Scout Picks – Gameweek 35

This week’s Scout Picks sees us double up on four home sides with favourable looking fixtures on their respective agendas. Chelsea, Everton, City and Southampton all supply the starting XI with a couple of players apiece, while we’re hoping our decision to overlook United altogether doesn’t come back to bite us:

A home clash with Swansea hands Petr Cech a place between the sticks. For as much as there are more explosive options at the back for Chelsea, the recent returns of Ashley Cole and Gary Cahill makes picking a nailed-on defender trickier than ever after Thursday’s trip to FC Basel. With a security of starts and a single goal conceded in the last three home fixtures, Cech is a hassle-free option for this weekend and the upcoming double.

Leighton Baines is back in the reckoning as Everton prepare for the visit of Fulham. The Toffees have registered three back-to-back clean sheets at Goodison and with their visitors scoring a single goal in the last four Gameweeks, further defensive returns look on the cards for the left-back. As always, Baines’ set-piece and spot-kick duties bolster his appeal as he looks to build on his tally of five goals and seven assists so far this term.

With six clean sheets in their last seven at the Etihad, City have been outstanding defensively. Roberto Mancini’s recent decision to tinker with his backline makes Vincent Kompany the standout candidate as West Ham roll up tomorrow lunchtime – the Belgian is the only defender to have played the last three league games and given that the Hammers have mustered 10 away goals all season, he’ll be confident of further defensive points.

Southampton’s home game with West Brom looks profitable for Nathaniel Clyne. The Saints have conceded just three goals in the last six Gameweeks and up against a Baggies side with a single goal in their last three on the road, will be eyeing up a clean sheet. With a goal and three assists to his name so far, the 4.2 priced right-back looks a solid cut-price option ahead of tomorrow’s match at St Mary’s.

A trip to Wigan affords Gareth Bale the chance to plunder the points once again. The Latics have produced a single clean sheet at the DW all season and, having returned from an ankle problem to help see off City last Sunday, the Tottenham man has now notched six double figure returns in his last eight appearances – little wonder he’s top of this week’s Captain Poll with 42% of the votes cast so far.

After a brief sub appearance in Chelsea’s Europa League win over FC Basel last night, Juan Mata looks a certainty to return to the Blues first-team as Swansea roll up to the Bridge on Sunday. While he’s failed to find the net in recent matches, the Spaniard has continued to tick over and has produced four assists in his last four appearances – with Michael Laudrup’s side conceding nine times in their last three road trips, Mata’s creativity could prove the Swans’ undoing.

Having racked up five sets of double figures in front of his own fans already this season, Marouane Fellaini gets the nod as Everton host Fulham tomorrow. Indeed, the Belgian has averaged nine points per game over his last four Goodison encounters and with the out-of-sorts Cottagers picking up a single point over their last four, Fellaini may even be a worthwhile captaincy contender.

Our final midfield spot goes to Theo Walcott as Arsenal prepare for the visit of United. While the spotlight will be on Robin Van Persie’s return to the Emirates, the three-match suspension to Olivier Giroud could, potentially, hand Walcott the chance to lead the line as the hosts look to put a dampener on the Dutchman’s title celebrations. Even if he’s kept on the flank by Arsene Wenger, Walcott’s displays on the wing have more than merited his inclusion as Arsenal look for a ninth win in 11 matches to boost their chances of a third place finish.

Four goals in his last seven Gameweeks makes Carlos Tevez City’s form forward ahead of tomorrow lunchtime’s home clash with West Ham. Roberto Mancini’s side will be looking to bounce back after losing their title to United on Monday and will be relying on the Argentine to continue the form that has seen him notch in each of his last three at the Etihad.

Monday evening’s home encounter with Sunderland brings Christian Benteke onto the radar as Villa go in search of a vital victory. A win over the Black Cats would bring Paul Lambert’s side level on points with their visitors and significantly boost their quest for survival – with 10 goals in 14 games since the turn of the year, Benteke’s sensational form could well prove the difference against Paolo Di Canio’s side.

Jay Rodriguez is our final selection as Southampton square up to West Brom at St Mary’s. The summer signing has started three home games under Mauricio Pochettino – in wins over City, Liverpool and Chelsea – and has scored or assisted each time. Back in the first XI last week after recovering from a virus, the 5.2 priced forward looks a viable alternative to Rickie Lambert as the Saints look for the win that would likely clinch their top-flight survival.

Sean Morrison gets the nod for Reading’s home clash with QPR. A win for either side staves off the inevitable drop to the Championship for one more week and with Andros Townsend sidelined and Adel Taarabt a doubt, 3.8 priced Morrison’s chances of a second successive home clean sheet looks a little more enticing, having kept out Liverpool in the previous match at the Madejski.

A home game with Tottenham earns Shaun Maloney a place on the bench. With an out of position berth on the left of Wigan’s front three in addition to the majority of set-piece duties, the Scot looks a cut-price contender this week at just 5.1 in FPL and has notched three times in the last seven.

Arouna Kone is also drafted in for Wigan’s home encounter with Tottenham. The Ivorian has scored in each of his last two appearances at the DW and looks more than capable of breaching a backline that has conceded in 10 of the last 11 Gameweeks.