Our Gameweek 33 Scout Picks sees us double up on four teams that are set for home comforts.
Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea and Liverpool all supply us with a couple of players apiece, with attacking options from Bournemouth, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur also included.
As ever, we are limited by certain restrictions:
- An £83.0m budget for our starting XI
- An overall squad limit of £100.0m
- No more than three players per team
GOALKEEPER
Gabriel Magalhaes (£5.4m) was going to be our Arsenal defender for the Gunners’ clash with Aston Villa at the Emirates. The Brazilian is second for shots in the box (26) and big chances (six) among defenders, while Villa have the joint-third-worst record in conceding goals from set-pieces (14).
However, his absence from today’s training video has led us to play it safe with David Raya (£5.1m). On the face of it, a clash with the Villans isn’t the most obvious source of a clean sheet. But the Gunners boast by some distance the best backline in the division. Conceding just four goals and keeping seven clean sheets in 2024 is already impressive. But allowing just four ‘big chances’ this calendar year is really amazing; just for context, Villa have given away 39. If Manchester City can be shut out at the Etihad, no one else should hold any fear.
DEFENDERS
Andrew Robertson (£6.4m) started on the bench against Atalanta on Thursday, so should be raring to go for Sunday’s home clash with Crystal Palace. The Scot was particularly attacking at Old Trafford last week, racking up two shots, six penalty box touches and four key passes, so looks like a solid shout for points at both ends of the pitch in Gameweek 33.
We’ve opted for Sergio Reguilon (£4.4m) as Brentford welcome Sheffield United to the Gtech Community Stadium. Certainly, the omens look good for the 1.9%-owned defender – Thomas Frank’s side kept a clean sheet in their last home fixture against Brighton and Hove Albion, while the Blades have scored a league-low 13 goals on the road this season. Should Chris Wilder’s troops find the net, Reguilon can at least compensate at the other end of the field: he’s delivered five assists in his last seven starts.
Chelsea are without a clean sheet since January, but Malo Gusto’s (£4.3m) threat from the back is enough to earn him a place in our Scout Picks. The flying full-back has created 16 chances in his last half-dozen appearances, more than any other FPL defender, highlighting his assist potential. Gusto now faces an Everton side that have failed to score in four of their last seven away outings.
MIDFIELDERS
Mohamed Salah (£13.4m) is an obvious candidate as Crystal Palace roll up to Anfield, having started on the bench on Thursday. The Egyptian has averaged an impressive 8.5 points per home start this season and bearing in mind that Palace have just one clean sheet in 20 matches, there’d be no surprise if he delivers yet again.
Kai Havertz (£7.3m) prolonged his exceptional purple patch in Gameweek 32, racking up 14 points away to Brighton and Hove Albion. The German now has five goals and five assists in his last seven appearances and may be facing Aston Villa at an opportune time, with Unai Emery’s side fresh off the back of a demanding UEFA Europa Conference League clash with Lille and short of defensive midfielders. Havertz admittedly saves us some pennies over Bukayo Saka (£8.9m), but his aerial presence in the opposition box is a key factor in his favour this week, due to that aforementioned set-piece weakness.
Cole Palmer (£6.1m) is a nailed-on option for our four-man midfield ahead of a home encounter with Everton. Over the last six Gameweeks, the former Manchester City man is ranked top for shots (29) and key passes (20). He’s also produced double-digit hauls in each of his last three matches at Stamford Bridge, a period which has seen him deliver six goals and an assist.
Son Heung-min (£10.1m) was in the running for Scout Picks duty this week, but our meagre £100.0m budget only stretches so far, so Brennan Johnson (£5.8m) breaks into our weekly selection instead. The 22-year-old has racked up two goals and four assists in his last six games and during that run, has had at least one big chance in each match. His blank last time out against Nottingham Forest was an unlucky one, too. On another day, he could have left with two attacking returns. Newcastle’s injury crisis at left-back is another reason for his inclusion. We might see Paul Dummett (£3.9m) there this weekend…
FORWARDS
Leader of this week’s captain poll, Erling Haaland (£14.3m) is primed for Scout Picks duty once again this weekend. The Norwegian’s form has been questioned of late but he’ll be up against a Luton Town side without an away clean sheet all season, so will fancy his chances. Manchester City host Real Madrid on Wednesday but you’d still expect Haaland to get the nod here, with the caveat that his minutes might be managed.
A home match with Sheffield United offers Ivan Toney (£8.1m) the chance to get back amongst the goals. Although he’s failed to net in his last eight matches, the 28-year-old should do well against a defence that’s yet to record an away clean sheet in 2023/24 and sits bottom in many key defensive metrics.
We’re keeping faith in Dominic Solanke (£7.3m) for Bournemouth’s home clash with Manchester United. The former Liverpool man has netted in two of his last three matches at the Vitality Stadium, whilst the Red Devils have allowed more shots and efforts in the box than any other side from Gameweek 24 onwards.
THE SUBSTITUTES
- You won’t find many cheaper goalkeepers than Caoimhin Kelleher (£3.9m), who is selected here for budgetary reasons.
- Neco Williams (£4.3m) will be up against a Wolverhampton Wanderers side who have scored only seven goals in their last eight league fixtures. Nottingham Forest are also fifth for expected goals conceded (xGC) since Nuno Espirito Santo came in.
- Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.1m) warms the bench for the trip to Burnley in Gameweek 33. The Clarets have netted just three times in their last four home matches.
- A favourable home fixture against Manchester United on the back of two goals and one assist in five matches leads us to Justin Kluivert (£4.6m). The Red Devils arrive on the south coast with just one clean sheet from their last eight.
THE CAPTAIN
We chose the Scout Picks captain using a vote between our Scout Squad panel.
- Sam: Haaland, Salah, Palmer
- Marc: Haaland, Salah, Palmer
- Tom F: Haaland, Salah, Palmer
- Neale: Haaland, Salah, Palmer
Erling Haaland is handed the armband this week, with Mohamed Salah as the vice-captain.
COMMUNITY CHAMPION
Each week, a member of the Fantasy Football Scout community takes on the Scout Picks.
The community member who beats our team by the largest margin will win a £100 Amazon voucher. They’ll also get a place in our Moderators and Contributors League for the following season.
The-Red-1’s 64-30 victory in Gameweek 16 gave the community the biggest win (34 points difference) of 2023/24 so far.
The community are 16.5-15.5 up on the Scout Picks this season, but the gap has closed after Husky1882 was defeated by three points in Gameweek 32.
FOLLOW THE SCOUT’S WEEKLY TRANSFER PLANS
We’re running a Scout community team in FPL this season, with regulars like TopMarx, Tom Freeman, Marc Jobling and more contributing to the weekly decisions.
And we’re not just looking one week ahead like we are with the Scout Picks but instead planning in advance for the weeks and months to come.
You can follow our team via the Premier Fantasy Tools Pro Planner, which you can learn more about here.
Having registered 78 points in Gameweek 32, we’re up to 4k in the world.
