For the first time since January, our faith is placed in a traditional 4-4-2 formation as we reveal the players from the weekend’s Squad article who have earned a Scout Picks berth.
Among our budget offerings is goalkeeper Martin Dubravka (4.5), who has impressed since joining Newcastle United on loan from Sparta Prague. Over his three starts, he has racked up a clean sheet and two each of bonus and save points.
Next up for the Slovakian is a visit from a Southampton side that has scored just once in their last three run-outs and created a mere four big chances in four – only Stoke City (two) have mustered fewer.
Another cheap defensive option to catch our eye is Christopher Schindler (4.6). Huddersfield Town’s leading bonus points recipient (12) hosts a Swansea City side that has struggled in away matches.
On the road, the Welsh side have recorded a league-low number of shots (97), close-range efforts (49) and on-target attempts (26) and have scored a mere 10 times – only West Brom, Crystal Palace and Brighton proving less prolific.
The prospect of returns at both ends of the pitch when he takes on the Baggies at The Hawthorns sees Leicester City’s Harry Maguire (5.5) earn a place.
The defender’s ten shots without scoring over his last four starts suggests that a goal is beckoning, while Alan Pardew’s backline continues to buckle; they last kept a clean sheet in Gameweek 23.
Multiple routes to points is also a factor in our selection of Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso (7.2), who is the Premier League’s top-scoring defender, with six goals, and also its most attack-minded, with 53 shots – almost double his nearest rival.
A visit from Crystal Palace looks the ideal opportunity to end a three-match barren run. The Eagles have found the net just nine times away all season and have shipped goals in five of their last six road trips. Chelsea, in contrast, have kept five clean sheets in their last six Stamford Bridge matches.
Manchester City’s Nicolas Otamendi (6.4) has been in fine recent form, with clean sheets in each of his last two run-outs. Next up for the Argentine is a Monday evening trip to a Stoke side that has managed only five goals over their last six – the joint second-worst tally over that timeframe.
Palace’s suspect defence helps drive our selection of Eden Hazard (10.6). The Belgian has six goals and an assist in his last eight league matches, leading his team-mates for shots (19) and chances created (22) over that spell.
Similarly, the Baggies’ lack of resilience ensures that we invest further in Leicester’s assets, with a midfield spot handed to the in-form Riyad Mahrez (8.7). The Algerian’s last-minute free-kick equaliser against Bournemouth last weekend brought a fourth goal from his last seven league starts.
Burnley are another team struggling for resilience. Their previous shut-out arrived back in Gameweek 21, so a visit to West Ham looks tailor-made for Hammers midfielder Marko Arnautovic (7.0) to continue his renaissance under David Moyes.
Since Moyes took charge in November, the Austrian has scored seven goals and set up a further four, often employed as a central striker.
Even a tricky trip to a Manchester United side that has earned a record ten clean sheets at home has not dented our faith in Mohamed Salah (10.6).
Away from Anfield, the Liverpool attacker has four goals from his previous five matches and has scored 11 times from 20 shots on target overall this season. Only another of our picks, Harry Kane (12.9) – with 13 goals from 23 accurate attempts – can better those tallies.
The Spurs striker travels to Bournemouth to face a defence that has allowed opponents a record 99 shots over the last six Gameweeks.
With the premium priced pairing of Kane and Salah involved, we have looked for value in our final pick of Brighton’s Glenn Murray (5.9).
The Seagulls veteran visits Everton on the back of five goals in as many league matches and, with 59,000+ new owners, is this week’s most bought forward.
Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce’s Everton last kept a clean sheet back in Gameweek 20 and have shipped a record number of goals (19), shots (147) and penalty area shots (85) since then.
Suspension for the 2-1 midweek Champions League defeat to Juventus is likely to ensure that Spurs right-back Serge Aurier (5.9) returns to the line-up at the Vitality Stadium. As well as security of a start, Aurier also earns a bench spot having delivered five clean sheets, an assist and seven bonus returns across his last eight matches.
Theo Walcott (7.2) claims a substitute’s berth on the back of two goals and an assist from his three home appearances since joining Everton in January. Over the last six Gameweeks, only Liverpool duo Salah and Sadio Mane have had more penalty area efforts, while Brighton’s defence has gone eight league matches without a clean sheet.
Such is our lack of faith in West Brom that we have handed our final bench spot to Leicester striker Jamie Vardy (8.7). He collides with the Baggies’ woeful backline having scored in three of his last four league away days.
The Community Champion
Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 30 is Fusen, who has opted for a 3-5-2 line up of: Ederson; Walker, Maguire, Vertonghen; D.Silva, Groß, Salah, Mahrez, Arnautovic; Murray, Kane.
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.
