Scout Picks – Gameweek 4

After listing the players in our Scout Picks Squad earlier in the week, we now roll out the Gameweek 4 selections.

There looks to be plenty of potential for clean sheets this week, which has prompted us to opt for a 4-3-3 line up. This also gives us the chance to make sure we use our 83m budget wisely to stock up on key premium options in midfield and attack.

Tom Heaton offers looks a decent shout for a shut-out when Hull visit Turf Moor on Saturday. Even if the Tigers score, the Burnley stopper also gives us the strong chance of save points as back up. The 7.6% owned stopper has repelled 18 goal attempts so far this season, more than any other keeper.

In defence, we’ve opted for four players who offer the chance of points at both ends of the pitch.

West Ham’s James Collins (4.6) welcomes a Watford outfit to the Olympic Stadium that has the second lowest amount of goal attempts of any side so far. Meanwhile, the Hammers centre back, who is in 9.7% of FPL teams, has accrued three goal attempts and already scored this season.

Jonny Evans (4.5) picked up two bonus points in West Brom’s goalless draw with Middlesbrough and travels to a Bournemouth that is the fourth worst in the league for goal attempts. Under the management of Tony Pulis, Baggies defenders also offer the prospect of attacking returns at set pieces to further bolster Evans’ appeal. His slightly more expensive team-mates Craig Dawson (5.0) and Gareth McAuley (4.7) are alternatives for those with a little more money.

With no Sergio Aguero this week, we have cash to burn and decide to splash out on the game’s most expensive defender Hector Bellerin (6.5), for Arsenal’s home tie with Southampton. The Saints lowly two-goal tally this term gives the 26.8% owned Gunners full back strong clean sheet potential, while his raids down the flank offer the chance of assist points, too.

Everton’s Leighton Baines (5.5) is looking back to his best in terms of attacking threat. On penalties and at the top of the defenders’ goal attempts and crossing tables this term, the 9.2%-owned left-back visits Sunderland in the first of a very promising run of matches for Ronald Koeman’s men.

We are untroubled by suggestions that Arsene Wenger may rest Alexis Sanchez (11.0) this weekend after he returned back from international duty just last night. If fit, the 12.7% owned Chilean tends to be the first name on the Gunners teamsheet, irrespective of international commitments. A 16-point haul at Watford last time around enhances his appeal as one of the best armband options around this week.

Battling with Sanchez at the top of our captaincy poll is Eden Hazard (10.2). The Chelsea winger has delivered attacking returns in each of his three outings, rising to the top of the FPL standings as his renaissance continues under Antonio Conte. So far, more than 258,000 managers have drafted him in this week ahead of a trip to out-of-sorts Swansea.

Completing our midfield trio is West Ham winger Michail Antonio (7.0), who has cemented a role in attack with goals in each of the last two Gameweeks. Dimitri Payet is another option for the home clash with Watford if you cash to spare but Antonio’s kind price has persuaded us – he’s also looking a decent differential due to a small FPL ownership of just 5.9%.

The Manchester derby is a tricky tie to call but United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic (11.8) has the confidence to handle big occasions. As if Fantasy managers need reminding, FPL’s most popular player, with a 60.4% ownership, has scored three goals so far, joint top amongst forwards with Aguero.

Diego Costa (9.7) loves playing Swansea, having scored five times against them over the last two seasons. He also has form on side, with attacking returns in every match this season and a brace for Spain in midweek. However, the 17.2% forward comes with a health warning as FPL’s bonus point system is not a fan – he has yet to register any bonus points this season despite his strong attacking form.

Our third striker slot goes to Christian Benteke (7.4), who is embarking on what Crystal Palace hope will be a fruitful career spearheading their attack. The Belgian’s 4% FPL owners will be looking for a repeat of his 2012/13 form for Aston Villa, where he scored 19 times and won more headers than any forward. Considering that Crystal Palace are the most prolific crossers of the ball so far, this could be a potential match made in heaven.

With Antonio Conte unlikely to make any changes to his defence, we’re backing Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta (6.0) away to Swansea. The 13.7% owned defender just misses out on a place in out starting XI, though offers solid clean sheet, assist and bonus potential away to Swansea on Sunday.

Jason Puncheon (5.5) is our pick of the cheap midfielders. No player can beat his eight successful crosses this season and with Benteke in the Palace line up, we think he has a strong chance of assist points. Be warned though, the 1.3% owned Palace midfield is looking strong this season and he could face competition from Wilfried Zaha for a starting role. Nevertheless, we think Puncheon is a risk worth taking, although another 5.5 midfielder Gaston Ramirez, of Middlesbrough, was also under consideration.

Romelu Lukaku (9.0) finds himself on the bench despite a strong fixture away to Sunderland. The 8%-owned Everton frontman has failed to score in the league since March but his promising underlying statistics against Stoke in Gameweek 3, where he fired off four goal attempts, in addition to a midweek brace for Belgium, suggests he could end that barren run on Monday.

The Community Champion

The community member who beats our picks by the biggest margin over the campaign will win a £100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Contributors and Moderators League for the following season. So far no champion has managed to beat us.

This week’s champion, The Grand Thibauto, has opted for a 3-5-2 formation of Courtois; Bellerin, Koscielny, Williams; Hazard, Mane, Antonio, Ozil, Ramirez; Kane, Zaza.