Scout Picks – Gameweek 26

After listing the players under consideration in our midweek Scout Squad article, it’s now time to reveal our final selection for Gameweek 26.

For this weekend we have to make do without assets from Arsenal and both Manchester clubs, as well as Southampton, due to cup postponements brought about by Sunday’s EFL Cup final.

Nevertheless, there are still plenty of options available, particularly among premium options in midfield and up front.

With the bulk of our 84 million budget money tied up in attacking players, we have turned to Hull’s budget stopper Eldin Jakupovic (4.1) to free up funds.

Since being reinstated into the Tiger’s first XI, he has earned clean sheets against Manchester United away and Liverpool at home and faces a KCOM Stadium tie with Burnley, the Premier League’s most travel-sick attack. Should Sean Dyche’s troops score, the Swiss stopper also offers us the security of save points, having earned them in all but one of his ten starts.

To further accommodate our big money midfield and forward choices, we have opted for a four-man defence, who are all raiding full-backs offering enticing home clashes.

Chris Brunt (5.1), who could be fielded in a midfield role should Jonny Evans return to the West Brom XI, is a regular pick for us when at home. With 61 FPL points in his last seven Hawthorns clashes, the Irishman looks primed for points once again with visitors Bournemouth conceding 15 goals in their previous five outings.

Sunderland’s visit to Goodison Park propels Seamus Coleman (5.9) into our thinking. The 14.8% owned Everton right-back has been the picture of consistency in recent weeks, delivering attacking or clean sheet returns in eight of his last 10 matches.

With four goals and three assists so far, Chelsea left wing-back Marcos Alonso (6.7) is another to offer the prospect of points at both ends of the pitch ahead of Swansea City visit to Stamford Bridge. Given that the Welshmen have conceded 26 goals on the road, a third double-digit return could well be on the cards for the 15%-owned Spaniard.

Completing our quartet of defenders is Spurs’ Kyle Walker (6.3), who will be looking to add to his tally of 11 clean sheets and six assists when he squares up to Stoke City at White Hart Lane.

We have opted for the two most expensive midfielders available this week.

Eden Hazard (10.3)’s excellent home record fills us with confidence ahead of Swansea’s trip to London. The Chelsea schemer has scored eight of his ten goals at Stamford Bridge and is on the lookout for a sixth double figure haul in front of his own supporters.

With nine goals conceded and no clean sheet in their last four, Leicester City appear easy prey for Liverpool’s fluid attack in Monday’s clash, with the recent departure of Claudio Ranieri doing little to boost our confidence in the Foxes. Sadio Mane (9.3) is the pick of our Reds options, given that he is their leading scorer on the road and has been involved in more goals (17) than any other Liverpool asset. With more than 242,000 transfers in, Mane is the most popular acquisition since Gameweek 25.

We’ve opted to only include one more Spurs asset for Stoke’s visit to London, with Christian Eriksen (8.7) getting the nod over Dele Alli and Harry Kane.

Since Danny Rose limped off in their away clash with Sunderland in Gameweek 23, the Spurs attack has looked out of sorts, scoring just once in the league since then. But a return to 3-4-2-1 saw the Dane bag a goal and assist against Gent in the Europa League last night, as he hints at a return to the form that has delivered four double-digit hauls in six at White Hart Lane.

Our midfield selection also retains Michail Antonio (7.0), who visits Watford having proved a potent attacking threat on the road this season. His nine big chances away from home is more than any other midfielder, while the 11.8% owned asset notched a brace in the reverse fixture back in Gameweek 4.

The cash freed up by Antonio’s acquisition means we can afford two big-hitting forwards in our 4-4-2 line-up.

After firing four goals in Everton’s 6-3 rout of Bournemouth in his last home appearance, Romelu Lukaku (9.9) was the first to secure a Scout Picks berth this week.

Having already racked up a hat-trick against visitors Sunderland earlier in the season, another stellar haul looks possible for the Toffees marksman, who has been picked up by more than 145,000 FPL managers since Gameweek 25.

Diego Costa (10.6) is another shoo-in. With 15 goals to his name so far, the striker will now face his favourite top-flight opponent in Swansea City. Over his four league encounters against the Welsh side, Costa has scored an impressive seven times.

Patrick van Aanholt (5.0) warms the bench as our defensive alternative. Always a player we back when the fixtures fall favourably, the Dutchman will square up with the Premier League’s lowest scorers in Middlesbrough. His frequent raids down the left will also be pivotal in the Eagles efforts to unpick the stubborn Boro backline.

For those unable to afford Lukaku, Ross Barkley (7.1) looks the pick of the mid-price midfield options among Everton’s ranks. No Toffees player has created more chances than the England schemer over the last four Gameweeks, while two goals and five assists in his last nine starts suggests he may be edging towards a level of consistency.

Finally, we are anticipating goals in Watford’s home clash with West Ham and are backing our substitute striker, Troy Deeney (6.7), to continue an upturn in form that has seen him score in three of the last four Gameweeks.

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. The current champion to beat is Boris Bodega, who achieved a 33 point margin of victory over us in Gameweek 15.

The Gameweek 25 champion is Ruggles of Red Gap who has opted for a 3-4-3 line up of: Heaton; Baines, Cahill, Alderweireld; Pedro, Mane, Alli, Barkley; Rondon, Deeney, Vardy.