Gameweek 28 Scout Picks – Jesus injury unlocks Aguero potential against Hammers

Manchester City options return to the forefront of Fantasy Premier League action for Gameweek 28.

We have included two of their players in the Scout Picks selection which was, this week, chosen by the editorial team.

We’ve come in at £83.4m which is just £0.1m inside our budget of £83.5m.

Goalkeeper

Ahead of a trip to goal-shy Huddersfield Town, Rui Patrício (£4.6m) gets his first inclusion in the Scout Picks since Gameweek 13. Wolves may be without a clean sheet on the road since Gameweek 8, but their Tuesday night trip to the John Smith’s Stadium is their best chance to end that run for some time. No team has registered fewer shots inside the box than the Terriers in the last four matches, while only Watford have managed fewer efforts on target than Jan Siewert’s men.

Defenders

Joining his colleague in a defensive double-up in the Gameweek 28 Scout Picks is Matt Doherty (£5.4m). The Wolves right-back was one of the first names on the team-sheet as returns at both ends of the field look on the cards on Tuesday night. As already mentioned, there is a strong chance of a clean sheet for Doherty at Huddersfield, while the Irishman has made ticking along when it comes to attacking returns. He has won two penalties in the last three Gameweeks as only two defenders have more touches in opposition boxes as Doherty.

One of those is our next inclusion Sead Kolasinac (£5.1m), who is set for an appealing fixture at home to Bournemouth. Like Doherty, the Arsenal man has a decent chance of returns at both ends of the pitch. The Cherries have been especially poor on the road of late, losing their last eight in a row by a combined score of 23 goals to three. Injuries to Bournemouth’s attack make a clean sheet a possibility but the Bosnian’s owners will be hoping for more than that. As already mentioned, Kolasinac is joint-top for penalty box touches among defenders in the last four Gameweeks so will be in the right places to be involved in any goals scored against Eddie Howe’s men.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.2m) is our representative from the Liverpool defence this week as they host Watford. The Reds have kept clean sheets in both of their last two fixtures and with the English right-back in the side once again after a shift on the bench at the weekend they should be even stronger. Alexander-Arnold actually found the net the last time he faced the Hornets back in Gameweek 13.

Midfielders

Mohamed Salah (£13.6m) is an obvious inclusion in the Scout Picks this week as Watford come to Anfield. The Egyptian loves playing against the Hornets having scored six goals against them in three Premier League matches as a Liverpool player. Salah has blanked in just one of his last four home matches against sides outside the top six while Watford have just one clean sheet in their last five road trips. He could even play in a more advanced centre-forward role with Roberto Firmino still an injury doubt.

Leroy Sané (£9.5m) comes back in from the cold to act as one of our Manchester City midfield options for Gameweek 28. The German international played a minimal role in the League Cup final and is, therefore, one of the most likely to start against West Ham on Wednesday night. While Sané has recently been used in fixtures associated with the second XI, he has still been recording attacking returns. Against Newport in the FA Cup, he chalked up a goal and an assist before netting an important strike in the Champions League win over Schalke 04. With the Hammers defence in away fixtures promising a big win, a start for Sané should result in some attacking returns.

Harvey Barnes (£5.5m) has looked like a Fantasy asset in the waiting for several weeks now. He has been unlucky not to come out of the last two matches with more than the two assists he has registered. In the last four Gameweeks, he has struck a healthy balance between creativity and goal threat, having played six key passes and shot 11 times. Brighton come to Leicester without a clean sheet on the road since Gameweek 9.

James Ward-Prowse (£5.1m) gets into the Scout Picks ahead of a home match against Fulham. Claudio Ranieri’s defence continues to look extremely vulnerable with no side allowing more penalty box shots in the last four Gameweeks than them. Set plays especially proved to be the Cottagers weakness in their 3-1 defeat to West Ham on Friday night, in which Ward-Prowse has a hand.

Forwards

Coming into the Scout Picks at the eleventh hour is Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero (£11.6m) following the news about Gabriel Jesus. Pep Guardiola has ruled the Brazilian out of his squad for Gameweek 28, which means that he will have virtually no choice but to deploy Aguero up front, in spite of his 120-minute outing in the League Cup final on Sunday. No player has more shots on target than the Argentinian in the last four Gameweeks, while only Fulham and Bournemouth have allowed more big chances in their last four away matches as West Ham.

At the second attempt, we are selecting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) as the headline forward option in the Scout Picks. The fact that he was benched against Southampton does not put us off including him for Gameweek 28. In fact, it makes us even more confident that he will play. As already mentioned, Bournemouth have been exceptionally poor in away matches this season, their defence especially. In the last four road trips, no team has conceded more big chances than the Cherries and they travel to the Emirates Stadium with Steve Cook and Jefferson Lerma added to their long list of unavailable players through injury and suspension respectively.

Ahead of a trip to Huddersfield, Raúl Jiménez (£6.8m) is an obvious inclusion for the Scout Picks. The Terriers have been just as poor in defence as they are in attack recently, conceding more big chances than any other side in the last four home games. Only Fulham have allowed more shots in the box in such matches as Huddersfield. Meanwhile, Wolves forward Jiménez currently has four goals in the last four Gameweeks and is top of the league for penalty box goal attempts in that time.

Substitutes

Patrick van Aanholt (£5.4m) could be in for one of his special FPL Gameweeks on Wednesday night. Manchester United are coming to Selhurst Park with a long list of injuries in defence and attack. If the Eagles can get the best of the Red Devils it could be good news for van Aanholt, who has created nine chances in the last four Gameweeks.

Pascal Groß (£6.7m) could pile the pressure on Leicester in Gameweek 28. Despite playing in just three matches across the last four Gameweeks, he is joint-top for key passes played in that time and has fired off eight shots too. Leicester are without a clean sheet at home since Gameweek 14.

Ashley Barnes (£5.7m) has been offering incredible value of late, with four goals in the last four Gameweeks. They have come from eight shots on target in that time, and only Aguero has more than that. With Burnley travelling to Newcastle on Tuesday night there is a good chance Barnes’ form could continue. In the last four Gameweeks, only two sides have allowed more shots in the box than the Magpies.