Spot the Differential highlights three players who all have an ownership of 5% or less in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
This time, we have chosen low-owned picks from Aston Villa, Bournemouth and West Ham United, who we think have the potential to make an impact in Gameweek 4 and beyond.
- READ MORE: Nuno out, Ange in: What does it mean for Forest players in FPL?
- READ MORE: FPL Q&A: Keep or sell Villa/Forest players + best Palace defender?
HARVEY ELLIOTT
- FPL ownership: 0.3%
- Price: £5.4m
- GW4-8 fixtures: eve | sun | FUL | BUR | tot
With Aston Villa in desperate need of creativity, it could be the perfect time to bring in budget midfielder Harvey Elliott (£5.4m).
It’s been a surprisingly slow start for Unai Emery’s side, who have failed to score in any of their first three matches (NEW, bre, CRY), having generated only 2.53 expected goals (xG).
However, the fixture outlook is very positive.
Villa visit the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, before taking on Sunderland, Fulham and Burnley in further favourable matchups before the next international break.
Saturday afternoon’s trip to Everton looks particularly promising from an attacking perspective. It’s still early days, but David Moyes’ side sit among the worst three sides for StatsBomb xG conceded this season:
As for Villa, the deadline day arrival of Elliott should add some much-needed quality and intensity to their attacking play.
Despite finding regular minutes hard to come by at Liverpool, Elliott often impressed, netting three goals in five UEFA Champions League appearances last season. He was also named the player of the tournament at the U21 European Championship in the summer.
Elliott isn’t 100% nailed-on to start in Gameweek 4, but he perfectly fits the profile Villa have been seeking this summer, and there is a strong possibility that he will feature off the right or in a No 10 role. Even if he starts wider, he’ll look to drift infield and get on the ball in more central areas.
“For me, now, it’s about kicking on as a player. The only way to do that is to play games and there’s no better place to do that than here, especially with the manager, his philosophy, the way he plays and his trust in younger players.” – Harvey Elliott
Notably, Elliott’s threat from distance could be key at Everton on Saturday – no side has conceded more shots from outside the box than the Toffees’ this season, with 21.
ADRIEN TRUFFERT
- FPL ownership: 1.1%
- Price: £4.5m
- GW4-8 fixtures: BHA | NEW | lee | FUL | cry
Owned by just over 1% of Fantasy managers, Adrien Truffert (£4.5m) has made an impressive start to his Bournemouth career.
Slotting in seamlessly for Milos Kerkez (£6.0m) at left-back, he took up his most advanced position of the season so far during his recent home match against Wolverhampton Wanderers:
The fact that he received 19 passes in the final third, the most of any player except Antoine Semenyo (£7.4m), and attempted six crosses from open play provides further optimism, particularly with back-to-back home encounters on the horizon.
Crucially, Gameweek 4 opponents Brighton and Hove Albion have conceded a league-high 15 chances down their right flank this season, compared to just one on the left (see image below).
That is something Truffert and Semenyo will surely look to take advantage of.
“We have a good understanding and have been training since the start of pre-season. The boy can run!” – Antoine Semenyo on Adrien Truffert
“We believe a lot. He was playing against a player who is very good. I think he was exceptional. He was cramping at the end. He combined very well with Antoine on the left side.” – Andoni Iraola on Adrian Truffert, speaking after Bournemouth’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweek 3
Bournemouth’s clean sheet prospects look reasonably promising, too.
The Cherries have already shut out Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur this term, and in the 2024/25 season, conceded just 16 goals on home turf, the joint-fewest of any team in the Premier League.
Additionally, the fixture list remains kind for Bournemouth all the way up to the end of October, so Truffert appears a good option for the longer term.
LUCAS PAQUETA
- FPL ownership: 2.4%
- Price: £5.9m
- GW4-8 fixtures: TOT | CRY | eve | ars | BRE
Another player who has been producing points over the past two Gameweeks is Lucas Paqueta (£5.9m).
The Brazilian scored a fine strike from outside the box against Chelsea in Gameweek 2, before rolling home a penalty in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest prior to the international break.
During this timeframe, Paqueta has racked up five shots and three key passes.
He’s also recorded 32 defensive contributions (DefCons) this season, which earned him two extra points in Gameweek 3.
Observing Paqueta, it is evident that a weight has been lifted from his shoulders after he was cleared of spot-fixing, and he is clearly coming into form after a disrupted 2024/25 campaign.
“He’s a player that we understand, we love, his quality is incredible. Our challenge is to help him bring that out to the best of his ability, to fit with what we’re trying to do. If we can do that he’s a massive asset for us.” – Graham Potter on Lucas Paqueta
Tottenham Hotspur could prove to be the ideal opponents for Paqueta in Gameweek 4. The Lilywhites have conceded 11 key passes from the middle-third this season, the second-most of any team.
The fact that Paqueta also faces Crystal Palace, Everton, Brentford and Leeds United in the next six Gameweeks makes him an interesting option, particularly with so many routes to points, including penalties, open play assist potential and DefCons.
With his ownership currently sitting at just 2.4%, Paqueta could be the perfect option for those looking for an Ismaila Sarr (£7.5m) replacement.
