Gameweek 4 throws up a slate worth building a Free Hit around, with Manchester United hosting Manchester City and three Chelsea and Arsenal assets both nailed and in form. Here is the strongest XI the data supports at a total cost of £119.6m, with no budget constraint to worry about.
Starting XI
The formation leans 3-4-3 to squeeze in the top forward options while keeping Arsenal’s defensive value intact.
- GKP: Raya (ARS, £6.0m, xP 4.73, form 4.0, away v SUN)
- DEF: Tarkowski (EVE, £6.0m, xP 5.18, form 6.0, away v TOT)
- DEF: Gabriel (ARS, £8.0m, xP 5.16, form 4.3, away v SUN)
- DEF: Calafiori (ARS, £5.7m, xP 4.77, form 6.7, away v SUN)
- MID: B.Fernandes (MUN, £12.0m, xP 5.60, form 8.3, home v MCI)
- MID: Palmer (CHE, £9.6m, xP 5.35, form 6.7, home v HUL)
- MID: Cherki (MCI, £7.8m, xP 5.08, form 7.3, away v MUN)
- MID: Saka (ARS, £9.5m, xP 5.05, form 6.7, away v SUN)
- FWD: Haaland (MCI, £15.5m, xP 8.26, form 5.0, away v MUN)
- FWD: Isak (LIV, £9.0m, xP 7.50, form 7.7, home v FUL)
- FWD: João Pedro (CHE, £7.7m, xP 6.58, form 6.7, home v HUL)
Gakpo and White narrowly miss out on starting spots despite strong numbers, Gakpo’s 9.3 form is the best of anyone in this squad, but the forward line and Arsenal defensive block simply carry higher projected returns this week.
Bench order
- Pickford (EVE, £5.5m, xP 4.80, away v TOT) as backup keeper cover with a fixture almost as strong as Raya’s
- De Cuyper (BHA, £4.7m, xP 4.72, form 5.7, away v COV) provides the top defensive floor outside the XI
- White (ARS, £5.5m, xP 4.59, form 6.0, away v SUN) as the third Arsenal defender in reserve
- Gakpo (LIV, £7.1m, xP 5.00, form 9.3, home v FUL) rounds out the bench, purely a numbers game given the front three ahead of him
Captain
Haaland is the pick with an xP of 8.26, well clear of the field despite a modest 5.0 form reading. His away trip to Manchester United still projects as the highest ceiling fixture on the sheet. Isak at 7.50 xP and 7.7 form is the standout alternative if you want to fade the City man’s ownership, which sits at 71.2%.
Key fixtures
Arsenal’s trip to Sunderland anchors three defensive and attacking picks in this XI: Gabriel, Calafiori, Saka and Raya all travel together. Chelsea at home to Hull City backs both Palmer and João Pedro, while Liverpool’s home game with Fulham supports Isak and bench option Gakpo. Manchester United versus Manchester City is the standout individual fixture, delivering both Fernandes and Haaland into the same lineup on opposite sides.
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