We have chosen the Scout Picks XI for Gameweek 3 with a heavy focus on Manchester City and Spurs.
This was selected after much deliberation over the Scout Squad submissions from David, Neale, Paul and Geoff.
The 4-4-2 formation is used again and our team comes in at £82.0m, a whole £1.0m under the budget of £1.0m.
Goalkeeper
David de Gea (£5.6m) is handed a place in goal for the Scout Picks ahead of Crystal Palace’s visit to Old Trafford. The Eagles are one of two teams without a goal this
Defenders
Aymeric Laporte (£6.5m) is our man from the Manchester City defence for Gameweek 3. The centre-back remains the most likely starter for the reigning champions following recent news about Benjamin Mendy. Pep Guardiola’s men are top of the league for
We have decided to double-up on the Manchester United defence for Gameweek 3, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.6m) our chosen man in this position. The right-back was selected in the top two defenders by David, Neale and Geoff. On top of what we already mentioned in de Gea’s entry, in the first two Gameweeks, Crystal Palace are bottom of the league for total goal attempts, shots inside the box and big chances. Meanwhile, Wan-Bissaka is joint-second for crosses among Manchester United players in 2019/20.
Kyle Walker-Peters (£5.0m) gets into the Scout Picks XI ahead of Newcastle’s visit to Spurs in Gameweek 3. The Magpies have been particularly poor going forward so far under Steve Bruce, only two teams fashioning fewer big chances than them so far. Meanwhile, Walker-Peters has some creativity to offer, putting in four crosses against Villa in Gameweek 1.
John Lundstram‘s (£4.1m) value made him an irresistible inclusion in the Scout Picks for a second week running. This week, Sheffield United face a Leicester side currently joint-bottom of the league for shots on target so far this season, while the Blades’
Midfielders
Raheem Sterling (£12.2m) was unanimously chosen as the best midfield asset by our Scout Squad panel. The Manchester City man has four goals in his first two matches, is joint-top of the league for shots in the box and faces a Bournemouth defence in Gameweek 3 that failed to keep a clean sheet against either Sheffield United or Aston Villa.
Sadio Mané (£11.5m) was the most popular Liverpool midfielder ahead Arsenal’s visit to Anfield. Against Southampton, he played more key passes than any other player on the pitch and had the most shots on target too. Meanwhile, Salah’s underlying statistics have been a little underwhelming so far this season. The fixture looks good, of course, with Arsenal bottom of the league for clean sheets away from home in 2018/19.
As Manchester United’s safely established new number nine, Anthony Martial (£7.7m) makes it into the Scout Picks for the first time this season. The Frenchman is playing out of position and already has two goals in as many games in 2019/20. Crystal Palace have conceded an average of 1.8 goals per game in their last five Premier League visits to Old Trafford and are still without their first-choice centre-backs James Tomkins and Mamadou Sakho.
Leandro Trossard (£7.0m) impressed us with his slightly later than expected debut in Gameweek 2. He was the chief goal threat for Brighton against West Ham, which suggests he’ll have similar joy against a Southampton side that has conceded five times in two matches so far this season.
Forwards
Harry Kane (£11.0m) was the overwhelming favourite forward for our Scout Squad pundits for Gameweek 3, selected as the best option by all four. Spurs host a Newcastle side that has conceded an average of two goals per game so far this season, while Kane was top of the league for shots in the box after newly-promoted Aston Villa came to north London in Gameweek 1.
Teemu Pukki (£6.8m) was the one that got away in Gameweek 2, as we left him on the bench for his hat-trick against Newcastle. We won’t make the same mistake this time around, including him in the Scout Picks XI for the visit of Chelsea to Carrow Road. The Blues’ defence, still without a clean sheet, has not looked too assured yet this season, while Pukki is currently top of the league for shots in the box and shots on target.
Substitutes
Dan Burn (£4.5m) is our representative from the Brighton defence on the substitute’s bench. Out of all Seagulls defenders, the centre-back is top for penalty box touches, shots in that area of the field, joint-top for key passes and highest for expected goal involvement (xGI).
Todd Cantwell (£4.5m) looks a decent budget option for Gameweek 3, as he will also face the inexperienced Chelsea defence Pukki goes up against this weekend. The left-winger has created the most chances of any Norwich player so far in 2019/20.
Ashley Barnes (£6.6m) doesn’t have a hugely appealing fixture in Gameweek 3 but is in decent form. Only Sterling and Pukki have registered more shots in the box so far this season, while the Burnley forward is level with Manchester CIty’s top-scorer for efforts on target.
The Scout Picks’ Captain
As we have mentioned many times since the season began, the Scout Picks now has a captain for the 2019/20 campaign.
This skipper is chosen using the conclusions of the latest Captain Sensible article and a four-way vote between David, Neale, Paul and Geoff.
Because the use of Fantasy Football Scout data is used so heavily in this process, the captain we choose each Gameweek will be known only to those who have signed up to Membership for the 2019/20 season.
It will be revealed to the public only when the deadline for the Gameweek has passed.
The Community Champion
Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 3 is FPL Mike the Knight.
They have opted for a 3-4-3 of De Gea; Walker-Peters, Burn, Maguire; De Bruyne (c), Sterling, Son, Mount; Firmino, Rashford, Pukki.
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.
It was a first defeat of the season for the Scout Picks in Gameweek 2 as Hot Toddy won by a 69-59 scoreline.
That makes his 10-point margin the current score to beat.
