With four gameweeks left, Gameweek 35 demands careful moves. Managers still chasing mini-league gains should prioritise reliable returns and inexpensive enablers that free funds for captains in the final stretch.

Goalkeepers: David Raya (£6.0m) remains the standout option among keepers after a 10-point haul last weekend and offers value alongside Arsenal’s defence. Fulham have blanked in four of their last six league games, making a home clean sheet plausible. At the other end of the budget spectrum, Karl Darlow (£3.9m) has accrued 24 points across his last five games and faces relegated Burnley at home, serving as a low-cost enabler. For managers planning ahead to double Gameweek 36, Dean Henderson (£5.1m) is an alternative given Crystal Palace’s two fixtures next round, despite a tricky away match with Bournemouth this Sunday.

Defenders: Gabriel (£7.2m) is a must, while Nico O’Reilly (£5.1m) has become increasingly attractive for managers preparing for City’s double in the next round; he has returned 27 points from his past three fixtures and faces low-scoring Everton away on Monday. Crystal Palace options include Jaydee Canvot (£4.5m) and Chris Richards (£4.4m) as budget routes into their backline, and Daniel Muñoz (£5.8m) offers more attacking upside after scoring in the defeat at Liverpool. Leeds defensive targets such as James Justin (£3.9m), Jayden Bogle (£4.4m) and Pascal Struijk (£4.3m) are also useful given a favourable fixture.

Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (£10.4m) stands alone as the essential midfield pick; he is chasing the Premier League assist record for a single season and has delivered returns in each of his past seven matches, even ahead of Manchester United’s home game with Liverpool. Other options highlighted are Eberechi Eze (£7.2m), who made an impact after being brought off the bench in Europe, Rayan Cherki (£6.5m) with 23 points across his last three matches, Ismaïla Sarr (£6.3m) ahead of a double, Noah Okafor (£5.6m) despite a slight injury concern, and Enzo Fernández (£6.5m) under Calum McFarlane.

Forwards: Erling Haaland (£14.5m) is essential following recent goalscoring exploits. Support options include Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.7m), who could benefit from Burnley’s struggles after Scott Parker’s dismissal, and Jarrod Bowen (£7.8m), who has produced 24 points across his past two home games for West Ham ahead of a trip to Brentford.

April proved a turbulent month across the Premier League, with title hopes wobbling, a managerial dismissal at Chelsea and two clubs seeing relegation confirmed. There will be fresh winners in April after Mikel Arteta and Bruno Fernandes both failed to defend the gongs they won in March.

On the player side West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen tops the assist chart for April, teeing up four goals in three games. His first assist of the month set up the first of two goals Konstantinos Mavropanos has impressively mustered from center back, the same haul as Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah.

Noah Okafor has contributed three goals in April to help Leeds move away from the division’s trap door. Morgan Gibbs-White scored three in one game for Nottingham Forest against Burnley, a performance that sparked a remarkable turnaround and eased relegation concerns at the City Ground. That display was part of Gibbs-White’s wider form: he is the Premier League’s joint-top scorer across the entirety of 2026. Brentford’s Igor Thiago is the only other player to hit double digits in this period.

Rayan Cherki brings a different sort of impact, combining flair with end product. “When I have the ball, I want people to say: ‘How did he do that? How did he see it?’” Cherki reflected earlier this season. Nico O’Reilly has also drawn gasps during April while the south coast duo Pascal Groß and Alex Scott receive belated recognition for their midfield contributions.

Manager nominations frame two contrasting battles. Pep Guardiola’s blunt criterion remains simple: “This is the easiest award,” the City boss once laughed. “Most points you do in a month is the Manager of the Month. So it’s simple.” Guardiola leads the raw points metric for April, collecting nine points out of nine while also advancing to the FA Cup final. Arne Slot’s Liverpool matched that perfect record, easing past Fulham and Crystal Palace either side of a dramatic Merseyside derby victory at Everton’s new home.

Brighton climbed from 10th to the top six across three matches; Fabian Hürzeler could find himself in the Champions League next season should that position hold and Aston Villa finish fifth. Andoni Iraola and Marco Rose are mentioned as managers who could steer their sides into Europe. At the other end Daniel Farke, Vítor Pereira and Nuno Espírito Santo remain focused on preserving Premier League safety, with Leeds and Forest appearing better placed while Nuno’s Hammers continue to scrap with Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham Hotspur’s first Premier League win of 2026 failed to pull them out of the relegation zone as West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United all collected points in midweek. Nottingham Forest demolished Sunderland 5–0 to record three wins from their last four, maintaining a five-point cushion over 18th-placed Spurs. Leeds remain focused on their FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea on Sunday, and Sean Longstaff’s 97th-minute equalizer against Bournemouth midweek kept their survival hopes alive.

Spurs sit on 34 points, West Ham on 36, Nottingham Forest on 39 and Leeds on 40. The final four fixtures carry heavy significance for each club.

Tottenham
– Aston Villa (A) – May 3
– Burnley (H) – May 1
– Chelsea (A) – May 4
– Everton (H) – May 24
Winning against Wolves was an obligation for Tottenham, but the weekend trip to Aston Villa is a far sterner test. A crucial home meeting with Leeds follows and then an away match at Stamford Bridge. Di Zerbi’s side conclude at home to Everton in a fixture described as likely to determine their fate.

West Ham
– Brentford (A) – May 2
– Arsenal (H) – May 10
– Newcastle (H) – May 10
– Leeds (H) – May 11
West Ham will take confidence from an agonizing win against Everton and seven points from their last three. Brentford, winless since February, present a winnable game, before a daunting home match with Arsenal and an away day at Newcastle. The season ends at the London Stadium against Leeds.

Nottingham Forest
Forest travel to Stamford Bridge next weekend, a match sandwiched by a Europa League semifinal tie against Aston Villa. They then host Newcastle before travelling to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the penultimate weekend. Forest will hope safety is secure by the time Bournemouth visit the City Ground in the final match.

Leeds United
Leeds aim to be FA Cup finalists by the time they host Championship-bound Burnley, a match that offers a valuable opportunity to collect three points and move closer to Premier League survival.