FPL Gameweek 4 Preview - Back in Business

Welcome back! 

We were just starting to get into our FPL groove, then they went and dropped a big old international break on our heads. 

Well, we’re back in business now. Not only that, but we’re back in style, with a full Gameweek 4 preview for your viewing pleasure. 

We’ve got a roundup of the stuff you might have missed, plus the best fixture runs, transfer targets, captaincy runs, and more. 

That’s right – and more!

Without further ado, let’s get stuck straight into it.

What You Might Have Missed

FPL might have been on a little hiatus, but Full 90 FPL never rests.

Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration. But, we have still been active, during this annoying interruption of an international break. 

Most recently, we conducted a full review of gameweeks 1-3. Within that piece, we looked at:

• What we (think) we know
• What we still don’t know
• xG and xGA data for teams
• Shot and xG data for players
• Whether Salah is worth it (yes, the debate continues!)

You can read that, in all its glory, right here.

Elsewhere, remember deadline day? It feels like a lifetime ago now, but did happen less than a fortnight ago. 

After the fact, we looked at all the major transfers, and assessed their FPL relevance. Included were:

• Simons and Kolo Muani for Spurs
• Isak to Liverpool (this under-the-radar signing might have passed you by)
• Newcastle’s new strikers
• Garnacho, Sancho, Elliott…

And more!

Get our super-hot takes on all these moves here. 

Latest News

Well, we just had a load of internationals. 

And what do internationals mean? Injuries!

We actually got off relatively unscathed this time. We even saw Isak actually playing football again, which was a rare treat. 

The main casualty in this international break was Ismaila Sarr, who has apparently done his hamstring.

I didn’t own him, but this is still pretty gutting. He was excellent last season, and was presumably about to take on more of the load, after Eze’s departure. He was off to another great start this year, and – in my book – had established himself as the top midfield option around that 6.5 price point (as James predicted in the preseason). 

(Reports are mixed on how serious the injury actually is, but I’m guessing he’ll be out for multiple games, at the very least.)

For Palace, it’s too early to look seriously at new lad Pino yet. The more likely knock-on effect is yet another dent to Mateta’s potential… though you have to keep him for Sunderland, and probably West Ham, anyway.

Fullkrug is out too… again. Quelle surprise – or however you say that in German (‘Was für eine Überraschung!’, according to Google – not quite as poetic). 

This does mean we probably have a 5.9 starter, in Callum Wilson, who just scored. Unfortunately, he might be the second most injury prone striker in the world, after Fullkrug. Buyer beware.

Finally, unless you were either living under a rock or are simply capable of not reading football news for a couple of weeks, Nuno is out and Ange is back. 

It’s hard to see how this isn’t bad news for FPL owners.

Loads of people stocked up on Forest defenders… and Ange isn’t exactly known for keeping it tight at the back. Wood was already doing just fine – it’s hard to see him eclipising around 20 goals, even with a more attacking coach. Similar story with Gibbs-White. I guess it might make the wingers a bit more appealing, but – overall – I’m pretty downbeat on this one.

Best Upcoming FPL Fixtures

You probably already heard. Everyone in the FPL community’s been talking about it, after all. 

But! If you haven’t already seen it, we did create our very own FDR fixture ticker this season. It’s completely free to use, and you can do just that on its very own dedicated page. 

And, it just so happens, that’s exactly what we used to find out the best attacking and defensive fixture runs, across the next few gameweeks. 

Best Attacking Fixtures

• I think Isak’s arrival muddies the waters at Liverpool immediately. Everyone else seems to think they’ll ease him in. Either way, I wouldn’t buy (or sell) Ekitike right now, and I would hold Salah
• I don’t want anyone from City except Haaland. But between solid fixtures, and excellent underlying stats, I’m more than happy holding him
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• Spurs are also slightly confusing right now, after two new arrivals. I think you just have to hold any attackers you do have, but I wouldn’t bring any in until the situation resolves itself. If Simons starts though, he immediately becomes intriguing 

• Villa have looked godawful. Let’s see if Harvey Elliott can sort them out. Everton away is… not the fixture to do that, but we kinda have to hold the likes of Rogers for the Sunderland and Burnley games thereafter

• I love Bournemouth. I’m currently doubled up on them, and would probably triple-up with a defender if I was wildcarding

Best Defensive Fixtures

• Arsenal and Newcastle once again have excellent defences, per the underlying stats – no surprises there. You can start Arsenal defenders, in particular, against anyone
• Liverpool righted the ship defensively against Arsenal. They had tough opening fixtures, and I’d wager some more cleans are just around the corner
• I wouldn’t go near City’s defence. Far too much rotation, and they continue to struggle keeping cleans (as usual)
•  

• Villa have the 4th-worst xGA in the league right now. You have to hold their defenders for these fixtures anyway, and… just cross your fingers, unfortunately!

Should I Buy?

You and I both know you shouldn’t make transfers during the international break. Well, try telling that to the FPL-playing public!

They’ve been buying in new players in their thousands, with these being the most popular picks of all:

• Grealish – Maybe. I certainly like him in a vacuum, but Villa and Liverpool back-to-back aren’t exactly the easiest fixtures

• Semenyo – Yes. He passes the eye test, has excellent underlying stats, plays for a very good team, and the fixtures are… okay, if not great

• Enzo – Maybe. I’d still slightly prefer a more attacking player at this price – Grealish, Kudus, Dango, etc. He’s off to an excellent start though, and I like Chelsea’s next few fixtures

• Isak – Maybe. Covered in detail in our Transfers Review piece. Personally I’d be fine gambling on him right now, for the Burnley game, but I understand the ‘wait and see’ approach

• Joao Pedro – Yes. Good underlying stats, he’s getting returns too, and I like the fixtures

• Ekitike – No. Not with Isak looming, unless you’re planning to wildcard him out straight after the Burnley game

• Senesi – Yes… to a Bournemouth defender. But I’d probably just take Truffert, between him being a full-back and being a little bit cheaper

• Gakpo – No. Not with the Isak/Ekitike situation still to be resolved 

• Guehi – Yes, now that he’s staying. Palace’s defence looks good, and they now play Sunderland and West Ham back to back

• Calafiori – Maybe. It’s rarely a bad idea to get an Arsenal defender, but – with Lewis-Skelly waiting in the wings, and Hincapie in the mix too – he’s not necessarily nailed across the mid-to-long-term. 

Should I Sell?

Okay, since you can now make transfers – with the international break being over and everything – let’s cast our beady eyes over the most-sold players in FPL right now. 

• Palmer – Yes. Generally carrying an injury, but looked ineffective regardless, and there are so many good, much cheaper midfield options

• Cunha – Maybe. I know he hasn’t gotten the returns, but he’s been shooting plenty, and his upcoming fixtures – Chelsea aside – are okay

• Wood – No. Obviously Arsenal away is a horrible fixture, but he’s got Burnley and Sunderland straight after. Bin him when the fixtures turn again after that

• Watkins – Maybe. His underlying stats are actually fine, he’s taking plenty of shots, and they do have Sunderland and Burnley coming up. Villa have looked rubbish though, and it’s hard to justify spending so much more on him than Joao Pedro, for example

• Wirtz – No. Not before he plays Burnley. Sell him after that, if he’s still not returning, for the harder fixtures

• Reijnders – Yes… but only if you actually need that position. He, and City, have struggled the last couple of games, and their upcoming fixtures are a mixed bag. He’s still very cheap though, so – if you don’t need to start that spot in your team – just hold him

• Saka – Yes. Injured and expensive. Get him back in GW7, if he’s fit then 

• Ekitike – No. I still think he’ll start against Burnley. Sell him after that, when the fixtures get harder and Isak presumably eats into his minutes

• Gyokores – Maybe. I originally had this down as a ‘Yes’, until Nuno got fired. Now I’d probably keep him for this game, then bin him before the two tougher games after.

• Kudus – No – not before West Ham. I definitely don’t love what I’ve seen, the past couple of games. But I don’t love any of the options around his price, now that Sarr is injured, and he’s also got Wolves and Leeds coming up

Captaincy Corner

As an owner of both Haaland and Salah, I’m in a bit of a bind this week!

Salah has not been encouraging, to put it lightly. He’s about two minutes of injury time from blanking in his first three games. He’s taken four shots all season. 

But… he now plays Burnley away. Which has ‘Classic Liverpool Demolition Job’ written all over it.

Haaland has been encouraging! He’s taken the most shots in the league, by far, his xG is excellent, and he’s got three goals in three games (despite City struggling in two of those). Man U looked fine defensively to start the season… then conceded two goals in back to back games… to Grimsby and Burnley. 

Okay, I’ve talked myself into it. I’ll hope for a big game from Salah, but I’m captaining Haaland.

In the unlikely event you haven’t got either of them, look at Mateta against Sunderland, and Joao Pedro against Brentford. 

I’d also be fine captaining Gakpo or Ekitike against Burnley. They’ll both almost certainly start, and play 60-70mins, which is plenty of time to score a goal or two.

Final Thoughts

It feels good to have FPL back… For now. Let’s see if we still feel that way in a couple of days, when all of our stupid players have let us down!

Until then, thanks for reading this little Gameweek 4 preview, everybody. If you particularly enjoyed it, you might even consider chucking us a few quid using one of the donation buttons sprinkled around our site.

Either way, best of luck out there in Gameweek 4, and we’ll see you on the other side!