Upcoming Cup finals for City and Chelsea affect our thinking this week, with rest and rotation a real concern as Roberto Mancini and Rafa Benitez look to end the season with silverware. Everton and United feature prominently as David Moyes and Sir Alex Ferguson prepare for their final home games in charge, while Arsenal’s Emirates showdown with Wigan earns a couple of Gunners a place in our penultimate Scout Picks of the 2012/13 campaign:
Simon Mignolet gets the nod between the sticks for Sunderland’s home showdown with Southampton. Given their vastly superior goal difference over Wigan, a win for the Black Cats would help clinch survival for another season and with the Saints failing to score in each of their last three, Paolo Di Canio’s side will be confident of nullifying their opponents’ danger.
We’ve opted for Leighton Baines ahead of David Moyes’ last game in front of the Goodison faithful. The Toffees have been in stunning defensive form in recent matches, delivering six clean sheets in the last eight, and welcome West Ham side with 11 goals on the road all season – with free-kicks and penalties also in his locker, Baines could be set to plunder the points yet again.
Rafael’s suspension should afford Phil Jones the chance to shift to right-back for United’s home clash against Swansea. Jones’ all-round potential has harvested a couple of assists and two clean sheets over the last six matches and his raids down the flank are set to trouble the Swans time and again on Sunday, as Sir Alex Ferguson seeks to deliver the points in his last home game in charge of the champions.
We were all set to hand Glen Johnson a place in the XI but Brendan Rodgers’ hint at rotation earlier today was enough to scare us away. Instead, we turn to Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker ahead of Tuesday’s home clash with Wigan. The German has supplemented three clean sheets in his last four with a goal and maximum bonus and has found the net more often this season than the rest of his defensive team mates combined.
Confirmed as a starter for Chelsea’s trip to Villa by Rafa Benitez,Frank Lampard is handed a rare Scout Pick outing. The Blues boss is expected to make changes ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League final with Benfica and while a repeat of the 8-0 Stamford Bridge annihilation back in Gameweek 18 won’t be on the cards, Villa’s record of 20 games without a clean sheet bodes well for Lampard’s chances of equalling Bobby Tambling’s scoring record tomorrow afternoon.
He may have suffered a rare blank in Wednesday’s draw at Chelsea but Gareth Bale’s outstanding form is impossible to overlook. A trip to Stoke is far from straightforward but with eight of his 13 sets of double figures arriving on the road already, the Tottenham talisman will roll up to the Britannia in buoyant mood, with Tony Pulis’ side managing just two clean sheets in the last 11 in front of their own fans.
We’re backing Marouane Fellaini to return to form after a run of five back-to-back blanks for Everton. The Belgian returned to his usual advanced berth behind Victor Anichebe in last week’s Merseyside derby and will relish the prospect of a physical battle against the West Ham backline as the Toffees go in search of a sixth straight home win this weekend.
With goals in each of his last couple of appearances, Theo Walcott has sparked into life once again. Arsenal’s final home game of the season sees Wigan roll up to the Emirates next Tuesday and with the Latics decimated by injuries to their first-team regulars at the back, Walcott looks a real captaincy contender as Arsene Wenger’s side try to keep their push for a top four finish on track.
Robin Van Persie will be looking to hand Sir Alex Ferguson reason to be cheerful in his last match in charge at Old Trafford on Sunday. The Dutchman had seemed susceptible to rotation over United’s final couple of matches but Ferguson will want to serve up a performance in front of his own fans after announcing his decision to retire earlier this week. With Wayne Rooney slapping in another transfer request, the United boss will surely hand “Robin Reliant” further chance to boost his 25-goal haul against Michael Laudrup’s Swansea.
Daniel Sturridge gets the nod for Liverpool’s trip to Fulham this weekend. Martin Jol’s side have capitulated in recent weeks, managing a single points from the last six fixtures, and welcome the Reds to the Cottages having just shipped four at home to Reading. Having scored or assisted in five or his six away appearances since arriving on Merseyside in January, Sturridge’s form on the road could reap reward once again.
Our final forward slot goes to City’s Edin Dzeko. Roberto Mancini looks likely to start with Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez in Saturday’s FA Cup final and with changes aplenty expected for Tuesday’s trip to Reading, the Bosnian could well be handed a starting role at the Madejski – as he showed last week against West Brom, his eye for goal remains firmly intact.
Russell Martin looks a strong cut-price defensive option as Norwich welcome West Brom to Carrow Road. Aside from their recent win at Southampton, the Baggies have been particularly toothless on their travels in of late and with three goals and a pair of assists to his name already this name, the 4.2 priced right-back offers plenty going forward.
Shifted to the role in “the hole” behind Danny Graham in light of Stephane Sessegnon’s suspension, Adam Johnson will be key for Sunderland this weekend. With Steven Fletcher injured and Craig Gardner also banned, Paolo Di Canio is without his three top scorers for the visit of Southampton – the former City winger will be desperate to add to his tally of five goals and eight assists and shoot the Black Cats to safety.
Kevin Mirallas makes the bench for Everton’s home game with West Ham. The Belgian has scored or assisted in four of his last six at Goodison and with seven bonus points also thrown in across those fixtures, has offered a strong source of consistency in front of his own fans in recent matches.
