FPL Gameweek 4 Tips 2026/27: Best Transfers, Captain Picks and Wildcard Advice

Introduction

Final update: 12 September 2026 Gameweek 4 deadline: Saturday 12 September 2026 at 1:30pm UK time

Gameweek 4 gives FPL managers two tempting home attacks, one obvious transfer target and several traps. Liverpool host a Fulham side that has conceded seven goals and a league-high 14 big chances. Chelsea begin a favourable run at home to Hull, while Brighton visit a Coventry side still searching for its first league goal of the season.

The simple plan is to target Liverpool and Chelsea, consider Brighton for value and avoid ripping apart a good squad because of one difficult Manchester derby.

There is also one important late change: Cody Gakpo is now a doubt. He missed Liverpool’s midweek match with adductor soreness and did not train on Thursday. He may still face Fulham, but he is no longer a sensible transfer before the deadline.

Final GW4 verdict

• Best captain: Erling Haaland
• Best premium alternative: Cole Palmer
• Best differential captain: Alexander Isak
• Best forward transfer: Alexander Isak
• Best midfield transfer: Morgan Rogers
• Best budget midfielder: Diego Gomez
• Best value defender: Maxim De Cuyper
• Player to avoid buying: Cody Gakpo, unless his availability is confirmed
• Wildcard verdict: Save it unless at least four positions genuinely need fixing

Before locking in your decisions, Rate your FPL team before the GW4 deadline and identify the weakest part of your starting XI.

FPL Gameweek 4 fixtures

The deadline is 90 minutes before Saturday’s first matches. Do not wait until the final minute to confirm transfers, captaincy or chips.

Latest GW4 team news

Liverpool: Isak ready, Gakpo doubtful

Alexander Isak remains the standout Liverpool pick. He has scored three goals in three league matches and now faces the weakest defensive numbers in the division.

Cody Gakpo is different. Liverpool confirmed that he missed the midweek win over Atletico Madrid after suffering adductor soreness. Andoni Iraola said on Friday that Gakpo had not trained on Thursday and would be assessed after Friday’s session. Bradley Barcola’s midweek withdrawal was caused by cramp rather than an injury and he is expected to be available if training goes normally.

FPL decision: Buy Isak and consider him as an aggressive differential captain. Do not buy Gakpo while his start remains uncertain. If you already own Gakpo, start him only with a dependable first substitute.

Chelsea: Palmer, Rogers and João Pedro all appeal

Chelsea’s attack is the other major target. Cole Palmer scored twice in the midweek cup win over Leeds, while Morgan Rogers produced four assists from the bench. João Pedro was rested and enters GW4 as the most-owned player in the game.

Moises Caicedo has been ruled out against Hull, but Romeo Lavia is available for consideration. There has been no late warning over Palmer, Rogers or João Pedro.

Hull have kept three clean sheets, so a Chelsea rout is not guaranteed. However, Chelsea’s home advantage and longer run of favourable fixtures make their attackers strong buys beyond this weekend.

FPL decision: Palmer is the best premium midfielder and Rogers is the better value purchase. João Pedro is an easy hold. Two Chelsea attackers are enough for most teams; forcing a triple-up is optional rather than essential.

Brighton: injuries strengthen the case for De Cuyper and Gomez

Brighton remain without Kaoru Mitoma, Yankuba Minteh, Jack Hinshelwood and several other first-team players. That weakens their squad but has also pushed Maxim De Cuyper and Diego Gomez into advanced roles.

De Cuyper is listed as a defender but has recently operated from the left side of midfield. He has already produced a goal and two assists and now faces a Coventry side without a league goal. Gomez has taken 12 shots in the opening three Gameweeks, including eight from inside the box.

FPL decision: De Cuyper is the stronger all-round purchase because he can return through goals, assists, clean sheets and defensive contributions. Gomez is an excellent £5.0m midfield enabler.

Best FPL Gameweek 4 transfers

1. Alexander Isak — Liverpool — £9.1m

Verdict: Buy

Isak is the clearest transfer target of GW4. Three goals in three matches is strong form, but the fixture is the bigger reason to buy. Fulham have conceded seven times, allowed 14 big chances and recorded an expected-goals-against total of 6.24 across the first three Gameweeks.

Liverpool are at home, Isak is fit and his central role is secure. He is useful for more than one weekend, which separates a good transfer from a short-term punt.

2. Morgan Rogers — Chelsea — £7.6m

Verdict: Buy

Rogers has registered an attacking return in all three league matches. His 10 chances created cannot be bettered by another Premier League player, while his 2.31 expected goal involvement is the highest among Chelsea’s attackers.

Palmer carries the greater individual ceiling, but Rogers offers access to the same favourable Chelsea run for £2.0m less. That saving can repair another part of the squad or help fund Isak.

3. Maxim De Cuyper — Brighton — £4.8m

Verdict: Buy

De Cuyper is a defender playing much further forward than his FPL position suggests. Coventry are yet to score, creating clean-sheet potential, while Brighton’s injuries have kept De Cuyper involved high up the pitch.

He is not guaranteed to remain an attacking midfielder forever, but at £4.8m the current upside is difficult to ignore.

4. Diego Gomez — Brighton — £5.0m

Verdict: Buy as a budget option

Gomez offers genuine attacking numbers at bench-player cost. His shot volume is among the best in the league and Brighton’s GW4 fixture gives him immediate starting potential.

The warning is GW5, when Brighton host Arsenal. Buy him as part of a rotation plan, not because you expect to start him every week.

5. Cole Palmer — Chelsea — £9.6m

Verdict: Buy or hold

Palmer’s midweek brace was the reminder managers needed after his GW3 blank. He remains Chelsea’s penalty taker, earns the extra point for midfielder goals and offers the strongest premium captaincy alternative to Haaland.

If you can afford him without damaging the rest of your team, Palmer is the best premium midfield purchase. If the move requires multiple hits, Rogers may be the smarter route.

6. Ezri Konsa — Arsenal — £4.4m

Verdict: Buy with one warning

Konsa started in GW3 and offers a very cheap route into Arsenal’s defence. He also collected defensive-contribution points on his full league debut.

The price is attractive, but one start does not make any defender completely rotation-proof. Buy if you have a functional bench; do not treat him as guaranteed for every match yet.

GW4 captain ranking

Best captain: Erling Haaland

Haaland remains number one in the FPL Assistant captain model. The Manchester derby is a more difficult fixture than the home matches enjoyed by Liverpool and Chelsea, but Haaland’s goal threat, secure role and ability to punish any defence make him the safest captain choice.

Do not overthink a proven premium asset simply because another player has a kinder fixture. If your priority is protecting rank and following the strongest model recommendation, captain Haaland.

Best premium alternative: Cole Palmer

The official FPL Scout has Palmer first and there is a sound argument for it. He scored twice in midweek, takes penalties and receives five points per goal because he is classified as a midfielder. Hull’s three clean sheets stop this from being quite as simple as the fixture first appears.

Best differential captain: Alexander Isak

Isak is not the safe or popular choice among the elite managers tracked by FPL Assistant. At the final check, only 3 of the tracked top 50 managers — 6% — had selected Isak as captain.

That makes the decision much clearer. Isak’s three goals in three league matches and Fulham’s league-high 14 big chances conceded give him an excellent ceiling, but captaining him is a deliberate move against the leading managers rather than a defensive play.

If Isak outscores Haaland, the rank gain could be significant because so few of the tracked elite managers have backed him. If Haaland delivers and Isak blanks, the same differential works against you. Choose Isak when you actively want the higher-risk route; choose Haaland when you want the stronger all-round percentage decision.

Strong alternative: João Pedro

João Pedro is well rested and has matched Palmer’s 21 points across the opening three Gameweeks. He lacks the extra midfielder goal and clean-sheet points, but he remains a strong vice-captain or differential captain.

Should you Triple Captain Haaland, Palmer or Isak?

You can, but you do not need to. Haaland has the strongest model backing, while Palmer and Isak have better-looking fixtures. That lack of one completely dominant option is a reason to use the normal captaincy and keep the chip for a stronger future opportunity.

Buy, hold, sell or avoid

Players not to panic-sell

Erling Haaland

Selling Haaland before a derby can look clever until it creates two transfers to buy him back. Only move him if the money produces several long-term upgrades and you have a clear route back for Manchester City’s better fixtures.

Bruno Fernandes

Bruno remains central to Manchester United and continues to dominate creative involvement and dead-ball situations. A move to Palmer can be justified, but selling him for another uncertain midfielder merely to avoid City is likely to create another transfer later.

Bryan Mbeumo

Mbeumo scored in GW3 and should not be discarded automatically. Bench him if your squad allows, but a productive mid-priced attacker is not an urgent sale because of one fixture.

Players to avoid chasing

Cody Gakpo

This is no longer about chasing points; it is about buying an injury doubt. Gakpo’s two assists in GW3 were encouraging, but Friday’s update did not confirm that he is ready to start. Isak or Dominik Szoboszlai are safer Liverpool routes this week.

Last week’s one-off scorers

Tyrick Mitchell’s two goals were a huge return, not a repeatable expectation. Judge defenders on role, attacking involvement, clean-sheet prospects and price rather than one exceptional Gameweek.

A forced Chelsea triple-up

Palmer, Rogers and João Pedro are all good picks. That does not mean every manager needs all three. Hull have defended well, and locking three Chelsea places reduces flexibility. Buy the players who improve your squad rather than chasing a fashionable combination.

Should you Wildcard in Gameweek 4?

For most managers, no.

Use the Wildcard only when it fixes a broken squad. One poor score, one difficult fixture or one failed captain is not enough.

Wildcard now if:

• Four or five starting positions require meaningful changes.
• You have several injured players or genuine minutes risks.
• Your squad structure prevents you reaching Liverpool and Chelsea without repeated hits.
• Your proposed team improves the next six to ten Gameweeks, not only GW4.

Save the Wildcard if:

• One free transfer fixes your main problem.
• Your premium players are fit and returning points.
• You mainly want to erase a disappointing GW3 score.
• Your draft is filled with players who scored last weekend but lack secure long-term roles.

Chelsea’s upcoming schedule makes an early Wildcard more attractive, while Arsenal’s defence and Brighton’s budget options can form a strong base. Even so, the chip should solve multiple problems. Do not activate it because social media is excited.

Example GW4 Wildcard structure

Use this as a framework rather than blindly copying 15 names:

• One reliable goalkeeper, plus a cheap backup.
• Two Arsenal defenders, including one secure premium option.
• De Cuyper as an attacking value defender.
• One or two rotating budget defenders with dependable minutes.
• Palmer or Rogers, with both only if the rest of the midfield remains balanced.
• One budget midfielder such as Gomez.
• Isak and João Pedro in attack.
• Haaland if the remaining squad is still strong; otherwise have a clear plan for buying him back.
• A playing bench rather than three dead positions.

The official Scout’s Wildcard draft pushes heavily into Arsenal’s defence and Chelsea’s attack. Those are sensible teams to target, but your version must retain flexibility and cover unexpected rotation.

Recommended transfer plans

If you have one free transfer

Fix the weakest position in your starting XI. Prioritise Isak if you need a forward, Rogers or Palmer if you need a midfielder, and De Cuyper if defence is the problem.

Rolling the transfer is also valid if your starting XI is strong. A transfer does not become compulsory because the deadline is approaching.

If you have two free transfers

Use one move to release money and the other to improve your captaincy pool or weakest starter. A two-transfer route to Isak plus Rogers can be stronger than swapping one healthy premium player for another.

If you are considering a points hit

The incoming player must be likely to start, have a much better fixture and improve the team beyond GW4. Do not take a hit to sell Haaland, Bruno or Mbeumo solely because they play in the Manchester derby.

Final GW4 checklist

• Complete transfers before 1:30pm UK time on Saturday 12 September.
• Do not buy Gakpo unless Liverpool provide a clear positive update.
• Captain Haaland for the strongest model-backed choice, or Isak if you deliberately want the differential route.
• Use Palmer as a strong alternative or vice-captain.
• Put injury doubts behind reliable starters on your bench.
• Check that any transfer improves more than one Gameweek.
• Avoid an emotional Wildcard after one disappointing score.
• Save your final team and confirm that your captain and chip choices are showing correctly.

Rate your team before the GW4 deadline

Still unsure whether you need a transfer, a points hit or a Wildcard?

Rate your FPL team before the GW4 deadline to score your squad, identify weak positions and compare your options before the deadline.

Planning for Gameweek 5

Gameweek 4 is now complete. Continue with the FPL Gameweek 5 transfer, captaincy and Wildcard guide.

Sources checked for the final update

• Premier League: GW4 transfer radar
• Premier League: GW4 Scout Selection
• Premier League: GW4 Wildcard squad
• Liverpool FC: Gakpo, Barcola and Ekitike fitness update
• Chelsea FC: team news for Hull City
• Premier League: complete 2026/27 fixture list

Team news can change after publication. Check confirmed club updates before making your final transfers.