As we head into the penultimate matchweek of Leg 1, the fantasy picture is beginning to take shape. Whether you’re sitting at the top of your league, you’ve missed a few deadlines or substitution windows, or you’ve captained the wrong player, this matchweek guide is designed to give you all the information you need to get ahead of the competition.
Matchweek 4 is a little different from the opening rounds. The arrival of European football means we also have to start thinking about minutes and rotation risk. The UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase began this week, with Manchester City drawing 2-2 away to Bayern Munich, Arsenal beating HB Køge 1-0 and Chelsea defeating Austria Wien 1-0. There was also midweek Subway Players Cup action involving a number of WSL and WSL2 clubs. That adds another layer of fixture congestion to an already busy week. A player can have a favourable fixture and be in excellent form but still be rotated. Be sure to check starting line-ups and club updates before the deadline, particularly for Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.
The fixtures catching our eye
Charlton Athletic vs Manchester City
On paper, this is the standout fixture of the weekend. Manchester City have scored 11 goals in their opening three WSL matches and remain unbeaten, while Charlton are still searching for their first league point. That makes City’s attackers difficult to ignore, even with the UWCL rotation concern. Khadija “Bunny” Shaw remains the obvious captaincy option after scoring four times in her first three league appearances, while Lauren Hemp has already collected 33 fantasy points. Shaw started against Bayern but was substituted after 63 minutes, while Hemp played the full match. City also face Real Madrid in the UWCL next week, so there is a genuine possibility that manager Andrée Jeglertz rotates his attacking options. Shaw should start, though, given her early substitution midweek.
London City Lionesses vs Brighton
London City will be looking to build on their 4-1 win over Charlton, with Isobel Goodwin scoring twice and Alexia Putellas registering her first WSL goal involvement with an assist. Brighton, however, arrive with attacking momentum of their own. Brighton are coming off a midweek 4-0 League Cup win over Charlton and Fran Kirby has already created 12 chances this season. This matchup could therefore be a much more interesting attacking fixture than the table initially suggests.
Liverpool vs Everton
Liverpool’s home meeting with Everton is another fixture that immediately catches the eye. Vivien Endemann has two goals and two assists already and has become one of the most attractive £6m forwards in the game. Her ability to earn points through more than just goals makes her particularly appealing. Grace Fisk is also worth consideration. Her opening day brace continues to make her one of the more interesting budget defenders, particularly with Everton struggling to find consistent attacking returns.
WSL2 fixtures to watch
Newcastle vs Leicester is particularly interesting. Newcastle are unbeaten after three matches and have conceded just once. Kaitlyn Torpey has already collected 28 fantasy points at just £4m, while Beth Lumsden has been one of the most consistent midfielders in the game.
Watford vs Sunderland also looks appealing for Sunderland assets. Katy Watson has 29 points from the opening three games, including two goals and an assist, and faces a Watford side that conceded five against Bristol City last weekend.
Then there is Burnley vs Bristol City for managers who want to take a calculated risk. Bristol City finally found their attacking rhythm last week, with Rio Hardy scoring a hat-trick against Watford. Hardy now has 22 fantasy points and faces a Burnley side that has struggled for goals and results.
Ones to Watch
Fran Kirby, Brighton, Mid, £6m
Kirby is one of the more interesting players to monitor this week. She has already created 12 chances and completed 88.3% of her passes, and Brighton’s recent attacking form suggests opportunities should keep coming her way. Her 18 fantasy points don’t make her an obvious selection yet, but the underlying numbers make her worth watching against London City.
Océane Hurtré, Birmingham City, Mid, £6m
Hurtré has quietly put together a very good start to the season, with two goals and an assist in three games. She has also shown that she can contribute defensively, recording 11 tackles, five interceptions and 15 recoveries. She has 24 fantasy points heading into Birmingham’s game against Crystal Palace.
Kenzie Weir, Ipswich Town, Def, £5m
Weir has quietly been one of Ipswich’s most reliable defensive performers. She has 20 clearances and six interceptions and has helped Ipswich keep two clean sheets. With Wolves next, she is another player who could provide value without requiring a large fantasy budget.
Differentials
Amber Hughes definitely stands out. The Wolves midfielder has scored in consecutive matches and added an assist against Burnley. At £5m and with Wolves travelling to Ipswich, she is an interesting option for managers looking for something outside the obvious names.
Lily Crosthwaite is another player worth considering. The Birmingham winger is owned by just 2% of fantasy managers and has 13 points so far. Birmingham face Crystal Palace this weekend, giving her an opportunity to build on an encouraging start.
Kaitlyn Torpey is perhaps the standout value option. At £4m, she has already accumulated 28 points through a combination of goals, assists, clean sheets and defensive involvement.
Arsenal Assets
Arsenal’s next two WSL fixtures are Chelsea away and Manchester City away. With the beginning of Leg 2 approaching, this may be a natural point to reassess Arsenal assets rather than keeping them in your squad for difficult fixtures.
Beyond the Pitch’s Matchweek 4 Fantasy Team Selection
Formation: 3-4-3
GK: Ayaka Yamashita
DEF: Kaitlyn Torpey, Ellie Carpenter, Grace Fisk
MID: Lauren Hemp, Signe Gaupset, Katy Watson, Lily Crosthwaite
FWD: Khadija “Bunny” Shaw (C), Vivien Endemann, Rio Hardy
Bench: Anna Tamminen (GK), Beth Roe (Def), Megan Collett (Def), Alana Murphy (Mid)
Shaw keeps the captain’s armband because four goals in three games and a fixture against Charlton is difficult to ignore. Hemp joins her in the City attack, although she may be a rotation warning after playing the full 90 midweek.
In defence, Torpey is the value play of the team, while Carpenter gets the nod despite Chelsea’s difficult fixture because her attacking involvement gives her another route to points. Fisk provides the Liverpool coverage against Everton.
The midfield combines established returns with a differential. Gaupset has three assists already, Watson has 29 points, Hemp has 33, while Crosthwaite gives us a cheaper option from Birmingham.
Up front, Endemann is almost impossible to ignore at £6m, while Hardy is the calculated WSL2 gamble after her hat-trick last weekend. The key is that we are not selecting Hardy only because she scored three goals; Burnley is a fixture where Bristol City should have opportunities to continue their improved attacking form.
One final thing before the deadline
This is the penultimate Matchweek of Leg 1, therefore, managers must be mindful of their transfers. Managers receive two free transfers each Matchweek and can bank up to five. If you have accumulated transfers, this is the week to consider whether saving them is actually helping your squad. At the end of Leg 1, banked transfers will be lost, and all managers receive unlimited free transfers ahead of matchweek 6. So don’t save transfers simply for the sake of having a large number on the screen. Use the remaining transfers to add as much value to your team for the next two matchweeks.
Check the team news. Watch the minutes. Use your substitutions. Don’t chase the points.
Happy picking!
