The Premier League is entering the crucial run-in stage and the race is heating up.
Not only is this period pivotal in real life, it could also have a massive bearing on the final complexion of fantasy football leagues across the world.
As clubs look to fulfil their fixtures before the final gameweek, plenty of clubs are contending with double gameweeks, which, while gruelling for the likes of Pep Guardiola or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, are good news for fantasy football managers.
So what exactly is a double gameweek, how does it affect your fantasy football team and when are they?
What is a double gameweek?
A double gameweek is, as the name suggests, a gameweek in which a team or teams are are scheduled to play two matches instead of the usual one.
Double gameweeks happen when fixtures are postponed and rearranged for a later date. The postponement of a clubs' fixtures causes blank gameweeks for those concerned.
Reasons for delaying or changing fixtures varies, but it is usually to avoid congestion or clashes with competitions such as the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and the Champions League.
If managed cleverly, a double gameweek can be fertile ground for harvesting points, because it means that players can potentially double their points haul.
When are the double gameweeks in 2018-19?
Getty ImagesThe 2018-19 season is approaching a conclusion with only a few games left to play but there are still a few double gameweeks to be aware of when selecting your fantasy football team.
Gameweek 32
Gameweek 32 has been confirmed as a double gameweek for 10 teams, which can be seen in the table below:
| Club | Fixture One | Fixture Two |
|---|---|---|
| Brighton | Southampton (H) | Chelsea (A) |
| Cardiff City | Chelsea (H) | Man City (A) |
| Chelsea | Cardiff City (A) | Brighton (H) |
| Crystal Palace | Huddersfield (H) | Tottenham (A) |
| Fulham | Man City (H) | Watford (A) |
| Man City | Fulham (A) | Cardiff City (H) |
| Man Utd | Watford (H) | Wolves (A) |
| Tottenham | Liverpool (A) | Crystal Palace (H) |
| Watford | Man Utd (A) | Fulham (H) |
| Wolves | Burnley (A) | Man Utd (H) |
Gameweek 32 may be happy hunting ground for Manchester City, who face two teams who are fighting against relegation, so it could be a good idea to consider the likes of Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling.
Other high scoring players worth picking for this week are Chelsea's Eden Hazard, Manchester United's Paul Pogba, Tottenham's Harry Kane and Wolves wing-back Matt Doherty.
Gameweek 34
Two teams will have double gameweeks in matchday 34 and they can be seen below:
| Club | Fixture One | Fixture Two |
|---|---|---|
| Brighton | Bournemouth (H) | Cardiff City (H) |
| Cardiff City | Burnley (A) | Brighton (A) |
Brighton and Cardiff City are both in action twice on Gameweek 34. While neither club are exactly stellar in terms of fantasy football point-scoring, they do have players who score reasonably well.
Defender Shane Duffy is one of Brighton's best scorers in fantasy football thanks to his aerial threat from set-pieces and already has five goals to his name this season. Glenn Murray, meanwhile, is just ahead of Duffy in the points charts, but he has struggled to hit the net in recent weeks. Cardiff City goalkeeper Neil Etheridge is a good option, as is midfielder Victor Camarasa.
Gameweek 35
Double gameweeks have been confirmed for eight teams in gameweek 35, including Arsenal, Man City and Man United.
| Club | Fixture One | Fixture Two |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | Crystal Palace (H) | Wolves (A) |
| Brighton | Wolves (A) | Tottenham (A) |
| Man City | Tottenham (H) | Man Utd (A) |
| Man Utd | Everton (A) | Man City (H) |
| Southampton | Newcastle United (A) | Watford (A) |
| Tottenham | Man City (A) | Brighton (H) |
| Watford | Huddersfield (A) | Southampton (H) |
| Wolves | Brighton (H) | Arsenal (H) |
As you can see in the table above, gameweek 35 is a difficult one for Man City, who face Spurs and city rivals United. With that in mind, it may be wise to minimise the number of City players you choose.
It is similarly difficult for United and Spurs, but Arsenal come up against Palace and Wolves, teams they should be able to overcome. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are obvious options here.