Chelsea and Manchester City are the key teams for Fantasy managers to draw on for Gameweek 36+.
We have included a triple-up from both clubs in our latest Scout Picks selection which, as is usual right now, lines up in a 3-5-2 formation.
This time, we come in well under our budget of £85.0m, with a side costing just £79.4 – good news for those Free Hitting this week.
Goalkeeper
Nick Pope (£5.0m) is the Scout Picks goalkeeper once again as his quest for a first-ever Golden Glove goes on. He still has the highest number of clean sheets this season (14), is joint-top for shutouts kept at home (eight) and, since the Premier League restart has made more saves than any other shot-stopper (23). Meanwhile, Pope faces a Wolves attack in Gameweek 36+ that may have scored three times against a hapless Everton side but still has two blanks in the last three outings.
Defenders
Cesar Azpilicueta (£6.1m) goes into the Scout Picks as a fixture-option rather than a form one, but it’s a home game against Norwich. The Chelsea defence has caused plenty of problems for itself recently but the Canaries have scored just once since the Premier League restart and no longer have an opportunity to stay in the division. Meanwhile, Azpilicueta has three assists since Gameweek 30+.
There is the potential for attacking returns at both ends of the pitch for Lucas Digne (£5.8m) in Gameweek 36+. The Everton left-back is joint-top for chances created among defenders over the last four matches, while Aston Villa have drawn a blank three times across the same period.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.5m) is the first component of our Manchester United double-up ahead of their trip to Crystal Palace. The Red Devils may have been breached in the Gameweek 35+ meeting with Southampton, but they still have two clean sheets from a possible three on the road since the Premier League returned. Wan-Bissaka’s former employers remain incredibly goal-shy at home, scoring just 14 times there this season (worst in the league), while the right-back himself has two assists in his last five outings.
Midfielders
Raheem Sterling (£11.8m) has been in scintillating form since the return of the Premier League. The Manchester City man’s hat-trick against Brighton brings his attacking returns total over the last six Gameweeks to nine, recording 10 points per game in that time. We’re backing Sterling to start against Bournemouth who, despite their big win last time out, still sit in the bottom three for goals conceded since Gameweek 30+ (13).
Despite failing to live up to the Gameweek 35+ hype, Bruno Fernandes (£9.0m) keeps his place in the Scout Picks. He got a much-needed brief rest at the end of Manchester United’s draw with Southampton, so should be ready to start again on Thursday. Crucially, the Portuguese international has produced attacking returns in every away match since the Premier League restart, averaging 12.7 points across the three he has played in that time so far.
Christian Pulisic (£7.3m) looks the most likely Chelsea attacking midfielder to avoid Frank Lampard’s changes to the team following their 3-0 defeat to Sheffield United, which is why he gets the nod for Norwich’s trip to Stamford Bridge. Since the Premier League restart, the American has returned points in every single appearance apart from in Gameweek 35+.
Michail Antonio‘s (£7.0m) four-goal haul at Norwich was by no means a flash in the pan, the fulfilling of promising underlying numbers that earned him a place in last week’s Scout Picks selection. The West Ham midfielder gets back in again for Gameweek 36+ considering he ranks inside the Premier League’s top three for shots in the box, big chances and shots on target over the last four matches, producing a total of seven attacking returns in that time. Meanwhile, Watford are yet to keep a clean sheet away from home since Gameweek 22.
Phil Foden (£5.5m) is likely to be restored to the Manchester City line-up against Bournemouth, as he has started three of the four home matches since the Premier League return as was rested for the 5-0 win at Brighton. The young midfielder has been deadly at the Etihad Stadium too, producing five attacking returns there since Gameweek 30+ and unfortunate not to add to that in the recent win over Newcastle.
Forwards
A little over 60 minutes in each of Manchester City’s last two outings looks to be the precursor to another start for Gabriel Jesus (£9.8m) when Bournemouth come to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening. As is the case with Antonio, the Brazilian sits inside the Premier League’s top-three for shots in the box and big chances over the last four matches.
Chelsea’s poor showing without him against Sheffield United should see Olivier Giroud (£6.7m) come straight back into the team for Norwich’s visit to Stamford Bridge. Ahead of facing such an obliging defence, the Frenchman has three goals in four starts since the Premier League restart.
Substitutes
Dean Henderson (£5.2m) can certainly rack up the save points for his owners in Gameweek 36+. As he prepares to face Leicester at the King Power Stadium, he has made the second-highest number of stops since the Premier League returned, behind only Pope.
Willy Boly (£4.8m) deserves consideration for Gameweek 36+ with a trip to Burnley on Wednesday evening. The Wolves defence remains the best for conceding big chances over the last four, no time allowing fewer than them in that time.
Kortney Hause (£4.4m) and the recently improved Aston Villa defence face an Everton attack devoid of goals right now. The central defender has the second-highest number of shots in the box of any of his team-mates over the last four matches.
Mason Greenwood (£4.9m) remains a decent option for Gameweek 36+ despite his blank last time out. Still offering great value, he could benefit from Crystal Palace’s poor defence as well as Fernandes.
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 is usually known only to those who have signed up to Membership for the 2019/20 season and revealed to the public only when the deadline has passed.
Here’s how we voted:
