FPL Fixture Difficulty GW31-36: Best and Worst Runs

The run-in is here. With 8 gameweeks left, fixture difficulty drives transfer decisions more than form. Here's who has the easiest and hardest paths from GW31-36.

Wolves total difficulty

13

Lowest in the league across GW31-36

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Best Fixture Runs

1. Wolves (Total difficulty: 13)

WHU(A)2, LEE(A)3, TOT(H)3, SUN(H)2, BHA(A)3

The standout run in the league. Only one fixture above difficulty 3 across six gameweeks, with two home games against promoted sides. Wolves assets are underpriced for this stretch.

Target: Wolves defenders for clean sheet potential. Budget attackers if available.

2. Aston Villa (Total difficulty: 15)

WHU(H)2, NFO(A)3, SUN(H)2, FUL(A)3, TOT(H)3, BUR(A)2

Six fixtures across the six gameweeks, three of them difficulty 2. Villa have one of the cleanest runs in the league for both clean sheets and attacking returns.

Target: Villa midfielders and defenders. The fixture quality makes their assets particularly appealing for Bench Boost planning if a DGW lines up in your chip window.

3. Arsenal (Total difficulty: 15)

BOU(H)3, MCI(A)5, NEW(H)3, FUL(H)2, WHU(A)2

One tough away trip to City, but four of five fixtures are at home or against weaker opposition. The backend of GW34-36 (FUL, WHU) is very kind.

Target: Premium Arsenal attackers. The MCI away fixture in GW32 is the one to navigate around.

4. Crystal Palace (Total difficulty: 15)

NEW(H)3, WHU(H)2, LIV(A)4, BOU(A)3, EVE(H)3

Two strong home fixtures in GW31-32 make Palace assets worth considering short-term. The Liverpool away trip in GW33 is the clear avoid.

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Worst Fixture Runs

20. Bournemouth (Total difficulty: 20)

MUN(H)3, ARS(A)5, NEW(A)4, LEE(H)2, CRY(H)3, FUL(A)3

Arsenal away and Newcastle away back-to-back in GW32-33 is brutal. Bournemouth assets should be sold before that stretch unless you're riding a specific player's form.

19. West Ham (Total difficulty: 20)

AVL(A)4, WOL(H)2, CRY(A)3, EVE(H)3, BRE(A)4, ARS(H)4

Three difficulty-4 fixtures. West Ham's run doesn't ease up until the final weeks of the season.

18. Fulham (Total difficulty: 20)

BUR(H)1, LIV(A)4, BRE(A)4, AVL(H)3, ARS(A)5, BOU(H)3

GW31 at home to Burnley is excellent, but then it falls off a cliff. Liverpool, Brentford, and Arsenal in four of the next five is grim. Sell Fulham assets after GW31.

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Key Fixture Swings

Sell before GW32: Bournemouth, Fulham, West Ham assets. Their runs deteriorate sharply.

Buy for GW31-33: Wolves, Villa, Crystal Palace. Front-loaded easy fixtures.

Buy for GW34-36: Arsenal, Leeds. Their runs get progressively easier as the season closes out.

Hold through the run: Liverpool (total 18, but evenly spread with no back-to-back nightmare fixtures). Steady rather than spectacular.

If your squad needs more than two transfers to ride this swing, playing your wildcard against the GW32-34 fixture cliff is the highest-EV use of the chip you'll see this season. For Bench Boost timing, the City and Crystal Palace double in GW36 is the cleanest target in this window.

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Planning Transfers Around Fixtures

The key insight: don't just look at one gameweek's fixture. A player with a difficulty-4 fixture this week but three difficulty-2 fixtures after is a better hold than someone with a difficulty-2 fixture followed by three 4s. The same logic applies to the armband. See the GW31 captain picks for how Fernandes' fixture run reframes a tough single-week matchup.

Use this table to plan 2-3 weeks ahead:

Team	GW31-32	GW33-34	GW35-36	Trend
WOL	5	6	5	Steady easy
AVL	5	5	5	Steady easy
ARS	8	5	4	Gets easier
FUL	5	7	8	Gets harder
BOU	8	6	6	Front-loaded hard
WHU	6	6	8	Gets harder

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See fixture difficulty mapped to your actual squad →

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Fixture data from FPL API as of 2026-03-12.