Scout Picks – Gameweek 28

With a couple of fixtures postponed, our options are a little limited this weekend. Four teams – Chelsea, Swansea, Everton and Tottenham – supply us with a couple of players apiece, whilst a certain South American is finally ousted from our front three by his in-form Liverpool team-mate:

We opt for Michel Vorm between the posts as Swansea prepare for the visit of Crystal Palace. The Dutchman has registered a clean sheet in each of his last four league games at the Liberty and, with the Eagles drawing blanks in their previous three road trips, a shut-out for Garry Monk’s side could be on the cards.

Everton’s home game with West Ham brings Seamus Coleman into our thoughts. Granted, the Toffees have been far from resilient in recent matches – a single clean sheet in 12 – but the right-back has been in devastating form in front of his own fans and has notched in three of his last five Goodison appearances.

A trip to neighbours Fulham looks promising for John Terry. Back from a brief muscle injury last week, the Chelsea skipper soared to the top of the Fantasy Premier League defender standings after delivering his owners a 15-point haul against Everton and his contribution at both ends of the pitch could be key again.

Tottenham’s home encounter with struggling Cardiff earns Jan Vertonghen a Scout Pick call-up. Tim Sherwood’s side have conceded just twice in the four games since the Belgian’s return, whilst the Bluebirds have now failed to score in five of their seven games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The hosts will be hopeful of a shut-out, then, whilst Vertonghen will be desperate to rediscover the goal touch that saw him find the net five times last term.

Eden Hazard is a nailed-on option for Chelsea’s derby at Fulham. The Cottagers have managed a single clean sheet in the last 20 Gameweeks and, if Jose Mourinho’s side are to grab the win that will keep them top of the table, you’d expect the Belgian will play some part. Hazard heads to the Cottage on the lookout for his eighth double figure haul of the season and sits fourth in this week’s Captain Poll.

Southampton’s Adam Lallana welcomes Liverpool’s porous defence to St Mary’s tomorrow. The Saints skipper’s consistency has served up attacking returns in eight of the last 11 Gameweeks, and with the visitors leaking five goals to Fulham and Swansea in the previous two matches, Mauricio Pochettino’s side will be confident of a goal or two.

A trip to Stoke is a little tricky but we’re backing Santi Cazorla to continue the form that has brought his Fantasy owners three goals in the last five Gameweeks. Granted, the Potters will put up a scrap and have been beaten just twice at the Britannia, but with Mark Hughes’ side now without a shut-out in 11 matches, the Spaniard’s prospects look promising.

We bring in Kevin Mirallas for Everton’s home game with West Ham. Whilst the return of Gerard Deulofeu may affect his game time, the Belgian’s eye for goal looks key to the Toffees’ chances of breaking down a stubborn Hammers rearguard – Mirallas has struck three of his side’s five goals over the past six league fixtures, notching in each of his last two Goodison appearances.

Daniel Sturridge is our Liverpool forward of choice this weekend. Brendan Rodgers’ free-scoring side look irresistible right now and, whilst Luis Suarez continues to serve up the better underlying statistics, Sturridge’s clinical finishing makes a more than convincing case for his inclusion for tomorrow’s St Mary’s encounter.

A brace against Dnipro last night showed just why Emmanuel Adebayor is leading this week’s Captain Poll. Ironically, he’s been better on the road than at White Hart Lane in the league but his two-goal Europa League salvo is hopefully a sign of what’s to come as Tim Sherwood’s men prepare for a home clash against a Cardiff side that have just shipped four goals to Hull.

Six goals in his last eight league games highlight Wilfried Bony’s impact since the turn of the year. With braces against City and Liverpool in recent matches, Swansea’s record signing has finally settled in the Premier League, and with the Welsh club scoring freely under Garry Monk, the Ivorian will be in confident mood against Sunday’s visitors Palace.

Curtis Davies is our bench defender for Hull’s home clash with Newcastle. The Magpies have scored in only two of the last nine Gameweeks, suggesting Steve Bruce’s side could be set for a third clean sheet in four, whilst Davies’ attacking threat came to the fore earlier in the week with a goal against Brighton in the FA Cup.

Norwich’s in-form Robert Snodgrass has found himself on many a Fantasy radar this week. As our midweek members piece highlighted, the midfielder’s upturn in form has coincided with an increased threat inside the opposition box – Sunday’s trip to Villa offers him the chance of a third strike in four league matches for the Scot.

Nikica Jelavic keeps team-mate Davies company amongst the Scout Picks subs for the KC showdown with Newcastle. With three goals in as many matches, the Croatian is starting to benefit from a regular role for the Tigers since his January move from Everton and with Fabricio Coloccini absent for the visitors, he looks a good shout to continue that run.