Scout Picks – Gameweek 36

Unsurprisingly, the upcoming double Gameweek dominates this week’s Scout Picks. With six sides facing a pair of fixtures apiece, the potential for points sees us pile up on the likes of City, Chelsea and Tottenham, with all but one of our starting XI handed a couple of matches to rack up the Fantasy returns. Here’s who we’ve opted for:

Joe Hart is our preferred keeper for City’s double Gameweek. Having recovered from a back spasm suffered against West Ham last weekend, Hart makes his way to the Liberty to face a Swansea side that have scored twice in their last four at home. After that one, a Tuesday evening showdown with West Brom looks enticing, too – City have five clean sheets in seven at the Etihad and have shipped just 12 goals in front of their own fans all season.

Jan Vertonghen’s eye for goal helps the Tottenham defender get the nod ahead of a home clash with Southampton and trip to Chelsea. Bearing in mind his side have conceded in each of the last nine Gameweeks, the Belgian certainly hasn’t been selected for his defensive potential – three goals, two assists and four bonus points in his last six appearances, however, have more than atoned for his lack of clean sheets. Vertonghen is certainly a luxury item: Michael Dawson, at just 4.4, is your Spurs alternative should you be shopping on a budget.

In all likelihood, Chelsea will do well to register one clean sheet from their upcoming games against United and Tottenham. Despite their backline’s limited appeal, David Luiz has done more than enough in recent matches to earn himself a place in our starting XI. Having started eight of the last nine, Luiz has offered a security of starts greater than any Blues defender and with a move to central midfield allied with a share of set-pieces, he’s now scored in three of his last five in all competitions.

Emmerson Boyce is called upon as Wigan prepare for crucial games against West Brom and Swansea. Boyce has already racked up three goals from his role on the right of midfield this term and although there’s the possibility he could be moved to the back three to cover for injuries this weekend, Roberto Martinez hinted that Antolin Alcaraz is close to a return – a scenario that may allow Boyce to revert to his out of position role for Tuesday’s home clash with the Swans.

An overwhelming favourite in this week’s Captain Poll, Gareth Bale’s stunning form shows no sign of slowing down. It’s seven sets of double figures in his last nine for the Welshman now and with Spurs in desperate need of the points to boost their chances of a third place finish, he affords a security of game time that few, if any, of the City and Chelsea midfield can guarantee.

With a goal or assist in four of the last five Gameweeks, Samir Nasri is hitting top form ahead of City’s double Gameweek. The Frenchman’s appeal is boosted by the fact he offers us a cheaper option than David Silva in FPL and, while he’s similarly priced to Yaya Toure, is owned by just 4% of managers to the Ivorian’s 19%. With Swansea conceding twice in five of their last six, City will be confident of a win at the Liberty, while a run of seven wins and a draw in their last eight at the Etihad suggests a home win against West Brom is more than likely.

The steady consistency of Juan Mata earns Chelsea’s playmaker a Scout Picks call-up this weekend. While it’s something of a concern that he’s failed to find the net since Gameweek 25, Mata has, nonetheless, supplied five assists overt his last five matches and having been handed a brief sub appearance in last night’s Europa League win over FC Basel, he gets the nod over Eden Hazard. Encouragingly, Mata has already produced against Spurs and United earlier this term, returning a combined 27 points across Gameweek 8 and 9 back in mid-October.

With a pair of games on his upcoming agenda, we cannot ignore Michu. There’s no denying the Swansea midfielder has stumbled since the turn of the year but, having played a part in 50% of his side’s goals this season, he’s the one man likely to produce as Michael Laudrup’s side look to address a run of four goals in their last six. Michu welcomes a City side with one clean sheet in their last five road trips this Saturday before travelling to Wigan on Tuesday evening – with the Latics hit hard by injuries at the back, his 45% owners will be optimistic of further points.

We keep faith in Theo Walcott after he vindicated our selection for last week’s clash with United. This time round the Arsenal winger makes his way to relegated QPR and with Harry Redknapp’s beleaguered side registering a single clean sheet in their last 10 Gameweeks, Walcott’s return to form could see him plunder the points at Loftus Road tomorrow.

We’ve opted for Sergio Aguero as our City forward of choice for the trip to Swansea and home game with West Brom. Back in the first XI last weekend, he signalled his return by grabbing the opener against West Ham and with City keen to nail down a spot in second place, they’re in no position to ease up just yet. Roberto Mancini’s rotation policy could come back to bite us but given it’s the final double of the season, we reckon it’s a risk worth taking.

While he’s struggled for form over the last few matches, Arouna Kone’s displays may well determine whether Wigan are still in with a shout of survival once the Gameweek is done and dusted. Having scored more than double the number of league goals than any other Latics team mate, the Ivorian could well prove pivotal against the porous Swansea and West Brom backlines.

Our first bench-warmer is Angel Rangel as Swansea prepare for games against City and Wigan. With two goals to his name so far, the right-back has found the net more often than any defensive team mate and with the return of Neil Taylor perhaps casting question marks over Ben Davies’ game time, the Spaniard seems the safest option.

Shaun Maloney is edged onto the bench for Wigan’s aforementioned pair of fixtures. He’s somewhat unfortunate not to grab a starting berth – having grabbed a goal, assist and three bonus points over the last four he’s been the Latics’ most in-form attacking option and with set-piece duties in his locker, Maloney’s 5.3 price tag has already tempted many as a cheap fifth midfield option this week.

Romelu Lukaku is the unluckiest bench candidate of all. The Baggies forward has scored or assisted in nine of his last 11 starts and arrives at the double on the back of his highest FPL tally of the season – while the home clash with Wigan looks profitable, it’s the midweek trip to City that dents his appeal, though judging by his recent displays, there’d be no surprise if he delivered in both games. With 11 starts in the last 13 he’s been available for, Lukaku certainly seems to have established himself as a regular since the turn of the year.