Scout Picks – Gameweek 15

The shock rotation that transformed Gameweek 14’s midweek teamsheets is still fresh in our minds as we reveal the players who have earned a place in the Scout Picks and, we hope, a spot in their teams’ first XI.

The continued absence of Stoke City stopper Jack Butland due to a hand injury guarantees a starting berth for Lee Grant (4.3) as Swansea City visit the bet365 stadium tomorrow.

Sitting in just 0.3% of squads, the Potters’ back-up keeper has earned save points in two of his three starts and could be on course to notch a first clean sheet of the season given the visitors’ woeful attacking form. Paul Clement’s troops have the lowest shot tally (114) this season and have only scored seven goals, including just three on the road.

Among the teamsheet surprises sprung by Chelsea boss Antonio Conte on Wednesday was the benching of defender Cesar Azpilicueta (6.9), who had previously started every league match. With his rest hopefully now out of the way, he looks a shoo-in to start when Newcastle United drop by Stamford Bridge.

We have also turned to the Spaniard due to his broad points potential. This campaign he has amassed more bonus points than any other defender (11) to add to his six clean sheets, five assists and a goal, which he scored in Gameweek 9’s 4-2 home victory over Watford.

The Magpies scored twice against West Brom in Gameweek 14, but they have only found the net once in the previous four matches to add to our confidence of a shutout for the Blues.

The rest of our four-man backline also have favourable home ties and offer similar promises of returns at both ends of the pitch.

Manchester City’s Nicolas Otamendi (5.8) looks safe from rotation given the absence of the injured John Stones and takes on a West Ham side that were crushed 4-0 by Everton on Wednesday, in new manager David Moyes’ second match in charge.

The Argentine has six clean sheets and has found the net twice this season, at home to Burnley in Gameweek 9 and away to Watford in Gameweek 4. Our faith in his selection is further buoyed by the Sky Blues conceding a league-low 17 shots at home.

A 2-1 home loss to Burnley in midweek has not dented our optimism of returns from Charlie Daniels (5.0) as Bournemouth entertain Southampton. Prior to that defeat, Eddie Howe’s troops had earned three successive clean sheets and we think they will be equally resolute when the Saints drop by.

The left-back’s goal and assist this season, as well as his visitors’ failure to keep a clean sheet in their last four road trips, further justifies his selection.

Leicester City’s Harry Maguire (5.2), who has three assists and a goal this campaign, looks primed for points against a Burnley side that have recorded just 26 shots over their last four away matches – fewer than any other team.

Eden Hazard (10.7) is another Chelsea asset who was unexpectedly omitted from the midweek XI and looks certain to be unleashed from the start for Newcastle’s visit.

With three goals, two assists and 40 FPL points across his last four starts, the in-form Belgian is vying for the summit in our Gameweek 15 Captain Poll. He’s acquired more than 43,000 new owners since Tuesday and hosts a defence with one clean sheet in their last ten league run-outs.

Running the Blues maestro a close second in our captain poll is Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah (9.8), who was benched midweek away to Stoke but still managed to score a brace during his 23-minute cameo.

Following this ‘rest’, a start away to Brighton looks assured for the first player in FPL to breach the 100-point barrier this season. The Egyptian also leads the Golden Boot race, with 12 goals, and, along with Spurs’ Harry Kane, has found the net on seven occasions on the road.

Raheem Sterling (8.2) is the main rotation concern among our XI: the winger has started the last six in all competitions. However, his strong form – an average of 9.6 FPL points per match at the Etihad – is too enticing to leave out.

Even if used as a sub, we still hold out hope of attacking returns for Sterling. The winger has scored in two of his three appearances off the bench and has recently netted late winners against Huddersfield and Southampton.

Our midfield is completed by Watford winger Richarlison (6.5), who has the consistency to punish a visiting Spurs side with just one clean sheet in six. The Brazilian has attacking returns in all but two of his last nine matches, scoring four goals and notching the same tally of assists.

The Hornets’ dire home defensive record has ensured we also hand a place to Harry Kane (12.8) – Marco Silva’s men have shipped a league-high 15 goals in front of their own fans.

In spite of Spurs’ current malaise, the forward is still rewarding the faith of his 38.2% ownership after finding the net in each of the last two Gameweeks. Kane is particularly threatening away from home and is the top-ranked player for shots (33), penalty area shots (22) and shots on target (12).

We have enough left over in our 84 million budget to welcome Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy (8.6) back into the Scout Picks for the visit of that travel-sick Burnley backline.

A successful strike at home to Spurs last time out, which also earned the striker two bonus points, brought his season’s goal tally to seven and has helped gain more than 108,000 new owners.

We are backing an upturn in fortunes for Everton now that Sam Allardyce has been installed at the helm. This has prompted us to hand a bench spot to Jonjoe Kenny (4.3), who will be looking for his seventh successive start at right-back.

His assist against the Hammers in midweek gives us hope of points at both ends of the pitch for the visit of a Huddersfield side that last scored on the road in Gameweek 1.

Stoke set-piece specialist Xherdan Shaqiri (6.1) joins our bench as a late replacement for team-mate Eric Choupo-Moting, who is a slight doubt after taking a knock in the Potters’ 3-0 home loss to Liverpool on Wednesday.

The Swiss international, who sits in 7.3% of teams, looks a more than able deputy, having racked up attacking returns in his four run-outs prior to the Reds’ visit. So far this season he has amassed three goals and five assists.

Our faith in a Big Sam revival at Goodison continues with Wayne Rooney (7.2) earning a substitute’s role. Even without a change of management, the former England international’s stunning hat-trick against West Ham in midweek could well have been enough to win our backing.

Rooney has now scored seven this season, while picking up maximum bonus returns on four occasions. Meanwhile, visitors Huddersfield have conceded a league-high 16 goals over their last six away trips.

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.

This week’s champion is Lord, who has opted for 3-4-3 line up of: Pickford; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Kenny; De Bruyne, Coutinho, Son, Pedro; Aguero, Jesus, Niasse.