This evening we roll out Gameweek 24 of this season’s Scout Picks, where Mark, Jonty, a different member of the community and I pick an XI for the upcoming round of fixtures. Each week, our line-ups go head-to-head and over the course of the season we’ll be keeping a tally of the points as we go along, with the budget now sitting at 84.0 apiece for our starting line-ups.

The Community – Managed by Reedy

Costel Pantilimon’s looming frame fills the goal. The Sunderland stopper has earned save points for seven successive Gameweeks, so in the unlikely event that managerless QPR still find a route to goal without the injured Charlie Austin, he’s still likely to bring in the points. Patrick van Aanholt’s attacking forays from left-back have earned him three league assists this season, and they’ve all come against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Arch rivals Spurs may have ended Arsenal’s three-match run of clean sheets but a visit from bottom-of-the-league-Leicester could be just what they need to get right back on track. Laurent Koscielny has been a stand-out performer at the back and Hector Bellerin gives me a chance to double up on their rearguard at a bargain basement price.
My third Gunner of choice, Mesut Ozil, has been impressive of late, too, and deserves inclusion. As does Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, whose trickery and pace will trouble Everton. His team-mate Oscar has also earned a place in my midfield. I’m not expecting the Toffees to put up too much of a fight and I’m hoping that the Brazilian can take full advantage.

Sadio Mane is quite simply in scintillating form. With three goals in three appearances before leaving for ACoN, he wasted no time getting another on his return to the first XI last weekend. There may be competition for places in that Saints midfield but his has to be the first name on the teamsheet.

We all know the Daniel Sturridge dance, which is set to become a familiar sight again after his return from injury. His inclusion here is, admittedly, a bit of a risk, but I think Sturridge will earn a start against Spurs tonight. He’s the kind of player that can grab a haul even if only afforded a cameo role and could be a very handy differential. There is just no way I can leave Harry Kane out and with attacking returns in all three Sunderland appearances, Jermaine Defoe completes my frontline.

Jonty

Arsenal dominate my picks as they entertain a lacklustre and, in terms of managerial news, seemingly chaotic Leicester. Over the last six Gameweeks, the North London side has scored 13 times, meanwhile Leicester have the third worst away record in terms of goals conceded. As this is written ahead of some team sheets being announced before the deadline I’m hedging my bets and hoping Alexis Sanchez starts or at least scores as a substitute. Mesut Ozil, with three goals in his last three, is also hard to overlook as is Olivier Giroud, who I hope will escape rotation.

Elsewhere in attack, I’ve opted for Jermain Defoe and his ruthlessness in front of goal against a dire QPR side on the road. With two goals in three matches he looks a shoo-in to score against a side that has the Premier League’s worst away defence, with 27 goals conceded. Harry Kane has a habit of scoring in tough matches recently, as Chelsea and Arsenal fans will know – he looks impossible to drop from my picks on current form.

For Chelsea cover, I’ve opted for Branislav Ivanovic, who has three goals already this season, and Eden Hazard, who offers strong goal and assist potential. My final midfield slot goes to Southampton’s Sadio Mane, who had the most goal attempts in the Premier League during Gameweek 24.

In defence, I struggle to see how a Charlie Austin-less QPR will score against Sunderland, which propels Patrick van Aanholt into my thinking. Aston Villa’s struggles in front of goal hands Hull’s Alan McGregor a place between the posts. Finally, I see West Ham struggle to break down a resolute Southampton, which gives Nathaniel Clyne, who earned two bonus points in Gameweek 24, a defensive role.

Mark

My picks are built around two fixtures, with Sunderland’s clash with QPR and Arsenal’s Emirates meeting with Leicester looking as close as you’re going to get for home-bankers.

I’ve recruited six players from those two matches in anticipation of wins, goals and points, with Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud backed to tear into the Foxes rearguard, while I’ve opted for Per Mertesacker in the Gunners defence, purely because he appears to be the most secure option.

For Sunderland, I’ve doubled in defence with Costel Pantilimon and Patrick van Aanholt coming up against a limited QPR attack without the threat of Charlie Austin. Jermain Defoe will doubtless be in many squads going into the Gameweek and he makes my Picks off the back of returns in each of his three appearances so far.

Elsewhere, I’ve tied up City with Sergio Aguero and Chelsea with Eden Hazard. I’ve not compromised here: Aguero’s dry run has got to end at some point and with City desperately hunting three points, I anticipate it will be at the Britannia. Hazard’s a shoo-in for the Stamford Bridge meeting with Everton –particularly with Diego Costa out of the frame and uncertainty surrounding Chelsea’s other midfield starters.

Sadio Mane’s selection needs no justification – his run of four goals in his last four starts explains that. Marouane Fellaini certainly does require some qualifying, however: I point to Van Gaal’s post-match comments following the Belgian’s contribution at West Ham, here. For me, Fellaini starts against Burnley and he may even be thrust up in attack. He’s my towering differential.

The final spot in my back three goes to Joleon Lescott – a bit of a gamble given the recent rotation in Tony Pulis’ rearguard, plus I’m not totally convinced that the Baggies have bought into their manager’s ethos just yet. This is a tentative clean sheet, then, but I still feel that the Swans lack penetration and a goal threat and that’s enough for me to back a West Brom shut-out.

Paul

I’m worried that Arsene Wenger might rotate in defence this evening, so have played it safe by selecting David Ospina for Arsenal’s clash with Leicester. Branislav Ivanovic has attacking returns in four of his last five and faces an Everton side with one goal in their last three. I’ve opted for Patrick van Aanholt over Costel Pantilimon as Sunderland cover at home to QPR, with the Dutchman producing a double-figure return in his last home match. Having chalked up the same number of clean sheets as Chelsea, Southampton look a strong shout at home to injury-hit West Ham and Jose Fonte’s threat in the box has been unlucky not to bring home any goals so far.

In midfield, I’m willing to back my gut feeling that Alexis Sanchez will start this evening as Arsene Wenger looks to immediately bounce back from the North London derby defeat at Spurs. Eden Hazard, Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane complete my four, with the latter looking excellent value at just 6.5. I’d initially gone for Raheem Sterling but with reports suggesting he could be sidelined tonight, I’ll turn to his in-form team-mate instead. Coutinho – who has produced returns in each of his last four home matches – is expected to recover from a knock and hosts a Spurs defence with a single clean sheet in their last ten road trips.

Up top, Olivier Giroud’s five goals and two assists in seven appearances highlights his improved form since recovering from injury. Jermain Defoe looks vital to Sunderland’s chances of breaching a QPR backline that’s conceded at least twice in each of their last five away fixtures, whilst Harry Kane has shown repeatedly that he has the form to trump any fixture as Spurs face a Liverpool backline that’s racked up four straight shut-outs.

The Scores So Far

With a strong showing in a defence that included Swansea’s Kyle Naughton, I gained a Gameweek 24 Scout Picks score of 55, leaving Jonty’s score of 46, Mark’s tally of 43 and The Community’s 41 in the shade. In the overall standings, Mark continues to lead with a score of 1260, following by myself on 1242, Jonty with 1239 and the Community on 1151.