Carabao Cup fixtures give Gameweek 2 added edge but gaffers should be wary of shortsightedness

DREAM TEAM managers should be aware that 13 Premier League teams are set to pull double duty in Gameweek 2.

Only those sides that qualified for Europe will not participate in the Carabao Cup second round next week, after a full round of top flight fixtures across Saturday and Sunday.

Dream TeamMany Dream Team bosses will be hopeful of midweek points in Gameweek 2[/caption]

To clarify, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea are the seven teams with just one fixture in Gameweek 2.

It should go without saying that it would be short-sighted to ditch players from these clubs in favour of those with two games to fulfil this coming Gameweek as it won’t be long before gaffers should be targeting the European fixtures – in fact it’s a good idea to have one eye on Gameweek 4 already.

But the additional cup fixtures should be taken into account.

For example, those thinking of replacing one of their players who might be about to play 180 minutes with an asset who will play just once may want to delay such a switch until Gameweek 3.

Generally speaking, more minutes on the pitch equals more points.

Isak is the highest-owned player with two fixtures in Gameweek 2 but will he start in the Carabao Cup?Getty

GAMEWEEK 2 FIXTURES

Brighton v Manchester United

Crystal Palace v West Ham

Fulham v Leicester

Manchester City v Ipswich

Southampton v Nottingham Forest

Tottenham v Everton

Aston Villa v Arsenal

Bournemouth v Newcastle

Wolves v Chelsea

Liverpool v Brentford

Brighton v Crawley

Everton v Doncaster

Leicester v Tranmere

Birmingham v Fulham

Crystal Palace v Norwich

Wolves v Burnley

AFC Wimbledon v Ipswich

Cardiff v Southampton

Colchester v Brentford

West Ham v Bournemouth

Nottingham Forest v Newcastle

For ease, here are all the double headers:

Brighton: Man United (h), Crawley (h)

Everton: Spurs (a), Doncaster (h)

Crystal Palace: West Ham (h), Norwich (h)

Bournemouth: Newcastle (h), West Ham (a)

Wolves: Chelsea (h), Burnley (h)

Newcastle: Bournemouth (a), Nottingham Forest (a)

Fulham: Leicester (h), Birmingham (a)

Southampton: Nottingham Forest (h), Cardiff (a)

Brentford: Liverpool (a), Colchester (a)

Ipswich: Man City (a), Wimbledon (a)

West Ham: Crystal Palace (a), Bournemouth (h)

Leicester: Fulham (a), Tranmere (h)

Nottingham Forest: Southampton (a), Newcastle (h)

Rotation is to be expected across the board in the Carabao Cup but the likes of Alexander Isak (£5m), Eberechi Eze (£4.5m), Anthony Gordon (£4.5m), Emile Smith Rowe (£2.5m) and Kaoru Mitoma (£3.5m) have the capacity to earn points from cameo appearances off the bench against weaker opposition in midweek.

RexEze banked plenty of points in the Carabao Cup second round last season[/caption]

Another important difference in Gameweek 2 concerns the deadline.

All gaffers should be aware that the cut-off time for making transfers and electing their captain (plus any Boosters they wish to play) is 11am this Saturday – 90 minutes before Brighton v Man United kicks off.

The Gameweek 1 deadline coincided with the first fixture getting underway but that was just to help out those who were caught out by the Friday night scheduling.

For the rest of the season, the Gameweek deadline will fall 90 minutes before the first fixture begins – so don’t leave it late when confirming your strategy!