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Wildcard drafts and prospective transfers have flooded social media, along with news of Martin Ødegaard's injury during international duty stirring up discussions. As the Premier League return looms this weekend, it’s been a fortnight since we last saw Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah finding the back of the net, and fans are buzzing for FPL action to resume.
The FPL Challenge 5-a-side event approaches its finale; next week's challenge is tagged 'Too Big at the Back,' where clean sheets are worth double points in Gameweek 4. We'll provide weekly breakdowns on five essential assets to watch ahead of the weekend.
The Gameweek 4 deadline of the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League season is Saturday, September 14 at 6:00 a.m. EDT, when Southampton entertains Manchester United. Also, check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League slate and UEFA Champions League game with our EPL DFS lineup picks and betting picks.
Man City? Arsenal? Liverpool? Another club? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/J6BFig2CFA
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 11, 2024
Gameweek 4 Tips
Invest in Brighton, Liverpool and Manchester City Attack
According to goal projections, Brighton, Liverpool, and Manchester City are anticipated to generate 2.40, 2.80, and 2.95 xG (expected goals), respectively, against their opponents in Gameweek 4.
Additionally, these clubs have been projected to earn clean sheets in their upcoming encounters, with a likelihood of 42% for Brighton, and 46% for Liverpool and Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester United, and Crystal Palace are expected to produce at least 1.95 xG against their opponents in Gameweek 4, which are also strong teams to target this upcoming weekend.
Recommended players for FPL returns this week include Brighton's Joao Pedro, Danny Welbeck, and Karou Mitoma, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Manchester City's Erling Haaland, Josko Gvardiol, and Kevin De Bruyne.
💹 PL GW4 matchups
First look at projected goals and clean sheet odds for the upcoming round of Premier League games, via spread betting markets pic.twitter.com/VFlTqrkZl9
— Rob T (@robtFPL) September 11, 2024
North-London Derby: Arsenal Defense versus Spurs Attack
With Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard's possible three-week injury and Declan Rice suspended for the North London Derby, concerns are rising for the Gunners’ chances in this crucial matchup. These absentees could provide a significant boost to Tottenham’s odds of securing a result.
However, the Spurs' head-to-head record does not appear to favor them, as their last victory over Arsenal was in the 2021-22 season. Arsenal's main strength this season has been the defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba, whereas Tottenham has scored six goals in their first three games.
Mikel Arteta will rely on his team's formidable defense, while Ange Postecoglou could earn his first victory over his London rivals. Naturally, this is a fixture that fantasy managers will avoid, but don't ship off your favorite players just yet, as I believe this game still has the potential for high FPL returns.
Spurs haven't beaten their north London rivals in two seasons 😬
Will they have better fortunes this Sunday? pic.twitter.com/Nql7y15k5A
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 11, 2024
Gameweek 4 Top Captain Picks
The weekend fixtures present a list of fascinating options for your captaincy choice. Players like Cole Palmer facing Bournemouth, Joao Pedro at home to Ipswich, and Newcastle's forward Alexander Isak against Wolves all present strong cases. However, my top two picks would be:
Erling Haaland (£15.2M) - Manchester City
With seven goals in his first three matches for Manchester City, Erling Haaland once again rises to the top of the captaincy picks. His prolific form and immense threat, especially at the Etihad Stadium, make him an irresistible option for FPL managers.
The next showdown will be against Brentford, a team City has defeated four times in their last six meetings. The Norwegian forward will be hoping to score a potential third hat-trick of the season.
Erling Haaland is not human. 🤖
He has now scored 70 goals in 69 Premier League games for Man City, including eight hat-tricks.
The cyborg has set the record for the most goals in a single season in the competition's history, won back-to-back Golden Boots, scored back-to-back… pic.twitter.com/dnaIWAJTwT
— Squawka (@Squawka) August 31, 2024
Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) - Liverpool
With 41 FPL points in his last three games, the 32-year-old Egyptian is currently tied with Erling Haaland in the game despite not scoring a hat-trick himself. Mo Salah's performance against Manchester United in Gameweek 3, where he scored a goal and assisted twice, demonstrated that he cannot be underestimated this season.
Mohamed Salah, who competes with Erling Haaland for the armband, will be seeking to make it four goals in his first four games for Liverpool when he faces Nottingham Forest at home this weekend.
10 - Mo Salah has scored 10 goals in nine appearances at Old Trafford for Liverpool in all competitions. He is only the second player to score 10+ goals at a single away ground for Premier League clubs since 1992-93, after Alan Shearer (10 at Elland Road). Thanos. pic.twitter.com/y7ZAMVTANr
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 1, 2024
Differential Gameweek 4 Captain (<10% ownership)
Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.4m) - Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace have had a tough start, securing just a point in their first three games. However, with a favorable shift in fixtures and next game at home to Leicester City, Jean-Philippe Mateta becomes an exciting player to watch.
Mateta’s impressive goal-scoring form at home under Oliver Glasner suggests the Frenchman could be a key figure this weekend. I anticipate him getting on the scoresheet against the Foxes.
7 - Jean-Philippe Mateta has become just the second Frenchman to score in seven home Premier League appearances in a row, after Thierry Henry for Arsenal between May and October 2004. Inspired. pic.twitter.com/PZf9kyXMJ4
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 19, 2024
FPL Challenge: 5-a-side
The FPL Challenge section for the 2024-25 season is back, and RotoBaller remains your go-to source for valuable insights on selecting the right assets for any challenge. The third challenge, 'Promoted Punt,' focused on selecting only players from promoted clubs in Gameweek 3 with a limited budget of £24m.
Now, it's time to focus on the next challenge - Too Big at the Back. However, before we dive in, here's a recap of the FPL Challenge: 5-a-side event.
Fantasy Challenge is LIVE for 2024/25 🚨
Build your squad for Gameweek 1 now 👇#FPLChallengeAccepted
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) July 24, 2024
The 5-a-side Event is a four-gameweek run where managers can only select five players in their team. Here’s a breakdown of each gameweek:
- Gameweek 1: Debut - Unlimited budget, and you can use any formation.
- Gameweek 2: All Out Attack - Goals are worth double points. The budget is £35m, and you must pick one goalkeeper and four forwards.
- Gameweek 3: Promoted Punt - Only players from promoted clubs are available. The budget is £24m and you can choose any formation.
- Gameweek 4: Too Big at the Back - Clean sheets are worth double points. The budget is £30m, and you must pick two goalkeepers and three defenders.
5-a-side FPL Challenge: Too Big At The Back - Players To Target
Week Four of the FPL Challenge focuses on adding strong defensive assets into your fantasy team. As part of the 5-a-side event, managers must select at least two goalkeepers and three defenders to form a team of five, all within a limited budget of £30m.
Let’s carefully examine the underlying statistics of five top assets to target for this week’s task:
Alisson Becker (£5.5m) - Liverpool (Goalkeeper)
Based on our clean sheet odds projection, Liverpool are one of the top teams expected to maintain a solid defense. This is supported by their recent form, securing three consecutive clean sheets under new boss Arne Slot.
Alisson Becker, currently leading FPL goalkeepers in points, stands out as the top choice for this week's challenge.
Dean Henderson (£4.5m) - Crystal Palace (Goalkeeper)
Dean Henderson has made a total of 10 saves for Crystal Palace, averaging 3.3 saves per 90 minutes. Despite his solid performances, he has yet to secure a clean sheet in his first three matches. Gameweek 4, however, presents a promising opportunity for Henderson to record his first clean sheet of the season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) - Liverpool (Defender)
Liverpool's attacking wingback, Trent Alexander-Arnold, has created seven chances so far, boasting a 0.60 xA (expected assists). His attacking threat from defense and ability to break into the final third for goal attempts makes the Englishman a standout pick this week.
Additionally, his consistent performances for both club and country makes Trent the frontrunner for the captain armband in this week's challenge.
Lewis Dunk (£4.5m) - Brighton (Defender)
With the Seagulls' clean sheet projection at 46%, Brighton captain Lewis Dunk emerges as a top player to consider this week. Known for his interceptions, ball recoveries, and duels won, Dunk also poses a significant aerial threat from set pieces. I expect him to secure a clean sheet in the upcoming match against Ipswich.
Josko Gvardiol (£6.0m) - Manchester City (Defender)
Although Rico Lewis (£4.7m) has been operating in a more advanced role for Manchester City, there's still a rotation risk with the experienced Kyle Walker (£5.4m). Josko Gvardiol, however, offers a more secure option in City's defense, providing consistent minutes while also having the potential to deliver attacking returns for this week's challenge.
As I've indicated in previous FPL challenge posts, this is a chance to test out players who might be deemed non-essential in the main game. Therefore, feel free to select any other defensive player option not mentioned above. Good luck to everyone taking part in the FPL challenge this week.
Join the RotoBaller FPL League
Fancy pitting your wits against fellow RotoBallers? Then, join our free league to compete against the team and our dedicated FPL fans. Head to the official FPL site, click the Leagues and Cups tab, and enter the RotoBaller league code: b278pa.
Go head-to-head against your friends and family in mini-leagues 🏆
Pick your squad and compete for #FPL glory now! ⬇️
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) July 18, 2024
Stick around for more 2024-2025 Fantasy Premier League content coming soon. Hit us up on X @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
