With the fixtures for the new season revealed The Scout explains how Fantasy Premier League managers can devise early plans for 2018/19.
Rotating players
When building their initial squads, FPL managers should look to pair players from Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That means starting the player with the most favourable fixture each week while dropping the other to the bench.
Pairing players from Leicester and Wolves will guarantee a home fixture over the entire 38 Gameweeks, with defenders among the most intriguing options.
Make a fast start
The Leicester/Wolves combination could prove particularly powerful in the opening 10 Gameweeks.
That period features matches against only two of last season’s top seven sides.
The first of those falls in Gameweek 3 when Wolves are at home to Manchester City. Leicester then host Liverpool a week later.
Strong alternatives
But FPL managers should not be put off as the pairing provides a strong alternative on each of those occasions.
In Gameweek 3, Leicester travel to Southampton. Wolves then visit West Ham United in Gameweek 4.
This means that FPL managers can elect to play the defender with an away fixture and still have good potential for a clean sheet.
When to rotate Leicester and Wolves
| GW | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolves | Everton |
| 2 | Leicester | Wolves |
| 3 | Southampton | Leicester |
| 4 | West Ham | Wolves |
| 5 | Wolves | Burnley |
| 6 | Leicester | Huddersfield |
| 7 | Wolves | Southampton |
| 8 | Leicester | Everton |
| 9 | Wolves | Watford |
| 10 | Leicester | West Ham |
Home strength
Leicester’s defence were much more resilient at King Power Stadium last season.
They produced six clean sheets at home compared with only three away.
Meanwhile, Wolves recorded 12 clean sheets in 23 home matches on their way to winning Championship.
Defensive targets
Both teams have defenders who also offer managers the prospect of attacking points.
Leicester’s new right-back Ricardo Pereira created 35 chances while at Porto last season. Only four FPL defenders managed more.
And Wolves wing-back Barry Douglas produced five goals and 14 assists in 2017/18. He also takes corner kicks.
Goalkeeper alternative
If you have got your eyes on defenders from other teams, there is an alternative pairing in goal.
Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel and Rui Patricio, who has agreed a move to Wolves, would work equally well as a combination.
Schmeichel scored 17 bonus points last season, second only to the 19 of Nick Pope among all goalkeepers.
Portugal international Patricio arrives at Molineux from Sporting Lisbon to challenge John Ruddy for a role in the starting XI.
Schmeichel and Patricio may well cost only £9.5m as a pair to offer an ideal goalkeeper solution for the early season.
Also in this series
Part 1: FPL planning: Fixtures point to early player pairings
Part 2: FPL planning: Pair Everton and Fulham for clean sheets
Part 3: FPL planning: How to make most of home advantage
Part 4: FPL planning: Get goals from Daniels and Tomkins
Part 5: FPL planning: Morrison and Cedric can aid fast start