Fantasy Premier League

FPL GW4 stats: Managers left frustrated by Joao Pedro

14 Sep 2024
Joao Pedro

Forward was transferred in by over 1.3m but didn't feature in Brighton's draw with Ipswich Town

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More than 1.3million Fantasy Premier League managers were left ruing their luck as Gameweek 4's most-bought player, Joao Pedro (£5.7m), frustrated his new owners.

Never before has a player been recruited in such large numbers and recorded zero points or fewer.

Most-bought players to score zero points
Player Bought by GW (Season) Pts
Joao Pedro 1,345,068 GW4 (2024/25) 0
Watkins 1,336,063 GW18 (2021/22) 0
Mount 832,800 GW10 (2021/22) 0
Mitrovic 810,996 GW18 (2022/23) 0
Dennis 772,063 GW17 (2021/22) 0

Following goals in back-to-back matches, Joao Pedro's good form coupled with a home match against promoted Ipswich Town proved irresistible for many. Indeed, no-one has been more in demand ahead of a Gameweek deadline this season.

However, a knock sustained on international duty ruled the Brazilian out of the encounter at the Amex Stadium.

GW4 most-bought players
Player Bought by Pts
Joao Pedro 1,345,068 0
Luis Diaz 1,248,527 3
Salah 938,848 2
Haaland 830,130 13
Onana 818,094 1

It's the second successive Gameweek that the No 1 transfer target has blanked, following Noni Madueke's (£6.6m) two points at home to Crystal Palace in the last round.

Managers will be hoping the "curse" of the most-transferred in player is not about to make a return.

Last season, the most-popular recruit blanked in each of the first five Gameweeks where FPL managers could make a trade.

And more than 940,000 managers opted to use their Wildcard ahead of Gameweek 4, the third-highest total on record.

Most Wildcards played in a Gameweek
Season Gameweek Total
2021/22 4 1,117,718
2023/24 21 947,506
2024/25 4 940,783
2021/22 5 708,431
2020/21 3 681,997

While a further 25,930,392 transfers were made, the fourth-highest tally ever.

But many will be feeling disappointed as four of the top-five recruits failed to score or assist. 

Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) and Luis Diaz (£7.7m) drew blanks as Liverpool lost 1-0 at home to Nottingham Forest, while Amadou Onana (£5.1m) was taken off at half-time in Aston Villa's 3-2 win over Everton, having mustered just a single point.

Erling Haaland (£15.2m) was the exception as he continued his fine start to 2024/25 Fantasy in Manchester City's 2-1 win over Brentford.

The Norwegian produced his eighth and ninth goals of the campaign and, in doing so, became the first player to go past 50 points this season.

Remarkably, only Wayne Rooney, when playing for Manchester United in 2011/12, has recorded more points over the opening four rounds.

Best scores over the first four Gameweeks of a season
Player Season Pts
Rooney 2011/12 55
Haaland 2024/25 54
Son 2020/21 45
Kane 2020/21 44
Alonso 2018/19 44

Haaland justified the decision of 5,125,800 people to hand him the captain's armband, his biggest backing of the campaign.

It wasn't such a good evening elsewhere as Cole Palmer (£10.6m) joined Salah in recording a blank as the Chelsea midfielder only recorded three points in their 1-0 win at AFC Bournemouth.

GW4 most-captained players
Player Captained by Pts
Haaland 5,125,800 13
Salah 2,107,506 2
Palmer 421,525 2
Isak 311,014 1
Watkins 267,357 13

There was better news for those selected who Ollie Watkins (£8.9m), however.

The differential captain pick rewarded the 267,000+ to hand him the armband with his first goals of the campaign in Villa's success against Everton.

He claimed 13 points, or 26 with the armband.

But to the frustration of many who deployed their Wildcard or made a transfer, Watkins was the second most-sold player of the Gameweek, ditched by more than 735,000 managers.

But the 893,616 who parted company with Alexander Isak (£8.5m) will have been relieved to see him have a quiet afternoon in Newcastle United's encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday. 

The Swede was taken off shortly at half-time and only produced a single point in the encounter at Molineux.

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