Carabao Cup fixtures, FPL insights, and important injury updates.
By Eng’ Okemwa
With the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup looming, tensions could not be any higher. The ties are destined to be closely contested, with teams battling hard for a Wembley final spot.
Arsenal has an uphill task following the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the first leg. The Gunners will have to stage a remarkable second-leg comeback at St. James’ Park if they are to advance. Liverpool will have to overturn a 1-0 deficit to Tottenham Hotspur in order to sustain their interest in the cup.
Fantasy Premier League: Double Gameweek 25 Confirmed
A Double Gameweek25 (DGW25) has been confirmed by the Premier League, which has the potential to make a huge difference to FPL strategy. The teams to be awarded the extra games will be determined by the outcome of the EFL Cup semi-finals.
- If Liverpool recover against Tottenham, Liverpool and Aston Villa will share the DGW25.
- If Spurs go through instead, Tottenham and Fulham will enjoy the extra games.
- Should Arsenal come back and make the final, Arsenal and Chelsea will also have a DGW25.
- EFL Cup final-qualifying teams will instead have a Blank Gameweek 29 (BGW29), i.e. no match that week.
| Club | Matches |
| Arsenal | Leicester (A), Chelsea (H) |
| Aston Villa | Ipswich (H), Liverpool (H) |
| Chelsea | Brighton (A), Arsenal (A) |
| Fulham | Nottingham Forest (H), Spurs (H) |
| Liverpool | Wolves (H), Aston Villa (A) |
| Spurs | Manchester United (H), Fulham (A) |
FPL managers will have to think carefully about their chip strategy, including where to play the Triple Captain chip, depending on which teams make it to DGW25.
Key injuries before crucial matches
Radu Drăgușin’s Injury Problem
Tottenham Hotspur’s recent center-back addition, Radu Drăgușin, who was injured in their Europa League win against Elfsborg, has to undergo surgery to repair his right knee’s Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), thus facing a lengthy spell out, potentially the rest of the season.
Spurs’ defense might be reshuffled based on this, with Archie Gray and Micky van de Ven to play in key roles, since Cristian Romero will not be rushed back to action, according to Tottenham Boss Postecoglou.
Trent Alexander-Arnold Out
Liverpool right back Trent Alexander-Arnold has picked up a muscle problem that could see him miss important games, including the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final tie against Tottenham. His absence would have a huge impact on Liverpool’s attacking transition and set-piece threat in the tie before his possible return to feature in the upcoming Merseyside Derby against the Toffees in the Premier League.
Predicted lineups for key fixtures
With all the injuries and tactical changes, here is how the teams lineup might look:
Liverpool vs. Tottenham (EFL Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg)
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Bradley, Van Dijk, Konaté, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Salah, Jota, Gakpo.
Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Van de Ven, Spence; Bissouma, Sarr; Bentancur, Kulusevski, Son; Richarlison.
Newcastle vs. Arsenal (EFL Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg)
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Partey, Ødegaard; Nwaneri, Havertz, Trossard.
Newcastle United (4-3-3): Dubravka; Livramento, Schär, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimarães, Willock; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
Conclusion
With massive EFL Cup fixtures, pivotal FPL decisions, and heavyweight injury updates, the forthcoming weeks in English football are expected to be super exciting. The fantasy managers need to be at the top of potential changes that will affect gameweek planning. While Arsenal seeks to change things around, Liverpool fights for their cup glory, and injuries disturb the selection in teams, the coming weeks for football are highly awaited.
