Why these differentials stand out
Matchday 4’s strongest differential picks may come from players with more than one route to points. Robert Ljubičić brings recent form and a favorable matchup, while budget defenders Mauro Júnior, Jacobo Ramón and Maximilian Mittelstädt offer attacking potential alongside their defensive roles. Mika Godts is the higher-risk option, with a possible opening in attack at Paris Saint-Germain.
That mix matters in a week when defensive clean sheets look hard to call and some attacking opportunities depend on selection. A differential can pay off through goals or assists, but the value of a low-selected player also depends on whether he gets meaningful minutes. Here's the thing: these picks don't carry the same kind of risk, so managers should weigh likely involvement as carefully as price or recent returns.
Form and fixture point to Ljubičić
Robert Ljubičić (€5.5m, 0% selected) stands out ahead of LASK’s home match against Slovan Bratislava. LASK have scored three goals against both Liverpool and Sporting CP, and rank among the leading teams for projected goals this Matchday. That attacking record gives Ljubičić a plausible route to returns through team goals, though projections are a guide rather than a promise.
Ljubičić scored against Liverpool and arrives in good form: his latest outing brought a goal and an assist. The combination of recent returns and LASK’s attacking record gives him a credible path to a big score. He isn't dependent on a single favorable statistic; his case rests on his own recent contribution and a team that has shown it can score against strong opposition.
This is more significant than it looks for a player selected by nobody so far. A low ownership figure can make a return stand out in a fantasy ranking, but it doesn't make that return more likely by itself. Ljubičić has a reason to be considered beyond novelty: form, a home fixture and an attacking team.
Three defenders with attacking upside
Mauro Júnior (€4.0m, 0% selected) offers an inexpensive route into PSV’s squad for the visit of Club Brugge. PSV’s defence has looked vulnerable in the Champions League, though a clean sheet away to Porto provided a recent positive. The team also heads into Matchday 4 after a 7-0 win. That result underlines the potential for PSV to score freely, but it doesn't settle the question of whether Mauro Júnior will return points himself.
His case goes beyond the possibility of defensive points. Mauro Júnior has scored recently and has been appearing in central midfield, giving him more attacking potential than his listed defender status might suggest. If that role continues, he could be involved closer to the action than a conventional full-back. The uncertainty is that a position can change from match to match, so managers shouldn't treat the attacking role as guaranteed.
Jacobo Ramón (€4.0m, 2% selected) has both form and momentum behind him. Como beat Manchester United in their previous match and are chasing a sixth straight win across all competitions. A clean sheet against Lens would be their third in four matches, while Ramón has scored in each of his last two appearances, including Matchday 3.
Defensive picks are difficult to settle on this week, with modest clean-sheet expectations and rotation concerns across several sides. Ramón’s low price and recent goals make him an appealing alternative, especially with Lens struggling so far. Yet his recent scoring run is a short sample, and a defender's goals are difficult to count on from one match to the next. That said, the combination of a budget price and current involvement gives him a case even if a clean sheet doesn't arrive.
Maximilian Mittelstädt (€4.5m, 2% selected) faces a tougher test away to Galatasaray, where a Stuttgart clean sheet looks uncertain. His appeal lies in the attacking duties he carries: the left-back is involved in penalties and set pieces, offering ways to score points even if Stuttgart concede.
Those duties give Mittelstädt a different profile from Ramón. His route to points isn't built around a likely shutout, but attacking involvement can still matter when the defensive outlook is poor. Set pieces and penalties can create high-value chances; they can also produce nothing in a given match. A calculated gamble, then.
Godts depends on a chance to start
Mika Godts (€5.9m, 0% selected) is the least certain pick. He hasn’t started a Champions League match this season, but injuries to Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could create an opportunity at Paris Saint-Germain. The potential opening is the reason to watch him, not proof that he'll be in the starting side.
Godts has made a strong case with his recent performances, scoring against Lyon before adding a goal and an assist in the following league match. If Luis Enrique gives him a chance, the youngster could extend that run to three consecutive matches with an attacking return. His selection hinges on playing time, but the recent form makes him one to watch. If you're working in this space, the central question is straightforward: does the chance of a start justify carrying a pick who hasn't started in this competition this season?
That uncertainty makes Godts harder to compare with Ljubičić, whose appeal includes both form and the fixture. Godts may offer a more speculative upside, but managers need to account for the possibility that his role is limited. Recent goals are encouraging; they don't answer the minutes question.
What the picks say about Matchday 4
For managers seeking a differential, these five picks offer distinct trade-offs: Ljubičić has the fixture and form, the defenders bring budget value with attacking routes, and Godts carries the clearest minutes risk. There isn't one obvious choice for every squad. The decision depends on whether you need a lower-cost defender with attacking involvement, a forward-facing bet on LASK, or a higher-risk option whose opportunity may depend on injuries.
(and this is the part most people overlook) A differential's low ownership only helps if the player gets on the pitch and has a credible role in the match. Mauro Júnior's midfield appearances, Ramón's recent goals and Mittelstädt's set-piece duties each offer a different reason to take a chance, but none removes the uncertainty attached to a single fixture.
What this means for you is that the best pick may be the one whose risk fits your squad, rather than the one with the most eye-catching recent return. Ljubičić looks the most balanced option on the information available; Godts is the one that most clearly asks managers to bet on team selection. The defenders sit between those poles, with price and attacking duties supplying their appeal.