How FA Cup replay will affect Blank Gameweek 29 in Fantasy

Managers in Fantasy Premier League should watch out for the result of tonight's FA Cup fourth-round replay between Aston Villa and Chelsea, which will have a big bearing on who plays and who doesn't in Blank Gameweek 29.

The FA Cup quarter-finals - the sixth round of the competition - take place on the same weekend as Gameweek 29 of FPL, meaning any Premier League matches involving clubs still involved in the cup will need to be rescheduled.

That will result in a Blank Gameweek 29 (BGW29) for a number of teams.

At present, there are only two matches confirmed to go ahead in Blank Gameweek 29: Burnley v Brentford and Fulham v Spurs. But a third fixture will be confirmed tonight after Villa’s FA Cup fourth-round replay against Chelsea.

A win for Villa would mean that Chelsea are free to face Arsenal in the Premier League in BGW29, since Arsenal have already been eliminated from the cup.

That would be good news for owners of Bukayo Saka (£9.0m) and Cole Palmer (£5.9m), the most-owned midfielders in Fantasy, found in 60 and 39 per cent of squads respectively.

If Chelsea win instead then their BGW29 fixture against Arsenal would remain at risk of being postponed. But Villa’s defeat would mean they would be able to visit West Ham United in BGW29 as scheduled.

Ollie Watkins (£8.8m) is the third most-popular player in Fantasy with an ownership of 53 per cent, while the Hammers’ Jarrod Bowen (£7.9m) can be found in almost a quarter of squads.

Nottingham Forest are also in FA Cup action tonight, hosting Bristol City, but whatever the result there will be nothing decided about their BGW29 fixture against Luton Town, because Luton are still in the cup.

The list below shows which fixtures are at risk of being postponed in BGW29, because at least one of the clubs - the clubs in bold text - are involved in the FA Cup and can still reach the quarter-finals.  

Arsenal v Chelsea
Brighton v Man City
Crystal Palace v Newcastle
Everton v Liverpool
Luton v Nott'm Forest
Man Utd v Sheff Utd
West Ham v Aston Villa
Wolves v Bournemouth

Blackburn v Newcastle
Bristol City or Nott'm Forest v Man Utd
Bournemouth v Leicester
Chelsea or Aston Villa v Leeds
Coventry v Maidstone
Liverpool v Southampton
Luton v Man City
Wolves v Brighton