Fantasy Premier League will take a two-week pause after this week for the first international break of the 2023-24 season, to the anguish of some fans (West Ham, Tottenham) and relief of others (Everton).
If you have two transfers available for Gameweek 4 it could be worth trying to keep one back for after the break in case any of your players pick up aches and sprains while representing their countries.
It is shaping up to be an intriguing round of Premier League fixtures after an entertaining weekend which raised more questions than answers, such as: Are Chelsea good again? Or did they just benefit from playing against Luton? Is Mikel Arteta overthinking things? Are Tottenham really a force to be reckoned with under Big Ange? And what on earth are Manchester United up to?
The standout contest is the final one of the gameweek as Arsenal welcome Manchester United to the Emirates in a fixture oozing tradition. Neither team has been especially convincing so far, which should make for a thrilling, if unpredictable, battle.
No players from either side make our team this week, but if you’ve got attacking players from both or either we would recommend playing them rather than benching or selling. There are bound to be goals.
i‘s top three scorers in Gameweek 3
- Raheem Sterling – 19 points vs Luton: Don’t you just love it when a good plan comes together? Sterling was magnificent on Friday and earned his backers a huge score thanks to two goals, an assist, a clean sheet and three bonus points. What a man.
- Malo Gusto – 14 points vs Luton: Not far behind Sterling in the FPL hero stakes this week. If Gusto’s first assist was a touch fortuitous, his second was anything but, an accurate low cross into the box for Sterling to snaffle up. Still a bargain.
- Bruno Fernandes – 12 points vs Nottingham Forest: Our faith in Bruno was justified as he led the United fightback against Forest with a goal and an assist. Despite earning an infuriating 96th-minute yellow card, he still managed three bonus points.
Elsewhere, Spurs will be hoping to maintain their early season momentum against Burnley, Chelsea face Nottingham Forest after earning their first win under Mauricio Pochettino and Liverpool host Aston Villa at Anfield in a match-up that looks tricky to call.
There’s another Friday deadline this week with Luton hosting West Ham at Kenilworth Road in what will be the historic stadium’s first-ever Premier League fixture.
Gameweek 4 fixtures
Friday 1 September
- Luton vs West Ham
Saturday 2 September
- Sheffield United vs Everton
- Brentford vs Bournemouth
- Burnley vs Spurs
- Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest
- Man City vs Fulham
- Brighton vs Newcastle
Sunday 3 September
- Crystal Palace vs Wolves
- Liverpool vs Aston Villa
- Arsenal vs Manchester United
Alphonse Areola (West Ham)
In our goalkeeper preview article before Gameweek One, we wrote that Alphonse Areola was a “wait and see” transfer, as it was unclear whether he or Lukasz Fabianski would start regularly. The wait is over: Areola is clearly David Moyes’ first-choice keeper.
The Frenchman was magnificent against Brighton, entering hero mode to thwart their attackers time and again. Areola has conceded one goal in all three of his matches so far, but his propensity to earn save points – keepers earn an extra point for every three saves made – makes him an excellent low-budget option in goal.
Price: £4m Points: 18 Gameweek 4 fixture: Luton (a)
Destiny Udogie (Spurs)
Much has been made of Tottenham’s transformation in attack, but less has been spoken about their defensive efforts. Spurs were shambolic at the back in 2022-23, conceding a frankly embarrassing 63 goals in the league, but they have conceded just twice so far and kept back-to-back clean sheets.
Spurs’ defenders are on the cheap side as a result of last season’s vulnerability which makes the impressive Destiny Udogie an appealing option at just £4.6m. Ange Postecoglou confirmed after the win over Bournemouth, in which Udogie registered an assist, that the Italian is fine after coming off late on with a knock.
Price: £4.6m Points: 18 Gameweek 4 fixture: Burnley (a)
Ruben Dias (Man City)
Fulham sprung a surprise at the Emirates last weekend and will be looking to do likewise when they take on Manchester City at the Etihad in Gameweek 4.
City are more solid at the back than the Gunners, though and look to be one of the most likely teams to keep a clean sheet this weekend. Famous last words and all that, but Ruben Dias is the City defender to target after starting both matches he has been available for this season.
Price: £5.5m Points: 9 Gameweek 4 fixture: Fulham (h)
Ben Chilwell (Chelsea)
Infuriating as Ben Chilwell’s non-shot against Luton was, it was positive that he found himself in the middle of the penalty area to begin with. Hopefully, he won’t be quite so indecisive when through on goal next time…
Malo Gusto outperformed Chilwell in that game by providing two assists, but the England international still posted some encouraging numbers with four chances created and one shot inside the box. Snapping up both of Chelsea’s wing-backs is recommended given their upcoming schedule.
Price: £5.8m Points: 14 Gameweek 4 fixture: Nottingham Forest (h)
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)
Jarrod Bowen has very quietly snuck under the radar in FPL this season with his 23 points eclipsed by only three players in the game. The winger has scored two goals and provided an assist so far and will be in confident mood ahead of Friday’s trip to Kenilworth Road.
Although Luton’s supporters will no doubt make their newly refurbished ground a hostile place to visit for opposing teams, West Ham will feel like they can get some joy down their left-hand side which is where all three of Chelsea’s goals were scored from in Gameweek 2.
Price: £7m Points: 23 Gameweek 4 fixture: Luton (a)
Raheem Sterling (Chelsea)
After what was surely his most impactful performance in a Chelsea shirt, Raheem Sterling revealed that Mauricio Pochettino had instructed him to “drive at players” and to be “aggressive with the ball”. He certainly heeded that advice against Luton, attempting five dribbles including a couple during the slaloming run that produced his first goal.
Sterling has endured a difficult spell at Stamford Bridge, but his past couple of performances have provided a timely reminder of his qualities. Sterling and co will be eager to build on an overdue win last time out when they host Nottingham Forest.
Price: £7.1m Points: 23 Gameweek 4 fixture: Nottingham Forest (h)
Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
There are two names tied at the top of the shots attempted leaderboard after the opening three gameweeks: Erling Haaland (no surprises there) and Eberechi Eze, both with 16 efforts on goal.
Unlike Haaland, Eze is yet to find the net with any of them, which is why some managers are losing patience and selling him. Frustrating as Eze’s lack of returns are, his shoot-on-sight policy is bound to pay off eventually, with a home game against Wolves representing a good opportunity for the silky playmaker to get off the mark.
Price: £6.4m Points: 7 Gameweek 4 fixture: Wolves (h)
James Maddison (Spurs)
The early front-runner for the Premier League signing of the season. Postecoglou has revamped Tottenham’s style of play but it would’ve been far harder to implement his ideas without James Maddison’s creative touch from midfield.
Maddison is top for chances created (nine), shots (eight) and crosses (25) among Spurs’ players in the opening three gameweeks and leads the way for FPL points. Upcoming opponents Burnley have struggled defensively so far, conceding three goals in both of their matches and are vulnerable from set-pieces which will suit Spurs’ No 10.
Price: £7.6m Points: 22 Gameweek 4 fixture: Burnley (a)
Erling Haaland (Man City)
Erling Haaland looked as bemused as the rest of us as the ball spun out of play after connecting with the base of the post from his penalty. It was the Norwegian’s first penalty miss in the Premier League and meant that both of our Fantasy Football newsletter captain picks have failed from the spot in consecutive gameweeks, after Mo Salah the previous weekend. Hopefully, this curse stops abruptly in Gameweek 4…
It looked like being a rare off day for Haaland when he somehow skewed a big chance wide, but he eventually got his goal with a towering header. Surely he won’t be as profligate again this weekend. Fulham, you have been warned.
Price: £14m Points: 19 Gameweek 4 fixture: Fulham (h)
Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
Was Sunday’s game at St James’ Park the moment that Darwin Núñez’s Liverpool career finally had lift-off? The Uruguayan was named as a substitute for the third game in a row but came off the bench to win the game for the 10-man Reds with two clinical finishes late on.
Surely Núñez has done enough to earn a start in Gameweek 4 and given how shaky an Emi Martinez-less Aston Villa side looked at Turf Moor there’s every chance he can build on those two goals at Newcastle. It’s a risk, but with a shallow pool of forwards to pick from it could be one worth taking.
Price: £7.3m Points: 13 Gameweek 4 fixture: Aston Villa (h)
Julian Alvarez (Man City)
Julián Álvarez didn’t score or provide an assist at Bramall Lane but it certainly wasn’t for the lack of trying.
The Argentine fired eight shots on goal – the joint-most of the gameweek along with Haaland – created four chances, a total that only three players in the division bettered, and won the penalty that Haaland missed.
With Kevin De Bruyne out injured, Álvarez looks to have made the No 10 position his own, completing 90 minutes in all three of his league matches this season; he played the full game just eight times in 2022-23.
Price: £6.6m Points: 14 Gameweek 4 fixture: Fulham (h)
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