While defensive contribution (DefCon) points are the talk of the town, clean sheets remain the bread and butter of defenders in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
Using bookmaker odds to assess probability, this article highlights the teams with the strongest chances of shutting out their opponents and the defences worth targeting in Gameweek 19.
GAMEWEEK 19 CLEAN SHEET ODDS
Arsenal and Manchester United head into Gameweek 19 joint-top for clean-sheet odds, both sitting at 50%. That said, the task looks far tougher for the Gunners than the numbers suggest, with Aston Villa arriving on the back of a remarkable 10-game winning run. United’s outlook is more straightforward. Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored fewer goals than any other side this season, making a home clean sheet a very realistic outcome for Ruben Amorim’s men.
Manchester City also rank among the leading defensive options this week. While a trip to the Stadium of Light may look comfortable on paper, Sunderland have impressed throughout the campaign. Still, their attacking output has dipped recently, failing to score in two of their last four matches, which plays into City’s favour.
It’s no surprise to see Newcastle United high up the list either. A visit to Turf Moor pits them against one of the weakest attacking units in the league, giving Eddie Howe’s side a strong chance of coming away with a shutout.
Level with Newcastle on 42%, sit Liverpool. Defensive consistency has been an issue under Arne Slot, with just five clean sheets in 18 matches so far. A home fixture against Leeds United would typically offer another opportunity to tighten things up at the back but the Whites’ current run of excellent form explains why Liverpool are relatively low in the list.
Rounding out the top six are Nottingham Forest. Recent clean sheets against Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur hint at defensive improvement, even if the underlying numbers remain mixed. Up next is Everton, who failed to find the net against Burnley last time out and several bodies down due to injury, illness and international duty, giving Forest another encouraging matchup.
