We’re now just one match from the Premier League title potentially being won, and that fact (or something in the water) seems to have released a maverick streak in at least one of our Scouts.

The ‘expert’ panel of Fantasy Football Scout regulars Mark, Paul and Jonty and Career Hall of Fame dignitary Peter Kouwenberg have mostly gone for the usual suspects this weekend.

Mostly…

Jonty, in particular, seems to have scrunched up the template and lobbed it in the vague direction of the Fantasy bin.

How else to explain his decision to place this season’s points-sponge Mohamed Salah only fourth among his midfield selections?

After tonight’s injury scare at Anfield, it leaves us wondering if Jonty had some kind of premonition.

Nonetheless, it’s a big call, as is his placement of Wes Morgan above Chelsea’s defender-in-name-only Marcos Alonso in his backline picks.

Those two decisions alone should prompt bickering aplenty, relegating the Harry Kane first or second debate to a surprising best supporting role.

All will be revealed in the Scout Picks article later in the week, but for now, here are our panel’s selections and the reasons behind them for you to pick over at your leisure.

Paul Says…

Along with the host of usual suspects, backing Chelsea could be a good move this weekend.

Despite their downturn in form, Antonio Conte’s men have fired more shots (82) and efforts in the box (49) than any side in their last four home matches. Meanwhile, their visitors West Ham are ranked bottom for goals conceded (12) and big chances against (14) in their last four road trips.

With that in mind, Willian and Marcos Alonso get the nod in my squad.

They are ranked first and second for shots on goal for the Blues over the last four, with 13 and nine respectively, whereas Eden Hazard has mustered just three efforts by comparison.

I’m also doubling up on a pair of Watford players who were both among the points last weekend.

The Hornets have won three and drawn one of their four home matches under Javi Gracia, firing 65 attempts on goal – only three sides have managed more over the respective last four in front of their own fans.

Kiko Femenia profited from his out-of-position berth by netting against Bournemouth last time out, while Will Hughes supplied an assist.

When fit, Hughes has made an impact on the Watford attack.

He’s played a part in 50% of their goals when on the pitch, providing two goals and a pair of assists in his five starts. Indeed, with an average of 6.5 points per start, he can benefit from the visit of a Burnley defence with just a single clean sheet in ten attempts.

Peter Says…

Marko Arnautovic and Kiko Femenia came up trumps last time out, and only Glenn Murray’s spot-kick miss and an injury to Junior Stanislas really let me down in a week where the obvious candidates from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United duly delivered.

Arnautovic and Femenia feature for me again as they continue to thrive in their out-of-position roles.

There are way too many doubts over City’s team selection and United’s approach to the Manchester derby to get involved there. For the record, I expect a strong City line-up and a 2-0 win to seal the title, but it’s definitely not worth the gamble.

In contrast, Mohamed Salah remains a shoo-in for Liverpool for the Merseyside derby, as long as doubts surrounding his Champions League injury scare are resolved. I’m disappointed not to be able to fit Andrew Robertson in too.

Arsenal’s home tie against Southampton and Spurs’ trip to Stoke are the big draws this weekend.

Granted, both the Saints and the Potters are fighting for their lives, but they have been on the receiving end of heavy defeats recently and face two of the top scoring sides in the division.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Harry Kane will surely appear in every Scout selection this week, though there may be more debate over which supporting cast to include – Christian Eriksen, Petr Cech, Ben Davies and Shkodran Mustafi get my vote, despite slight rotation worries for the last two.

I struggled to decide which attacking Brighton and Leicester City players to choose, but the home form of Pascal Gross and Jamie Vardy’s metronome consistency gave them the nod over Murray and Riyad Mahrez.

That may come back to bite me, but I do see the quartet heavily involved as they entertain free-falling Huddersfield and a Newcastle defence which can’t seem to replicate its outstanding home form on the road.

Jonty Says…

Many of last weekend’s Wildcard template players faltered in Gameweek 32, most notably Brighton’s Gross, Chelsea’s Willian, Leicester’s Mahrez and Spurs’ Son Heung-min.

I’m backing all to bounce back in style this time around as they enjoy much-improved fixtures.

Gross should find Huddersfield more obliging visitors than last weekend’s Leicester, given that the Terriers have conceded in all of their last 13 away matches. The German’s 5.9 points average at the Amex Stadium also gives me hope.

Similarly, Mahrez should have more joy against a travelling Newcastle side that has shipped 14 big chances over their last six away days, conceding 10 goals along the way.

Son did at least earn an assist against Chelsea last weekend. With a trip to Stoke he should do far better, particularly as he netted a 16-point haul in the 5-1 reverse fixture.

Willian’s six shots on target over his last four home matches, which is top among Blues assets, also indicates the Brazilian will reward our faith should we select him.

Elsewhere, Aubameyang looks to be the best bet for goals against a woeful travelling Southampton side that conceded three against West Ham last weekend.

If money allows, I’d like to see him paired up front with Kane, who is back from injury and scored a brace in that hammering of Stoke earlier in the season. Son should be an able deputy for Kane if our budget becomes stretched.

Mark Says…

After backing Arnautovic in last week’s Squad and watching him reward my faith, I so wanted to find a spot for him this time around.

It’s not easy to murder my Austrian darling, but while I see him troubling the Chelsea defence, I just can’t back him over my selected midfield five.

Indeed, there are few shocks from me this week, with my only real attacking differential found in my choice of strikers. Josh King just edges Salomon Rondon as my maverick pick having supplied a goal or an assist in each of his last three starts.

In defence, I’m still standing by Harry Maguire. I’m all about shopping for that 15-point holy grail (clean sheet, goal, maximum bonus) and, for me, he remains among the top candidates to provide such a return before the season is out. Newcastle United at home could well be the date in question – the Magpies are another side who have proved vulnerable at set-pieces this season.

Elsewhere, I wonder if Femenia will get the nod this time. On our bench in Gameweek 32, he’s proved his worth with his 8-points and looks a prospect again for the visit of Burnley. The Clarets have form, but Watford are solid at Vicarage Road with just three conceded in their last four at home, picking up two clean sheets. I expect few goals in Saturday’s dead rubber.

The Community Champion

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 30 will be BigRedDog, who is in his seventh campaign and has finished inside the top 100,000 three times.

The community champion who has the best lead over the Scouts during 2017/18 will win a £100 Amazon voucher (currently we can only offer Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com vouchers).

Last week’s champion, Bolleinho, beat the Scouts 81-74

The one to beat remains Gregor, who achieved victory over the Scouts by a 33-point margin in Gameweek 5.