC Bournemouth.
Indeed, the Merseysiders avoid all of last season’s top six sides in the opening seven Gameweeks, which lifts the appeal of investing in their key players at both ends of the pitch.
Liverpool's first seven matches
| GW | Opponent | FDR* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IPS (A) | 2 |
| 2 | BRE (H) | 2 |
| 3 | MUN (A) | 3 |
| 4 | NFO (H) | 2 |
| 5 | BOU (H) | 2 |
| 6 | WOL (A) | 2 |
| 7 | CRY (A) | 3 |
*1 = easiest possible fixture, 5 = hardest possible fixture
Here are three Liverpool players backed to make a flying start thanks to their fixtures.
Mohamed Salah
It says everything about our expectations of the Egyptian that his last campaign was deemed a disappointment by many, despite him posting 200+ points for a seventh successive season.
While Slot’s 4-2-3-1 formation could force a reassessment of a number of Liverpool players in 2024/25, Salah’s overwhelming influence on their attack shows why he can get off to a strong start.
His 114 shots, 92 shots in the box, 33 big chances, 54 shots on target, 66 key passes and 22 big chances created were all team-leading totals last season, highlighting his huge potential for both goals and assists.
Salah's lack of international action over the summer means he will be well-rested by the time domestic duties begin again in August.
His potential for huge hauls means he is very likely to be among the most-popular captain picks in Fantasy across those opening Gameweeks.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
The England star’s position under Slot will be keenly anticipated by managers in Fantasy following his recent role as a central midfielder for both club and country.
Alexander-Arnold’s output was somewhat hindered by injury last season, as he made just 25 starts and a further three substitute appearances.
Despite that, his 64 key passes and 18 big chances created were bettered only by Salah among team-mates. Both those totals, as well as his 47 shots, ranked among the top three defenders in 2023/24 Fantasy.
If he’s moved out of defence and handed a more advanced berth by Slot, Alexander-Arnold could recapture the type of form that helped him break the 200-point barrier in both 2019/20 and 2021/22.
Alexis Mac Allister
After a slow start to his Liverpool career in 2023/24, the Argentinian found his form in the final months of his debut campaign.
Mac Allister scored four of his five goals for the season, and supplied four of his five assists, from Gameweek 25 onwards.
While the versatile midfielder could operate in a deep-lying role in front of the Reds’ back four, a potential move to a No 10 role could make him a very intriguing mid-price pick.
Mac Allister scored 10 league goals in his final season at Brighton & Hove Albion while playing in an advanced position. When that threat is combined with his creativity and Liverpool’s early fixtures, the 25-year-old may well emerge as a key player in the post-Klopp era.
