While we are limited to only 3 forwards in FPL, and limited further by goal machine Erling Haaland taking up a spot in almost all players teams, for some, selecting an additional forward can be very challenging… In this article, we will be taking a look at the best FPL forwards to target in GW4, from the obvious to the slightly more obscure. In order to analyze the options I will be taking into account expected stats, recent form, upcoming fixtures, whether they are a minutes risk, and player positioning.
Blog written by Dylan, who is making his debut for us with this blog, do follow him on Instagram!
Link to all our FPL GW4 blogs including buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, transfer targets, and more. Completely free to access as well!
Best FPL Forwards From FPL GW4 Onwards
But first, we should rule out a couple of teams:
West Ham – While the hammers have been in good form so far this season they have a tough fixture run in the short term, facing Luton, Man City, and Liverpool in the next 3 Gameweeks. If they continue their early season form then Antonio could be an option to consider post-GW8, however, I would not be surprised if Ings takes some minutes off him in the long term, especially with West Ham’s Europa League commitments.
Sheffield United – Similarly to Moyes’ side they have a bad run of fixtures, playing Spurs, Newcastle, and West Ham in the next 3. Furthermore, the Blades don’t look very likely to score a lot of goals this season based on their recent results. Maybe the addition of Archer will change their fortunes, and he could be a good bench option as a playing 4.5 forward, but he is definitely not a priority for GW4.
Brighton – ‘Brighton?!’ I hear you shout, ‘but they’ve been on fire so far, scoring goals for fun!’ True, however with Newcastle, Manchester United, and then Bournemouth in their next three and the very real risk of rotation (as we saw in GW2 with Pedro), I would suggest staying clear of buying Brighton forwards this week.
Manchester United – Martial is currently the only fit forward at United’s disposal, and he has only played 65 minutes of football so far this season. He is a rotation risk, the fixtures aren’t great and the Frenchman has never been a prolific goal scorer. Hojlund is back in full team training, but at this stage, he’s not worth the risk – there are safer and arguably better options.
Spurs – No forward (Richarlison is classed as a midfielder)
Everton – Calvert-Lewin is injured, and they do not have a super easy run of fixtures coming up in the next 3.
Forest – Fixtures are not great, Chelsea, Burnley, and Man City are up next. While Awoniyi has shown in recent weeks that he should be on our radar, scoring 3 in 3, a combination of the fixtures and the fact that he is running hot, having only accrued 1.4xG in that time, means that he can’t really be considered for the coming GWs.
Burnley – Tough fixtures coming up, and the fact that they’ve only managed just over 1xG across their 2 premier league games so far, means that we should probably avoid Burnley players for now.
Bournemouth – Possibly the hardest run of fixtures with Brentford, Chelsea and Brighton. Admittedly Solanke is a proven Premier League goalscorer, but the fixtures are hard to overlook. With better fixtures, he will be one to target, but not for GW4.
Fulham – No decent forward options means that the cottagers’ are one to avoid for now.
Wolves – They struggled to score goals last season and they are struggling again this time around. Wolves lack real options up front after the sale of Jimenez in the summer, so unfortunately must be overlooked.
So that leaves us with: Villa, Luton, Liverpool, City, Arsenal, Palace, Newcastle, Brentford, and Chelsea, so let’s analyze the best options from cheapest to most expensive!
Further Read: FPL GW4 Wildcard Team & Drafts to Consider | Wildcard Guide
Best FPL Forwards to consider from GW4
All the Points Predictions used in the article are from GW4- GW6. Data from Fantasy Football Hub(Subscibe with a 50% discount by clicking here)
Morris/Adebayo
Team | GW4 | GW5 | GW6 | GW7 | GW8 | GW9 |
Luton Town | WHU (H) | FUL (A) | WOL (H) | EVE (A) | TOT (H) | NFO(A) |
Both Luton attackers have a very good run of fixtures coming up, however, Luton’s form so far in the Premier League has been very underwhelming, and it would take a very confident FPL manager to use one of their forward spots up on a Hatters striker. Having said this, the fixtures are almost too good to be true, West Ham, Fulham, Wolves, and then Everton; It doesn’t get much better than that, as all 4 of these teams had some of the worst defensive records last season.
Morris comes out on top in terms of expected points, 8.4 to Adebayo’s 6.6; Adebayo comes in 0.5 Million cheaper but he is yet to take a shot in the Premier League this season, never mind a shot on target, sitting at 0.0xG. Morris offers slightly more, but Luton have not demonstrated that they are a team to be feared in terms of goalscoring, so both of these players are probably a miss for now, even with their amazing run of fixtures.
Edouard
Team | GW4 | GW5 | GW6 | GW7 | GW8 | GW9 |
Palace | WOL (H) | AVL (A) | FUL (H) | MUN (A) | NFO (H) | NEW(A) |
The Palace striker is the only forward in this list who has underperformed his expected points so far this season, with an xPts of 14.08 and an actual tally of 9 (at the end of GW2). He is predicted to score 10.7 points over the next 3, and at 5.5 could offer excellent value, and a good option for managers who are ready to move on Pedro and are looking for a forward at a similar price point. Palace have good fixtures- Wolves, Villa, and Fulham in their next 3, and Edouard is fed by an exciting array of Palace attacking midfielders including the dynamic duo of Olise and Eze.
This means that the Frenchman is never short of chances, averaging 1.5 big chances, and 5 shots per 90 in the league so far this season. His upcoming fixtures could allow him to flourish and become the player that fans hoped he would when he signed for the club in 2021. Edouard’s affordable price point makes him the best budget option, but there are other more expensive options who are likely to outperform him in the short term…
Further Read: FPL GW4 Transfer Targets & Watchlist Based on Eye Test & Stats
Wissa
Team | GW4 | GW5 | GW6 | GW7 | GW8 | GW9 |
Brentford | BOU (H) | NEW (A) | EVE (H) | NFO (A) | MUN (A) | BUR(H) |
Since Toney’s ban, Wissa and Mbuemo have stepped up in a big way, filling the void left by the English striker. Mbuemo is classed as a midfielder, so cannot be considered in this article, however he is an excellent FPL asset moving forward.
Wissa is predicted the 5th most points of any forward over the next 3 GWs, and the 3rd most for GW4. His price tag makes him an affordable option for most FPL managers (6.2 Million), even those with limited funds.
He has scored 2 from an xG of about 2, so against opposition such as Bournemouth and Everton, who both feature in Brentford’s next three games, Wissa is likely to return. He is also relatively nailed, with Toney out and Brentford playing a 4-3-3 in their last two games, it is unlikely that Wissa will drop to the bench.
The Bees are linked with another forward, but currently, Wissa is their starting striker in a 4-3-3 and one of two alongside Mbuemo in a 5-3-2. He plays a very advanced role for Farke’s side and is averaging 4 shots a game. Unfortunately, Wissa is not on penalties, but regardless he is one to consider.
Alvarez
Team | GW4 | GW5 | GW6 | GW7 | GW8 | GW9 |
Man City | FUL (H) | WHU (A) | NFO (H) | WOL (A) | ARS (A) | BHA(H) |
While Haaland will continue to garner all of the attention, Alvarez is not a forward that we should ignore. Over the next 3 he is predicted to get 14.6 points, the 4th highest of all forwards, only behind Jackson, Jesus and of course Haaland.
He has also played 90 minutes in all 3 of City’s games in the League so far, he is as nailed as a City player can be, arguably more so than Grealish, Foden, Silva and now Doku, due to his flexibility and ability to play in any of the forward positions.
He has got 1 goal and 1 assist so far, only marginally exceeding his expected data, showing that this form is likely to continue. If there was ever a time to select Alvarez for our teams it is now, with good fixtures coming up in the short term, KDB out till December, and new signing Doku yet to be fully integrated into the team, Alvarez looks fairly nailed, prolific (as usual) and ready to profit from City’s good run of fixtures.
The Argentine is priced at 6.6 Million, much more affordable than other forwards on this list, and offers much more value for money when compared to players like Jesus or Watkins. City do not look like they are going to slow down any time soon, so it could be time to double up on city forwards.
Further Read: FPL GW4 Ultimate Guide: Tips, Differentials, Captaincy & More
Jackson
Jackson returned for the first time in FPL against Luton in GW3, scoring once, but his xG of just over 2 demonstrates that he is one to keep an eye on. Jackson is nailed, starting all three games for Chelsea so far this season, and with Lukaku out of the picture for now, is Chelsea’s only real option up front.
As with other players mentioned, some of Chelsea’s other players could be considered better options than the Senegalese striker, with Sterling in fine form, and Chilwell playing in a very advanced role for a defender. Chelsea’s fixture are very good, playing Forest, Bournemouth and then Villa and Jackson is predicted the second most points of any forward over the next 3 fixtures, only behind Haaland, so in terms of expected data, he is the best option on this list.
He will benefit from playing against Bournemouth who play a very high line under their new manager. While Forest could prove more of a challenge, as they tend to sit deeper, he will no doubt have chances, The question is whether he will be able to take them, as he has so far looked slightly wasteful in front of goal. Nailed, and has good fixtures and good expected stats, it is only his finishing that is stopping him from being the perfect option for GW4.
Further Read: FPL GW4 Wildcard Team & Drafts to Consider | Wildcard Guide
Nunez/Gakpo
Team | GW4 | GW5 | GW6 | GW7 | GW8 | GW9 |
Liverpool | AVL (H) | WOL (A) | WHU (H) | TOT (A) | BRI (A) | EVE(H) |
Both Liverpool forwards have been in decent form so far this season, and both players are options to consider, but both have significant issues. Let’s begin with Nunez. Off the back of an impressive substitute appearance against a very good Newcastle side, many managers will be considering the Uruguayan for their teams. He is currently priced at 7.3 Million, 0.1 cheaper than Gakpo, and is the better option when looking at expected points (10.6 to Gakpo’s 10.0).
Nunez is a threat to all teams and could explode this season, his performance against the Magpies proved as much, however, Klopp does not yet trust him. Klopp has said in the past that the way into this Liverpool team is by being the best at counter-pressing, something which Nunez has struggled with in the past, particularly last season. There is no doubting Nunez’s ability and his huge FPL potential, but right now the fact that he is not nailed, and often only gets 30 minutes at the end of games is enough to put me off.
Gakpo on the other hand is much more of a sure starter in Klopp’s team, however his position on the pitch is much more up for debate. He started the first two games in central midfield and started against Newcastle upfront, whereas Nunez has almost exclusively played as a no.9 so far this season.
Gakpo’s expected starts are also nowhere near as impressive as Nunez’ or the other Liverpool options in midfield such as Salah, Jota, or Diaz. With decent fixtures coming up Nunez and Gakpo are ones to keep our eyes on, but both are at risk of rotation, so should be avoided in favor of more nailed options.
Further Read: FPL Gameweek 3 Stats Summary
Isak
Team | GW4 | GW5 | GW6 | GW7 | GW8 | GW9 |
Newcastle | BRI (A) | BRE (H) | SHU (A) | BUR (H) | WHU (A) | CRY(H) |
While once the Isak Vs Wilson debate was a conundrum for FPL managers, this season it is clear that Isak is the first choice. That is not to say that he won’t be rotated once Champions League football kicks off, but until then, over the next few weeks, he is likely to be Newcastle’s starting striker.
The main issue with Isak is the fixtures, with the Magpies facing Brighton and Brentford in their next two games. However, West Ham showed that Brighton are not unbeatable, and while their attack is on fire, they have conceded in every single game so far this season, against some pretty poor opposition, so the fixtures aren’t as bad as they first seem.
Isak has so far this season overperformed his xG, but he slightly overperformed last year, so this is nothing to be worried about. The main issue with Isak is the price tag, at 7.7 Million there are other strikers which offer better value, for example, Alvarez, Wissa or Edouard; players who are cheaper and in some cases have a slightly easier run of games. Isak is probably more of a long-term option, and while not a bad pick for GW4, wouldn’t be my first choice.
Further Read: FPL GW4 Wildcard Team & Drafts to Consider | Wildcard Guide
Jesus
Team | GW4 | GW5 | GW6 | GW7 | GW8 | GW9 |
Arsenal | MUN (H) | EVE (A) | TOT (H) | BOU (A) | MCI (H) | CHE(A) |
Jesus is back! Having made a late substitute appearance against Fulham, the Brazilian could feature heavily over the coming games for the Gunners, who are set to face tough opposition in the coming weeks. There are however a couple of problems with Jesus…
Firstly he is a rotation risk. Yes, he is fit again, but with options such as Trossard, Nketiah, and Havertz all available and all in good form it would not be surprising if Jesus has to work his way back into the starting 11 over the course of a few weeks, and if we are looking for strikers to target in GW4, it’s too risky to spend 7.9 Million on a striker who might not start.
What’s more, Arsenal’s fixture run is not easy, as they face United, Everton, and Spurs, followed by Bournemouth and then City. While Manchester United have conceded a fair few goals this term they had the best defensive record in the league last season, and I would expect them to sure up at the back sooner rather than later. The more challenging game will come against Spurs, who have been in excellent form so far this season under their new manager.
Jesus, as mentioned before is predicted 15.2 points over the next 3, the 3rd most, but I would be concerned about his potential minutes risk, and also his position on the pitch. Even last season Jesus tended to drift out wide or drop deep, rather than occupying the last line.
His risk of rotation and the fact that he has only played 1 minute of Premier League football this season is worrying, and while he is undoubtedly a great player, and was at times last season a great FPL asset, I do not think that he is one to target for GW4.
Further Read: FPL GW4 Transfer Targets & Watchlist Based on Eye Test & Stats
Watkins
Team | GW4 | GW5 | GW6 | GW7 | GW8 | GW9 |
Aston Villa | LIV (A) | CRY (H) | CHE (A) | BRI (H) | WOL (A) | WHU(H) |
The Villa striker had a fantastic end to the season under Emery, which should not be ignored. While he is yet to score this term, he has racked up 3 assists (from an xG of 0.26), he is currently averaging just under 0.3xG per 90, and is playing in a Villa side which shone in pre-season. Fantasy Football Hub’s expected points tool has him getting a respectable 14.1 points over the next 3 against some tough opposition.
However, Watkins is not a flawless option… He plays Liverpool in GW4 followed by Palace and then Chelsea, which is not an easy run of games by any stretch. He had a very good game against Burnley, but against Everton and Newcastle, he was unable to get into many scoring positions and unable to get shots off.
Having said this, he scored a hat trick against Hibernian in the Conference League last week, so there is no doubt that the form he showed at the end of last season was not a fluke. Goals will come. It is also important to remember that Villa play a very counter-attack-focused system, in which, Watkin’s pace is key, so against teams who play a high line (for example Liverpool who he faces next) he has the potential to cause some real issues.
Furthermore, he is not presently at risk of rotation, having played more than 70 minutes in all of his games so far this season. The form is good, there is a low risk of rotation, and it is only the fixtures that could be an issue. His price could be another obstacle, as he is currently priced at 8.0 Million, which could be an issue for players who are looking to upgrade from Pedro (5.5) or other budget/mid-priced forwards.
Conclusion- Best FPL Forwards from GW4
Unfortunately, there is no perfect option (as usual with FPL), and it very much depends on your budget. Alvarez (6.6 Million) is probably the best player pound for pound and Jackson (7.1 Million), while slightly more expensive should (in terms of expected data and predicted points) be the best option. Watkins (8.0 Million) and Jesus (7.9 Million) are too expensive for the next 3 Gameweeks when taking into consideration their fixtures and form respectively, while Wissa and Edouard could prove to be solid options for those looking to move on from Pedro (5.5 Million) but don’t have the budget for Alvarez or Jackson. Nunez (7.3 Million) is the wildcard pick, as if he starts he could be up there as one of the best options, but the fact that he is a minutes risk could put some managers off.
(all predicted points and data from GW1-2 was sourced from Fantasy Football Hub(Subscibe with a 50% discount by clicking here, all stats which included GW3 data was sourced from fbref)
If you like our content do consider supporting us by contributing to the website. ALLABOUTFPL is run by the community and for the community. All our content is and will always remain free.
Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW4
FPL GW4 Transfer Targets & Watchlist Based on Eye Test & Stats
Top FPL Gameweek 4 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
FPL Gameweek 4 Transfer Tips: Two Players to Buy, Hold & Sell
FPL GW4 Tips & Preview – Breaking Down The Key Dilemmas
FPL GW4 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis, and Matchups
Top FPL GW4 Differential Picks to Consider Ahead of Deadline
FPL GW4 Wildcard Team & Drafts to Consider | Wildcard Guide
Best FPL Forwards to Consider from GW4- Stats and Comparison
FPL GW3 Stats Summary
FPL GW4 Ultimate Guide: Tips, Differentials, Captaincy & More
Link to all our FPL GW4 blogs including buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, transfer targets, and more. Completely free to access as well!
Thanks for reading the ‘FPL GW4 Forwards’ blog.
Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for regular blogs and updates. Also, follow our 120,000+ community on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay updated on regular Posts and FPL updates.
What’s next from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL Gameweek 4 of the 2023/24 FPL Season?
We’ll be covering player comparisons, differential picks, transfer trends, Buy, Hold, Sell analysis, eye test report, fixture analysis, captaincy metrics, FPL GW4 tips, and more. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for all our blogs and subscribe to our free newsletter through the link below. We’ll also be posting regularly about the same on our social media accounts so follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook keep our notification ON.
Our content is always free and if you like our content do drop a comment, follow, subscribe, and support us. Your love is what keeps us going:)
FPL Gameweek 4 FPL Deadline Countdown
Login and set your team for FPL GW4 now!
Latest posts by Dylan (see all)
- FPL GW11 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis, and Matchups - November 7, 2024
- FPL GW10 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis, and Matchups - October 31, 2024
- FPL GW9 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis, and Matchups - October 24, 2024