Ahead of Gameweek 9 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL), we take a look at the sides with the best clean sheet odds.
Each week, we use the Fantasy Football Scout Fixture Ticker to assess every Premier League team’s projected clean sheet chances.
The percentages give FPL managers another useful tool when weighing up their defensive picks, transfers and starting XI decisions.
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GAMEWEEK 9: CLEAN SHEET PERCENTAGES
SUMMARY
Tottenham Hotspur top the rankings with a 35% probability. Spurs kept a clean sheet against London rivals Chelsea last time out, and have made great strides since the opening day, ranking second-best for expected goals conceded (xGC) since Gameweek 2:
Perhaps surprisingly, given their opponents, Manchester City sit second. Brighton and Hove Albion are the league’s highest-scoring team (23), although they did draw a blank at Liverpool last time out.
Brentford and Aston Villa, more predictably, also exceed a 30% clean sheet probability.
Brentford haven’t kept a shut-out since their 3-0 victory over Chelsea, but their upcoming opponents, Nottingham Forest, are the league’s joint-lowest goalscorers (six).
Meanwhile, Villa remain unbeaten since their defeat to Forest in September. A home meeting with Fulham gives them the chance to bolster their modest clean sheet tally (two). Only three sides have scored fewer goals than the Cottagers (eight), and this despite Alvaro Arbeloa’s side facing three newly promoted sides in a row.
Arsenal and Bournemouth are the only other teams to reach the 30% mark.
Arsenal face a difficult trip to Liverpool, which explains their relatively modest clean sheet probability. Bournemouth, meanwhile, host a Leeds United side that has struggled to convince in attack recently, and indeed the Cherries come into Gameweek 9 off the back of successive league shut-outs.
At the bottom of the graphic sit Brighton, who face the daunting task of visiting Manchester City. The Seagulls have already recorded a joint-league-high five clean sheets this season, but they’ll be hard pushed to extend that tally here.
LOOKING AHEAD
Looking ahead to Gameweeks 9–14, Bournemouth and Aston Villa break up the traditional ‘big six’ in the clean sheet projections, with Liverpool and Manchester United missing out.
Arsenal have the strongest overall outlook, with (by far) their best chance of a clean sheet coming at home to Hull City in Gameweek 10.
There are also some promising opportunities for Manchester City, particularly against Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Leeds United. However, an away meeting with Arsenal in Gameweek 12 looks considerably less appealing. A good week to Free Hit, maybe?
Meanwhile, Chelsea have a nice run over the next five Gameweeks. The problem has been the Blues themselves, with just one clean sheet since January.
For those looking beyond the traditional top sides, Bournemouth could provide useful defensive value. Only the Brighton match in Gameweek 13 is off-putting.
Aston Villa also have several reasonable opportunities, particularly in their four home matches. While the trip to Manchester United in Gameweek 10 carries their lowest clean sheet probability across the six-match period, the Red Devils are in disarray at present.
