Scout Picks – Gameweek 22

Just hours after the previous round of fixtures came to an end, we turn our attentions to the first double Gameweek of 2017/18.

As the only teams to play twice, Spurs and West Ham dominate our selection, though we also go all in on Manchester City as they look for a repeat of their 6-0 win over Watford.

Priced at 4.3, Adrian offers a budget route between the posts for West Ham’s pair of matches.

The home clash against a West Brom side that have scored three goals in seven under Alan Pardew clearly looks the Hammers’ likeliest source of a clean sheet, considering that have recently kept out Arsenal and Chelsea at the London Stadium.

He should at least offer the prospect of save points away to Spurs – the Spaniard has five of those in six under David Moyes and has averaged 4.2 points per match since the new manager came in.

Mauricio Pochettino’s penchant for rotation in the full-back positions brings Jan Vertonghen into our XI.

One of only two players to start every league fixture for Spurs this term, the Belgian is ranked third among team-mates in the Bonus Points System (BPS) and could profit from bonus if they keep a clean sheet.

First up, he visits a Swansea outfit that have scored two goals in their last five at the Liberty Stadium, before facing the Hammers on Thursday as Spurs look for a fifth shut-out in front of their own fans.

Meanwhile, Brighton’s Shane Duffy entertains Bournemouth on the back of three clean sheets in four at the Amex Stadium.

The Cherries have struggled to find the net on their travels, scoring in only four of 10 away matches, which includes three blanks in their previous four.

Duffy also has the edge over fellow centre-half Lewis Dunk for both shots in the box (17 to 15) and clearances, blocks and interceptions (CBI), by 223 to 196, underlining his points potential.

Nicolas Otamendi comes in for Man City’s home encounter with Watford.

The Argentine claimed 12 points in a 6-0 win over the Hornets back in Gameweek 5, scoring his first of four goals in the romp at Vicarage Road.

That penchant for points at both ends of the pitch could profit once again at the Etihad on Tuesday night – after helping secure his side’s eleventh clean sheet of the campaign at Palace, he hosts an attack with just nine shots on target in their last four fixtures.

A recent move up front has boosted Marko Arnautovic’s Fantasy potential ahead of West Ham’s double.

The Austrian has bagged five goals in as many matches, racking up 41 points across Gameweek 16-20. Ranked among the top five players for both shots (19) and efforts in the box (13) over that period, he’ll fancy his chances at home to a West Brom side with two clean sheets on their travels.

While the trip to Spurs holds less allure, it’s worth noting that Pochettino’s side have one clean sheet in their last four at Wembley, while the Hammers have scored three times in each of their last two road trips.

Hammers playmaker Manuel Lanzini also earns a place in our selection for the pair of fixtures.

Overshadowed by Arnautovic’s recent goal spree, the Argentine’s creative endeavours remain vital to West Ham – indeed, both players have been involved in 56% of their goals when on the pitch since Moyes arrived.

Over his last four league outings, Lanzini has supplied four assists and created three big chances for team-mates – only three players have managed more. He could also be back on penalty kicks should Mark Noble miss out through injury.

Brighton’s Pascal Gross entertains a Bournemouth side that have conceded more goals (12) than any other over their respective last four matches. The German produced 11 points in his previous outing at the Amex Stadium – his third double-digit haul at home – and, when on the pitch, has played a part in 70% of the Seagulls’ goals in front of their own fans.

Christian Eriksen is our preferred Spurs midfielder for the double. First up, he travels to a Swansea side that have conceded 14 times in the last five, while midweek visitors West Ham have shipped three goals to both Newcastle and Bournemouth in their last two in the league.

After disappointing over the autumn period, the Dane is back in form and has upped his consistency, producing attacking returns in five of the last six. His ability to deliver goals or assists earns the playmaker the nod ahead of Dele Alli and Son Heung-min.

Afforded a sub role at Selhurst Park as his run of 10 straight starts came to an end, Raheem Sterling looks set to be unleashed from the start at home to Watford’s struggling defence.

Four goals and three assists in his last four starts, with three successive double-digit hauls, is indicative of the England international’s current form. Like Otamendi, Sterling also found the net against the Hornets earlier in the season.

Despite the concerns over illness, Harry Kane has to be in our starting lineup.

The Spurs striker arrives in his most prolific form of the season, delivering back-to-back hat-tricks and 17-point hauls against Burnley and Southampton.

Bearing in mind that only four players have scored more than 17 points in any single Gameweek, Kane’s ability to deliver explosive returns means that he is one of the very few players still worth the gamble in a double even if restricted to just a single fixture.

Sergio Aguero now looks a secure starter at home to Watford after Gabriel Jesus limped off injured at Selhurst Park earlier today.

The Argentine served up three goals and an assist against the Hornets back in Gameweek 5 to return 20 FPL points – the highest individual haul of the season so far.

Having scored twice and returned 16 points against Bournemouth in his last outing at the Etihad, Aguero looks poised to get among the goals again.

Harry Maguire is one of two Leicester players to warm the bench at home to Huddersfield. The Terriers have failed to score in seven of their last nine on the road, while Maguire’s forages forward have already produced two goals and four assists for the Foxes.

Riyad Mahrez joins team-mate Maguire among our substitutes. With a goal or assist in seven of his last eight, the Algerian entertains a defence that’s without a clean sheet in seven away matches, conceding 18 goals over that run.

Glenn Murray takes our final spot. Replaced just after the hour-mark at Newcastle, he’s played just 74 minutes in the last three matches and looks likely to retain his role on the teamsheet against Bournemouth. The visitors’ aforementioned porous defence could allow the Seagulls’ top scorer to add to his five-goal tally so far.