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Bench Boost candidates for GW4

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Bench Boost only works if your bottom four are actually earning minutes and returns, not just making up numbers. GW4 offers a decent spread of cheap enablers across all four positions, several of them nailed starters at sides with favourable-looking matchups. Here is where the value sits this week.

The BB principle for GW4

The goal is not to find explosive differentials, it is to find funds-friendly players with a track record of starting who happen to have a fixture that supports a return. Several names below combine strong recent form with modest price tags, which is exactly the profile you want papering over your bench.

Goalkeepers

  • Raya (ARS, £6.0m) leads the pack on xP at 4.73, backed by the best recent form of the group at 4.0 and a huge 38.5% ownership, away at Sunderland.
  • Pickford (EVE, £5.5m) is next at 4.80 xP with 3.3 form, away to Tottenham.
  • A.Becker (LIV, £5.5m) offers 4.36 xP at home to Fulham, while Kelleher (BRE, £5.0m) rounds things out at 4.35 xP away to Bournemouth.

Defenders

  • Tarkowski (EVE, £6.0m) tops the defensive list with 5.18 xP and strong 6.0 form, away at Tottenham.
  • Calafiori (ARS, £5.7m) is close behind at 4.77 xP with excellent 6.7 form and near-half ownership at 45.7%, away to Sunderland.
  • De Cuyper (BHA, £4.7m) is the cheapest of the group at £4.7m, still returning 4.72 xP with 5.7 form, away to Coventry.
  • White (ARS, £5.5m) adds 4.59 xP with 6.0 form and low 7.6% ownership, also away at Sunderland.

Midfielders

  • Groß (BHA, £5.5m) leads with 4.31 xP and 5.0 form, away to Coventry.
  • M.Sangaré (BRE, £5.7m) carries the strongest form in this group at 6.0, with 4.08 xP away to Bournemouth.
  • Ndiaye (MCI, £5.9m) offers 4.12 xP with 4.3 form away at Manchester United, while Stach (LEE, £6.0m) brings 5.7 form and 3.97 xP at home to Newcastle, at just 3.0% ownership.

Forwards

  • Kostoulas (BHA, £5.5m) posts the highest xP among all bench options here at 5.07, away to Coventry, though his form sits at 2.0.
  • David (BHA, £6.0m) follows at 4.94 xP but with only 0.3 form, a projection worth treating cautiously given the recent output.
  • Barry (EVE, £5.5m) brings a steadier 3.3 form alongside 4.87 xP, away to Tottenham.
  • Emersonn (IPS, £5.5m) rounds things out at 4.78 xP with 4.0 form, away to Crystal Palace.

Squad fit notes

If building toward a Bench Boost this week, prioritise the Arsenal trio of Calafiori, White and Raya given their shared fixture at Sunderland and the fact all three carry strong underlying numbers. The Brighton pair of De Cuyper and Groß also stack well against Coventry. Kostoulas and David both offer high xP at Brighton but their form figures, 2.0 and 0.3 respectively, suggest some risk versus the projection. For the safest floor, Tarkowski and Calafiori combine the best blend of form and xP in the entire pool.

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