The Scout Picks – Gameweek 3

Having provided an insight into our Scout Picks thinking earlier this week via the squad article, we now present the 14 players who have made the cut for Gameweek 3.

Crystal Palace may have failed to keep a clean sheet so far but their goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey (4.5) has still impressed. The Welshman earns a place in our XI thanks to an outstanding display in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Liverpool, where he racked up 12 saves to claim maximum bonus.

A first shutout of the season could be on the cards at Selhurst Park on Saturday. Visitors Swansea City are looking bereft of threat after the departure of set-piece specialist Gylfi Sigurdsson – across their two matches, the Welsh side have mustered a league low nine shots with just one on target.

Hennessey’s kind price tag frees up vital funds in our 83 million budget to splash on Chelsea’s rampaging left wing-back Marcos Alonso.

The Spaniard’s brace against Spurs on Sunday offered a powerful reminder of why he is priced at 7.0, and his place at the top of the shots table for defenders suggest there is plenty more to come.

Ben Davies (5.6) is another attack-minded defender to catch our eye. Notably, the Spurs left back has added set-pieces to his armoury this season. He scored against Newcastle United in Gameweek 1 and so far has supplied 16 crosses, more than any other defender. The 10.9%-owned Welshman takes on a Burnley side which had the worst record for conceding chances on the right flank last season, while only relegated Sunderland faced more shots and attempts on target on the road.

West Brom centre back Ahmed Hegazi (4.7) has clearly become a key weapon in the Baggies set-piece air raids. A goal in Gameweek 1 and back-to-back clean sheets offer hope of another big return when Stoke City drop by The Hawthorns.

Already subject to two price hikes, the Egyptian has accrued a 404,000+ new managers this week to make him the top defender in the FPL market.

Burnley’s meagre tally of four clean sheets on the road last season has seen us treble up on Spurs assets and add Christian Eriksen (9.6) to the teamsheet.

Given that the Dane received top billing among midfielders in our midweek Scout Squad article, he was always likely to be a shoo-in: he has assisted all three of Spurs’ goals so far this campaign.

The Scout Squad panel arrived at a majority verdict that Kevin De Bruyne is unlikely to live up to his 10.0 price tag after two consecutive blanks and without a single shot in the box to his name so far.

For City’s trip to Bournemouth, we have instead opted for his cheaper team-mate David Silva (8.1), who, in a free midfield role, is already trumping the Belgian for underlying numbers and Fantasy points. The Spaniard has created nine chances to De Bruyne’s four and also has an assist.

There’s further money to be saved with our final two midfield picks, Watford’s Richarlison and West Brom’s Matt Phillips, who both cost just 6.0.

Right winger Phillips looks set to flourish against a Stoke City side that have conceded almost three times as many crosses down their left flank than the right this season. The Scot also has form, registering an assist away to Burnley last weekend and a goal and assist in the Baggies 3-1 midweek EFL Cup win over Accrington Stanley.

As for Richarlison, he scored and earned maximum FPL bonus returns away to Bournemouth last weekend and faces another favourable fixture when Brighton pay visit in search of their first points of the campaign.

With 2.7% and 3% ownership respectively, both these midfielders could prove lucrative Gameweek 3 differentials.

Only Harry Kane (12.5) has registered more shots in the box so far this season, so the Brazilian looks a particularly tempting prospect.

Kane himself gained unanimous backing from the Scout Squad panel for the visit of Burnley, even though he has yet to find the net this season, or indeed ever in the month of August in his Premier League career.

Kane’s table-topping 14 shots suggest that a goal explosion is imminent, which could leave the 120,000+ who sold him somewhat distraught come Sunday afternoon.

Romelu Lukaku (11.7) is simply impossible to leave out, given his role spearheading a Manchester United attacking unit that has already scored eight from two matches.

We are backing the Belgian to add to his three-goal tally when Leicester City drop by Old Trafford, particularly as the Foxes have shipped at least two goals in five of their seven road trips since Craig Shakespeare took charge.

Javier Hernandez (7.1) is another in-form striker to get the nod. Off the mark with a brace away to Southampton in Gameweek 2, he now collides with a Newcastle United outfit that have lost all three of their competitive matches so far.

With more than 419,000 transfers-in, the Mexican is the most popular player in FPL’s transfer market ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

Manchester United’s favourable home tie with the Foxes has prompted us to hand two bench spots to Lukaku’s team-mates.

Phil Jones (5.0) looks cemented in a defence that has yet to concede this season, while creator-in-chief Henrikh Mkhitaryan (8.2) also grabs a substitute role, after accruing four assists from a number ten role. The Armenian has already been subject to two price rises and has attracted more than 227,000 new FPL managers this week.

Our final bench place goes to Christian Benteke (7.9) of Crystal Palace.

He may have only fired off four shots in his two matches and has yet to find the net, but he now faces a Swansea side at home which has conceded 26 shots in the penalty area, more than any other side.

The Community Champion

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.

This week’s champion is Malcolm Tucker for England Manager who has also opted for a 3-4-3 line up of: Lossl; van Aanholt, Alderweireld, Femenia; Mane, Alli, Silva, Richarlison; Kane, Firmino, Benteke.