Scout Picks

Gameweek 38 Scout Picks – Goals expected outside Man City and Liverpool games

We’ve included three attacking players from Liverpool and Manchester City for our final Scout Picks of the season.

The two title-chasing clubs may be the only ones with anything left on the line to play for other than proud, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be goals elsewhere.

Using the Scout Squad submissions by Paul, Neale, Az and Peter, and an analysis of the Fantasy Football Scout members data, we have come up with a XI for you.

For the last time in 2018/19, we line up in a 3-4-3 formation and at a total cost of £82.8m, we are £0.7m inside our budget.

Goalkeeper

Sergio Rico (£4.4m) finds himself in the Scout Picks at just the right time to make sure we didn’t go the whole season without including one of Fulham’s defensive assets. Name-checked by three of our pundits, and selected as the best option by Paul, the Cottagers’ shot-stopper faces a Newcastle attack that has managed just three big chances in their last six away matches, the worst of any team in that time. Meanwhile, no goalkeeper has more saves than Rico in their last six at home.

Defender

Aymeric Laporte (£6.3m) was an easy inclusion for the Gameweek 38 Scout Picks. Manchester City have kept 10 clean sheets in their last 12 Premier League outings and travel to Brighton on the final day of the season. The Seagulls are bottom of the league for shots on target, big chances and goal conversion over their last six at home. Laporte himself has added two attacking returns in the last six Gameweeks and his threat from set pieces is always in his favour.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.8m) is once again our chosen representative from the Liverpool defence. Price continues to be on the right-back’s side as well as his attacking potential. Compared to colleagues Andrew Robertson and Virgil van Dijk, the England international has the superior minutes per chance and minutes per chance created in the last six home matches. In that time, Liverpool are in the top two for fewest shots allowed in the box and big chances conceded.

Luke Shaw (£5.0m) completes our three-man defence ahead of Cardiff’s trip to Old Trafford. Manchester United may not be in the best form right now but the Bluebirds have been sufficiently poor on their travels this season that we believe a clean sheet at least is on the cards. In their last six away matches, Cardiff have been in the bottom two for shots inside the box and big chances. Meanwhile, Shaw himself has created more big chances than any other defender in the last six matches.

Midfielders

Mohamed Salah (£13.3m) should be back in the Liverpool side on Sunday afternoon for the visit of Wolves following his concussion and he comes into Gameweek 38 as the Scout Squad’s unanimous best midfield option. The Egyptian remains on an incredible run of form that has seen him get at least one attacking return in each of his last six matches in a row – his longest stretch without a blank all season. In those fixtures, no player has registered more shots on goal, efforts in the box or shots on target than Salah either. Wolves might have a good record against the top-six but considering they rarely keep clean sheets, Liverpool’s Egyptian star certainly has what it takes to reward his owners in Gameweek 38.

Raheem Sterling (£11.7m) is our chosen Manchester City attacker for the trip to Brighton. In the last six away matches, none of his colleagues has managed more shots in the box or efforts on target, while he also has the best expected goals (xG) score among Manchester City players in that sample. That has translated to 11 attacking returns on the road this season, more than any of his team-mates in 2018/19.

Sadio Mané (£10.3m) has been one of the most reliable attacking options in home matches this season. The Liverpool man has 12 goals in his 11 Premier League outings at Anfield, which have come from some encouraging underlying statistics. In the last four at home he has the second-highest number of big chances among all players, as well as the second-best xG too. Just as is the case with Salah, Wolves’ have asked tough questions away at top-six sides in 2018/19 but are yet to keep a clean sheet.

Nathan Redmond (£5.5m) looks like one of the most appealing budget midfielder for Gameweek 38 as Southampton host Huddersfield on Sunday afternoon. The Terriers are bottom of the league for shots allowed in the box over the last six away matches, as well as for their 18 goals shipped. Meanwhile, Redmond currently ranks fourth for big chances and third for xG out of all players in their last four at home.

Forwards

Jamie Vardy (£9.0m) looks set to enjoy the final day of the 2018/19 season. In the last four home matches, no player has registered shots inside the box, more efforts on target or more big chances. That has yielded five goals and an assist ahead of a meeting with Chelsea at the King Power Stadium. The Blues are still without a clean sheet on the road in 2019, will be without the injured N’Golo Kanté and Antonio Rüdiger while doubts hang over the fitness of Andreas Christensen too. Furthermore, Chelsea come to Leicester just a few days after playing 120 minutes against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League, which will have almost certainly drained them physically and mentally.

After Bournemouth’s troubles on their travels earlier this season, Callum Wilson (£6.8m) has all of a sudden become the king of football on the road in the closing stages of the campaign. In the last four away matches, no fit player has been afforded more big chances or a higher xG score. Furthermore, in such games, Wilson is also second-best for shots on target, so he stands a good chance of converting his opportunities. His Gameweek 38 opponents Crystal Palace are in the bottom four for goal attempts conceded in the box over the last four home matches, are without centre-backs James Tomkins and Mamadou Sakho while Scott Dann is now a doubt.

Shane Long (£4.7m) completes our Scout Picks team for Gameweek 38 as another option who gets to enjoy facing that travel sick Huddersfield side. We’ve already covered how vulnerable the Terriers will be when they come to Southampton, as Redmond also has decent points potential this week. Long himself has actually been afforded more big chances than the midfielder in his last four home matches, ranking third best in the whole league. His accuracy of 57% over that period suggests his chances of converted more big opportunities are quite high.

Substitutes

Budget man Yan Valery (£4.1m) gets a place on the bench for Gameweek 38 ahead of Huddersfield’s visit to Southampton. The Saints have not exactly been adept at keeping clean sheets under Ralph Hasenhüttl but their visitors on Sunday remain the division’s joint-lowest scorers on the road in 2018/19.

Like his colleague Wilson, Ryan Fraser (£6.3m) has been impressive on the road of late with six attacking returns in his last Premier League away trips. He will also get to play against a potentially makeshift Crystal Palace side who have struggled at home this season.

Marcus Rashford (£7.3m) is probably one of the few attacking Manchester United options we can be confident will get a start against Cardiff on Sunday afternoon. There is not a great deal of form to go on for the forward but given the Bluebirds are in the bottom three for shots conceded in the box over the last six away matches, he should get plenty of chances.

Community Champion

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 38 is Karan14. He has opted for a 3-4-3 of Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Kompany, Laporte; Redmond, Bernardo Silva, Pogba; Wood, Mitrovic, Zaha

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.

It was a win for the Scout Picks over Greyhead in Gameweek 37 by a 46-45 scoreline. fclackless‘s winning margin of 33 points (77-44) in Gameweek 10 is still the current target to beat.

3,966 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Salarrivederci
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Gtg? Play Wilson or Rondón?

    Leno
    Laporte - van Dijk - Valery
    Salah - Sterling - Mané - Redmond - Ward-Prowse
    Agüero - Wilson

    (Ryan, Rondón, Duffy, Dunk)

    1. Lumberjack
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Looks good, play Wilson

      1. Salarrivederci
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Cheers 😉

    2. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      very good team...
      cap?

      1. Salarrivederci
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Prolly Agüero to consolidate a 9 - 13 point lead.
        My rival does not own Salah, but we will both have Sterling, Agüero, Mané & Valery. I think he will captain Agüero, because he aint sure about me bringing him in, and he would want a different captain than me to gain those points (I know I would atleast)

        1. Salarrivederci
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 10 months ago

          If he just switches Son to Pogba for free and (C) Agüero it would be:

          Gunn, Walker, TAA, Kelly, Pogba, Moura, Rashford

          Vs.

          Leno, Laporte, van Dijk, Salah, Redmond, JWP, Wilson +9

    3. Dthinger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Both? drop JWP to the bench?

  2. jamiet
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Has shaw been dropped for the final game ????

    Anyone now

    1. Wheyyyy
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Also need to know.. This would be super annoying

    2. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      why??

    3. Guru Mediation
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      His performance against Huddersfield. Been on the pies again

    4. jamiet
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      the named 20 man squad he was not mentioned at all

  3. Lumberjack
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Any of these for my FT?

    A - Brooks to McArthur
    B - Boly to WanB
    C - Jiménez to Perez

    Ta!

    1. adr3nalin
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      C

      1. Lumberjack
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Cheers

    2. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      any other striker options?

      1. Lumberjack
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Max 6.5, Perez has looked good recently

  4. L S P
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Which

    a) Firmino->Vardy
    b) Martial/Firmino->Mane/Wilson for -4

    (Salah TC)

    Cheers

    1. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      A

    2. Ronin13
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Tight. A maybe

    3. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      B

    4. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      b assuming martial wont start

  5. pol
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    A- Doherty>TAA (-4)
    B- Play Doherty

    1. adr3nalin
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      A

    2. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      A

    3. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      b

  6. Ronin13
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Bottomed. Have rashford, Jimmy, jota, son. 1ft. Which option for a hit?

    A. Vardy + Fraser tonight (price rise meaning I'll do Redmond tmrw)
    B. Pogba + Wilson

    ML neck to neck with a 2 point lead

    1. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      a

  7. STORZ
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Bit of help here fellas if you can. Im 14 points clear in my ML. He has has his BB and two free transfers.

    My team:

    Lloris
    Robbo valery BOLY
    Salah (c) sterling jota SON
    Aguero wilson jiminez

    Foster bednarek camarasa awb

    His team:

    Ederson
    Doherty taa lindelof awb bednarek
    Mane sterling jota pogba hayden
    Aguero rashford jiminez

    Would you;
    A) Son > Pogba
    B) Son & Boly > Pogba & Kompany (-4)

    Any advice much appreciated

    1. Ronin13
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Kompany for a hit isn't worth it

    2. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      A

    3. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      a

  8. FPLMarc
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    OPTION 1: Salah & Long (will Long even start?)

    OPTION 2: Pogba/Redmond & Vardy/Rashford

    What would you do?

    1. adr3nalin
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      2. Vardy + Red

    2. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      2

  9. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Reposting for maximum panic 😉

    Raúl Jiménez:

    “My dream is to score in front of the Kop. I also have a friend at Manchester City who wants me to score, too.

    If we beat Liverpool it will be Manchester City who win the Premier League." https://t.co/MhBxEsyMff

    https://twitter.com/City_CentraI/status/1127142178998902784?s=19

    😳

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Ok

      That’s my mind made up. Jim not Jota

      1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        Makes me feel a lot happier about playing him this week and resisting shipping out for a final day hit punt!!

    2. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Isn’t it the dream of every striker?
      To score .

  10. Ronnies
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Best transfer:

    A) Son >> Pogba

    B) Jimenez > Zaha

    C) Jimenez > Rashford

    Thanks guys.

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      In isolation, A, as Son is guaranteed 0!

    2. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      A

    3. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      a

  11. Lav
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Son replacement?

    1. NestorC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Redmond

    2. WVA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Bilva

    3. Dthinger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      moura

  12. NestorC
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Last one for this season, and thanks for all advices until now

    Who scores more
    A) Zaha
    B) Deulofeu

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      2-2 draw

    2. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      a

  13. Salarrivederci
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Lindelöf & Shaw are just the first of many 'surprises'. Atleast United was kind enough to share it before the deadline.

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Very true. Full benches needed.

    2. radawson
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Link to source/article?

    3. Burger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Wait, what is this?

    4. Plymouth
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Checked in at hotel:
      Keepere: David de Gea, Sergio Romero, Lee Grant
      Forsvar: Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young, Diogo Dalot, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling
      Midtbanespillere: Andreas Pereira, Fred, Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, James Garner, Angel Gomes, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata
      Spisser: Anthony Martial, Tahith Chong, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood

  14. The_Fish
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Play -

    1) Jimmy
    2) Rashford -4
    3) Jota

    1. WVA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      3 is in great form

  15. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Shaw out is very irritating.best moves here

    Foster
    Laporte Valery Shaw — kola Doherty
    Sterling mane Pogba jwp son
    Kun Jiménez — Gray

    A: Son >> Redmond. Hope for the best from Jimmy and kola/Doherty who will come in for shaw

    B: Son + Jimmy >> Redmond + Wilson (-4). Kola/Doherty will come in for shaw

    C: Doherty + Son >> taa + Redmond (-4) and start Jimmy

  16. WVA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Anything worth a hit?

    Ederson
    Robertson Luiz TAA
    Salah Sterling Pogba Bilva Jwp
    Wilson Jimenez
    Gunn Doherty Kola Quaner

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Nope

      Very nice - nice mix in midfield

  17. Oooo Matron
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Simple question, play Foster or Lloris?

    1. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Lloris

    2. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Lloris but close

    3. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Neither are great, but Lloris wins out as Watford's defensive form is poor; Everton are without DCL & Richarlison.

    4. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      L

  18. My neck my back my Saed Kol…
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    A) Redmond & B silva (bench jiminez)
    B) sane & Origi (bench Højbjerg)

  19. Duzpa
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    JWP or Ings?

    1. acidicleo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      J

  20. Scotty B
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    De Gea
    Cathcart VVD Bednarek
    Salah Son Babel Mane
    Lacazette Jimenèz Wilson

    Gunn Richarlison Doherty Dunk

    0.7 ITB & 1 FT

    What the effing hell to do, grrr driving me mad!!

    1. S.Kuqi
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Jimenez fo Zaha

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      3 City and 3 Liverpool is essential. Start planning for next season 😉

  21. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    I don’t know if it’s the excitement of the CL but despite having a great looking team for tomorrow I’m surprisingly unexcited by it all. Weird

  22. gomez123
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    start one of
    a) Digne or b) Pereira

  23. Steve
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    What’s the shaw news please?

    1. Dthinger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      seriously where is all this coming from?

    2. S.Kuqi
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Not in the squad according to men

    3. Steve
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Found it, for anyone else looking, about 3 pages back, not in squad apparently.

      https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-squad-news-cardiff-16261512

  24. Aaa
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Help please.....

    Foster
    Laporte/TAA/Shaw
    Sterling/Mane/Eriksen/Pogba
    Aguero/Jiménez/Long

    (Ryan/Jota/Doherty/Yoshida)

    Gtg? Who to triple captain?

    1. frenchfries
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Aguero is the safe pick

  25. The Ejiptian King
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Well, Shaw was a great pick, ffs.

    1. frenchfries
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      What? Anyrhing happened?

    2. puhd
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      What happened?

    3. puhd
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Just saw, he wasn’t in the squad apparently

  26. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Matip to start?

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Maybe when you reach your teens

      1. Chucky
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 10 months ago

        😛

    2. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Depends... up against whom?

  27. ChadW98
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Best son replacements ? (max 8.9)

    1. frenchfries
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      For me: Moura/Pogba/Fraser

      For many also Redmond

    2. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      Pogba, then JWP/Redmond/Deulofeu all pretty level.

    3. Lazaretti
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      I am considering Siggy or Antonio. Already have Redmond and B.Silva.

  28. frenchfries
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    Foster
    Robertson Valery Shaw
    Sterling Mane Jota JWP
    Aguero Jimenez Vardy

    Guaita Cathcart Doherty Son
    1FT 0.8itb
    A) Son->Fraser/Pogba/Moura
    B) Robertson-> Laporte
    C) Jimenez -> Wilson

    1. Scotty B
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      A

  29. puhd
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    A- Hazard and Rondon or Mitro
    B- Fraser and Vardy

  30. acidicleo
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 10 months ago

    pick one guys..

    A Salah + Jota/Jimenez
    B) Pogba + Wilson/Vardy

    cheers..

    1. puhd
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 10 months ago

      I think salah will do great, so A