Best FPL Gameweek 4 Team 2026/27: Review and Transfers
Our Gameweek 4 plan reviews a 61-point week before assessing Mbeumo to Gakpo, João Pedro captaincy and the value of retaining three free transfers.
The provisional GoalIQAI FPL Gameweek 4 plan is to replace Bryan Mbeumo with Cody Gakpo using one of three free transfers, captain João Pedro at home to Hull City and retain every chip. The transfer would reduce double Manchester United attacking exposure before the Manchester derby while adding a Liverpool midfielder for Fulham at home.
This is an early international-week decision rather than a final instruction. Gakpo’s expected minutes, international workload and availability must be checked before the 13:30 BST deadline on Saturday 12 September. If that information becomes less favourable, rolling all three transfers remains a strong alternative.
Gameweek 3 Review
The GoalIQAI team scored 61 points in Gameweek 3, 25 above the Gameweek average of 36. That produced a Gameweek rank of 2,210,388 and moved the team to 220 points and an overall rank of 615,824.
No transfer was made, meaning the team now has three free transfers. Erling Haaland was captain and returned 18 captain points. Dominik Szoboszlai was vice-captain and scored three points.
Tyrick Mitchell delivered the largest visible individual return with 15 points. Bryan Mbeumo scored eight, Kinský returned six and Haaland supplied nine before the captaincy multiplier. Gabriel, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes each returned two, while Pascal Groß scored one.
The 61-point outcome was positive, but it should not be used to validate every individual selection. Mitchell’s 15 points were substantially above a normal defensive expectation, while Haaland’s captaincy return does not mean every premium forward in a strong fixture should automatically receive the armband.
Decision Audit: Process Versus Outcome
| Decision | Pre-deadline case | Outcome | Process assessment | Gameweek 4 lesson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roll both available transfers | The squad could field a complete XI and another week of information had value. | 61 points and three free transfers for Gameweek 4. | Sound | The flexibility now has practical value, but a transfer still needs to improve the forward route. |
| Captain Haaland | Home to Coventry, secure central scoring role and the strongest ceiling in the squad. | Nine points, doubled to 18. | Sound | Judge the choice through role, minutes and fixture rather than the size of the return alone. |
| Vice-captain Szoboszlai | Liverpool had an attractive away fixture and his role offered several routes to points. | Three points; the vice-captain was not required. | Reasonable but uncertain | Fulham at home keeps him relevant, although Gakpo may now offer the stronger Liverpool attacking route. |
| Start Mitchell | Crystal Palace had a more favourable defensive fixture than several alternatives. | 15 points. | Sound process and exceptional outcome | Retain and start against Ipswich, but do not treat 15 points as a repeatable baseline. |
| Retain Mbeumo | Secure minutes and sustained involvement outweighed the attraction of chasing the previous week’s transfers. | Eight points. | Sound | A possible sale is based on the forward fixtures and squad route, not dissatisfaction with his Gameweek 3 score. |
Current Squad and Constraints
The squad has £0.0m in the bank and three free transfers. No points deduction is required to make up to three changes. The current prices displayed by FPL are:
| Position | Player | Price | Gameweek 4 fixture | Initial assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Kinský | £4.5m | Everton (H) | Start |
| Goalkeeper | Dúbravka | £4.0m | Everton (H) | Bench |
| Defender | Gabriel | £8.0m | Sunderland (A) | Start |
| Defender | Thomas | £4.0m | Brighton (H) | Start provisionally |
| Defender | Mitchell | £4.5m | Ipswich (H) | Start |
| Defender | Egan | £4.1m | Chelsea (A) | Bench |
| Defender | Maguire | £5.0m | Manchester City (H) | Bench |
| Midfielder | Groß | £5.5m | Coventry (A) | Start |
| Midfielder | Slater | £4.5m | Chelsea (A) | First substitute |
| Midfielder | Szoboszlai | £7.0m | Fulham (H) | Start |
| Midfielder | Fernandes | £12.0m | Manchester City (H) | Start |
| Midfielder | Mbeumo | £7.9m | Manchester City (H) | Provisional sale |
| Forward | João Pedro | £7.7m | Hull City (H) | Start and captain |
| Forward | Haaland | £15.5m | Manchester United (A) | Start and vice-captain |
| Forward | Igor Jesus | £5.9m | Aston Villa (A) | Start provisionally |
The main structural weakness is not the lack of free transfers. It is that several cheaper players have difficult fixtures at the same time: Egan and Slater visit Chelsea, while Maguire, Fernandes and Mbeumo face Manchester City.
The squad can still field a credible XI. That means there is no need for a points hit or Wildcard. The question is whether one free transfer can improve both Gameweek 4 and the wider route without sacrificing flexibility.
Transfer Options for Gameweek 4
| Route | Transfers | Budget effect | Why it could work | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mbeumo to Gakpo | One free transfer | Approximately £0.7m released | Adds Liverpool exposure for Fulham at home and removes one of two United attackers before Manchester City. | Gakpo’s 28 points may encourage outcome chasing; role and international workload require confirmation. |
| Mbeumo to Gakpo and Igor Jesus to Wissa | Two free transfers | Affordable at displayed prices | Strengthens two attacking positions and adds Wissa before Leeds away and Hull at home. | Uses two transfers during an international week and buys Wissa after a price rise. |
| Replace a defender | One free transfer | Depends on the player sold | Could improve the third defensive starting position. | Thomas can start against Brighton and the expected gain from another budget defender may be small. |
| Roll all three transfers | No transfer | No change | Preserves maximum flexibility and avoids acting before late team news. | Leaves double United attack against City and misses Liverpool’s home fixture against Fulham. |
The aggressive two-transfer route is credible but premature. Wissa has risen to £6.2m and is among the most transferred-in forwards, yet popularity and a price rise do not independently establish that a transfer is worthwhile. Igor Jesus also has a playable fixture at Aston Villa.
Using one transfer provides a better balance. It addresses the weakest concentration of the starting XI while retaining the capacity to restructure after another Gameweek of evidence. GoalIQAI’s guide to FPL transfer planning across multiple Gameweeks explains why the next move should be judged as part of a route rather than in isolation.
GoalIQAI Transfer Decision
Provisional transfer: Bryan Mbeumo to Cody Gakpo for no points deduction.
Gakpo is displayed at £7.2m and leads the current player list with 28 points. Liverpool host Fulham in Gameweek 4 and then visit Bournemouth, whereas Mbeumo faces Manchester City before travelling to Fulham.
Mbeumo’s eight-point Gameweek 3 return supports his role and is a reason not to describe him as a failed pick. The transfer case instead rests on comparative fixtures, Liverpool’s attacking environment and the benefit of releasing budget.
The move should leave approximately £0.7m in the bank. Because only one of the three available transfers would be used, the team should return to three free transfers for Gameweek 5 after receiving the next weekly transfer.
Do not make the transfer early solely because Gakpo is attracting buyers. Current prices matter, but expected points should remain the primary objective. The transfer should be cancelled if international duty, training information or Liverpool team news materially reduces his expected minutes. The framework for comparing FPL players is particularly relevant because recent points alone do not settle the decision.
Captaincy and Vice-Captaincy
| Player | Fixture | Captaincy case | Main uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| João Pedro | Hull City (H) | Central attacking role and the strongest home attacking fixture among the established forwards. | Confirm his international workload, fitness and expected starting role. |
| Gakpo | Fulham (H) | Strong early returns and an attractive Liverpool home fixture. | The early scoring rate may not persist; expected minutes require confirmation. |
| Haaland | Manchester United (A) | Elite scoring role, strong ceiling and a secure route to high-volume chances. | The away Manchester derby is less favourable than his Gameweek 3 fixture. |
| Szoboszlai | Fulham (H) | Secure early-season minutes and involvement in Liverpool’s attacking phases. | His precise attacking and set-piece role relative to Gakpo must be monitored. |
João Pedro is the provisional captain. Chelsea’s home match against Hull offers a more favourable attacking environment than Haaland’s trip to Manchester United, while João Pedro has already demonstrated several routes to points across the opening matches.
Haaland is vice-captain because his role and scoring ceiling remain stronger than most alternatives even in the more difficult fixture. Gakpo would move into the captaincy discussion if his starting position and expected minutes are strongly supported by late-week information.
The armband should be decided through expected points and the range of possible outcomes rather than last week’s score. The GoalIQAI guide to FPL captaincy, expected points and risk explains this separation.
Provisional Gameweek 4 Team
| Role | Player | Fixture | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Kinský | Everton (H) | Start |
| Defender | Gabriel | Sunderland (A) | Start |
| Defender | Mitchell | Ipswich (H) | Start |
| Defender | Thomas | Brighton (H) | Start |
| Midfielder | Gakpo | Fulham (H) | Start, if transferred |
| Midfielder | Szoboszlai | Fulham (H) | Start |
| Midfielder | Fernandes | Manchester City (H) | Start |
| Midfielder | Groß | Coventry (A) | Start |
| Forward | João Pedro | Hull City (H) | Start and captain |
| Forward | Haaland | Manchester United (A) | Start and vice-captain |
| Forward | Igor Jesus | Aston Villa (A) | Start |
| Bench goalkeeper | Dúbravka | Everton (H) | Bench |
| Bench one | Slater | Chelsea (A) | First substitute |
| Bench two | Maguire | Manchester City (H) | Second substitute |
| Bench three | Egan | Chelsea (A) | Third substitute |
This produces a provisional 3-4-3. Thomas takes the third defensive position because Brighton at home is preferable to Egan at Chelsea or Maguire against Manchester City. Slater is the first substitute because he offers a midfield scoring route if one of the starting attackers misses out.
No chip should be played. The squad can field a complete XI without a deduction, while the early-season evidence remains limited. The Wildcard has substantially more option value if retained for a point at which several positions require coordinated changes.
What Could Change Before the Deadline?
- Gakpo: confirm his fitness, international workload and expected Liverpool role. Negative news would change the transfer recommendation to rolling all three transfers.
- João Pedro: confirm availability and expected minutes before retaining the captaincy.
- Haaland: check international minutes and any late Manchester City fitness update. A material concern would move the vice-captaincy to Gakpo or Szoboszlai.
- Szoboszlai: verify that his starting and set-piece roles remain secure.
- Kinský: confirm that he remains Tottenham’s expected starting goalkeeper.
- Igor Jesus: monitor Nottingham Forest team news. Reduced expected minutes could justify the second transfer to Wissa.
- Prices: recheck Gakpo, Mbeumo, Igor Jesus and Wissa before acting, including the exact selling price shown on the confirmation screen.
These checks matter because expected minutes convert apparently attractive fixtures into realistic scoring opportunities. An uncertain starter should not be treated like a guaranteed 90-minute player.
Key Takeaways
- The team scored 61 points in Gameweek 3, compared with an average of 36.
- No transfer or chip was used, leaving £0.0m in the bank and three free transfers.
- Mbeumo to Gakpo is the provisional one-transfer recommendation.
- The move is based on comparative fixtures and squad structure, not Mbeumo’s Gameweek 3 outcome.
- Captain João Pedro against Hull, with Haaland vice-captain at Manchester United.
- Start Gabriel, Mitchell and Thomas in defence.
- Save all chips and avoid a points hit.
- Wait for post-international team news before confirming the transfer or captaincy.
Related Guides
- FPL Transfer Planning Across Multiple Gameweeks
- How to Compare FPL Players Properly
- Expected Points in Fantasy Premier League Explained
- Expected Minutes Explained
- Fixture Difficulty in FPL Explained
- FPL Captaincy Explained
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