FPL GW4 Tips: The Complete Gameweek 4 Guide, Best Transfers, Captain, Differentials and Scout Picks
· Yahoo Sports
Gameweek 4 is here, and the early Fantasy Premier League picture is starting to take shape.
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After three rounds of the 2026/27 season, FPL managers have more information to work with, but there is still plenty of uncertainty. Some players are emerging as must-own assets, while others are being transferred out after disappointing starts.
That makes Gameweek 4 an important week for making smart decisions rather than simply chasing last week’s points.
This complete FPL GW4 guide brings together everything you need before the deadline, including the biggest lessons from Gameweek 3, the best transfers to consider, captaincy options, differential picks, predicted lineups, clean-sheet targets and our Scout Picks.
FPL Gameweek 4 Fixtures
Gameweek 4 begins on Saturday, September 12, with seven Premier League matches before Sunday’s action and Monday night’s Leeds vs. Newcastle finale.
The headline fixture is the Manchester derby, with Manchester United hosting Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Other important FPL fixtures include Liverpool vs. Fulham, Chelsea vs. Hull City, Tottenham vs. Everton and Sunderland vs. Arsenal.
The full GW4 schedule is:
- Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest
- Bournemouth vs. Brentford
- Chelsea vs. Hull City
- Crystal Palace vs. Ipswich Town
- Liverpool vs. Fulham
- Tottenham vs. Everton
- Sunderland vs. Arsenal
- Coventry City vs. Brighton
- Manchester United vs. Manchester City
- Leeds United vs. Newcastle United
The official FPL Gameweek 4 deadline is Monday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m. UK time, before Leeds vs. Newcastle.
That unusual Monday deadline gives managers extra time to assess team news, but it also creates the possibility of overthinking decisions after most of the gameweek has already been played.
What Did We Learn From FPL Gameweek 3?
Gameweek 3 provided several important clues for FPL managers.
Arsenal maintained their perfect start by beating Chelsea 2-1, while Manchester City continued their strong beginning to the season with a convincing win over Coventry City.
Liverpool also picked up their first victory of the campaign, beating Ipswich Town 2-0 with Alexander Isak scoring twice.
Meanwhile, Hull City continued their impressive defensive start with another clean sheet.
At the other end of the table, Coventry City and Fulham are still searching for their first points, while Tottenham’s draw ended their losing streak.
There were also plenty of reasons not to make knee-jerk FPL decisions after just three weeks.
For a more detailed breakdown of the biggest lessons from the weekend, read our [Premier League Gameweek 3 Review: Biggest Talking Points and Takeaways]. Premier League Gameweek 3 Review
FPL GW4 Transfers: Who Should You Buy?
Transfer activity is beginning to reveal which players FPL managers believe are worth investing in for the weeks ahead.
Liverpool is one of the main teams attracting attention after their Gameweek 3 victory over Ipswich.
Cody Gakpo is among the most popular transfer targets after producing two assists, while Alexander Isak’s two-goal performance has also pushed him firmly into the conversation.
There are also several attractive mid-priced and budget options.
Morgan Rogers offers an interesting midfield option, although Chelsea’s upcoming schedule means managers need to consider the fixture as well as the player’s form. Yoane Wissa is another name attracting attention, while Everton’s Thierno Barry offers an alternative for managers looking for a cheaper forward.
At the back, Brighton’s Maxim De Cuyper stands out because of his attacking potential from a defensive position.
The important thing is not to transfer a player in simply because he scored well last week. Consider his minutes, role, underlying numbers, upcoming fixtures and whether he is likely to remain a long-term part of your squad.
For the full breakdown of the best moves, read our [FPL Gameweek 4 Top Transfers: Who Should You Buy After GW3?]. FPL Gameweek 4 Top Transfers
FPL GW4 Captain Picks
Captaincy could be one of the biggest decisions of Gameweek 4.
Erling Haaland remains the safest premium option despite Manchester City’s difficult-looking trip to Manchester United. His goalscoring consistency means he cannot be ignored simply because the fixture is a derby.
Alexander Isak is another major captaincy candidate with Liverpool hosting Fulham. After scoring twice in Gameweek 3, his combination of form and fixture makes him particularly appealing.
João Pedro is an intriguing alternative for Chelsea’s home match against Hull City, while Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard could also be considered against Sunderland.
For managers willing to take a bigger risk, Brighton’s Diego Gómez offers a genuine differential captaincy option against Coventry City.
The key captaincy question is whether you want to maximize safety or attack the rankings with a higher-risk option.
Our dedicated [FPL Gameweek 4 Captain Picks: Who Should You Captain?] breaks down the leading candidates and the best options for different FPL strategies. FPL Gameweek 4 Captain Picks
FPL GW4 Scout Picks: Our Best XI
If you want a quick blueprint for building your Gameweek 4 team, our Scout Picks provide a useful starting point.
Our current 3-4-3 selection includes:
Goalkeeper: Bart Verbruggen
Defenders: Riccardo Calafiori, Luka Vušković, James Tarkowski
Midfielders: Morgan Rogers, Diego Gómez, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Martin Ødegaard
Forwards: Alexander Isak, João Pedro, Erling Haaland
The team combines premium attackers with several mid-priced and budget options, while targeting teams with favorable fixtures.
Haaland gets the captaincy, with Isak providing another high-upside attacking option.
The full reasoning behind every selection, including the budget structure and formation, can be found in our [FPL Gameweek 4 Scout Picks: Our Best FPL XI in a 3-4-3 Formation]. FPL Gameweek 4 Scout Picks
FPL GW4 Differential Picks
Not every FPL manager needs to follow the template.
If you are trying to climb your overall rank, win a mini-league or make up ground after a slow start, finding the right low-owned player can make a major difference.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is one of the standout differential options for Gameweek 4. The Everton midfielder is priced at £6.5 million and has relatively low ownership while offering a combination of minutes, attacking involvement and value.
Igor Jesus and Kevin Schade are two other forwards worth considering, while Anton Stach, Nikola Milenković, Tarik Muharemović, Steve Botman and Hull goalkeeper Tzolakis offer alternatives across the squad.
But low ownership should never be the only reason to buy a player.
A good differential needs a realistic route to points through minutes, role, fixtures, form or underlying numbers.
For the complete shortlist, see our [FPL GW4 Differential Picks: Best Low-Owned Players]. FPL GW4 Differential Picks
FPL GW4 Clean Sheet Targets
Defensive points can be just as important as attacking returns, particularly when several of the strongest teams have favorable fixtures.
Chelsea is one of the most attractive defensive teams to target in Gameweek 4 with Hull City visiting Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal and Liverpool are also strong defensive targets based on their respective matchups against Sunderland and Fulham.
That makes defenders and goalkeepers from these clubs worth considering, particularly if you are looking for a short-term replacement or deciding which defender should start from your bench.
However, clean-sheet odds are only part of the equation.
Attacking defenders can offer additional routes to points through assists, goals and bonus points, so managers should consider a player’s attacking role rather than simply selecting the cheapest defender from a favored team.
Our [FPL Gameweek 4 Clean Sheet Odds: Best Defences to Target] takes a closer look at the defensive matchups and the teams worth targeting. FPL Gameweek 4 Clean Sheet Odds
FPL GW4 Predicted Lineups
One of the biggest challenges this week is predicting who will actually start.
The fixture schedule has become more complicated, with Premier League clubs also dealing with European competition and domestic cup matches. That increases the possibility of rotation and makes predicted lineups particularly valuable before the deadline.
This is especially important for managers holding premium players who may be at risk of reduced minutes.
The Manchester derby is obviously one of the most important games to monitor, but team news across Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and the other clubs could also affect FPL decisions.
Our [FPL GW4 Predicted Lineups: Every Premier League Club’s Starting XI] covers all 20 clubs and provides projected formations and starting lineups ahead of the gameweek. FPL GW4 Predicted Lineups