Scout Picks – Gameweek 15

After selecting a 4-4-2 for the midweek matches, we tinker with our tactics and roll out a 3-5-2 this weekend. Liverpool and Swansea’s home games look too good to ignore, whilst Southampton’s ever-increasing injury list could play right into City’s hands at St Mary’s:

Michel Vorm gets the nod between the sticks for Swansea’s home game against Hull. The Dutchman has racked up a clean sheet in each of his last three appearances at the Liberty and is up against a Tigers side with just two goals in their last four road trips – a shut-out for Michael Laudrup’s side could well be on the cards.

Coming in at 4.5 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Jon Flanagan offers a cut-price route into Liverpool’s defence for the visit of West Ham. Granted, the Merseysiders have been far from resilient of late but the Hammers’ away record bodes well – take away their 3-0 win at Spurs back in early October and Sam Allardyce’s side have scored once in their other six road trips.

A home game against Norwich offers Gareth McAuley the chance of picking up points at both ends of the pitch. The Baggies centre-half will be hopeful of a fifth clean sheet of the season against a Canaries side that has scored just four times on their travels, while his eye for goal has already came to the fore twice in the opening 14 Gameweeks.

Patrice Evra gets the nod as United prepare for the visit of Newcastle. The left-back has somewhat atoned for a lack of clean sheets with a goal, a pair of assists and 10 bonus points already to his name and will be hoping of further attacking returns tomorrow afternoon – the Magpies’ record of two goals in their last three road trips suggests a shut-out may also be on the cards for the most secure option in David Moyes’ backline.

With three sets of double figure hauls in his five home appearances, Mesut Ozil clearly prefers playing in front of his own fans. The playmaker has averaged 9.8 point per game at the Emirates since arriving in London over the summer and resultantly gets the nod as our Arsenal coverage for the visit of Everton, with Ozil’s creativity crucial in picking apart the Toffees resilience.

Eden Hazard is nailed-on for Chelsea’s trip to Stoke. After a slow start to the season, the Belgian’s form under Jose Mourinho goes from strength to strength – with three sets of double figure hauls in the last four Gameweeks, Hazard’s contribution will be key as the Blues look to break down a backline that has conceded just once in the last four at the Britannia.

We hand Samir Nasri the chance to impress as City make their way to injury-hit Southampton. The Frenchman has improved considerably under Manuel Pellegrini’s guidance this term and has delivered returns in seven of his 14 appearances – with David Silva still sidelined for the visitors, Nasri’s midfield trickery could take advantage of the Saints’ under-strength line-up.

West Ham’s visit to Anfield affords Steven Gerrard the opportunity to continue his superb run of consistency. The Reds skipper has now scored or assisted in eight of the last nine Gameweeks and has served up two double figure hauls in the last four appearances in front of his own fans.

Swansea’s problems up front hand Jonjo Shelvey a rare spot in the Scout Picks. The former Liverpool man was moved into an advanced central berth against Newcastle on Wednesday and produced a goal and assist in the 3-0 win – similar to Gerrard, he has now delivered double figures in two of his last four home games and with Michael Laudrup’s forwards hit hard by injuries, Shelvey looks set to carry the Swans’ goal threat at home to Hull.

A staggering 76% of voters in this Gameweek’s Captain Poll have opted for Luis Suarez at home to West Ham tomorrow. Whilst the Hammers have been resilient on the road, the loss of Winston Reid has clearly hit them hard and saw them concede three away to goal-shy Norwich recently – having racked up 57 points in his last three home appearances, the Uruguayan’s Anfield exploits could see him run amok yet again.

Sergio Aguero also gets the nod as City roll up to St Mary’s. Given that Mauricio Pochettino’s side have four, possibly five (depending on Jose Fonte’s fitness) of their first-team stuck in the treatment room, the visitors look overwhelming favourites to register a fourth straight win. City have scored nine times in the five away games Aguero has started – he has scored or assisted six of those strikes, underlining the likelihood of his involvement for tomorrow’s encounter.

Three clean sheets in four sums up Palace’s upturn in defensive resilience. Joel Ward gets the nod, then, as the Eagles look to keep out Cardiff at Selhurst Park – the visitors have failed to score in each of their last three away games, suggesting defensive returns are on the cards again for Tony Pulis’ side.

Ward’s team-mate Barry Bannan offers a cut-price midfield option this week. Coming in at 4.4, he’s scored or assisted each of Palace’s last couple of goals and will be hoping to replicate Tuesday’s eight-point haul against West Ham.

We hand Shane Long a bench role for West Brom’s home clash with Norwich. The Baggies frontman has three goals and an assist in the last four Gameweeks and may well plunder the points against the travel-sick Canaries.