Scout Betting

The Fantasy Flutter: Goals in short supply for shot-shy Palace and Newcastle

There’s more to football fandom than Fantasy management, with some of our readers enjoying a flutter now and again, too.

In this new weekly feature, we turn to the data available in our Members Area to help us make some – hopefully – informed punts on the weekend’s action.

Those wishing to subscribe to our site to see more of the stats featured in this article should click here to sign up or upgrade your account.

Rolling monthly subscriptions are now available for £2.99, while half-season memberships (expiring on June 1) can be bought for £9.99

And please always remember with gambling: when the fun stops, stop.

The two teams with the fewest number of attempts on goal, shots on target and big chances in 2020 meet at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Crystal Palace and Newcastle United are scoring at a rate of less than a goal a game this season and, while Palace have not kept a clean sheet in two months, 18 of their 26 fixtures in 2019/20 have seen two goals scored or fewer.

Indeed, when we look at the Eagles’ matches against teams in the bottom half this campaign, only two (both against West Ham, curiously) have featured more than two goals.

Bet365 are offering 8/15 on under 2.5 goals for this clash in south London, while those wishing to go that one step further can get 7/4 on under 1.5 goals with Betfair and 13/2 on a goalless draw with BoyleSports.

Defences on top as wasteful Jimenez and anonymous Vardy blank at Molineux

On the subject of clean sheets, Wolverhampton Wanderers have kept five in ten matches when Willy Boly has been available – but only one in 16 without their fit-again centre-half.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have recorded back-to-back shut-outs since Boly returned to the starting XI in Gameweek 25 and also prevented Espanyol from scoring in Thursday’s Europa League tie.

Their opponents on Sunday, Norwich City, have scored just six goals on their travels this season, fewer than any other side in the division.

Wolves are 29/20 to win to nil with Marathon Sports this weekend.

For those who prefer cheering on goals rather than clean sheets, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a man in form.

While a trip to Arsenal may pose Everton some problems, Calvert-Lewin has had more headed attempts on goal than any other Premier League player since Carlo Ancelotti took charge in Gameweek 19.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have allowed more headed attempts than any other club since Mikel Arteta assumed control on Boxing Day.

Calvert-Lewin is 21/10 to score anytime with Bet365, who give you a generous 7/1 on the Everton man to be the first goalscorer at the Emirates.

You won’t get much bang for your buck by backing Liverpool outright at home to West Ham but, with David Moyes admitting that the Hammers have problems at dead-ball situations, how about a small wager on Virgil van Dijk to grab a goal on Monday?

Only three players have had more headed attempts from set plays than the Dutchman this season, while no FPL defender – not even John Lundstram – has scored more Premier League goals in 2019/20.

Van Dijk is 5/1 with Betfair to score any time and 16/1 with Bet365 to grab the first goal at Anfield.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s chief corner-taker and supplier of 12 goals already this season, is 6/4 with Betfair to grab an assist.


All odds were correct at the time of writing. Be sure to check the terms and conditions that apply on all those offers and, of course, they are only available to those aged 18 or over. If you’re going to wager, please always gamble responsibly.

332 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Carlos3
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Any advice here?

    1Ft
    4,6 ITB

    Henderson - Button
    TAA- VVD - Soy - Stephens - Rico
    Salah - KDB - Grealish - Traore - Dendon
    Ings - Vardy - DCL

    Have the money to upgrade mid, but to who?
    And would like Jimmy at top, but DCL has the form, and Vardy has the fixtures

    Top of ML, and 27K OR, so prefer safe options over punts

    Thanks in advance guys!

  2. Ragabolly
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Wait, what? FFS is producing gambling articles! This is very strange to be honest, even with all the "gamble responsibly" stuff. I never thought it would come to this, very sad times...

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      There could be war over this article, and the direction it signals - before all’s said & done - personally I didn’t see this coming at all

      As the great Bunk Moreland once famously said:

      “Makes me sick MF, how far we done fell”

      🙁

    2. faux_C
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Don't get why this would bother someone tbh. You don't have to click on it, and they have to make money somehow...

  3. Gooner Kebab
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Sorry guys, is Kun out for this week?

    1. Dr. Agabuse
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      No

  4. Daghe Munegu
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Play

    A Rico
    B Sidibé
    C Boly - 4

    1. Maddi Son
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I'm currently on A and strongly considering C.

      IMO the most likely outcome is Rico 2pts, Boly 6pts which would essentially make Boly a free transfer if that makes.

  5. CRAZY TRAIN
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Guys what to do with this lot?

    McCarthy
    TAA Boly Lundstram Williams
    Salah Mané KDB
    Vardy DCL Ings

    (Cantwell Lascelles Son)

    Considering Som out for a hit for one of the following

    Traore
    Bruno
    Martial

  6. Ci Siamo
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Could you see Ole resting Martial against Watford or is his reduced minutes in Europa make it unlikely ?

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He'll start

    2. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Martial starts against Watford imo. Utd need top 5 spot badly and at this stage resting one of you're top players is madness.

  7. fc_skrald
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Team and bench for the weekend?

    McCarthy
    TAA, Lundstram, Robertson, Doherty
    Salah(C), KDB, Grealish
    Aubameyang, Ings(VC), Jiménez

    Martin, Aurier, Cantwell, Hayden
    1 FT, 1,0 million in the bank

    1. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Bench Lund and play Aurier. Can't see Lund starting

      1. fc_skrald
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Thanks!

  8. Marty McFly
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Reading on my mobile, so I can’t be certain. But I suspect those links to the betting sites are follow links. This would mean there is an SEO benefit to the betting sites to have them. If I’m correct that might also mean what we’ve read is a paid for article, but it isn’t marked as sponsored. You can get into quite a bit of trouble with Google for this type of stuff.