The Scout explains how the results of the weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals could impact the final Gameweeks of 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League.
Managers in Fantasy should be aware that the results of last weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals may yet create more Blank and Double Gameweeks this season.
A Blank Gameweek contains fewer than the normal 10 matches, with at least one club having no Premier League fixture, and players from such a club having no chance of scoring Fantasy points.
A Double Gameweek contains more than the normal 10 fixtures, with at least one club playing two Premier League fixtures in one Gameweek, and players from that club getting two chances to score Fantasy points.
How will the FA Cup affect the schedule in FPL?
The FA Cup final takes place on Saturday 17 May, which is the same weekend as Gameweek 37 in Fantasy.
This means that the two FA Cup finalists, Crystal Palace and Manchester City, cannot play their Premier League fixtures on that weekend, and their current Gameweek 37 matches will need to be allocated new dates.
Palace beat Aston Villa 3-0 in Saturday's semi-final to reach the final, meaning that their home match against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Gameweek 37 will need to be rearranged.
Similarly, Man City's Gameweek 37 home meeting with AFC Bournemouth will also need to be moved after Pep Guardiola's side won 2-0 against Nottingham Forest in the second semi-final on Sunday.
GW37 matches that will need to move
Crystal Palace v Wolves
Man City v AFC Bournemouth
The two Premier League fixtures that need to move due to the FA Cup final could be placed in an earlier Gameweek.
In that scenario, the four clubs involved would have a Blank Gameweek 37 with NO Premier League match, and a Double Gameweek at another time where they play TWICE.
Why the matches could stay in Gameweek 37
There is, however, a possibility that there could be NO more Blank or Double Gameweeks this season.
The two postponed weekend matches could take place in the midweek slot of Gameweek 37.
That same scenario is happening this week, in Blank Gameweek 34 (BGW34).
Nottingham Forest’s Gameweek 34 fixture against Brentford could not be played at the weekend because Forest were in FA Cup action.
But instead of that match being moved into Double Gameweek 33 - which is what happened for the other three FA Cup semi-finalists - it has just been moved back a few days to Thursday 1 May, staying in Gameweek 34.
With different scenarios still to consider, then, being patient and keeping your transfer plans flexible looks even more vital in order to help you successfully navigate the run-in.
