Scout Picks – Gameweek 8

With another international break finally behind us, we brace ourselves for a return to domestic action as the hours count down to tomorrow’s deadline. Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea supply us with a couple of players apiece in light of their favourable home fixtures, while Southampton’s defensive resolve persuades us to overlook United’s main protagonists up top:

David De Gea gets the nod for United’s home game against Southampton. Although David Moyes’ side may have trouble breaking down the most resilience backline in the Premier League, they’ll be confident of a clean sheet bearing in mind that the Saints have scored just twice on their travels all season. As the only defensive option to feature in every league game thus far, De Gea looks a solid route into the Red Devils’ rearguard.

Leighton Baines gets the nod as Everton entertain Hull. Chances of a clean sheet look good for the hosts – they have kept out their opponents in two of the first three at Goodison whilst Hull have scored in only one of their three road trips. With his dead-ball ability already coming to the fore against West Ham, Baines even looks a potential captaincy punt for those willing to roll the dice.

We opt for Branislav Ivanovic as our Chelsea defender for the visit of Cardiff. Granted, John Terry leads the way in the overall standings but the Serbian has offered a far greater goal threat that his skipper – with just four goals against so far, Jose Mourinho’s side look a strong shout to keep out the Welsh outfit tomorrow afternoon. Ashley Cole’s rib injury offers Ryan Bertrand the chance of a rare start – the latter may appeal to those on the hunt for a short-term cut-price option across the Fantasy games.

A home game against Norwich brings Per Mertesacker into contention this week. The big centre-half’s aerial threat in the opposition box came to fruition in his previous league game at the Emirates and with the Canaries scoring once in three road trips, Mertesacker looks the man most likely to produce points at both ends of the pitch for the league leaders.

The visit of basement-dwellers Sunderland hands Michu the opportunity to get back amongst the goals. New Black Cats Gus Poyet looks to have his work cut out to tighten up a backline that has conceded three goals in all but one of their last five – buoyed by his recent call-up to the Spanish national side, Michu could be set to hand Poyet a debut defeat at the Liberty.

Chelsea’s Oscar is given the nod for the home game against Cardiff. Having netted in the previous Gameweek, the Brazilian continued his form over the break by scoring in both his nation’s recent internationals – while Juan Mata and Eden Hazard toil for game time and form respectively, Oscar has produced double figure hauls in two of his three appearances at the Bridge and looks another captaincy contender.

A return to action against Everton last week continued David Silva’s upturn in consistency under Manuel Pellegrini. The little Spaniard has scored or assisted in three of his four appearances this season and seems to have been afforded greater attacking license that ever from the new man in charge – at 9.3 and with an ownership under 5%, he’s cheaper and more of a differential option than Yaya Toure ahead of City’s testing trip to West Ham.

We draft in Jason Puncheon for Palace’s Monday evening home game with Fulham. The Eagles winger has yet to produce the goods since moving on loan to Selhurst Park but with five defeats in the last six Gameweeks, the Cottagers’ lack of form affords Puncheon the perfect chance to replicate the type of displays which made him such a cut-price favourite in the season gone by.

With four goals in three games for Everton, Romelu Lukaku is welcomed to the Scout Picks ahead of a home clash against Hull. The on-loan forward warmed up for this one with a brace for Belgian against Croatia over the break and with confidence flowing, he leads the way in this week’s Captain Poll with 25% of the votes cast so far.

A home game against Norwich affords Olivier Giroud the chance to return to form. The Gunners striker may have drawn blanks in each of the last three league games but his eye for goal remains keen as ever, with recent strikes in the Champions League and on international duty over the last few days. Given that the Canaries have conceded at least two goals on three occasions already, Giroud will be confident of a productive weekend.

Liverpool’s trip to injury-hit Newcastle affords Daniel Sturridge the chance to maintain his relentless league form. With a goal in six of his seven appearances, Sturridge has also outscored Luis Suarez over the two Gameweeks since the Uruguayan’s return and has so far proven just as explosive as his strike partner. Up against a Magpies side without Fabricio Coloccini or Steven Taylor at the back, his owners will be expecting another haul as the Reds look to repeat last season’s 6-0 mauling at St James’ Park.

Joel Ward is our cut-price defender as Palace square up to Fulham in the final match of the Gameweek. Coming in at just 4.0, the Eagles right-back will be optimistic of picking up a first clean sheet of the season against a Cottagers side with just a single goal to their name in three road trips.

United’s man of the moment Adnan Januzaj is impossible to ignore for the home game against Southampton. The youngster’s brace against Sunderland in the previous Gameweek has surely done enough to earn him another start, though with the Saints conceding just twice so far, he only manages to warm the bench despite his points potential.

Our final spot goes to Wilfried Bony as Swansea entertain Sunderland. The Ivorian has failed to make a real impact in the league but after being handed his first 90 minutes last time out, he looks likely to lead the line against the out-of-sorts Wearsiders as Michael Laudrup’s side attempt to bounce back from the previous Gameweek’s loss at Southampton. While we reckon the likes of Wayne Rooney is a better option than Bony overall, his price is a major factor in our decision here, as we stick to our usual policy of offering cheaper alternatives on the bench.