Forward planning for Gameweek 4 and 5

We take a look at forward planning for Gameweek 4 and 5. With the help of the Fantasy Football Scout members area we can utilise its fixture ticker and underlying stats to pick out the best teams and players to target for the Gameweeks ahead.

Forward planning for Gameweek 4 and 5 can be absolutely vital to the success of any given managers season. The early stage of the campaign is one of the most important periods in FPL so being able to target the right teams and players could be key.

Gameweek 4 & 5 fixtures

Who has the best fixtures?

Tottenham, Chelsea, Luton, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest all rank amongst the top five teams with the easiest fixtures.

Who has the worst fixtures?

Brighton, Manchester United, West Ham, Fulham and Aston Villa all rank amongst the bottom five teams with the toughest fixtures.

Best players for Gameweek 4 & 5

Here we highlight the teams and players with the most potential for Gameweek 4 & 5. This gives you a better idea of who you should be targeting for the period ahead:

Tottenham – They face two newly promoted sides in their next matches so the fixtures couldn’t be better. For those looking into the backline then Destiny Udogie (£4.5m) could be the standout option. Another good defensive option could be goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario (£5m). In attack the best options are midfielders Richarlison (£7m) and James Maddison (£7.6m).

Chelsea – The Blues face two of the worst defence in the league last season in Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest. Some could consider cheap enabling goalkeeper Robert Sanchez (£4.5m) and right-back Malo Gusto (£4m) but the standout is Ben Chilwell (£5.7m) who has been playing in a left-wing position. In attack, midfielder Raheem Sterling (£7m) looks to be gaining form and could be a great player to select. The focal point to the Chelsea attack is striker Nicolas Jackson (£7m) and could be the best option.

Liverpool – The Reds may not be convincing enough defensively to invest in but their frontline is looking very sharp. Because of this and the fact they face Aston Villa and Wolves midfielders Mohamed Salah (£12.5m), Diogo Jota (£8m) and Luis Diaz (£7.7m) could all be great picks.

Who else should we be targeting?

Manchester City – The league holders have games against Fulham and West Ham in the next two. With this in mind and the fact that they are one of the most reliable teams in the league FPL managers should be looking to invest. The safest way to invest defensively is goalkeeper Ederson (£5.5m). Other great routes into the backline include centre-backs Ruben Dias (£5.5m) and new signing Josko Gvardiol (£5m). In attack other than the obvious Erling Haaland (£14m) managers could back midfielder Phil Foden (£7.6m) or forward Julian Alvarez (£6.6m).

Arsenal – The Gooners have had a very good start to the season and face Manchester United and Everton, two teams who have failed to convince so far. Defensive options include standout William Saliba (£5.2m) but also goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale (£5m). There are plenty of options in attack with midfielders Bukayo Saka (£8.6m), Gabriel Martinelli (£8m), Martin Odegaard (£8.5m) but also striker Gabriel Jesus (£7.9m).

Other assets with potential

Newcastle – Brighton and Brentford may lay ahead but Newcastle have proved to be one of the toughest teams in the league lately. In defence the cheapest way in is Sven Botman (£4.5m) but the more expensive Kieran Trippier (£6.5m) is the standout pick. In attack the most attractive selection is Alexander Isak (£7.7m).

Brentford – They face Bournemouth and Newcastle in the next two matches. The Bees have been very strong so far. In defence full-back Rico Henry (£4.6m) is the most attacking of the backline. Some could also consider goalkeeper Mark Flekken (£4.5m). In attack the standout option is penalty taker Bryan Mbeumo (£6.7m) and striker Yoane Wissa (£6.1m).

Should we play a chip?

Although it may be tempting to use a chip early on, most managers tend to use their chips during blank and double Gameweeks. One chip that some could consider is the Wildcard. Whether that be to attack a fixture swing like the one we have ahead or to fix an array of different issues in our teams, the Wildcard could be a huge help.