FPL Tips: Salah, Watkins & Reijnders Replacements and GW5 Transfer Advice
The end of Gameweek 4 has provided plenty of questions for FPL managers, as many highly-rostered players have flattered to deceive for another week.
Mohamed Salah scored a last-minute penalty to help beat Burnley 1-0. Despite scoring two goals and assisting once in four games this season, Salah has been a shadow of his former self. This goal from the penalty spot was his first shot on target since the opening day of the season. He's been playing much wider than in previous seasons and isn't getting the same touches as a season ago, severely limiting his overall impact in front of net. There's a chance things change in the coming months, but his early performances are certainly alarming.
Tijjani Reijnders was the most transferred-in player after Gameweek 1 when he scored and assisted against Wolves. He has now gone another game without an attacking return, but his latest game against Manchester United showed a little life with three shots and a chance created.
Ollie Watkins has seen a price fall to $8.9m as Aston Villa have failed to score for the fourth game in a row. In the latest goalless draw against Everton, Watkins failed to take a shot in 83 minutes and has only put two shots on target across his four matches.
Each of these players could be worth selling in Fantasy Premier League if you think they're the biggest problem with your squad this week.
Salah's price and Watkins' lack of returns have to make them the most popular sales if you rostered all three. If Reijnders is your fourth or fifth midfielder, he may be worth keeping, as his minutes seem secure for Manchester City.
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Alternatives for Mohamed Salah
Option 1: Cole Palmer ($10.4m)
Palmer made his return from injury for Chelsea with a goal off the bench against Brentford. This ended a run since January where he hadn't scored an open-play Premier League goal. In his 34 minutes, he had five shots with two on target. Chelsea face Manchester United next, which can feel like a strong fixture, after United conceded three against City in GW4 and two to Burnley in GW3.
Option 2: Use another transfer to get to Erling Haaland ($14.1m)
Salah's price is the highest in the game, and therefore, a straight transfer for another midfielder would lead to a huge drop in overall team value. If you have two transfers available, Haaland could be the man for your team as a premium asset. With a brace against Manchester United, he has five goals this season, two more than any other player.
Option 3: Antoine Semenyo ($7.5m)
Semenyo is second-highest scoring player in FPL and the top-scoring midfielder after he picked up a goal and an assist against Brighton. Semenyo has attempted at least two shots in each game this season and has created two or more chances in each of his last three. The drop in budget between Salah and Semenyo would allow for significant upgrades across the rest of your squad.
Alternatives for Tijjani Reijnders
Option 1: Enzo Fernandez ($6.6m)
Fernandez would be a slight price increase on Reijnders, but he's been crucial for Chelsea. While he didn't pick up an attacking return in Gameweek 4, he did pick up two extra points for securing 12 defensive contributions. The midfielder has also taken corners in each of the last three games, partly aided by Palmer's absence.
Option 2: Pape Sarr ($5.0m)
Sarr is one of the cheapest possible starting options, and therefore, for $0.6m cheaper than Reijnders, his transfer could make a great option if you want to free up some cash. He's scored a goal and provided an assist, and seems like a favorite of new manager Thomas Frank. In Gameweek 4, he made his threat in the box from set pieces clear when he got on the end of a Xavi Simons corner.
Option 3: Elliot Anderson ($5.5m)
Anderson comes in at roughly the same price as Reijnders, and after missing out on defensive contributions by one in Gameweeks 1-3, he was able to pick them up in Gameweek 4. He's the main set-piece taker for Nottingham Forest, and their fixtures against Burnley and Sunderland in the next two games could be a good time to bring him into your team.
Alternatives for Ollie Watkins
Option 1: Viktor Gyokeres ($9.0m)
Gyokeres has settled into the Premier League well, and in games where he can get space, he's shown to be dangerous, scoring three goals in four games. While Manchester City and Newcastle in the next two may not be the best for this role, Gameweek 7 against West Ham is one that could lead to captaincy given the Hammers' poor start to the season.
Option 2: Joao Pedro ($7.7m)
Only Haaland has scored more FPL points than Pedro as a forward. After blanking in Gameweek 1, he's scored two goals and provided three assists in the last three games. This included an assist for Cole Palmer to help him score his first open-play goal since January.
Option 3: Alexander Isak ($10.4m)
Isak joined Liverpool but was left out of the Gameweek 4 match due to a lack of fitness. After monitoring his midweek against Atletico Madrid, he could be trusted to lead the line in the Merseyside derby as Liverpool have struggled to break down deep defensive blocks in the last two weeks. Isak's pace and power when fully fit could be the difference that Liverpool need to start unlocking defences and scoring more freely.
Final Thoughts
Gameweek 5 is a pivotal point in the Fantasy Premier League season, and deciding whether to move on from big names like Salah, Watkins and Reijnders could shape your rank trajectory.
While Salah's price and Watkins' lack of returns make them easy sales, each decision should balance form, fixtures and team structure. Whether you pivot to a premium like Haaland, a mid-range gem like Gyokeres or Joao Pedro, or budget options such as Palmer or Semenyo, the key is finding replacements who fit both your short-term goals and long-term strategy.
