With EFL Cup finalists Southampton and Manchester United, as well as their respective league opponents Arsenal and Manchester City, missing out in Gameweek 26, we have a smaller talent pool at our disposal as we reveal the players under consideration for this Friday’s Scout Picks.

The Scout Squad article aims to give a greater insight into the decision-making process behind our final selection, as Mark, Paul and I list the 18 players we believe have the greatest chance of success across the four positions, listing our nominations in rank order.

The discussions and disagreements that will take place behind the scenes are then showcased, as the three of us look to back our players for a place in the Scout Picks, as well as our Spot the Differential articles.

Finally, we will also reveal the Community Champion who has been selected by our lottery to represent the community and be in with a chance of winning a £100 Amazon voucher.

Goalkeepers

With three nominations and top place billing from Mark and Paul, Hull City’s Eldin Jakupovic looks to be firmly in the boxseat for the goalkeeper’s jersey in this week’s Scout Picks.

Since Marco Silva seized the reins on Humberside and reinstated the 22.4% owned Swiss stopper into the first XI, Jakupovic has made a mockery of his lowly 4.1 price tag.

Over the last five Gameweeks he’s kept two clean sheets, against Manchester United at Old Trafford and Liverpool at home, and also picked up four FPL bonus points.

For Gameweek 26, the Hull keeper faces the league’s worst away attack when Burnley drop by the KCOM Stadium, with the Clarets scoring just five goals on the road.

I’ve also turned to Jakupovic but have only handed him third spot, as I fancy Sean Dyche’s troops to score. While across their season their away goals record is indeed poor, Burnley have improved in recent weeks, finding the net in each of their last four road trips.

Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet (4.7), who also features Mark’s selection, is my first choice. He visits Leicester City next Monday, with Claudio Ranieri’s men just unable to find the net: the Foxes are without a goal in six successive Premier League matches.

Others in the running include Middlesbrough’s Victor Valdes (4.6), who gets the nod from Mark and I, with Paul standing alone in recommending West Brom stopper Ben Foster (4.7) and Crystal Palace’s Wayne Hennessey (4.3).

With Baggies’ defenders offering points potential at both ends of the pitch, Foster looks unlikely to earn a Picks berth.

Defenders

A hugely impressive home record makes Chris Brunt (5.1) my top choice defensive options and perhaps the key West Brom asset under consideration.

Brunt, who may well earn a midfield role when Bournemouth drop by The Hawthorns, has accrued 61 FPL points in his last seven home matches, including three goals and as many assists. The Cherries’ clash offers him the opportunity for further attacking returns given that they have shipped 15 goals in their last five league matches, more than any other side.

Mark marginally favours Seamus Coleman (5.9) to emerge as Gameweek 26’s top scoring backline asset, with Paul and I handing him second spot ahead of Sunderland’s visit to Goodison Park. The 14.6% owned Everton full-back looks another shoo-in given that he has delivered clean sheet or attacking points in each of his last six matches, including two double-digit hauls.

For Paul, Marcos Alonso (6.7) is the most secure source of defensive points. The Chelsea wing-back welcomes Swansea City to Stamford Bridge having conjured more goal attempts than any other defender this season.

Given that Paul Clement’s troops have shipped 26 goals away from the Liberty Stadium this term, the Spaniard could even be primed to add to his four-goal tally. Bizarrely, despite a string of strong performances, Alonso is still only owned by 15% of FPL managers.

Kyle Walker (6.3) looks another certain pick, with Spurs squaring up to Stoke City at White Hart Lane.

The right-back tops the assists table for defenders with six and gets the nod from all three of us as the favoured Spurs option in the absence of injury victim Danny Rose.

Mark and Paul’s faith in Hull City’s clean sheet prospects at home to Burnley spills over to their defender selections, with Harry Maguire (4.4) earning an endorsement.

“A close-call this, because I’m wary that left-back Andrew Robertson also has merits. Certainly, he could be a more secure option in the long-term, with Harry Maguire set to come under threat once Michael Dawson and Curtis Davies are fit. But, for now, at least, I’m sticking by the big man and his goal threat promise. I believe that Maguire has a double-figure score brewing and it could well arrive against Burnley. ” – Mark

His 11 goal attempts over the last six Gameweeks, which is more than any other defender, has clearly piqued their interest.

But with clean sheets being the bread and butter of a strong backline pick, I’m backing Liverpool’s Nathaniel Clyne (5.8) is a stronger bet.

The 9.1% England international tops the chances created table among defenders this season and, as has already been mentioned, Leicester City have consistently fluffed their lines in front of goal.

Midfielders

We seem to agree with the 189,000 FPL managers who have drafted in Sadio Mane (9.3) during the FA Cup break, with the Liverpool winger earning top spot across the board.

With the Reds’ play geared to creating space for wingers and central midfielders to bomb on, the Senegalese international is reaping the rewards, having been involved in just under a third of all his side’s goals this term.

With Leicester conceding nine goals and without a clean sheet in their last four, Mane looks poised for further returns from his King Power Stadium visit.

There’s also broad support for Spurs’ Christian Eriksen (8.7) and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard (10.3), who both appear on track to gain Friday call-ups.

With 21 goals conceded and only two clean sheets on the road, Spurs’ 15.3% owned Danish schemer, who has 11 assists and five goals this season, will be expected to prosper against Stoke City.

Meanwhile, Hazard’s exemplary record at Stamford Bridge, having notched five of his six double-figure hauls at home, makes him another strong option, especially given Swansea City’s aforementioned unenviable defensive record on the road.

There are several disagreements further down our midfield selection.

Mark and I favour Ross Barkley (7.1) to bring in the points when Sunderland visit Merseyside, given that he is Everton’s top chance creator over the last four Gameweeks. 

But for Paul, the 0.1% owned Ademola Lookman (5.4) presents an intriguing differential in the Toffees ranks, having fired seven close range efforts over the last quartet of fixtures, just one less than the in-form Romelu Lukaku (9.9).

“I’m handing Everton’s Ademola Lookman a call-up for the visit of Sunderland. He fired four shots against Middlesbrough last time out and was the only Toffees player to register more than a single goal attempt. Having averaged an effort every 18 minutes since arriving from Charlton, he looks a great value option at 5.4 given that Everton have netted 13 goals in their last three at Goodison.” – Paul

Paul is also on his own in selecting Michail Antonio (7.0), for West Ham’s trip to Watford. While he has had more shots than his team-mates over the last four, he has failed to find the net or assist in that spell. With Andy Carroll set to miss out at Vicarage Road, Antonio is likely to lead the attack once again.

“Michail Antonio’s goal threat on the road and current role up front bodes well for a return to form as West Ham roll up to Watford. His total of nine big chances away from home is more than any midfielder this season, and with Robert Snodgrass and Manuel Lanzini supplying the ammunition, the former Forest man will be hoping to mirror his two-goal tally against the Hornets back in Gameweek 4” – Paul

Instead, Mark and I think his cut-price team-mate Robert Snodgrass (5.8) may emerge as the best option among Slaven Bilic’s charges. Over the last four matches, Snodgrass has created more chances than any other West Ham player, despite only starting twice in the league following his January move from Hull City.

“This was another tight call. I’ve not yet seen enough of Snodgrass in this West Ham team to be totally convinced, so backing him now is a punt. However, I can see goals in the Vicarage Road clash and I believe it’s only a matter of time before we see the Scot instrumental for the Hammers.” – Mark

Forwards

While there is division among our midfield picks, there is no such conflict when it comes to our unwavering support for Everton’s Romelu Lukaku.

With his four goals in the demolition of Bournemouth fresh in our minds, we’re backing him to once again profit from a strong Goodison Park tie against weak opposition. With just one clean sheet on the road this campaign and 11 conceded in their last six league matches, visitors Sunderland appear to be easy prey for Lukaku.

Harry Kane (11.2) and Diego Costa (10.6) also earn three votes, albeit with the Spurs striker seen as the marginally favoured option by Mark and Paul.

Kane’s hat-trick in the FA Cup last weekend against Championship side Fulham looks to have swayed my colleagues ahead of Stoke’s visit.

For me, though, Costa’s record against visitors Swansea gives him the edge.

Across four Premier League encounters, the 36.7% owned Spaniard has racked up seven goals against the Welshmen, including a brace in Gameweek 4: the only time he has scored more than one goal in the league this season.

A skirmish may break out over the third striker slot.

I’m backing my goals imminent table by sponsoring Middlesbrough’s Alvaro Negredo (6.3). Over his last four matches, the Spaniard has recorded 10 goal attempts, scoring just once.

However, up against the Crystal Palace defence, Negredo is presented with an ideal opportunity to improve on that poor conversion rate; over the last six Gameweeks the Eagles have conceded 11 goals and kept just a single clean sheet.

Paul will face an uphill struggle convincing Mark and I that West Brom’s Salomon Rondon (6.7) can end a scoring drought that stretches back to Gameweek 16. But given that Rondon has scored five goals with his head and Bournemouth have the second worst away record in terms of allowing headed opportunities, this may well be the week he finally rewards his patient 7% ownership.

Elsewhere, Watford skipper Troy Deeney (6.7) gains the backing of Mark and I. With an owernship of just 5.3%, the Hornets forward has dipped under the radar despite scoring in three of his last four league games.

Paul would rather back M’Baye Niang (6.0) to shine against the Hammers, having scored and assisted once since joining Watford on loan from AC Milan. Currently, Niang sits in less than 1% of FPL teams.

Finally, Mark is eyeing up a punt on Hull City’s Oumar Niasse (5.6) who, with Abel Hernandez set to miss out, looks set to lead the line for Marco Silva’s troops when Burnley pay visit. The Everton loanee scored off the bench against Liverpool in the Tigers last home outing and impressed at the Emirates in Gameweek 25.

“I was encouraged by Hull City’s performance at Arsenal. Much as I’d like to find room for Lazar Markovic in midfield, I’ve opted instead for Niasse as a differential up top. He looks an assured starter and will be relied upon to provide the cutting edge in what Marco Silva will surely see as a winnable encounter with Burnley.” – Mark

Community Champion

Representing the Community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek will be veteran FPL manager Ruggles of Red Gap. He is now in his 11^th season, with 2008/9’s finish of 1,572 his best to date.

The community champion who has the best lead over the Scouts during 2016/17 will win a £100 Amazon voucher (currently we can only offer Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com vouchers).

Last Gameweek’s champion Alfrankofredane drew 70-70 with the Scout Picks.

The current champion to beat is Boris Bodega, who achieved a 33 point margin of victory over us in Gameweek 15.