With Manchester United facing Manchester City at Old Trafford in Gameweek 4, many FPL managers are conflicted about whether Erling Haaland should be in their squad. While the Manchester City striker has the potential to produce a huge haul in any fixture, his £15.5m price tag makes going without him an extremely interesting strategy.
This article is aimed specifically at managers who want to Wildcard in Gameweek 4 and build a team without Haaland. By spreading the budget across multiple premium and mid-priced options, this squad has plenty of routes to attacking and defensive returns.
FPL Gameweek 4 No-Haaland Wildcard Team
Goalkeeper: Bart Verbruggen
Bart Verbruggen gets the nod in goal, with Brighton travelling to Coventry. This looks like one of the better defensive fixtures of the Gameweek, giving Verbruggen excellent clean-sheet potential.
Brighton's defensive coverage is one of the key strengths of this Wildcard squad, and Verbruggen could potentially provide a strong foundation between the posts.
Defence: Gabriel, Calafiori and Virgil van Dijk
The defence combines double Arsenal coverage with Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk.
Gabriel has already shown his quality, particularly with his outstanding performance against Chelsea. Arsenal face Sunderland away this week, and their expected dominance gives Gabriel plenty of potential for another clean sheet, while his threat from set pieces provides additional attacking upside.
Riccardo Calafiori makes this double-up even more interesting. While Gabriel offers greater defensive security, Calafiori has the potential to contribute further attacking returns because of his willingness to get forward.
Meanwhile, Van Dijk has an excellent fixture against Fulham at home. Fulham are in poor form and have struggled defensively, giving Liverpool a strong opportunity for a clean sheet. Van Dijk's aerial threat also means he can potentially deliver attacking points.
Midfield: Semenyo, Groß, Gakpo, Rogers and Palmer
The midfield is where this No-Haaland strategy really starts to shine.
There is three-player Brighton coverage across the squad, with Pascal Groß included in midfield alongside Verbruggen and De Cuyper on the bench. Groß has great attacking potential in a favourable fixture against Coventry, making him an interesting differential.
Cody Gakpo is another standout pick. Liverpool's most in-form attacker has registered three assists and a goal in his first three league games, while Fulham's poor form makes this an excellent fixture for another return.
The Chelsea attack is represented by Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and João Pedro, giving this Wildcard team a fearsome attacking trio. Palmer remains the premium option, but Rogers offers an excellent alternative at a cheaper price. With Chelsea facing Hull at home, all three could benefit from what should be a dominant attacking performance.
Semenyo completes the midfield and could be a particularly explosive differential. Manchester United's poor start makes their defence vulnerable, and Semenyo has the quality to punish them if they struggle again.
Forwards: João Pedro and Alexander Isak
João Pedro is part of Chelsea's deadly attacking trio and has an ideal opportunity to bounce back against Hull after his disappointing performance against Arsenal.
The fixture could hardly be better for an attacking player, and Pedro has the potential to produce the kind of double-digit haul that can transform a Gameweek.
Alexander Isak partners him up front and is currently in excellent form. He has scored three goals in his last two league games and faces Fulham at home. With Liverpool expected to create plenty of chances, Isak could continue his scoring run.
Bench: Dubravka, De Cuyper, Wissa and Mitchell
The bench is another major strength because this isn't a squad that relies entirely on its starting XI.
Maxim De Cuyper is arguably an FPL essential right now because he is listed as a defender but playing in an attacking role, while his Brighton fixture against Coventry is excellent. Yoane Wissa is also in good form and provides a quality forward option if rotation or fixtures require a change.
Mitchell offers another useful defensive alternative after scoring twice for Crystal Palace in their 2-3 victory over Fulham.
Why This Is a Great No-Haaland Wildcard
The biggest advantage of this team is its flexibility. Although this is our suggested starting XI, managers can easily customise it by changing their starting lineup and selecting options from the bench depending on their preferences.
The squad combines Arsenal's defensive strength, Brighton's huge return potential and Chelsea's fearsome trio. Add in factors like in-form Isak and Gakpo, Semenyo against a vulnerable Manchester United, and Mitchell's attacking threat, and there are returns available throughout the squad.
For managers prepared to take the risk of going without Haaland, this looks like a strong and flexible FPL Gameweek 4 Wildcard team.
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