We have selected the attacking Liverpool triple-up for the Double Gameweek 24 Scout Picks.
As the turnaround between rounds was tight this week, there was no Scout Squad, so the editorial team chose the best XI for the midweek action.
We line up in a 3-5-2 formation and come in at £85.0m, bang on our new budget of £85.0m.
Goalkeeper
Despite conceding three times against Wolves at the weekend, Southampton are still among the highest-performing defences in the last four Gameweeks. During that time they have conceded the fewest number of shots in the box of any side and only four sides have afforded their opposition fewer big chances. That’s why we’ve selected Alex McCarthy (£4.4m) in goal.
Defenders
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.6m) is as close to essential as it’s going to get in a Double Gameweek for Liverpool. The last time he failed to get a return of some kind was in the Gameweek 16 trip to Bournemouth where he featured as a first-half substitute. You have to go back to Gameweek 13 for Alexander-Arnold’s last blank in a match he started. Since then he has produced one goal, seven assists and six clean sheets.
Manchester United have allowed the fewest shots in the box and big chances in their last four home matches, which bodes well ahead of Burnley’s trip to Old Trafford. The Clarets remain bottom of the league for shots on target since Gameweek 20 while Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.3m) has returned in three of his last four at home from two bonus, one assist and one clean sheet.
Adam Webster (£4.4m) is selected as our budget defender for Double Gameweek 24 ahead of Brighton’s trip to Bournemouth. The Cherries have not scored once in their last four matches and, in that time, are bottom of the league for shots in the box, big chances and shots on target – so they’ve not even been unfortunate.
Midfielders
Attacking returns in each of his last three matches and two relatively favourable Double Gameweek fixtures are enough for Mohamed Salah (£12.4m) to make the Scout Picks. Furthermore, no Liverpool player has been afforded more big chances in the last four Gameweeks than the Egyptian.
Colleague Sadio Mané (£12.4m) also makes the grade, completing an attacking version of the Liverpool triple-up for Double Gameweek 24. Even though the Senegalese international has blanked in each of his last two matches, over the last four he has registered the same number of big chances and shots on target as Salah.
Norwich are still without a clean sheet on the road since Gameweek 13 and go into this midweek set of fixtures without key central defender Ben Godfrey, who earned a three-match suspension against Bournemouth. Therefore, Son Heung-min (£9.9m) comes into the Scout Picks to represent the Spurs attack, with more shots in the box than any of his colleagues in his last four matches.
A Gameweek 23 benching boosts Riyad Mahrez‘s (£8.5m) chances of starting against Sheffield United. If he does feature from the beginning, he looks like he could even outscore midfield colleague Kevin de Bruyne as the two players are level for big chances created over the last four while the Algerian trumps the Belgian for shots in the box, big chances and shots on target in that time. That has led to two goals and three assists since Gameweek 20 for Mahrez.
Despite a positive result against Leicester, Burnley are still in the Premier League’s bottom five for big chances conceded over the last four away matches. Meanwhile, Anthony Martial (£7.9m) has three goals in his last two outings at Old Trafford.
Forwards
Over the last four Gameweeks, Aston Villa remain bottom of the league for shots conceded in the box and big chances allowed. Therefore, Troy Deeney (£6.2m) is an easy inclusion for the Scout Picks, with three goals in his last four, two of which were scored against Villa.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m) finally delivered on his promise in the 1-1 draw with West Ham and looks good for Double Gameweek 24 too. Over the last four matches, only four players in the Premier League have registered more shots in the box than Calvert-Lewin, while Newcastle are second only to Villa for big chances conceded in that time.
Substitutes
Mat Ryan (£4.9m) is an alternative route into Brighton’s defence ahead of that trip to Bournemouth.
Ahead of two fixtures in Double Gameweek 24, no West Ham player has created more chances than Aaron Cresswell (£4.7m) since David Moyes returned to the club.
Jack Stephens (£4.3m) is a cheaper route into the Southampton defence.
No West Ham player has registered more shots in the box over the last three matches than Sébastien Haller (£7.0m).
The Captain
The Scout Picks 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 or have a monthly package.
It will be revealed to the public only when the deadline for the Gameweek has passed.
