2024/25 FPL Season – Teams & Players to Target | Fixture Analysis

The Euros have not yet finished, but it’s already time to start thinking about FPL 24/25, with the Premier League season starting in just over a month (16th August) and the Fantasy Game that we all love/hate due to drop imminently. Before picking your favourite assets from 23/24, or selecting FPL stalwarts like Haaland and Salah, it’s important to take a step back, and look holistically at the fixtures, which will give us a more balanced view of which teams and players to target for FPL GW1.

And that is exactly what we will be doing in this post, analysing the 2024/25 Fixtures and subsequently the best teams and players to target for FPL 24/25 GW1, taking into account fixture difficulty, fixture location (Home or Away), and team form from the back end of last season.

Link to all our 2024/25 Pre-Season articles including all team pre-season friendly updates, team previews, fixture analysis, position-wise analysis, differentials, players to target, budget enablers and more. Completely free to access as well!

2024/25 FPL GW1-GW8 Fixtures

Fantasy Football Hub Fixture Analyser tool lets users sort teams by Fixture Difficulty, and produced the table above, ranking teams from least difficult, to most difficult fixtures for the first 8 Gameweeks of the Premier League season. Based on FFH’s Fixture Analyser, Liverpool come out on top for the easiest fixtures, closely followed by Everton and Villa. At the other end of the table, West Ham, Bournemouth and Wolves are seen to have the most challenging first 8 games. While I don’t necessarily agree wholly with this ranking, it is something that I take into account, and a tool that helped me greatly in writing this post.

2024/25 FPL Fixture Analysis – Teams to Target for FPL GW1

Liverpool

• Home/Away Games: 4/4
• Games against Promoted Sides: 1
• Games against Last Season’s Top 8: 2

Liverpool commence the season by playing promoted Ipswich away from home, which, I would argue, is one of, if not the most challenging fixture in this 8 Gameweek run, up there with Palace and United Away, due to it being Ipswich’s first game back in the league, and the game taking place in Ipswich. While there are a number of unknowns with Liverpool going into the season with regards to formation, starting XI, tactics etc. due to a change of management for the first time in almost 9 years, we should still expect them to be in and around top 4 come the end of the season, due to the quality of their squad.

Players to Target: Liverpool

When discussing potential Liverpool assets for FPL 24/25, it would be remiss not to mention Mohamed Salah, a player who has been a quasi-essential for managers for the past 6 seasons, but will not be seen as such going into the new season. Despite scoring over 200 points last season, his price-tag, age, and form mean that he is no longer seen as a must have, with managers looking for value elsewhere in the Liverpool attack. He could still be a great option, but for many, his price of 12.5m will not be justifiable…

Arne Slot (Liverpool’s new head coach), had some positive words to say about Nunez (7.5m), and suggested that he will look to keep Nunez as Number 9, rather than shifting him out to the wing – if he is a guaranteed starter up front for the Reds, he is the best Liverpool asset. Otherwise, Gakpo (7.5m), Jota (7.5m) and Diaz (7.5m) should be considered, based on their form and how likely they are to start; information that we just do not have at this stage.

Similarly it’s impossible to know how Liverpool might line up defensively under a new manager, and how solid they might be, how attacking the fullbacks may or may not be etc., so at this stage I would suggest only targeting their forwards and midfielders.

---

---

Aston Villa

• Home/Away Games: 4/4
• Games against Promoted Sides: 2
• Games against Last Season’s Top 8: 2

The Villains start the season with a tricky away fixture at the London Stadium, off the back of an excellent 23/24 campaign. It’s easy to forget that 18 months ago when Emery took over, Villa were in the relegation zone, and in that short space of time he has taken them all the way up to the lofty heights of Champions League football.

It’s important to note that the Champions League can take its toll on teams, as it did with Newcastle last season, but with Villa’s experience in the conference league, they are set up well to fight on all fronts again this time around. The important fact to note about Villa’s fixtures is that, their games against last season’s top 8 sides (Arsenal and United) are both at home, which is huge. Outside of those, their fixtures are relatively manageable, facing 2 of the newly promoted sides in their first 8 Gameweeks.

Players to Target: Aston Villa

Watkins (9.0m) had the season of his life in 23/24, and will be looking to build on that this time around. The Englishman outperformed his xG last season for the first time in his professional career, scoring 19 from 16.8xG in the league. Many elements of his game, such as his runs and positioning, have improved under Emery, and while an over performance of 2.2 Goals is noteworthy (as he normally scores just under or at the rate of his expected goals), it’s not substantial enough to suggest that last season was a one off; he will likely continue his excellent form into the coming season.

There remains a conundrum for managers with regards to Bailey (6.5m) v Diaby, and it’s one that is impossible to answer at the moment, as we don’t know how Emery will set up next season. He began the season with Diaby playing alongside Watkins in a 4-4-2, with Bailey on the wing, and ended it with Bailey as a N.9 and Diaby on the wing. What’s more, both players ended the season with similar minutes played and similar xG/xA totals, so the best bet is to wait and see how they are priced, and how Villa set up in pre-season, before deciding which of the two to go for.

There are some rumours that Diaby may leave Villa this summer after only 1 year at the club, and if that were the case, then ex-Championship Morgan Rogers (5.0m), who shone towards the end of last season for Emery’s side, and rumoured signing Philogene could become great options, particularly if they are priced under 6m.

The Villains’ fixtures are very enticing from a defensive point of view, playing 2 of the worst goal scoring teams from 23/24 sandwiched by 2 promoted teams from GW3-GW6. Cash (4.5m) remains the most ‘attacking‘ defensive option, but his minutes are a concern. Another interesting pick could be new signing Maatson (5.0m), who was on loan at Dortmund last season, before joining Villa this summer. He’s a versatile player, but is primarily a left back, if he is nailed, he could be an excellent pick.

---

---

Crystal Palace

• Home/Away Games: 4/4
• Games against Promoted Sides: 1
• Games against Last Season’s Top 8: 3

Despite the fact that they play 3 of last season’s top 8 teams, Palace are definitely a team to target. Two out of those three games against last season’s top 8 are at Selhurst Park, which, similarly to Villa, is a massive advantage. The Eagles also play three teams who, for long periods of last season, were fighting relegation (BRE, EVE, NFO), along with one promoted team (LEI). Palace finished the season magnificently, with Glasner taking Mateta (7.5m), Eze (7.0m) and the now departed Olise to phenomenal levels, going unbeaten in their last 7 premier league games, scoring 21 goals and conceding just 4 in that time.

Players to Target: Crystal Palace

While Eze and Mateta‘s prices have both risen, they are still great options for GW1. If Eze can stay fit for the whole season then he is a slightly better asset than Mateta, averaging 0.4xG and 0.29xA last season, compared to Mateta’s 0.48xG and 0.14xA.

It’s difficult to say at this moment whether this was a purple patch for Mateta, or if this form is maintainable; he overperformed is xG by just under 4 goals, which is a lot (xG12.29 / G16), and his 1.8 shots per 90 is not as high as other premier league strikers. For example the aforementioned Watkins averages 2.94, Haaland averages just over 4, and Nunez close to 5.

Now, shots/90 is not the be-all and end-all, but all of the strikers who scored 19 goals or more in the league last season were taking close to or over 3 shots/90, so I’m sceptical of how likely Mateta is to continue scoring at the rate he was at the end of last season. His price tag of 7.5m is the same as the likes of Nunez, Solanke, and Toney and only marginally cheaper than Havertz (8.0m) and Isak (8.5m); with so many great options in this bracket, perhaps Mateta is not the best option.

With the large sum recouped by the sale of Olise, Palace will surely make some attacking signings, to fill the void left by the young frenchman, so keep an eye out for incomings, and how Glasner sets his side up in pre-season for some differential, and potentially cheaper alternatives to the two previously mentioned Palace attackers. One such player could be new signing Daichi Kamada, who is priced at only 5.5m, but could play in a very advanced position alongside Eze and Mateta…

One player I’m keen on highlighting is Munoz, who joined The Eagles in January from Belgian club Genk. The Colombian Fullback produced 4 assists in only 16 games, and was only behind Olise and Eze in terms of expected assists. His assist numbers aren’t even the most exciting part, as Munoz scored 8 goals for Genk last season, prior to his move to Palace – if Glasner can unlock this side of his game too, then the Colombian could quickly become an essential FPL asset. Even though his price has risen to 5.0m, he is still great value for money and should definitely be considered.

Newcastle

• Home/Away Games: 4/4
• Games against Promoted Sides: 1
• Games against Last Season’s Top 8: 2

Newcastle play newly promoted Southampton at Home in GW1, a fixture that will be heavily targeted by all FPL managers for obvious reason. After that, they have Spurs in GW3 and City in GW6, but both of these more challenging fixtures are at Home, and similarly to Palace and Villa this is a massive advantage. Newcastle really struggled with the burden of Champions League football last season, so the lack of European football this time around will be seen in many ways as a positive. There are a couple of tricky fixtures in their first 8 games, but overall it’s a fairly good run of games; their players should be on our shortlists.

Players to Target: Newcastle

The obvious picks from The Magpies are Isak (8.5m) and Gordon (7.5m) (although Gordon is rumoured to be agitating for a move away). Another is Ex-Leicester winger Harvey Barnes (6.5m), who had a number of injury problems last season which limited him to only 700 minutes in the league. Despite this lack of game time, Barnes still managed 5 goals and 3 assists; if he can stay fit for the start of the season he could be a great option for FPL GW1, especially considering he is 1.0m less than Gordon.

Despite his poor form at the Euros, we should not forget that Trippier (6.0m) had a good 23/24, scoring once and managing 10 assists in the league. His xA/90 of 0.34 is the best of any Newcastle player to play over 1500 minutes, and despite competition from the likes of Livramento, Trippier remains Howe’s number-one pick at Right-Back.

Managers could also look to the left back position for a potential differential option, with the likes of Livramento, Hall and Burn all fighting for a starting spot. We’ll need to watch closely in pre-season to see who Howe favours.

Other Teams to Consider for FPL GW1

• Chelsea: Decent first 8 gameweeks sandwiched by City in GW1 and Liverpool in GW8. We don’t know how they’ll line up, particularly in defense, so it’s hard to suggest specific players outside of Palmer, although Nkunku at 6.5m could be a steal!

• Ipswich: Tough first 2 with Liverpool and City in FPL GW1 and GW2, but after that it gets easier. Budget enablers and differentials like Leif Davies (4.5m), Conor Chaplin (5.5m), and Hutchinson (5.5m) could always be benched in the first 2GWs and then subbed in for the more favorable fixtures.
• Arsenal: A very mixed bag for Arsenal, playing 3 of last season’s top 8 all away from home, followed by Leicester and Ipswich at home in GW6+7. Their fixture run isn’t as good as the other teams mentioned in this post, but of course they could win all 8 games.
• Nottingham Forest: Decent fixtures, but both of their games against last season’s top 8 teams are away from home. Should be targeted from FPL GW1-3, with 3 relatively ‘easy’ fixtures, but after that it gets slightly tougher.

Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW1 of the 2024/25 FPL Season

FPL Gameweek 1 Articles:
Top FPL GW1 Differential Picks(<10% TSB) To Target Ahead Of GW1 Deadline
FPL GW1 Scout Selection- Top Picks for GW1 with Stats and Analysis
Best FPL Drafts with Salah + Haaland with Pros/Cons and Key Notes
AllAboutFPL FPL GW1 Team Reveal with Key Notes
Top FPL Gameweek 1 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
FPL Team Structure Analysis with Drafts and Ratings
FPL GW1 Tips- Best Formations & Structure, Haaland + Mo?, More

Must Read articles:
Premier League Penalty & Set Piece Takers | 2024/25 PL Season
2024/25 Pre-Season Summary of All 20 Premier League Teams
Best FPL Rotational Pairs and Combinations for 2024/25 FPL Season
Best FPL Budget Enablers For The 2024-25 FPL Season
List of Free to Join Prize FPL Mini Leagues Ahead of 24/25 Season
List of Creative FPL Team Names for the 2024/25 FPL Season
Best £6.5m FPL Midfielders Comparison For 2024/25 FPL Season
Team wise Best FPL Differentials(<10% TSB) for the 2024/25 Season
Best Liverpool FPL Assets to Target for FPL GW1
2024/25 FPL Season – Teams & Players to Target | Fixture Analysis
Best FPL Picks Outside Top 6 Teams | 2024/25 FPL Season
2024/25 FPL Season- New Rules & Changes | What’s New in FPL?
Players to Avoid in FPL GW1 Drafts
Underpriced FPL Assets from Traditional Big 6 Teams
Ultimate 2024/25 FPL Pre-Season Guide: Tips, Preview & More

GW1 Drafts and Analysis:
AllAboutFPL FPL GW1 Team Reveal with Key Notes
204/25 Season FPL Team Structure Guide with Drafts & Ratings
Best FPL Drafts with Salah + Haaland with Pros/Cons and Key Notes
Initial FPL GW1 Drafts for the 24/25 FPL Season with Pros & Cons

Position-Wise Analysis:
Defenders and Goal Keepers series:
Best FPL Goalkeepers to Target For The 2024/25 FPL Season
Best £4.0 Million FPL Defenders For The 2024/25 FPL Season
Best £4.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season
Best £5-5.5 Million FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season
Best Premium FPL Defenders for the 2024/25 FPL Season(>=6.0 million)

Midfielders Series:
Best Premium FPL Midfielders (£8.0 – £12.5 Million) | 24/25 Season
Best Mid-Priced FPL Midfielders (£6.5 -£7.5 Million) | 24/25 Season
£4.5 Million FPL Midfielders Watchlist for the 2024/25 FPL Season
Best Budget FPL Midfielders (£5.0 -£6.0 Million) | 24/25 Season

Forwards Series:
Best Premium FPL Forwards Analysis Ahead Of 2024/25 Season
Best FPL Budget Forwards (£4.5 – £5.5 Million) | 24/25 FPL Season
Best FPL Mid Priced Forwards (£6 – £7 Million) | 24-25 Season
Best FPL Mid Priced Forwards (£7.5 – £8 Million) | 24-25 Season

If you’re new to FPL, here is a link to all our FPL Beginners Guide including FPL Beginner’s Guide- How to play?, Bench boost, Team value, Triple captain, Effective ownership, Price Changes, Free Hit, Bonus Points, and more.

Link to all our 2024/25 Pre-Season articles including all position-wise analysis, team previews, fixture analysis, position-wise analysis, and more. Completely free to access as well!

Thanks for reading the “2024/25 FPL Fixture Analysis “ blog. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for regular blogs. Also, follow our 180,000+ community on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay updated on regular Posts and FPL updates.

What’s next from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL Gameweek 1 of the 2024/25 FPL Season?

We’ll be covering team previews for all 20 teams, FPL team structures, must-own players, player comparisons, differential picks, fixture analysis, captaincy metrics, multiple FPL drafts with pros and cons, chip strategy, rules guide, beginners guide, FPL tips, and more. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for all our blogs and subscribe to our free newsletter through the link below. We’ll also be posting regularly about the same on our social media accounts so follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook keep our notification ON.

Our content is always free and if you like our content do drop a comment, follow, subscribe, and support us. Your love is what keeps us going:)