Liverpool’s upcoming fixtures make Gameweek 10 an inviting point to consider their players, with a largely favourable schedule running through to the end of the year. That run gives managers a reason to review the squad now: a change in fixtures can alter how attractive a player looks, especially when the team’s recent results leave room for doubt. The case for buying, though, rests more on defensive returns than attacking promise.
That distinction matters in fantasy football. A favourable schedule can create more chances for clean sheets, but it doesn’t automatically make every player in the team a sound pick. Managers still need to ask where the available evidence points, and whether the expected route to points matches the price and role of the player they’re considering.
A defence holding up under Iraola
Andoni Iraola’s side have conceded nine goals in nine matches and kept four clean sheets. That’s a useful base for judging the defence: goals conceded show the outcomes so far, while clean sheets give a more direct indication of the returns FPL managers are chasing from defenders and goalkeepers. Neither measure guarantees what comes next, but together they suggest the backline has been difficult to break down consistently.
They rank fifth for expected goals conceded, a strong record given that their schedule has included each of the current top three: Arsenal, Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion, as well as Brentford and Bournemouth. Expected goals conceded offers a way to look beyond the scoreline and assess the quality of chances an opponent has created. It isn’t a promise of future clean sheets, and it can’t capture every defensive detail, but it helps explain why the record deserves attention despite a demanding set of opponents.
Ronald Araujo (£5.4m) moved to right-back in Gameweek 3, a change that has helped shore up the backline. Position changes can matter in FPL because a defender’s value depends partly on the role they’re asked to play and the points their team can earn. The available evidence here centres on the team’s defensive performance since the switch; it doesn’t establish that Araujo will add attacking returns, so managers shouldn’t treat the change as proof of a broader points ceiling.
Liverpool’s defensive numbers since then suggest the team can offer FPL managers a credible route to clean-sheet points as the fixtures ease. That’s a case for measured interest rather than automatic selection. A run of easier matches can improve the opportunity, but the return still depends on the defence continuing to limit opponents and on the team actually recording clean sheets. This is more significant than it looks: when the attacking case is weak, defensive points may be the clearest reason to buy into the side.
Attacking output remains the concern
The forward case is harder to make. Liverpool have scored 11 goals, rank 11th for expected goals with 13.17, and created fewer big chances than every team except Coventry City in 2026/27 so far. Those indicators tell slightly different parts of the story: goals record what has gone in, expected goals estimate the quality of chances, and big chances point to the clearer openings that attackers would usually hope to convert. Taken together, they make it difficult to argue that the attack is already producing reliably.
They’ve taken 140 shots, the league’s fifth-highest total, but volume hasn’t translated into many clear opportunities. That gap is the key detail. A high shot count can signal that a team gets into positions to shoot, yet it doesn’t show whether those attempts are dangerous or likely to become goals. For FPL managers, the distinction is practical: frequent attempts may sound encouraging, but chances of better quality are more persuasive evidence for sustained attacking returns.
The recent match against Arsenal offered a mixed signal: Liverpool pinned their opponents back for long spells, yet didn’t manage a shot on target. Pressure without a shot on target can indicate territorial control without the decisive actions needed to trouble a goalkeeper. One match can’t settle the wider question, but it captures the risk behind the numbers: possession and pressure may look promising while the actual opportunities remain limited.
That gap between pressure and end product is the key risk for managers weighing up their attackers. If you’re working in this space, the useful question isn’t simply whether the fixtures look good; it’s whether the team’s underlying chance creation gives those fixtures a chance to matter. Here's the thing: favourable opponents can help a side create more, but the figures supplied so far don’t show a dependable stream of clear chances.
What the fixture run means
Gameweek 10’s fixture boost gives Liverpool assets a timely window, particularly at the back. A better schedule can make defensive picks easier to justify because the team’s existing record gives managers something to build on. The fixtures are a reason to look closely, not a guarantee that the recent defensive pattern will continue. For attackers, the same schedule offers an opportunity to improve the case, but that improvement still needs to show up in chance quality and output.
My read is that the defence has the clearer FPL case today; attacking picks will need better chance creation to turn a favourable schedule into dependable returns. The current figures support that split: four clean sheets and a fifth-place ranking for expected goals conceded offer a basis for considering defenders, while the goal and big-chance numbers leave more to prove up front. Managers choosing between those routes have a straightforward trade-off: take the more supported defensive case, or back the attack to improve.
And yet, the attacking weakness could change if the team starts converting its pressure into clearer openings. The available evidence doesn’t show that change has happened, so it shouldn’t be assumed in advance. For now, the fixture run makes Liverpool worth monitoring, with the defence offering the firmer starting point and the forwards needing to provide a stronger signal. A schedule can open a door. It can’t walk the points through it.