It’s time for our very early Scout Picks ‘bus team’, with the Gameweek 27 deadline of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) still a week away – and the current Gameweek still not over!

We will finalise our weekly selection closer to the deadline next Saturday.

A lot can change between now and then, of course, with FA Cup action, European club fixtures and one more Gameweek 26 match to come. The odd injury here or spot of rotation there could consequently affect the finalised XI.

The upcoming Scout Squad nominations, as well as the pre-match press conferences, will also help shape our final Scout Picks.

But this ‘bus team’, at the very least, offers an insight into the players and teams who will be under consideration.

There are, as ever, certain restrictions for our squad:

• An £83.0m budget for our starting XI
• An overall squad limit of £100.0m
• No more than three players per team

GAMEWEEK 27 FIXTURES

Gameweek 27 fixtures sorted by difficulty on our Season Ticker.

THE LIKELY LADS

Cole Palmer (£10.6m) and Joao Pedro (£7.7m) were both selected in the Scout Picks for Chelsea’s trip to Molineux in Gameweek 25, but only the Brazilian was chosen in Double Gameweek 26, mostly because of budget constraints.

However, given the matchup in Gameweek 27, it’s surely time for both players to be included again.

Burnley claimed a remarkable 3-2 comeback win at Selhurst Park earlier this week, but prior to that, had not won in 16 Premier League games. Scott Parker’s side are also bottom for actual goals (see image below) and expected goals conceded (xGC) in 2025/26.

From Gameweek 24 onwards, Palmer has produced five attacking returns in three appearances and has the highest expected goal involvement (xGI) figure in the whole of the Premier League. Three spot-kicks have accounted for some of that total, but even discounting penalties, the England international is second among FPL assets for non-pen xGI over the same period.

As for Pedro, he’s amassed 48 points in five matches under Liam Rosenoir.

Enzo Fernandez (£6.9m) could be a cheaper alternative, however – he’s had 11 shots and created nine chances over his last four appearances.

Robert Sanchez (£4.9m), Trevoh Chalobah (£5.8m), who has banked defensive contribution (DefCon) points in seven successive matches, and potentially Reece James (£5.6m) are candidates at the back.

Elsewhere, Newcastle United have a UEFA Champions League doubler-header on either side of the visit to Manchester City in Gameweek 27. It’s a Wednesday-Saturday-Tuesday run, too, with Eddie Howe’s side facing a 2,529-mile journey to face Qarabag FK in the first leg.

Antoine Semenyo (£7.9m) and Erling Haaland’s (£14.9m) inclusion looks highly likely, then.

Even away from those travel concerns, the Geordies have kept just one clean sheet in their last 10 Premier League away games.

IN CONTENTION

There could potentially be another Man City asset making the cut.

Pep Guardiola’s side have kept seven clean sheets on home turf this season, the joint-most of any team with Arsenal. The newly-formed centre-back partnership of Ruben Dias (£5.5m) and Marc Guehi (£5.2m) impressed in midweek, too.

However, we’ve opted for Nico O’Reilly (£4.9m) in the ‘bus team’, who has started City’s last three matches in an advanced central midfield position. In that role, he scored and racked up a match-high five shots against Fulham on Wednesday.

“I’m loving it. I love it in the middle, try to dictate the game and try to get in the box to score goals. He [Guardiola] is very big on second balls, duels and dominating the midfield. I think I play a big part in that, using my body to win the ball back and counter. That’s what he’s trying to get across to me.” – Nico O’Reilly

David Raya (£5.9m), Gabriel Magalhaes (£7.1m) and Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) are in the Scout Picks mix most weeks, but might other defensive options carry more potential in Gameweek 27, given the fact that they’re expensive and off to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a North London derby. Should Arsenal (and Liverpool!) worry about a new manager bounce, too? The same applies to Bukayo Saka (£9.8m) and Declan Rice (£7.6m) further forward.

If we do decide to omit an Arsenal defender, Aston Villa (LEE), Brentford (BHA), Crystal Palace (WOL), Liverpool (nfo) and Sunderland (FUL) assets will all be pushing hard for inclusion.

Daniel Munoz (£5.8m) blanked in Gameweek 26 but produced two shots and five chances created, generating 1.00 xGI, which is why he is part of the ‘bus team’.

Could attacking options from those aforementioned clubs also find their way into the Scout Picks?

17-goal Igor Thiago (£7.0m) is included for now, but others could follow.

Brentford team-mate Dango Ouattara (£5.8m), for example, has produced two goals and one assist in his last three matches, while Kevin Schade (£6.9m) will be back from suspension in Gameweek 27.

Morgan Rogers (£7.6m), Ismaila Sarr (£6.4m), Jorgen Strand Larsen (£6.1m), Florian Wirtz (£8.4m) and Hugo Ekitike (£8.9m) are other names under consideration.

Elsewhere, Bruno Fernandes (£9.8m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£8.6m) are definite candidates against Everton, who have faced real difficulties at home since mid-December, with three defeats, two draws and zero clean sheets in their last five matches at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The appeal of Fernandes in a No 10 role is further boosted by the fact that Everton are bottom for key passes conceded from the centre zone over the last eight Gameweeks.

Above: Everton’s chances created conceded heatmap in Gameweeks 19-26

In contrast, Bournemouth appear to have turned a corner with their form. They are still second-bottom for goals conceded in away matches, but just two have been allowed in their last three on the road, potentially blunting the appeal of Crysencio Summerville (£5.6m), Mateus Fernandes (£5.5m) and Jarrod Bowen (£7.6m).

THE LONGER SHOTS

Bournemouth’s recent improvement also means that this fixture isn’t favourable for West Ham United’s defenders, who kept their first clean sheet under Nuno Espirito Santo recently. If anything, it perhaps favours Rayan (£5.5m), who has three attacking returns in as many Gameweeks.

You probably wouldn’t back against Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.9m) to find the net against Aston Villa, as he has done against nine other teams in 2025/26. That said, Unai Emery’s team haven’t conceded many chances recently, ranking fourth for xGC over the last six Gameweeks.

Manchester United are one of three teams above them, so it’s unlikely Iliman Ndiaye (£6.2m) will garner too much attention, despite impressing against Bournemouth in midweek.

GAMEWEEK 27 EARLY SCOUT PICKS