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. One Wheels Enough
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    I never get these right...

    Play Barnes (wol) or Fleck (BOU)?

    1. Boss Hogg
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Fleck

    2. Whats the Huth
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I think
      Leicester will keep a clean sheet

      1. One Wheels Enough
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        And...

      2. SHOOTER MCGINN
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        That's just bad news and irrelevant news

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

          That's not a saying though, is it?

          1. Cookie Kid
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            You could’ve just kept your promotion to yourself

  2. Boss Hogg
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Captain choice...

    a. Salah
    b. Aguero
    c. KdB

    ???

    1. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. WannabeScout
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      B you know city are gonna score hamdful

      1. Boss Hogg
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Will Aguero start though?

        1. IRBOX ⚽
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Of course. Sterling out means he will for sure and plenty of time before Leicester/Madrid

        2. Whats the Huth
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Nope he won’t

    3. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Aguero and it’s not a contest

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

        No contest is a bit much really isn’t it Irbox. All could score well.

    4. BigBarn
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I'm genuinely worried about the weather. Kun will be belaying in a storm. Anything could happen.

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

        Good point Bigbarn, had Kun for captain, checked weather in Manchester, 100% heavy rain & strong winds up to 50 mph for the afternoon, a real shitter of a day. May not be a high scoring match in that weather, armband back to Salah me thinks........

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

          Gonna gamble on the weather clearing by kickoff, armband back on Kun.............

  3. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Any changes needed on this WC team? 1.5m left over so could do Barnes->Bergwijn?

    Henderson
    TAA - VVD - Stevens
    Salah VC - KDB - Traore - Barnes
    Jiminez - Ings - Aguero

    Pope Fleck Stephens Fernandez

    1. Boss Hogg
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I prefer Lascelles you fernandez. Minor change that though! Otherwise it looks great.

    2. Whats the Huth
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Mahrez?

      1. _Ninja_
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers, Cant afford.

    3. DRINKWINE
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Not fancy Bergwjin vs Villa? Better than Barnes vs Wolves suele?

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

        *surely

      2. _Ninja_
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah youre prob right

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

    Playing about with my wild card thoughts?

    McCarthy Henderson
    TAA Stevens Gomez Bertrand Boly
    Mahrez salah Traore Barnes maxim
    Aguero Ings Jiménez

    What you think?????

    1. MARVELLUS
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I don't like benching headaches every week. I would downgrade Traore and up Gomez to VVD

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

    Which would u prefer
    A) Mahrez + Ings and C KDB
    B) Agüero + gundogan C Agüero

  6. Lecky Legs FC
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    WC finished last post as I'm going out for the day GTG this GW?

    McCarthy
    Boly Stevens TAA VVD
    KdB Salah (©) Son
    DCL Ings Jimenez

    Subs:Button,Mooy,Hayden & Lascelles

    1. MARVELLUS
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      DCL is not a great option with those fixtures, looks good apart from that

      1. Lecky Legs FC
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        No plan is switch him out next GW for Chris Wood who I fancy to hurt that BOU defence

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

    Martial>Mane and Lundstr>Stevens? for -4

    1. Whats the Huth
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I like it. Mane could haul

    2. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Mane? 😆 awful move

    3. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Mane? 🙂

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

        Yep think he will play, and its Norwich guys 🙂

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

          I suspect you’re going to get 1 pt. from him but good luck.

    4. KLOPPS AND ROBBERS... the s…
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Ballsy, like it

    5. Francescoli
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Great moves

  8. Firefoxed
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Lundstram to who fora hit?

    Got taa robbo Lund Kelly and Williams so I'm considering taking the risk of Lund starting

    1. Boss Hogg
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      For a hit, no one. Start Lund and hope for the best.

      Get a Newcastle defender or Boly another week.

  9. Sterling Malory
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    GTG?

    Henderson
    TAA O'connell Dunk
    Traore Grealish KDB Salah(C)
    Auba(vc) Firmino Jimimez

    McCarthy Cantwell Cahill Lascelles

    1. Whats the Huth
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Newcastle clean sheet upcoming

  10. Sharkytect
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    This is gonna be the longest gameweek ever.

    I currently have the armband on aguero but considering shifting to salah so i have something to look forward to. Bad logic!

    1. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

    2. Whats the Huth
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      This is why my armband is on salah and not Mahrez.

      Imagine if Man City flops. And we have a week of hell hoping that salah blanks too

      1. Eat my goal!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Imagine if city haul and you have to spend a week regretting not capping one of their assets

  11. KrisMCFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    McCarthy
    TAA Stephens Lund
    Salah kdb trossard Redmond
    Aguero (c) firmino dcl

    Bench:
    Traore, dunk, rico

    Have free hit and bench boost still available

    A. Hit bench boost
    B. Save

    1. Danstoke82
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Save.

      Keep Bench boost for the next DGW

  12. Danstoke82
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Repost;

    Team GTG?

    Henderson
    TAA Stephens Lundstram
    Salah(vc) Mane KDB Fleck
    Kun(c) Ings DCL

    Subs; Stekelenberg Traore Soyuncu BWilliams

    1FT £0.2ITB

    Thanks in advance!

  13. Jet5605
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Which GW is looking the best bet for using the FH chip?

    1. Danstoke82
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Whenever the BGW is due to cup fixtures imo

    2. JT11fc
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      One of the doubles for me

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

      GW34

      But depends on your team

  14. Totti
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    reposting

    choose 2 to play:

    A) Lundstram
    B) soyuncu
    C) rico

    captain:

    1) Aguero
    2) salah

  15. Jet5605
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Worth doing Vardy > Aguero (c) for a hit?

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

      yes imho

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

      Very short time minded in my opinion so I wouldn't but this game week could pay off

      1. Jet5605
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Sounds like a no and a yes.

  16. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone thinking Mane could be a huge differential in next few weeks?

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

      Yes

    2. Lecky Legs FC
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

    3. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

  17. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Still can’t believe how many have spunked WC. Going to be in a world of hurt later in the season

    1. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Depends how bad the team was before. Could be the right choice.

    2. DAZZ
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Not necessarily wasted though are they. The meta strategy spoke about on here leaves chip use very very late, the time to make up ground is now

      1. IRBOX ⚽
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        People are wildcarding to get my team.. what an advantage

        1. DAZZ
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Looking at your team and rank, I believe you could make use of the WC chip now.

          1. IRBOX ⚽
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            😆 have you looked at my move from 1.9 to 400k in the last 4 GW’s then?

            Pope
            TAA VVD Holgate Stephens
            Salah KDB Son
            Aguero Ings DCL

            WHY WOULD I WC THAT!?

    3. Lecky Legs FC
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      My team was all over the place felt like it was the right call I've saved my WC for DGW's in the past and hardly scored very high of them just depends on luck and captaincy picks really.

  18. Boss Hogg
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Bench order please:

    Rico, Lund, Dendonker

    ???

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

      as you wrote it

    2. Francescoli
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I’d switch Rico and Lund

  19. pakornk
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    play Grealish (TOT) or Stephens (BUR)?

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

      grealish

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

      Hmm tough. Grealish just

  20. Luton_Fan
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Aub or kdb vc? Tia

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

      auba

      1. Luton_Fan
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Thx

  21. Mitchstone
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    For the next few GWs:

    1) Martial > Mahrez
    2) Martial > Son, Vardy > Jimenez (-4)

  22. sthelenslad92
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Is Traore definitely fit? If not should I start Grealish?

  23. Ci Siamo
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Did Jonty get Aguero on his WC in the end? Does anyone know

    1. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Jonty played WC? Amatuer move

    2. Francescoli
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      No he went without. Has Ings, Firmino and Jimenez

  24. chriscosta
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    GTG ??

    Pope

    saiss holgate AAT

    Marital KDB Salah (C) Lucas

    Ings Firmino Vardy

    Sub : Gazza- Lunds - Cantwell - Rico

    1FT INB 0.3

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

      wanted to save transfer to do firmino - raul and bring mane in next GW

      not sure if i shold leave lunds on bench in place of saiss

  25. BigBarn
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    I've switched my captain from Kun to Salah over genuine concerns that City v West Ham could be a farce played out in a gale. Anyone wanna convince me I'm being overly paranoid?

    1. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Salah might be on nappy duty. No point being paranoid and playing in fear mate

    2. Danstoke82
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Kun is Kun.

      Personally think your overthinking. I’ve just switched from Salah to Kun

  26. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Ryan
    TAA / Pereira / Lundstram*
    Salah / KDB / Son / Martial
    Ings / Deeney / DCL

    Button // Traore / Rico / Masuaku

    A) Lundstram/Martial > Stephens/Mahrez (-4)
    B) Lundstram/Masuaku > Stephens/VVD (-4)
    C) Ryan/Masuaku > McCarthy/VVD (-4)
    D) Lundstram/Masuaku/Ryan > Stevens/VVD/McCarthy (-8)

    I think the reason I'm quite hell-bent on two defender transfers, is that I don't want to play Pereira & Rico very much for the next two, and Ryan/Masuaku are also trash.

    Not going double Liverpool defence feels dangerous, as does no SHU coverage..

    As I plan to get Jiminez for GW27, A does not allow room for 2 x Liverpool defender until GW28, basically.

  27. Muscout
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    What’s the pros of captaining Aguero over Salah if you have both?

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

      Differential

  28. CrouchDown
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Just to be sure, if I plan on strategy of playing FH in BGW31 then I can make any transfers I want from now until then? (With WC to play afterwards)

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

    Captain one:
    A Kun
    B Salah

    Play one:
    1 Stephens
    2 Taylor
    Have Ings and McCarthy

  30. The Big Fella
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Hi all! I need help with two things:
    1) I have dropped about 400k in ranks because of poor captaincy decisions in the last few weeks. Salah or Aguero this week?
    2) -8 to sell Maupay and Maddison for Mahrez and Martinelli? I wouldn't usually but West Ham are gash.........