FPL Gameweek 4: Fantasy Premier League tips, captain picks and transfer strategy for the weekend

The international pause has finally passed, and the Premier League bursts back into life with a packed schedule. Fantasy managers are scrambling once more, searching for those elusive points that separate smug mini-league leaders from the rest of us left muttering at our screens. The Manchester derby takes centre stage, Arsenal clash with Forest, Crystal Palace entertain Sunderland, Chelsea head to Brentford, and Bournemouth test Brighton. It’s a rich slate, full of opportunity, but also of traps for the impatient.

For managers, the mission is clear: find stability while sniffing out Fantasy football bargains. Gameweek 4 is not about tearing everything up; it’s about plugging the leaks and riding with your heavy hitters.

Below, we’ll break down the key fixtures, the best options to target, the recommended transfer, and the final line-up for the week.

Haaland and the Captaincy Debate

The headline is still Erling Haaland. You can roll your eyes at the obviousness, but the Norwegian turned the international window into a personal goal-scoring festival with six for his country, and he already has three in the league. City were stung by Brighton last time out, yet the derby offers a route back to ruthlessness. United’s recent wobble, with a cup defeat to Grimsby and a leaky defence in the league, nudges the needle further towards City’s number nine. In the Fantasy football form guide, Haaland sits at the top like a mountain goat that refuses to climb down.

Captaincy is the eternal migraine. Best FPL captain for Gameweek 4? Boring answer, sensible outcome: Haaland. Who to captain in FPL this week if you hate the obvious? Salah. Want a hail-mary? Mateta at home to Sunderland is a wild shout that could make you look like a genius or a cartoon character.

Defensive Bargains and Fixture Edges

There’s also a proper conversation building around Crystal Palace’s back line. Daniel Muñoz gives you attacking upside as well as defensive craft; two clean sheets and an assist underline it and Sunderland at home hardly screams danger. If you want to lean into FPL fixture difficulty, Palace’s defensive shape plus Marc Guehi staying put makes a clean sheet feel more than a coin toss.

On a similar note, Marcos Senesi is quietly hoovering up the new defensive contributions—a wonderfully nerdy metric that suddenly matters—picking up numbers that can nudge bonus points. Bournemouth’s schedule stays kind until City in Gameweek 10, and that’s handy for Fantasy football strategy.

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Transfer Market Swings

The transfer market has its own circus. Jack Grealish arriving at Everton on loan has energised half the game and frightened the other half. Four assists in two league starts is electric, and there’s narrative spice with Aston Villa on the horizon. Is it sustainable? Maybe not at that clip, but in FPL transfers terms it’s understandable if you fancy a short-term punt, then hide him on your bench when the Merseyside derby rolls around.

Viktor Gyökeres at Arsenal also fits the bill for FPL differential picks. Forest have had upheaval with Ange Postecoglou arriving mid-break and limited time to shape things, which is never ideal before facing a striker who has penalties and momentum.

Injury Ripples and Player Availability

Injury ripples create opportunities and potholes. Jeremie Frimpong may return for Liverpool, but minutes might be managed and that’s enough to make patient managers wait. Matheus Cunha has been ruled out of the Manchester derby. William Saliba is flagged and likely to miss a couple of league matches, which complicates Arsenal stacks. Rayan Cherki remains sidelined; it hurts for anyone who fancied his flair as a budget attacker, and it definitely means you avoid fielding him this week.

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Our Fantasy League Current Team

The Goalkeeper Fix

The most pressing leak in our squad was the goalkeeper. Perri’s injury forced a change and Pope has come in to shore up the position. And honestly, that feels like a move that does more than just plug a gap. Newcastle at home to Wolves screams clean sheet potential, and Pope’s bonus magnetism only adds to the appeal. In FPL terms, this was not optional — it was survival. The move keeps things steady until Gameweek 10 and frees up mental energy to plan future FPL transfers more creatively.

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The Midfield Switch: Enzo in for Cherki

Rayan Cherki’s injury left a midfield slot dangerously exposed. Rather than suffer through multiple blanks, the sensible transfer was to bring in Enzo from Chelsea at £6.6m. It’s not the flashiest signing in FPL history, but he’s nailed, plays an advanced role, and offers creativity in a side that’s improving. Away to Brentford isn’t the easiest fixture, but it’s serviceable. The bigger gain is that you’ve patched a hole until the end of October, when Cherki is back. In Fantasy football strategy, sometimes boring is beautiful.

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Captain Picks: Safe vs Bold

The question of who to captain in FPL this week is predictably causing sleepless nights. Haaland is the obvious candidate — six goals during the break, already three in the league, and a home derby that could turn brutal if United’s defence collapses again. Yet Salah’s away day at Burnley is too good to ignore. The Clarets have been wide open, shipping more shots in the box than anyone.

This week, Salah wears the armband in our XI, with Haaland tucked safely as vice. It’s a compromise between ceiling and safety, though if Haaland bangs in a hat-trick, I reserve the right to sulk.

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Defence: Work in Progress

The back three is De Cuyper, Diouf and Dorgu. There’s balance here — De Cuyper’s wide role at Brighton always carries attacking potential, Diouf has shown he can haul points even in tough fixtures, and Dorgu is a new entry with licence to push forward. The only issue is fixture difficulty: City away for Dorgu isn’t dreamy. But with Henry unreliable and Kayode facing Chelsea, the selection is the least-worst option.

The key FPL tip here? Don’t waste transfers chasing clean sheets in tricky weeks. Sometimes you just start your defenders, grit your teeth and pray VAR smiles on you for once.

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Midfield: Salah Leads the Way

The midfield feels sturdier now. Salah, captain, away at Burnley is as good as it gets. Longstaff’s away trip to Fulham isn’t glamorous but he ticks over with consistent minutes. Kudus travels to West Ham, where his creativity gives him the chance of an assist or two. And then there’s Enzo: the new signing, thrust straight into the XI against Brentford. Don’t expect fireworks immediately, but he stabilises the unit and frees the forwards to do the heavy lifting.

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Forwards: Haaland, Wood and Ekitike

The front three is potent but varied. Haaland, the relentless machine, anchors the line. Wood travels to Arsenal, which is not ideal, but his aerial presence can still cause problems, and Arsenal have looked shaky at defending set-pieces. Ekitike joins Salah away at Burnley, and Liverpool’s forward line should have plenty of opportunities against that leaky defence.

There’s always a temptation to overthink forwards, but this trio covers explosive potential (Haaland), safe returns (Ekitike), and a differential angle (Wood). That blend is what FPL is all about.

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Bench Order and Weak Links

On the bench: Kelleher is cover but unlikely to start, Henry is untrustworthy against Chelsea, Scott has Brighton at home (a fixture too brutal to risk), and Kayode also meets Chelsea. The bench is weak, but this week is about squeezing the best from the XI.

The weak link in the squad remains Scott. He’s playable when Bournemouth’s fixtures soften but looks like the most natural upgrade in the coming weeks. Semenyo is the obvious target, with form and fixtures aligning from Gameweek 5. If you can roll next week’s transfer and then double up moves in Gameweek 6, you’ll have flexibility to grab both Semenyo and another budget defender without hits.

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Suggested XI for Gameweek 4

Goalkeeper: Pope
Defence: De Cuyper, Diouf, Dorgu
Midfield: Salah (C), Enzo, Longstaff, Kudus
Forwards: Haaland (VC), Wood, Ekitike
Bench: Kelleher, Henry, Scott, Kayode

Chip Strategy

This is not a week for FPL wildcard tips or chip chaos. No need to burn a Free Hit on this fixture list, and Triple Captain makes no sense. Keep your powder dry, manage the squad week by week, and target upgrades where they matter.

Final Thoughts

The final Fantasy Premier League advice? Stick with Salah captain, Haaland vice. Trust Pope in goal. Ride the midfield switch with Enzo. And prepare to fix Scott in the weeks to come. It’s not about flashy moves; it’s about keeping your squad stable, banking points and pouncing when the right Fantasy football sleepers emerge.

If Salah blanks and Haaland bags a derby hat-trick, I’ll deny ever writing this.

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