Scout Picks – Gameweek 35

Earlier in the week, our Scout Squad article was filled with a host of big-hitters ahead of a reduced Gameweek 35 fixture slate.

And with the Scout Picks deadline now upon us, we find that the attacking potential on offer from Manchester City, Liverpool and Crystal Palace dominates our selection for the six-match slate.

We start off, however, with Stoke City’s custodian Jack Butland (5.0) who will welcome a Burnley side that arrives at the bet365 Stadium on the back of a testing Double Gameweek 34.

In a run of 20 starts since Gameweek 15, Butland has provided 75 FPL points – that’s just five less than David De Gea.

Points from saves and bonus have been key over that period and, even if the Potters concede to Sean Dyche’s in-form side this weekend, we’re banking on Butland to produce some supplementary returns. If he can claim a sixth clean sheet of the season, meanwhile, his celling of points could even hit double-figures.

With Dejan Lovren having only returned to training over the last couple of days, we reckon that Jurgen Klopp will take no chances ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg clash with Roma.

Ragnar Klavan (4.1) offers a cut-price solution for those playing Free Hit chips in Gameweek 35 as Liverpool make their way to West Brom. Although used sporadically, the centre-half has returned 39 points in his last six starts. Meanwhile, the Reds have conceded just five times in their last 12 across all competitions.

Arsene Wenger’s midweek press conference has also had a major impact on our selection and has persuaded us to include right-back Hector Bellerin (5.9).

The Arsenal manager, who steps down this summer, revealed he is looking to unleash a strong XI for the visit of West Ham as a dress rehearsal for their Thursday night Europa League semi-final encounter with Atletico Madrid.

Among Gunners defenders, Bellerin is top for both key passes (15), and goal attempts (15) in home matches and his surges forward could prove a vital weapon to unlocking the Hammers defence on Sunday.

We’ve opted for another renowned attack full-back to complete our three-man backline, as Fantasy legend Leighton Baines (5.6) earns a Picks berth.

His opponents Newcastle United have outstanding form ahead of Monday night’s visit to Goodison Park, though with safety all but achieved, the Merseyside clash has the makings of a dead rubber.

Baines, with his share of set-pieces and perhaps spot-kicks, offers us several routes to points from a match that could easily end goalless or with a hard-earned shut-out for the home side.

Wilfried Zaha (6.9) is the first of our midfield five. We’re expecting the winger to be deployed in a striker’s role once again for Crystal Palace’s visit to Vicarage Road, having already scored three goals in two games since stepping in for the misfiring Christian Benteke.

Zaha will collide with a Hornets defence that has conceded 30 goals in home matches, more than any other side. He may have added incentive for this encounter as he’ll be reunited with the Watford club mascot, Harry the Hornet, who notoriously mocked the Ivory Coast international after he was booked for diving at Vicarage Road in December 2016. Look out for Zaha’s celebration if he delivers in Saturday’s contest.

No set of players have stronger motivation than Stoke City ahead of their penultimate home fixture of the campaign.

Victory over Burnley looks essential for Paul Lambert’s charges, which is why we’re expecting playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri (6.2) to step up.

He has found the net seven times and assisted a further eight goals in what has been his most successful Premier League season. Since Paul Lambert’s arrival, he has scored or assisted 86% of the Potters’ goals.

Klopp’s comments in Friday’s press conference has given us every confidence that Scout Picks mainstay Mohamed Salah (10.6) will be unleashed on West Brom’s backline on Saturday.

The Baggies’ porous defence has kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 matches, while the Egyptian will be keen to maintain his lead in the Golden Boot race, with Spurs’ Harry Kane leading the chasing pack just four goals back.

Salah has blanked just once in his last nine outings and is seeking a fifteenth double-figure haul of his debut season on Merseyside.

We’ve tripled up on Manchester City’s attack for the visit of a Swansea City side that were beaten 4-0 in the reverse fixture and have just one clean sheet in 14 on the road.

As the first home match after securing the Premier League title, it seems likely that Pep Guardiola will hand starts to his key players and let them run free as an attacking force.

Raheem Sterling (8.8) takes one of our three Sky Blues places due to his strong recent form of two goals and three assists in the previous four appearances. The winger has also upped his consistency of late, producing returns in all but one of his last eight league outings.

Joining him is Kevin De Bruyne, (10.3) who leads the league in terms of both assists (14) and key passes (61) in home matches. The Belgian has tallied 10+ points on six occasions at the Etihad Stadium – more than any team-mate.

We have also found funds in our 84 million budget XI for striker Gabriel Jesus (10.1), who now looks assured of a start with team-mate Sergio Aguero sidelined for the remaining Gameweeks.

Jesus has also impressed of late, with attacking returns in all of his last three starts. He also scored twice against Swansea in a 2-1 home win last term.

Arsene’s Wenger own press conference has also proved persuasive, as talk of potentially resting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang turned our heads and had us opt for Alexandre Lacazette in the Picks frontline.

Eight of his 11 league goals have arrived at the Emirates ahead of West Ham United’s visit, while the Hammers’ defence has conceded more goals (38) on the road than any other side.

Plus, in light of today’s announcement that Wenger will step down at the end of the season, we’re expecting a big performance from the hosts on Sunday.

With the prospect of fatigue hampering the attacking instincts of Burnley, we have handed a bench spot to Stoke defender Moritz Bauer (4.5), who looks set to be fielded out of position on the wing, as he was against West Ham last time out.

Crystal Palace’s Luka Milivojevic (5.1) narrowly missed out on our first XI, but has done more than enough in recent Gameweeks to merit a mention on our bench. The set-piece specialist looks an ideal target for those who cannot stretch to fund his team-mate Zaha; the Serbian has amassed 38 points over the last four Gameweeks.

Cenk Tosun (6.8) also grabs a substitute’s place at home to a Magpies backline that has just one clean sheet in their last 15 road trips. Four goals in his previous six run-outs indicate that the winter signing is the most likely to breach the visiting defence in Monday’s Goodison Park clash.

The Community Champion

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 33 is Mattius, who has opted for a 3-5-2 line-up of: Pickford; Bellerin, Baines, Tomkins; Salah, De Bruyne, Ozil, Gundogan, Zaha; Jesus, Lacazette.

Last week’s champion, Effe, beat the Scouts comfortably 73-59.

The community member who beats our picks by the biggest margin over the campaign will win a £100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Contributors and Moderators League for the following season.

The one to beat remains Gregor, who achieved victory over the Scouts by a 33-point margin in Gameweek 5.