Scout Picks

Premium midfielders with appealing matches headline Gameweek 26 Scout Picks

We’ve gone big in midfield and relatively light in attack for the Gameweek 26 Scout Picks, which may raise an eyebrow or two.

As usual, we deliberated over the Scout Squad submissions made by David, Neale, Paul and Geoff over the last few days before coming up with the final team.

We shape up in a 3-5-2 formation, with our team coming well inside the allotted budget of £85.0m.

GOALKEEPER

No goalkeeper received unanimous support among our Scout Squad panel but Alex McCarthy did get three votes ahead of Southampton’s clash with Burnley. The Clarets are in the bottom three for attempts on goal and shots in the box in away games and ranked 20th for shots on target. Southampton, meanwhile, have allowed fewer attempts on goal than all teams bar Manchester City over the last six Gameweeks.

DEFENDERS

All three of our defensive picks this week received universal backing from our Scout Squad panel.

Nine clean sheets in ten matches is reason enough to back a Liverpool defender in Gameweek 26, with Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s assist potential – he has already matched his total number of attacking returns from 2018/19 – another string to his bow. The Canaries have allowed more crosses per home game from their left flank – i.e. Liverpool’s right – than any other club this season.

While Bournemouth have admittedly picked up back-to-back wins at home, they haven’t scored in four of their last five games on the road and Enda Stevens could potentially profit from a Cherries defence that has conceded more chances from their right flank than any other club over the last six Gameweeks. Sheffield United have kept clean sheets in five of their 12 games at Bramall Lane, with only Liverpool conceding fewer goals on home soil.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, have not only scored fewer goals than any other Premier League side this season but they have also allowed more crosses from their right flank than any top-flight team over the last dozen Gameweeks. Lucas Digne, therefore, is our Everton representative, not least because 65 of his 81 FPL points have arrived in home fixtures.

MIDFIELDERS

How many top 10k managers played the Triple Captain for Double Gameweek 24?

Mohamed Salah, the leader in our captaincy poll, has registered 16-point hauls in each of the last two Gameweeks and averages 9.2 Fantasy Premier League points per match in 2020 so far. It has to be said that Salah hasn’t been prolific on the road this season, scoring only two goals away from Anfield – although he has supplemented those strikes with five assists. Salah bucked the trend in his last away outing, however, racking up 14 points in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over West Ham United. Norwich have shipped 25 goals in 12 home fixtures this season, meanwhile.

Manchester City’s home game against West Ham is arguably the standout fixture of Gameweek 26, with Kevin De Bruyne‘s security of starts – he has made Pep Guardiola’s starting XI for 17 league matches in a row – a big draw given the unpredictability of Guardiola’s selections elsewhere. David Moyes’ troops have conceded 14 big chances and ten goals over their last four matches. De Bruyne tops the league for key passes in his last four, meanwhile.

With Aston Villa the only side to have conceded more big chances than West Ham since Gameweek 21, Son Heung-min is our third premium midfield option selected. The South Korean may be in a more central role at Spurs following Steven Bergwijn’s arrival and he has fired 11 shots in the box in the last four Gameweeks since Harry Kane was sidelined.

Sergio Aguero was a first-choice pick for three of our Scout Squad but, omitted by Paul and with other £10.0m+ options receiving universal backing, the Argentinean was a luxury we simply couldn’t afford. Instead, we turn to Riyad Mahrez as our second City representative. Both Aguero and Mahrez have started 14 matches this season, with the latter proving the more explosive with five double-figure hauls to the Argentinean’s four.

We’re gambling on Graham Potter’s unpredictable team selection as we take a punt on Leandro Trossard extending his reliable home form against Watford. All three of the Brighton winger’s goals this season and four of his five assists have come at the Amex Stadium. When selected, he has been involved in 64% of the Seagulls’ efforts in front of their own supporters. Trossard has averaged 5.1 FPL points per home appearance.

FORWARDS

Crystal Palace are without a clean sheet in nine Gameweeks, so Dominic Calvert-Lewin has a chance to continue his fine form in the Carlo Ancelotti era. The Everton striker is joint-second for big chances when all FPL assets are filtered by their last four matches.

Danny Ings may have blanked for three Gameweeks in a row (one of his run-outs coming off the bench, in mitigation) but there is little wrong with his underlying stats, with the Southampton striker joint-third alongside Calvert-Lewin for shots in the box when players are filtered by their last four matches. The fact that he has racked up those attempts in just 270 minutes of football (out of a possible 360) makes that an even more impressive statistic. Ings has scored in five of his last seven home fixtures.

SUBSTITUTES

No goalkeeper has kept more league clean sheets than Dean Henderson this season and the Sheffield United shot-stopper was the first-choice pick for three of our Scout Squad panel ahead of the Blades’ clash with Bournemouth, who score at a rate of less than one goal per game away from home in 2019/20.

Mason Holgate is an ever-present under Ancelotti and David was keen to see us double-up on the Toffees, with Palace’s shot-shy attack visiting Merseyside.

Jack Stephens was Geoff’s preferred Southampton option, having recorded three assists and three clean sheets in the last ten Gameweeks.

Watford forward Troy Deeney – third for xGI among FPL forwards since Nigel Pearson took charge – this weekend faces a Brighton and Hove Albion defence with only one clean sheet to their name in 14 matches.

THE CAPTAIN

COMMUNITY CHAMPION

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 26 is Haggis.

They have gone for a 4-3-3 line-up of McCarthy, van Dijk, Doherty, Digne, Stevens, Salah, Mahrez, Moura, Aguero (c), Jesus, Ings.

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.

Community Champion gwitbrock beat our Scout Picks 86-63 in Gameweek 25 and as a result, their winning margin of 23 points is now the target to beat.

3,460 Comments Post a Comment
  1. brendanlim92
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    vardy-jimenez-aguero

    looking to do vardy to firmino

    gtg?

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Was on the same...Would it be a FH to Firmino? If so, would play it

      1. brendanlim92
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        1 FT for this, i just dont see vardy having returns this gw

  2. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    If Salah really is 37 weeks pregnant, no way that Klopp will start him?

    1. Blunder fc
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      klopp's a lunatic with only one thought in his mind, victory. He has no regard for human life or suffering. Nailed on captain

      1. Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Pregnancy is 40 weeks right?

        1. ritzyd
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          38

          1. Van der Faart
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            40

        2. Blunder fc
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          there's very little data on male pregnancy, I think Arnold Schwarzenneger made a documentary about it in the early nineties, probably worth checking out

          1. Sgt. Schultz
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Phil Heath and Kai Greene could be massive differentials.

          2. ‘Tis the Season
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Sounds legit

    2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Wow! His hauls I’m the last few weeks just became even more impressive. Imagine being pregnant and be able to perform as an athlete on that level. Mind boggles.

  3. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Kelly to Bertrand worth a hit? Alternative is to play Soyuncu

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Play soy boy

    2. Mufc202020
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Thinking of playing KWP over Grealish. Is this crazy?

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Yes

        • Siggy Azalea
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Yes

      2. @persecuted_by_mods
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Start Egan or the Lord?

          Have Hendo in goal, not dropping TAA or Robbo

          1. Miguel Sanchez
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Egan

            1. @persecuted_by_mods
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Thanks

            2. Duffy Dunk
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              I'd start Lund since you have Egan's CS cover in Henderson.

            3. FPL Pillars
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Egan

            4. It’s gonna Ben Mee
              • 10 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Egan

          2. Viper
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            A. Start Maupay

            B. Maupay - > Ings (-4)

            C. Maddison - > Mahrez (-4). Start Maupay

          3. rodragon
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            1. Maupay to Jiminez
            2. Lundstram to O'Connell
            3.Do both for a -4 hit??

            1. Siggy Azalea
              • 10 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              1

            2. Duffy Dunk
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              You could even save the transfer...

          4. as33
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Keep martial or sell to Mahrez(Son) and Lundstr to Digne for -4?

            1. Blunder fc
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              keep and just do lund to digne for a free transfer

              1. as33
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Forgo to mention ive got and Kelly and hes red falged:(

                1. as33
                  • 8 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  flaged

                  1. as33
                    • 8 Years
                    4 years, 1 month ago

                    So maybe just Kelly to some1 else, and keep Lundstr in case hes starts, my other def:
                    Taa, Cresswell, Reid

          5. Shark Team
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            I was ready to go Salah (C) but the fact that Man City averages 7 GOALS per game Sterling doesn't play makes me thinking of capping KDB.
            Plus the fact that Liverpool faces Atletico Madrid 3 days later...

            1. @persecuted_by_mods
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Salah starts surely to stay sharp, but yeah will come off very early

            2. Oggle22
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Mccarthy
              TAA Holgate Stephens
              Salah KDB Martial Moura Hilson
              Vardy Aubameyang

              Button Long Lundstarm Kelly

              G2G?
              Vardy to ings

              1. jimmy.floyd
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Gtg

            3. jimmy.floyd
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Captain:
              A Kun
              B Salah

              Play one:
              1 Stephens
              2 Taylor
              Have Ings and McCarthy

              1. Gudjohnsen
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                B1

            4. Bad Butcher
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              a) Save FT
              b) Vardy Maddi -> Barnes Kun (C) for -4

              Leno
              VVD TAA Dunk
              KDB Salah Madd Traore
              Vardy Ings Auba

              Lund Rico Hayden 1.2 itb 1FT

            5. FPL Maldini
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              On a WC, would you drop KDB to Mahrez in order to fund Kun?

              1. Duffy Dunk
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Nah. Do you really want 2 MCI attackers after gw26?

            6. Lord Flashheart
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              A Wood to ings for -4?
              B Maddison to son for -4?
              C no nit

              1. Lord Flashheart
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                C no *hit

              2. Van der Faart
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                C

              3. Sgt. Schultz
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                no HIT

              4. Lord Flashheart
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Cheers

            7. lilmessipran
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Bench one -

              A Traore
              B Maddison

              1. Duffy Dunk
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                B

            8. MrFrodo
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Should I do a -4 to improve my defence is looking depleted defence or risk playing Lundstram?

              TTA, Enda, Lundstram (Kelly, Williams)

              1. Van der Faart
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Any money ITB? Kelly to Stephens if you can afford it

                1. MrFrodo
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  No it would have to be Lundstram to Stephens. My money is tied up in Aguero who i'm getting rid of next week for Jiminez so i could wait a week.

            9. Mikha In A Tutu
              • 6 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Shall I get Lundstram or Kelly out for Jack Stephens?

              1. Van der Faart
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Kelly as hes injured

              2. Duffy Dunk
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Injured Kelly.

                1. Mikha In A Tutu
                  • 6 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  What about Lundstram’s lack of a start and GW28 blank?

                  1. Van der Faart
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 12 Years
                    4 years, 1 month ago

                    Kelly is the bigger issue. At least Lundy can come on for a point. Kelly isn't going to play at all.

              3. fabo
                • 13 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                why would you want rid of Jack?

                1. Mikha In A Tutu
                  • 6 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  I want him in

              4. fabo
                • 13 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                in that case, get him in for Kelly if you have the money ITB

            10. Van der Faart
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Good to go here? Think my two main rivals will captain Salah as they are Liverpool fans. Trailing both by between 10 and 20 points

              McCarthy (Ryan)

              TAA Robbo Egan (Lord Rico)

              Salah Son KDB(c) Traore (Dendo)

              Ings DCL Vardy

              1. Duffy Dunk
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Don't worry about who their captains are. Pick the one YOU feel will score the most.

              2. fabo
                • 13 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                10 and 20 pts in nothing, Play your own game right now

            11. ooooo
              • 6 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Which one?
              A) Haller to Ings and play Soyuncu over Kelly/Lundstram
              B) Haller to Ings, Kelly to Vvd(-4)?.

            12. SharkyJon
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Play Webster or Boly?

            13. diesel001
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              What effect will the windy weather have on the games tomorrow? Can't remember a game when it was windy at City, but am sure there have been some. Did it blunt the City attack?

              1. Van der Faart
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Dont remember it ever affecting City but I do recall Klopp complaining about it before.

                1. Uncle Gamst
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  Klopp must like Heinz

            14. JollyGoodYellows
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Need some help on what to do here guys, 2FTs and 0.7itb:

              Henderson (Button)
              TAA Lund Soy (Kelly Williams)
              Salah KDB Mane Grealish (Cantwell)
              Vardy DCL Ings

              1. Van der Faart
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Lund to Stevens or Stephens
                Roll the second

              2. Udo
                • 6 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Get a replacement for the Lord or Kelly, the team looks G2G. Keep GW28 in mind, you may want to get an playing GK in.

              3. fabo
                • 13 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                I world spend at least one on the transfers. Transfer out Soy or Kelly to someone like Boly, Stephens, Stevens. You could use the Lund money to get a bigger player, if you do not mind getting rid

                1. JollyGoodYellows
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  Cheers. Thinking Kelly to Stephens and roll the other one.

            15. faux_C
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Play Lascelles or Lund? Currently on Lascelles as don't want a Lund cameo.

              1. fabo
                • 13 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                stick

            16. Just a fountain
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Lowton/Taylor at 4.2... Yay or Nay? Good 28/31 gw important for a Lundy replacement.

            17. Bruno Commando
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Is this WC gtg? Have my reservations about Tanganga but I have zero itb..Anyone I can downgrade to get upgrade Tanganga?

              Pope
              TAA // Gomez // Egan
              Salah // KDB // Son // Mooy
              Kun (c) // Ings // Jimi

              Button // Tanganga // Stephens // Hayden

              1. Udo
                • 6 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Kun is a luxury, would consider to downgrade, and invest into your def in general.

                1. Bruno Commando
                  • 9 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  Thanks! Intention is to have him for GW 26 & 27, and then get Vardy in for BGW 28. After that, will probably stick with Vardy or go with Auba..

                  1. Udo
                    • 6 Years
                    4 years, 1 month ago

                    Sounds like a plan, Hannibal 😉

            18. MikeLowrey
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Maupay to Martinelli or Kelly to Tanganga...or both? Have 2FT

              1. Just a fountain
                • 9 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                wouldn't do any of these tbh. Martinelli playing time + no 28. tanganga has Davies back. so not convinced..

                1. MikeLowrey
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  Anything you’d suggest? I can get up to 4.4 for a Kelly replacement with 0.2 ITB

              2. Udo
                • 6 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Kelly to one of Southamptons/ Newcastles def, and roll the 2nd FT.

            19. Mr_Barbs
              • 6 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Is Martial > Mahrez (-4) worth a hit?

              McCarthy
              TAA, VVD, O'Connell
              Salah, KDB, Martial, Grealish, Fleck
              Vardy, Ings

              McGovern, Maupay, Soyuncu, Kiko

            20. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Chasinh 100 p. Is Auba viable captain choise or maddness? Thx

              1. FPL Pillars
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Not the right way about making up a lead

            21. sambyy
              • 13 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Is there any real risk of the Man City game being called off? I'm thinking about Martial to Mahrez for -4, but I'm not sure if it is worth it if there's a chance it won't be played.

              1. FPL Pillars
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                No risk

            22. DandyDon
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Henderson
              TAA Lundstram Ake
              Grealish SalahC De Bruyne Cantwell
              Jiminez DCL Ings

              McCarthy Söyüncü Kelly Dendonker

              8.4 in the bank

              Future transfers would be for a -4, what would you do?

              Will likely be Cantwell to Son but could also do DCL to Aguero(c) and then move onto Firmino week after.

              1. DandyDon
                • 5 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Is Moura a better option than Son through middle?