The first midweek round of Premier League fixtures of 2023/24 is almost here.
For Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, the spectre of rotation looms large as top-flight bosses attempt to manage weary legs and tight turnarounds.
Much-changed starting XIs are nothing new – just ask anyone trying to second-guess Roberto De Zerbi’s team selections.
But with all 20 Premier League sides contesting three league fixtures in the coming week, it’s not just those clubs involved in European competition that may be affected.
Here we take a look at turnaround times between the league fixtures in Gameweeks 14-16.
GAMEWEEKS 14-16 OVERVIEW
Thanks to Legomane’s graphic above, we can see at a glance how much rest each team gets between their fixtures in Gameweeks 14 and 16.
We’ve also included the recovery periods for all 20 top-flight clubs on either side of this three-match week.
Eight teams are in European club competition before Gameweek 14 and after Gameweek 16.
GAMEWEEKS 14-16: RECOVERY TIMES
Looking more closely at the Gameweek 14-16 fixtures, we here break down the turnaround times between each side’s matches.
The times below (click to expand) are given to the nearest half-hour and are calculated between full-time in one match and kick-off in the very next game:
Liverpool and Crystal Palace have the tightest turnarounds, thanks to their Saturday lunchtime kick-off at Anfield in Gameweek 16.
They are among five teams who have to negotiate a Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday schedule, the others being Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Brighton and Hove Albion.
There are seven teams that avoid any recovery time of fewer than 72 hours, namely Luton Town, Arsenal, Chelsea, Burnley, Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City.
Everton and Newcastle United have a lopsided timetable, with five days between their Gameweek 14 and 15 fixtures but then a quick turnaround to Gameweek 16.
BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RECOVERY TIMES
GAMEWEEK 14-15
| Team | Rest (hours) | Rest (hours) | Team | Difference (hours) | |
| Brighton | 75.5 | v | 98.5 | Brentford | 23 |
| Sheff Utd | 98.5 | v | 75.5 | Liverpool | 23 |
| Fulham | 75.5 | v | 96 | Nottm Forest | 20.5 |
| Man Utd | 94.5 | v | 76.5 | Chelsea | 18 |
GAMEWEEK 15-16
| Team | Rest (hours) | Rest (hours) | Team | Difference (hours) | |
| Fulham | 88.5 | v | 64 | West Ham | 24.5 |
| Brighton | 65.5 | v | 89.5 | Burnley | 24 |
| Wolves | 89.5 | v | 65.5 | Nottm Forest | 24 |
| Aston Villa | 67.5 | v | 91.5 | Arsenal | 24 |
| Luton | 112 | v | 88 | Man City | 24 |
| Everton | 64.5 | v | 88 | Chelsea | 23.5 |
Brighton come off worst here: they’re the only side whose opponents in both Gameweeks 15 and 16 have an extra recovery day.
EUROPEAN FIXTURES
As mentioned earlier, there are eight teams playing European ties before and after this three-game week.
We’ll know by this Thursday evening what everyone has to play for in Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.
Arsenal, Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham and Aston Villa can all seal qualification to the knockout rounds of their respective competitions this week, with a round to spare.
Man City have already done so – and not only that, they’ve also confirmed top spot in their group.
It might only be the Uniteds of Manchester and Newcastle, then, who have European football at the back of their minds in Gameweek 16.
A draw or better for Man Utd tonight means that they’ll have something to play for in Matchday 6 of the Champions League.
Newcastle’s point in Paris on Tuesday evening means that it’s win or bust for the Magpies against Milan in two weeks’ time.
| Matchday 5 to GW14 rest (hours) | GW16 to Matchday 6 rest (hours) | |
| Man City | 114.5 | 74 |
| Arsenal | 65 | 73 |
| Man Utd | 72.5 | 75 |
| Newcastle | 94 | 73.5 |
| Liverpool | 64 | 123.5 |
| Brighton | 66.5 | 123 |
| West Ham | 66.5 | 100 |
| Aston Villa | 64 | 118.5 |
FINAL THOUGHTS
Expect more teamsheet carnage at Brighton in Gameweeks 14-16, if De Zerbi has the personnel to do so – the Seagulls are struggling with injury at present.
There’s a chance that Jurgen Klopp could manage minutes in Gameweeks 14-16, as he has in the past rotated more over the festive period. Remember the early-December Gameweek 15 fixture against Burnley in 2018/19 when Messrs Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Firmino were benched? The difference then, of course, was that Liverpool had been putting out full-strength XIs in the Champions League throughout the autumn, something that Klopp hasn’t been doing this year in the Europa League. We might escape with less damage this time, as a result.
Arsenal have been dealt a relatively kind hand in terms of turnaround times but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mikel Arteta spring a few surprises against Wolves and/or Luton, given what he said previously about accumulated minutes after some shock Gameweek 10 benchings.
Champions League results on Tuesday mean that Man City’s trip to Luton in Gameweek 16 is even more appealing, with there being less chance of rotation now. City meet Red Star Belgrade in a Matchday 6 dead rubber after their clash with the Hatters, with the Serbian side even out of the running for a Europa League spot. Pep Guardiola surely rests some of his big guns in Europe, as a result.
With Newcastle, Eddie Howe might not have any players to freshen his side up with – so it’s more that collective fatigue is a worry, as their exertions could eventually take a toll as they did in Gameweek 12.
