Pre-empting tomorrow’s Scout picks, here’s my summary of the forthcoming games as I attempt to locate the main sources of attacking and defensive points, in addition to the nasty niggling, Robbie Savage-like fixtures that are best avoided…

Best For Clean Sheets…

Clean sheet hunting takes another predictable turn this weekend. Chelsea and Liverpool (yawn) as always look your best bet with a home cleanie at Stamford Bridge looking odds on considering that the Hammers have just three goals in their last nine games. Rafa’s men meanwhile are also at home but do face Phil Brown’s Hull who have a strong scoring record on the road. You can just see them nicking one here, although they still easily look among the favourites to back for defensive points.

That’s mainly because there are so few options elsewhere. United’s trip to White Hart Lane will be a test of their rearguard, without the banned Evra at left back. I can still see them keeping Spurs out here though. More on that later.

Elsewhere I’m scratching around and looking at Stoke at home to a shot-shy Fulham and Wigan at home to a struggling Blackburn side. Both of those seem to offer good value in the budget defender bracket with Wigan’s Taylor (set-piece hogger) and Stoke’s Sonko (Stoke’s new long throw option) perhaps the best individuals on show. Sunderland is the outside bet given the resolve displayed at Old Trafford last time out. West Brom don’t score too many goals on their travels and with Miller out, they appear to have little to threaten the home side. Sunderland have conceded nine goals in their last five home games though, so the Baggies could well be gifted a way through.

Best For Goals…

Portsmouth almost guarantee goals right now. Since Adams took over they’ve turned into a side that are creating plenty and letting in careless goals at t’other end. With the unpredictable Newcastle at Fratton Park, I can see the makings of another high-scoring encounter with plenty of points going round for the likes of Defoe, Crouch, Kranjcar and even attacking points for Johnson. Newcastle’s Owen and Martins could also be amongst the points if this game goes to form/logic/stats.

Much as I hate to bank on Boro, their home clash with Arsenal could easily have more than a few goals in it. Boro have defensive injuries, Arsenal have defensive frailties and both sides have more than a few attacking players who could produce on the day. The absence of Nasri for Arsenal may allow Fabregas more licence to contribute further forward; his influence could provide some ammo for Adebayor and Van Persie to boost their fantasy tallies further. Tuncay will be the main threat from the home side, although Downing will be looking to get at Sagna who has missed training all week with flu. This could easily have three or four goals in it then, although, as always, there’s a good deal of risk in taking anything for granted with Southgate’s side.

The City vs Everton game is a tough one to call. On paper we should see goals here. City are averaging around two goals-a-game at Eastlands, while Everton’s defence will still be rocking from the errors that cost them so late on against Villa. Three or four goals could be on the menu then with Robinho, Ireland, Wright-Phillips and Cahill the head chefs serving up the goal-buffet on the day.

Best For Frustration…

In truth, there’s about half-a-dozen games I could select in this category. Villa vs Bolton looks a tight affair, Fulham will shut-up shop at Stoke, West Brom are struggling for goals so seem unlikely to capitalise on Sunderland’s generosity at home. Wigan are finding goals at the JJB hard to find and even Chelsea could be in for a frustrating afternoon when they face the Zola’s stubborn defence.

I’ve got the fear about the Spurs vs United encounter. Both sides are packed with attacking talent but you’ve got Spurs struggling to score goals at the Lane (5 goals in the last 5 at home), coupled with United’s patchy away form (5 goals in the last 5 away). Add to that the absence of Rooney and doubts over the fitness of Berbatov and I’ve enough evidence to suggest that this will be a squeaky, low-scoring affair. I’m backing a narrow win for United with the clean sheet.