While the FA Cup has turned attentions to the breakdown of Gameweek 30, we shift our thinking to more pressing concerns as we begin our countdown to Gameweek 27. We start by revealing our “work in progress” Scout Picks, listing 22 players in contention for a place in next Friday’s squad, as well as those pressing claims for a spot amongst our “Spot the Differential” selection. We also reveal this week’s Community champion who will go head-to-head with Friday’s final Scout Picks.

Here’s the cast currently under consideration…

Goalkeepers

Whilst Stoke City’s defence has flattered to deceive of late, Jack Butland (5.2) will fancy his chances of repelling an Aston Villa outfit that has failed to score in three of the last four Gameweeks ahead of their Britannia head-to-head. With injuries biting in the Potters’ backline, Butland continues to be the prime pick, particularly while Ryan Shawcross remains absent. While Mark Hughes’ rearguard have missed the presence of their skipper, they should have enough to see off Remi Garde’s ailing attack.

With Craig Dawson a minor doubt for West Brom’s home encounter with a goal-shy Crystal Palace, we turn to Ben Foster (4.9) as our second keeper option. Having ousted Boaz Myhill as the Baggies’ number one, Foster has shipped just two goals in his last four outings. Meanwhile, Alan Pardew’s men turn up at the Hawthorns having struck just four in four, with just a single goal in their last four away trips.

Defenders

Despite suffering from their one-man disadvantage against Arsenal, Leicester’s defence have been particularly resilient of late, conceding just three goals across the eight Gameweeks prior to that 2-1 Emirates loss. Christian Fuchs (4.8) bagged two assists and nine bonus points during that period and boasts a points per game average (4.3) that surpasses that of Robert Huth (3.7). That makes him our choice pick in Claudio Ranieri’s defence ahead of a plum home clash with Norwich

Watford’s strong home defensive form budget option Nathan Ake (4.4) back onto our radars. The Hornets’ recent clean sheet against Chelsea took their tally to seven in front of their own fans – only Manchester United (eight) have managed more – which bodes well for Ake’s prospects at Vicarage Road against visiting Bournemouth.

Given that he claimed maximum bonus points in West Ham United’s most recent two clean sheets, Aaron Cresswell (5.7) serves as the prime route into their backline before a home encounter against Sunderland. The Irons allowed just three goals in their previous three showdowns at the Boleyn Ground, whilst Cresswell’s forward forays have already delivered a goal and three assists.

Scott Dann (5.9) ranks joint-top among defenders for goals (five) this term but has found his Fantasy output curtailed by Crystal Palace’s inability to record a clean sheet in seven match-ups. That could be set to change next weekend, as the Eagles travel to face a Baggies unit that registered a paltry two goals across the last five Gameweeks.

By way of his aerial threat from corners (two goals) and knack for long-range assists (three), Toby Alderweireld (6.3) remains our favoured path into the league’s most resilient defence at home to Swansea City. Despite recent improvement, the Swans have scored just twice in their last three league outings, while Spurs have conceded three goals in their last five.

Virgil van Dijk’s (5.5) habit of accruing bonus points (eight in six outings) gives him the nod over Jose Fonte as Southampton shoot for their seventh successive clean sheet when Chelsea make their way to St Mary’s.

Arsenal’s raiding right-back Hector Bellerin’s (6.1) earns the nod as the Gunners visit an out-of-sorts Manchester United outfit next Sunday. United will be without Wayne Rooney as a factor up front and, while we expect Anthony Martial to be shifted to a central role, it remains to be seen how Louis van Gaal’s men will adjust as an attacking force without their skipper.

Midfielders

Marko Arnautovic (6.4) fell off our radar during the Potters’ recent spell of four consecutive blanks, but their 3-1 win over Bournemouth last weekend restores some faith in their attacking prospects. The Austrian winger was absent from that fixture because of illness but is expected to be passed fit – having scored against the likes of Chelsea, City and United at the Britannia this term, he will relish facing a Villa defence that’s still reeling from the 6-0 mauling at the hands of Liverpool.

Wahbi Khazri (6.0) has quickly established himself as a crucial component to Sunderland’s attack, notching one goal and two assists in a pair of starts against Liverpool and United. The former Bordeaux recruit’s quality service from corners and free-kicks affords him a multitude of ways to tally attacking returns as the Black Cats travel to West Ham.

Christian Eriksen (8.5) tallied the joint-third-most attempts (13) and joint-most shots on target (six) among midfielders across the last four Gameweeks and is making a strong case for consideration at home to Swansea. Team-mate Dele Alli (6.0) has racked up two goals and three assists in four starts and is the value option, though.

Willian (7.1) enjoyed his joint-best score (13 points) of the season against Newcastle and acts as the most consistent route into Chelsea’s midfield, posting a ppg average (4.3) that exceeds any of his counterparts. Fresh from a thumping victory over the Magpies and today’s FA Cup thrashing of Man City, the Blues are well placed to end the Saints’ eye-catching defensive streak.

Having banished his barren run with a goal and assist at Carrow Road, Dimitri Payet (8.2) will be looking to prey on Sunderland’s generous rearguard. The Frenchman looked untouchable in today’s FA Cup rout at Blackburn Rovers and will surely head into the weekend flowing with confidence.

Considering that Leicester entertain the league’s joint-worst defence in Gameweek 27, Riyad Mahrez (7.0) is a sure-fire starter in our Picks at home to Norwich. Similarly, Mesut Ozil (9.9) could well retain his Picks starting berth. The playmaker is now hinting at rediscovering the consistency that has seen him trail only Mahrez in the FPL midfielder scoring charts.

Forwards

Romelu Lukaku’s relative lack of form and blank this Gameweek prompted a glut of owners to make the straight swap with Jamie Vardy (7.5), who’s racked up four goals in as many starts. Considering that the Canaries conceded three or more goals on four occasions over the last six Gameweeks, the stage looks set for the league’s top scorer to reward his growing band of new owners.

Since Gameweek 20, Diego Costa (10.6) has drawn just two blanks, chalking up five goals and three assists in the process. Although Southampton’s recent diligence serves as a deterrent, it’s worth noting that the Chelsea marksman netted against two of the league’s top-three defences (Arsenal and Man United) across the last four Gameweeks, illustrating his fixture-proof status.

In response to Wayne Rooney’s expected six-week absence, Anthony Martial (7.6) should be handed a series of starts at the lone-striker berth. While we’ve currently drafted Arsenal’s Bellerin into the squad in opposition, we’re keeping our options open by considering the Frenchman. Martial has notched two goals and one assist in his previous trio of outings on the wing, so a more advanced role could spark his return to viability in the mid-priced forward bracket.

Harry Kane (10.1) boasts great form (five goals in five) as Spurs prepare to face a Swans team that mustered one clean sheet in their last seven outings: he looks an iron-clad Scout Pick selection come Friday.

Finally, Odion Ighalo (6.2) has scored just a solitary goal in his last seven starts but is more than capable of punishing a Bournemouth back line that has been breached five times in the last two Gameweeks.

On Standby

Shifting our attention towards those players who are on the periphery of our thinking, we have to go on pondering the merits ofAlexis Sanchez (11.0). While the Chilean has drawn nine straight blanks, he continues to boast strong underlying numbers ahead of a trip to Old Trafford – he leads the way for attempts inside the box (13) amongst midfielders over the last four Gameweeks.

Eden Hazard’s (10.8) display and assists in today’s 5-1 win over Manchester City may yet earn him consideration in this weekend’s “Spot the Differential”. Given Willian’s consistency this term, the Belgian still has a long way to go before he begins to edge his way back into Watchlist or Scout Picks consideration, however.

West Ham’s Michail Antonio (5.3) placed joint-fourth for shots inside the box (six) over the same stretch – team-mate Payet has managed just two close-range efforts by comparison. Similarly, Emmanuel Emenike’s (5.0) brace in today’s FA Cup win puts us on alert to his value ahead of the weekend meeting with the Black Cats’ defence.

The favourable nature of Stoke’s match-up against Villa sharpens our focus on Xherdan Shaqiri (6.4), who mustered an assist and three attempts last time out. We may also opt for a Potters defender should we go for West Brom’s Foster in goal so, with Glen Johnson ruled out and Shawcross still unlikely to return, Erik Pieters (5.0) or Philipp Wollscheid (4.5) could yet earn Picks recognition.

Troy Deeney (5.2) grabbed a brace in his last outing and charted joint-fourth among forwards for key passes (eight) over the previous four Gameweeks, illuminating his dual threat. Elsewhere in the budget-forward bracket, Jermain Defoe (5.1) possesses the second-best shot-conversion rate (30.8%) of any striker that’s clocked more than 200 minutes since Gameweek 21. Defoe’s team-mate, Patrick van Aanholt (4.7), is also a name we have to consider in defence: while a Sunderland clean sheet would seem unlikely at West Ham, the Dutchman’s attacking raids could earn dividends with the Hammers’ struggling with injuries at right-back.

The Community Champions

Having scrapped the weekly vote idea from last season, we now operate a lottery system to pick our weekly candidates. 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. Red Devil leads the way after beating the Picks by 25 points in Gameweek 17.

Gameweek 26’s Community Champion Eden Hazardous was defeated 50 points to 40 by the Scout Picks.

Gameweek 27’s Scout Picks Community Champion, as selected by our lottery, is Oghash. This is his third season and so far his best yet, with an overall rank at the Gameweek 26 stage of 42,769 some way ahead of his previous highest finish of 512,601 in 2013/14.

In addition to a shot at the £100 Amazon prize, FantasyBet are offering a chance for further prizes to Community Champions that are eligible to play their games. More details can be found here.