Marc, Sam, Tom J (in for the absent Neale) and Tom F are back for the round-table discussion that is the Gameweek 33 Scout Squad.

There is consensus about 10 players this week, with a further three assets getting three votes apiece.

ABOUT THE SCOUT SQUAD

In this article series, our team discuss who they think the best players are for the upcoming Gameweek in isolation. In other words, there’s no medium-term planning involved.

The players who get the most votes are likelier to make our Scout Picks.

Each of our writers must meet the following requirements for this feature:

• At least one sub-£5.0m goalkeeper
• At least one sub-£5.0m defender
• At least one sub-£6.0m midfielder
• At least one sub-£7.0m forward
• No more than three players from the same club

SCOUT SQUAD: GAMEWEEK 33 PICKS

Most popular picks: David Raya, Alphonse Areola, Josko Gvardiol, Daniel Munoz, Conor Bradley, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka, Morgan Rogers, Omar Marmoush, Jean-Philippe Mateta (four), William Saliba, Kevin De Bruyne, Chris Wood (three)

MARC SAID…

To me, the mixed emotions of Double Gameweek 32 were a reminder that we shouldn’t blindly go all-in on players that will feature twice. The Newcastle options were magical but it wasn’t the same for Crystal Palace. Jean-Philippe Mateta failed to reach an hour in either blank, while Daniel Munoz finished on negative points. Eberechi Eze’s owners witnessed a penalty miss, meaning Ismaila Sarr was their highest scorer with just seven.

However, not many single Gameweek 33 assets have appeal either, so let’s stick with Mateta and Munoz. The forward has earned enough goodwill from his nine goals in the previous 10 starts, while the wing-back’s latest 10 brought only two blanks.

There’s a chance that the Eagles can catch a jubilant Arsenal off guard. I’m hesitant about buying Bukayo Saka because none of his comeback’s three league matches have been from the start – he could be wrapped in cotton wool between now and the Champions League semi-finals. Of course, he scored in Madrid and in one of those cameos.

A romantic alternative for Cole Palmer sellers could be Kevin De Bruyne on his farewell tour. The playmaker hauled against Palace but starts are so rare for him and there’s an FA Cup semi coming up. Matches against Everton and Aston Villa look nasty, though I’ve still picked Josko Gvardiol’s attacking potential. No defender has more goals (five).

Saka’s minutes and Omar Marmoush’s fixtures lack Triple Captain interest for me, so there’s a personal decision to be made. At least Arsenal’s David Raya and William Saliba seem nailed at the back. They face one of the lowest scorers – Ipswich – plus a Palace that’s just lost 5-0.

Even rarer goal getters are Leicester and Southampton, so I’ve tripled up on one-match-only West Ham and Liverpool. The Hammers may not be keeping clean sheets but when your already relegated opponent could still become the side with the fewest ever Premier League points, it’s wise to get both Alphonse Areola and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The latter scooped three bonus points when they last met, as Jarrod Bowen bagged the only goal. A reliable player for minutes and a steady stream of attacking returns, Bowen is one of the best midfielders for attempts (72) and shots on target (30).

As for Liverpool, they could secure the title on Sunday, so I expect a professional performance that brings Alisson and Conor Bradley a clean sheet. Until Leicester eventually scored last week, they were goalless in 13 of the previous 16 outings. There’s even a temptation to Triple Captain Mohamed Salah, instead of a doubler. Three matches without a double-digit tally may feel traumatic for owners, but let’s not forget his previous 29 brought a ridiculous 17 of them.

Elsewhere, I’ve got this far without mentioning Aston Villa’s double. I’m not sure what to think of them. On the one hand, a nasty-looking pair of fixtures awaits them and they could be emotionally drained from last Tuesday. Yet their form is good and there’ll be a determination to clinch some more Champions League nights. Only Morgan Rogers can be trusted as an attacking pick, mind. Not even Ollie Watkins, in this Gameweek of so few appealing forwards.

Speaking of which, both Yoane Wissa and Joao Pedro scored last week and go head-to-head in west London. The Brazilian followed a spell of one goal in 13 with a recent five in six starts, whereas Wissa ranks joint-sixth for the season’s big chances (26). Finally, out of desperation, I’ve selected Rasmus Hojlund. He’ll start at home to Wolves in the absence of hamstring victim Joshua Zirkzee.

SAM SAID…

Another Double Gameweek, this time for Arsenal, Palace, Villa and Man City. Once again there is a juggle to be made between the doublers as well as the teams who have just one, fantastic fixture.

Liverpool are the standout pick from the single Gameweek options with an away match against Leicester, who have failed to score in any of their last eight home matches. I have tripled up on the Reds with Alisson Becker and Conor Bradley part of a defensive double-up. Bradley went off ahead of the clean sheet wipe out last weekend and as a result registered nine points as he managed all three bonus. Liverpool potentially could claim the Premier League title on Sunday if other results go their way earlier in the day. On that basis, Mohamed Salah for me remains one of the best captaincy options this week despite not having two fixtures.

Arsenal’s clash against Ipswich, despite their current uptick in form, means I think they have the best double. Bukayo Saka has been benched and rested in the league around the all-important Champions League ties. However, the Double Gameweek 33 fixtures are not interrupted by other competitions and therefore I am expecting Saka to get starts in both of these matches. Saka has only made 16 Premier League starts this season due to injuries, but has still registered 17 attacking returns, more than the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon who have started 11 and eight matches more respectively.

Alongside Saka, I have opted for the defensive double-up of William Saliba and David Raya. There should be a clean sheet available against Ipswich, and Saliba has an attacking threat from set-pieces, especially in the absence of Gabriel. I would have liked to have had a punt on Mikel Merino, however, the five midfielder slots were in demand, meaning it was only possible to fit one player from each of the Double Gameweek sides, along with Salah, of course.

Aston Villa’s performance against PSG in the second half of their Champions League quarter-final second leg was super impressive. Marcus Rashford was back to his best and Morgan Rogers continues to be the best in his position in the league right now. The midfielder has eight goals, eight assists and 138 points this term, making him the best value midfielder in Fantasy, having returned 24.6 points per million spent. It’s his consistency of starts as well as his underlying numbers that made me opt for him over Rashford. However, if I had six midfielder slots, Rashford would have been in my picks as well. I have included Ollie Watkins here but his lack of starts is a bit concerning. My fears are eased as he seems to enjoy scoring off the bench at the moment, and hopefully, he will get the start in at least one of these fixtures, especially as Villa will likely continue to rotate around the FA Cup the following weekend.

Man City passed their audition in Double Gameweek 32 with Kevin De Bruyne rolling back the years. The midfielder registered his first attacking returns since Gameweek 22 with a goal, an assist and two bonus points. Across the match, he had six shots and created three chances. I have paired him with Omar Marmoush who continues to lead the line well for Man City in the absence of Erling Haaland. Josko Gvardiol, who is third for attempts on goal for defenders this season with 35, also gets the nod.

The final doubler is Crystal Palace. Over the last few weeks, I could easily have picked more than three Palace players. However, for Double Gameweek 33, I am opting to stick with the same three – Eberechi Eze, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Daniel Munoz. The trio really should have scored more than they did in Gameweek 32, especially in the first half of the fixture against Man City.

West Ham help to complete my picks for the week with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Alphonse Areola. I am hoping for a clean sheet against relegated Southampton. At the other end of the pitch, Chris Wood and Joao Pedro come up against two defences that have been struggling for clean sheets in Spurs and Brentford. Therefore, I suspect there could be returns for both in Gameweek 33.

TOM J SAID…

The Scout Picks in Double Gameweek 33 will no doubt be dominated by the four clubs who play twice: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Manchester City. Eight of the 15 names in my Scout Squad are from these teams. To try and avoid huge repetition with Tom, Marc and Sam’s squads, I’ve tried to include some high-upside single Gameweek options alongside the obvious doublers.

I suspect the back three for the Scout Picks will more or less pick itself in the form of Josko Gvardiol, Daniel Munoz and William Saliba. The trio all play twice and have missed just five Premier League matches between them in 2024/25. Gvardiol and Munoz sit second and third for xGI across the season, delivering five and nine attacking returns respectively.

David Raya and Saliba look as good as bankers for defensive returns. Over the last six Gameweeks, Arsenal’s underlying defensive data is extremely impressive (second for xGC and big chances conceded). Against Brentford last time out, the Gunners allowed just 0.12 xG. This suggests the absence of Gabriel is not hampering them too much. Opponents Ipswich Town have won just once at home all season, while Crystal Palace are coming off the back of two chastening defeats.

Two other defenders worth considering in my view, especially for Fantasy managers who have an active Bench Boost, are Conor Bradley and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. I’ve opted to include these two over an Aston Villa defender, such as Ezri Konsa, as I can’t see the Villans stopping Newcastle or Man City from scoring. Having said that, Emiliano Martinez has kept two clean sheets in three and should benefit from save points even if the Villa defence is breached.

Bradley showcased his upside with three bonus points against the Hammers in Gameweek 32. Opponents Leicester City have failed to score a single goal in their last eight home matches and the Foxes are bottom for xG over the last six Gameweeks. Sitting just above Leicester’s 3.57 xG over the last six are Southampton with 4.47, who face West Ham. Despite the revelation that Wan-Bissaka had a toe injection this week, Graham Potter said on Thursday the right-back “should be ok” to face the Saints. Southampton’s lacklustre attacking data justifies the inclusion of Alphonse Areola as a cheap goalkeeper option to sit on the bench.

Although Liverpool play just once in Gameweek 33, Mohamed Salah looks like a no-brainer pick, especially with valid expected minutes concerns surrounding other premium midfielders such as Bukayo Saka, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden.

Salah’s opponents Leicester have been without a clean sheet since Gameweek 7 and have conceded over 100 big chances across the season, one of only three teams to do so. In that spirit, I’ve also plumped for his teammate Luis Diaz. The Colombian has been in impressive form of late, picking up attacking returns in five consecutive matches and outscoring Salah by 38 points to 32 in that time.

Despite Saka’s aforementioned expected minutes concerns, I’ve opted to include the Englishman. Both Double Gameweek fixtures look kind for Arsenal, and despite missing a penalty against Real Madrid, Saka looked back to his brilliant best. As we saw against Fulham in Gameweek 30, he is also capable of doing damage off the bench.

Morgan Rogers looks to be the safest Aston Villa attacker, surviving Emery’s rotation against both Nottingham Forest and Southampton as well as starting twice against PSG. The Englishman, who has picked up four attacking returns in three starts, is yet to be benched in a Premier League match this season. The final spot in my midfield five goes to Jarrod Bowen. The Hammers’ talisman scored in his last home match and looks primed for points against the worst team in the league.

Moving onto the forwards, Omar Marmoush looks like an auto-include in the Scout Picks and will be getting my vote for captaincy. As well as his impressive goal record, six in nine starts, Marmoush also brings assist potential to the table. Only one forward has created more chances since his debut in Gameweek 23.

Despite a miserable Double Gameweek 32, Jean-Philippe Mateta makes the cut. The Frenchman has nine goals in 12 league starts, and a home match against Bournemouth does provide a good opportunity for Glasner’s side to get back on track. The Cherries have won just once in seven matches.

Chris Wood returned to fitness in Gameweek 32 and although he blanked, I expect the Kiwi is licking his lips at the prospect of facing an error-prone Spurs defence that conceded four last time out against Wolves. Only Alexander Isak has picked up more points among forwards in Fantasy this season.

The Wolves duo of Jorgen Strand Larsen and Matheus Cunha complete my squad. I’m expecting Manchester United to struggle against an in-form Wolves side who have won four consecutive matches. Strand Larsen has delivered 34 points in the last four Gameweeks, while Cunha returned from suspension with a bang in Gameweek 32 and picked up 12 points in the reverse fixture.

TOM F SAID…

Up against Newcastle and Man City, Gameweek 33 could be a decisive one in Aston Villa’s bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League. I’d look to double-up on their attack, with Marcus Rashford’s influence growing by the Gameweek. He’s started five of Villa’s last six matches up front, is on penalties and takes some set-pieces, so the upside is clear, even if there is a definite rotation risk with Ollie Watkins lurking. That certainly isn’t the case for Morgan Rogers, who Unai Emery refuses to rest.

I fancy Oliver Glasner to go back to basics after two heavy defeats in which his side conceded 10 goals, hence the Dean Henderson and Daniel Munoz picks. Jean-Philippe Mateta, meanwhile, is no longer an obvious selection, having been subbed before 60 minutes in each of his last two matches, but there aren’t too many other forwards sticking their hands up this week. I presume he’ll take the next penalty, too.

With three goals and one assist in his last four matches, Omar Marmoush has been consistent, if not explosive. I’m also tipping Kevin De Bruyne to supply the bullets for the former Eintracht Frankfurt man, having created two Opta-defined ‘big chances’ last time out, when he was deployed as the main focal point in a false nine position. Josko Gvardiol completes the Man City triple-up.

As for Arsenal, I see no reason to splash £6.5m on William Saliba when Jakub Kiwior is available at a significant discount. Lavished with praise by his manager ahead of Gameweek 32, he’s an easy pick from Mikel Arteta’s contingent. Bukayo Saka is a bit more complex as his minutes might be managed, but he first faces an Ipswich side that has conceded nine goals in four matches, so he’s still probably my favourite midfielder to own this week.

Elsewhere, I think there is enough upside in assets from West Ham and Liverpool to warrant inclusion in the Scout Picks, despite playing just once. We’d usually be all over fixtures against Southampton and Leicester in any other week, hence the inclusion of Alphonse Areola, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Conor Bradley and Mohamed Salah. There is a slight doubt over Wan-Bissaka, but Graham Potter seemed to think he’d be okay in Thursday’s presser.

Chris Wood also makes the cut against a Tottenham Hotspur side that play in Frankfurt tonight. The Lilywhites’ defence was tactically exposed by Wolves last week, and given those vulnerabilities, I think Wood is a decent under-the-radar pick for the upcoming Gameweek.

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