Leeds United are the key team for our Gameweek 30 Scout Picks.
Their home match against Sheffield United warrants a triple-up while two Spurs players have made the cut for a trip to Newcastle.
After assessing the Scout Squad submissions by David, Neale, Tom and Andy, we have settled on our best XI players for Gameweek 30.
Lining up in 4-3-3 formation, our latest selection comes in at £80.2m, £2.8m inside our budget of £83.0m.
Goalkeeper
Emiliano MartÃnez (£5.4m) is our goalkeeper for Gameweek 30 largely on account of a favourable fixture for Aston Villa. Over the last six matches, Fulham have scored three goals, only West Bromwich Albion (two) and Sheffield United (one) finding the net less often during that time.
Defenders
There is potential for Lucas Digne (£6.2m) to get returns at either end of the pitch in Gameweek 30. The left-back is second-best among all defenders for crosses over the last six matches while no side has conceded more headed goal attempts than Crystal Palace over the same period. Meanwhile, the Eagles have failed to find the net in four of their last even away matches.
There was plenty of demand for Chelsea defence in this week’s Scout Squad article, which led to us choosing Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.8m) for the Scout Picks. The club captain is the most reliable starter in defence as the only one to play every minute of Thomas Tuchel’s tenure at Stamford Bridge. West Bromwich Albion have scored in just two of their last seven in the league while Chelsea have the best figure for expected goals conceded (xGC) over the last six matches.
Luke Shaw (£5.2m) has rapidly become an important FPL defender to own this season. Manchester United have kept clean sheets in each of their last four matches while Shaw tops the league for chances created among defenders over their last six matches.
In Gameweek 30, Stuart Dallas (£5.1m) faces one of the most favourable match-ups on offer in the Premier League right now. Sheffield United have scored just six goals in 14 away matches this season (0.4 per game) and are comfortably the worst in the division for xGC over the last six matches. Dallas is likely to hold down a midfield role again on Saturday too.
Midfielders
Spared any involvement in Portugal’s final game of the international break because of suspension, Bruno Fernandes (£11.5m) makes the cut for our Gameweek 30 Scout Picks. The Manchester United midfielder has five goals and three assists over the last eight matches, a spell that includes three double-digit hauls.
Son Heung-min (£9.4m) is ready to return to action as Spurs host Newcastle in Gameweek 30. Over his last six matches, the South Korean international is top among Spurs assets for key passes and big chances. He also ranks best in the Premier League for the latter over the same period.
Raphinha (£5.7m) could enjoy a big haul against Sheffield United, especially considering the aforementioned statistic about their xGC over the last six matches. During that period, Raphinha is top of the Premier League for key passes while only two midfielders have bested him for shots in the box.
Forwards
Harry Kane (£11.6m) has six attacking returns in his last five Premier League appearance and, in Gameweek 30, faces a Newcastle side that has conceded two goals or more in five of their last eight.
As already mentioned, Crystal Palace are the joint-worst in the league for headed attempts on goal conceded over the last six matches. Enter aerial specialist Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.6m).
Patrick Bamford (£6.7m) also looks set to benefit from Sheffield United’s obliging defence in Gameweek 30. Not only are they bottom of the league for xGC over the last six, but no team has also given up more chances through the middle of the pitch than the Blades over the same period.
SUBSTITUTES
- Edouard Mendy (£5.2m)
- Antonio Rüdiger (£4.7m)
- Jesse Lingard (£6.2m)
- Leandro Trossard (£5.8m)
THE CAPTAIN
We choose the Scout Picks captain using a four-way vote between our Scout Squad pundits.
Because we use Fantasy Football Scout data so heavily in this process, the skipper we choose each Gameweek is known only to those with a valid Fantasy Football Scout subscription and revealed to the public only when the deadline has passed.
Here’s how we voted for Gameweek 30:
