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Why are FPL gameweeks 18 & 19 split? Premier League fantasy football break explained
Changes to the schedule mean that fantasy football managers will need to shake up their squads in order to make the most of the points available
Navigating split and double gameweeks in Fantasy Premier League takes some skill, with careful selections required to get the best possible points return.
Gameweeks 18 and 19 represent something of an anomaly in 2020-21, with just six fixtures being played in Gameweek 18 and a number of games being moved into Gameweek 19, making it a double gameweek.
So why are the fixtures split in this instance?
Scheduling issues associated with delays brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic meant that the Premier League scrapped a winter break in 2020-21, but efforts have been made to reduce the load on players.
To that end, eight clubs will have no fixture to play in Gameweek 18, with those games now taking place in Gameweek 19 - so it will be a double gameweek for some teams.
Which teams play in FPL Gameweek 18?
Arsenal, Burnley, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Tottenham and Wolves are playing in Gameweek 18.
You can see all the Gameweek 18 fixtures in the table below.
| Date | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Jan 12 | Sheffield United vs Newcastle United |
| Jan 12 | Burnley vs Manchester United |
| Jan 12 | Wolves vs Everton |
| Jan 13 | Manchester City vs Brighton |
| Jan 13 | Tottenham vs Fulham |
| Jan 14 | Arsenal vs Crystal Palace |
That means there will be a blank gameweek for eight teams. They are: Aston Villa, Chelsea, Leicester City, Leeds United, Liverpool, Southampton, West Brom and West Ham.
It may be wise to use your Free Hit chip during this gameweek to change up your team if it is heavily populated by players at the above clubs
Which teams have a double gameweek in FPL Gameweek 19?
A total of 12 teams will play a double gameweek in Gameweek 19.
The teams in question and their opponents in the gameweek can be seen in the table below.
| Team | Gameweek 19 opponents |
|---|---|
| Aston Villa | Everton (H), Manchester City (A) |
| Burnley | West Ham (A), Liverpool (A) |
| Chelsea | Fulham (A), Leicester City (A) |
| Fulham | Chelsea (H), Manchester United (H) |
| Leeds United | Brighton (H), Southampton (H) |
| Leicester City | Southampton (H), Chelsea (H) |
| Liverpool | Manchester United (H), Burnley (H) |
| Manchester City | Crystal Palace (H), Aston Villa (H) |
| Manchester United | Liverpool (A), Fulham (A) |
| Southampton | Leicester City (A), Leeds United (A) |
| West Brom | Wolves (A), West Ham (A) |
| West Ham | Burnley (H), West Brom (H) |
If you want to take full advantage of the double gameweek, selecting high-scoring players from clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United could be wise.
Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes are the type of points-getters who are sure to be popular candidates for the captaincy during the double gameweek.
The eight teams that only have one fixture on Gameweek 19 are: Arsenal, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Tottenham, Wolves.
That means you may want to think carefully about choosing players such as Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for this gameweek.
It is worth noting that some teams will play three matches across the two gameweeks. They are: Manchester City, Manchester United, Burnley and Fulham.
