The Scout Squad is a weekly feature in which our panelists attempt to pick out the best Fantasy Premier League (FPL) options for Gameweek 8.

This is a precursor to the Scout Picks, which will arrive ahead of Saturday’s deadline.

Our in-house team of Sam, Marc, Tom and Neale have each been explaining their notable Gameweek 8 inclusions and omissions in the article below.

MORE ABOUT THE SCOUT SQUAD

The focus is only on the upcoming Gameweek with the Scout Squad, so there’s no medium-term planning involved.

The players who get the most votes are much more likely to make the Scout Picks, although the final XI can’t exceed £83.0m. Occasionally, therefore, cheaper alternatives have to be found.

Each of our writers must meet the following requirements for this feature:

• At least one sub-£5.0m goalkeeper
• At least one sub-£5.0m defender
• At least one sub-£6.0m midfielder
• At least one sub-£7.0m forward
• No more than three players from the same club

SCOUT SQUAD: BEST FPL PLAYERS FOR GAMEWEEK 8

Most popular picks: Robert Sanchez, Bernd Leno, Joachim Andersen, Pedro Porro, Son Heung-min, Mohamed Salah, James Maddison, Ollie Watkins, Erling Haaland, Darwin Nunez (four), Kieran Trippier, Matty Cash, James Tarkowski, Cole Palmer, Dominic Calvert-Lewin (three)

SAM SAID…

Flag, flags, flags! This week could see many FPL managers struggling to field an XI with the amount of injury concerns there are at the moment. Those fitness worries have also had an impact on some of my picks here. There are a couple of players – Moussa Diaby I’m mostly looking at you – who have made my picks because if they are available I think they are great options, but they are an injury doubt so be mindful of that.

In goal, Bernd Leno feels the obvious selection this week. Whilst Fulham were poor defensively against Chelsea, they had kept back-to-back clean sheets prior to that. Fulham and Leno face Sheffield United in Gameweek 8 and the newly promoted club have drawn a blank in each of their last two Premier League matches, scoring at a rate of just 0.6 goals per match in 2023/24.

Alongside Leno, I have plumped for Jordan Pickford and Robert Sanchez. Outside of Fulham, they should – on paper – have the best chance of a clean sheet, facing Bournemouth and Burnley respectively. However, confidence in Everton is shaken: they have lost seven of their last eight home games and so the shut-out is anything but guaranteed for the current England number 1. The same applies to James Tarkowski. Everton are like a yo-yo at the moment, I thought that they were improving after their Gameweek 6 and League Cup victories but then they lost to Luton in Gameweek 7. Tarkowski at least has some attacking threat if the clean sheet goes up in smoke.

Pedro Porro registered an assist against Liverpool in Gameweek 7 and now has delivered four returns in his six starts so far this season. The full-back has also registered nine attempts on goal – only Matty Cash, who also makes my picks, has had more among defenders with 14. Cash has also supplied eight crosses and created two chances, as well as scoring two goals and registering an assist so far.

After his haul in Gameweek 7, Joachim Andersen makes my picks. Palace have an attractive home fixture against Nottingham Forest and the London side’s total of three clean sheets is tied first for the most in the league.

After two double-digit returns, it is hard to overlook Kieran Trippier. A number of managers may struggle to afford him at his price point and this week, I don’t think a clean sheet is likely against a well-scoring West Ham side, so he’s perhaps not a priority move. However, with his assist potential clear from the last two Gameweeks, there’s plenty of room for him in the Scout Picks, especially with other teams’ clean-sheet prospects not looking too strong this week.

Son Heung-min and James Maddison both look bordering on essential for a glorified Free Hit this week, especially since we have now seen Son play in the number 9 role even with Richarlison on the field. Maddison was unlucky not to return in Gameweek 7 and with the Spurs captain and vice-captain facing Luton in Gameweek 8, they are contenders for the FPL armband too.

Another potential Fantasy skipper, Mohamed Salah, will feel very aggrieved that he didn’t get an assist in Gameweek 8 – that, in fact, was his first blank in 2023/24. Liverpool and Salah face a Brighton team who are going to be without Pervis Estupinan and conceded six goals to Aston Villa in Gameweek 7, while the Reds have scored seven goals in their last four league matches against Brighton. In those meetings, Salah has registered two assists and a goal.

Diaby’s back injury could yet keep him out of Villa’s weekend fixture but if he is available to face Wolves, then I would want him in my picks. If he isn’t available then imagine that he is Luis Diaz!

Finally, Enzo Fernandez. Yes, I know Chelsea haven’t been in good form but there were glimmers of improvement in Gameweek 7. Enzo has supplied 27 crosses and created 12 chances for his Chelsea team-mates this season, which is more than any other Chelsea midfielder. He may still have penalty-taking responsibilities and now faces a Burnley side who have been vulnerable defensively, failing to keep a clean sheet so far this season.

Up top, it is last week’s hat-trick hero, Ollie Watkins, who leads my line.

Alongside him, I am sticking with Julian Alvarez. He is the most consistent of the Man City attackers and has set-piece-taking responsibility, as well as open play threat. Arsenal are also yet to keep a clean sheet at home this season, while City hit the Gunners for seven across their two meetings in 2022/23. Erling Haaland naturally makes the cut, too – there’s no way, even with a fixture against Arsenal, that I would go without him.

Two forwards from Merseyside round off my selection. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on a run of three goals in as many competitive matches, while Darwin Nunez is surely in line to feature with the Diogo Jota ban and the injury to Cody Gakpo.

MARC SAID…

Having Arsenal and Manchester City face each other, Newcastle United having a tough trip to West Ham United and Manchester United being out of sorts, I found it quite tricky to reach a squad of 18 players.

In fact, I’ve resorted to such things as Bournemouth forwards and a defensive double-up for both Everton and Fulham. Jordan Pickford has been a nightmare for his owners, totalling just 11 points from seven outings. They’ll be hoping for mercy when Bournemouth come to Merseyside: can Pickford and centre-back James Tarkowski finally land their first clean sheet of the season? Not if Dominic Solanke has anything to do with it. The Cherries’ frontman has quietly racked up three goals and is the forward with most penalty area touches (53). Considering Everton have lost all four home games versus the likes of Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Luton Town, Solanke will feel confident.

Fulham’s defence is tougher to call. Bernd Leno and attacking full-back Timothy Castagne have kept two clean sheets in their last three matches but the team have allowed the joint-second-most big chances so far (24). Being at home to Sheffield United makes them worth a punt.

Joachim Andersen and Matty Cash have shot up in price as both are already on two goals – no defender ended last season on more than three. One who did reach that level was Pedro Porro, despite only arriving at Spurs in January. A total of 13 starts and a mere 1,132 minutes ended with six goal involvements and a rate of 2.08 shots per 90 minutes, the highest rate amongst regular starters. This time, he’s started every match from Gameweek 2, assisting twice and ranking second-best in his position for shots (nine) in this period.

Porro is part of a Tottenham trifecta for Saturday lunchtime’s trip to Luton. Son Heung-min is classified as an FPL midfielder but has six goals from four matches playing through the middle, whilst James Maddison is second-best for both chances created (21) and shots on target (13).

Elsewhere, I’ve selected a trio from the Brighton v Liverpool encounter. No team has been involved in more goals than the Seagulls, as they lead the way with 19 but are also yet to clean sheet. They love facing the big sides, winning their last three against Man United, doing the 2022/23 double over Chelsea and trouncing Arsenal 3-0. Both meetings with Liverpool saw them net three times, so Kaoru Mitoma has nothing to fear. He’s joined by Mohamed Salah – fresh from his first blank of the campaign – and Darwin Nunez, who should start in the absence of Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota.

I’ve chosen the Chelsea pair of Robert Sanchez and Cole Palmer versus Burnley. Only Manchester City have conceded fewer goals and Palmer played well in his first Chelsea start, grabbing an assist.

Up front, it feels like an under-par spell for Erling Haaland but one goal from four matches (in all competitions) is hardly panic-worthy. He collected two goals and two assists from last season’s league meetings with Arsenal.

Congratulations to Ollie Watkins’ owners for staying patient and reaping the rewards of Gameweek 7’s 23-point haul. His fixture run looks tasty and I certainly regret selling him for Nicolas Jackson ahead of Gameweek 3!

Finally, Rasmus Hojlund covers Man United’s attack at home to Brentford. With so few FPL forwards carrying appeal right now, a differential like Hojlund could be worth pondering over if he can carry his Champions League goals over to domestic action.

TOM SAID…

A triple-up on Spurs looks irresistible for their away clash at newly-promoted Luton.

While Destiny Udogie could get some joy up against Issa Kabore, who has looked a bit shaky in recent weeks, I also fancy Pedro Porro to deliver returns. Since making his first start in Gameweek 2, the Spaniard ranks second among defenders for shots (nine) and joint-fourth for chances created (10), earning two assists over that period.

Spurs midfielders Son Heung-min and James Maddison also get my backing. Playing through the middle, Son has six goals in the last four Gameweeks, while Sander Berge was able to break forward with ease from midfield on a number of occasions against Luton on Tuesday, which bodes well for Maddison.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth are really struggling to find the net under Andoni Iraola, scoring just five times. They have also conceded 23 headed efforts, more than any other side bar Sheff Utd (39) and West Ham (28), so that weakness in the air is a big factor in choosing James Tarkowski and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Having lost 6-1 to Aston Villa in Gameweek 7, Brighton’s defence looks there for the taking at the Amex on Sunday. An injury to left-back Pervis Estupinan raises Mohamed Salah’s appeal, given that he’ll now be up against Tariq Lamptey, while Darwin Nunez has the form to barge his way into our thinking up front. The Liverpool striker has already racked up five attacking returns and is averaging a shot every 17.4 minutes this term.

Man Utd options are hardly inspiring right now, yet I fancy their chances at home to Brentford, another underperforming side. Bruno Fernandes has two goals and an assist in his last five appearances and deserves consideration, but Rasmus Hojlund could be the attacker to back after his excellent all-round centre-forward performance in midweek.

Elsewhere, Cole Palmer’s busy display in Chelsea’s clash with Fulham bodes well for another start at Burnley. Owned by just 0.4% and costing £4.9m, the winger grabbed an assist in Monday’s win over the Cottagers.

Finally, Wolves could make it difficult for Aston Villa at Molineux, which is why Ollie Watkins isn’t higher on this list. He’s still a decent option but the Villans rarely find it easy against their Midlands rivals, scoring just six in their last eight meetings.

NEALE SAID…

A common Fantasy faux-pas is to take a cursory look at the Season Ticker and assume a blob of red means ‘avoid’. And there are plenty of reddish fixtures for many of the most-owned FPL picks this week, with Arsenal facing Manchester City, Brighton hosting Liverpool and West Ham entertaining Newcastle.

The clash at the Amex is a great example of a tough-on-paper fixture where you’d still fancy the attackers on show to have a field day. The Seagulls are still without a clean sheet this season, while Liverpool can and will give up chances if that improving high line is even slightly out of step. There were a total of nine goals scored between these two clubs last season, so I’ve no qualms about plumping for all of Kaoru Mitoma, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah. In Nunez’s case, the absence of positional rivals and a planned half-time substitution on Thursday night points to a start on the south coast.

The Uruguayan is a player whose underlying stats are eye-popping – it’s just getting him on the field that’s half the problem. The same applies to Callum Wilson, whose minutes per xG is second only to a certain Norwegian. Wilson has a dozen goals in 13 meetings with West Ham, while he was back in training early this week and not risked for the midweek thrashing of PSG. I think the Hammers might breach the Newcastle defence this week but with the Magpies on such a roll and with Kieran Trippier top of the division’s chances created table, I’m happy to fall back on the right-back’s attacking threat.

City’s supposedly tricky run from Gameweeks 8-15 was the focus of an article I wrote earlier this week; in a nutshell, Erling Haaland still found a way to deliver the goods even against the likes of Arsenal. I wouldn’t even be averse to doubling up on the City attack after they twice swatted aside their title rivals in 2022/23 but with Pep Guardiola’s fondness for ‘control’ in fixtures of this magnitude, I’d be a mite concerned that one of Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden might not even start at the Emirates.

From the reds of the ticker to the greens and blues of Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham, Aston Villa and Chelsea.

I’d have loved to have gone with Andreas Pereira for the Cottagers given Sheffield United’s set-piece weaknesses but he’s been otherwise dire this season, and there are shouts for Alex Iwobi to take his place. Whether Marco Silva heeds those calls is another thing but I’m not taking any chances. I’ll have to make do with save machine Bernd Leno and the promising attacking positions of Timothy Castagne against the division’s basement club, then.

As for Chelsea, Robert Sanchez has been a shining light – at least in FPL terms – in a bleak campaign so far. The Blues are very slowly starting to look a bit better, with Enzo Fernandez looking much more at home in his usual deeper position on Monday, Mykhailo Mudryk beginning to turn a corner further forward and Nicolas Jackson not on the pitch (sorry, Nico). Cole Palmer has looked promising, too, and the shortage of other eye-catching sub-£6.0m midfield options in Gameweek 8 means I’m willing to take a punt on the big-money summer signing as my token budget midfielder. I was more impressed with his probing and passing against Brighton in the cup than against Fulham on Monday but his footballing intelligence is evident, and I think there is a decent fistful of assists to come from him in 2023/24.

I’ll skirt over the bleedingly obvious Spurs triple-up and the in-demand Aston Villa twosome but I will say that the Villans’ opponents this weekend, Wolves, have been much more at home playing against the league’s better sides this season, producing solid displays against Liverpool and both Manchester clubs. Temper expectations for Ollie Watkins, then, after his mega-haul last week.

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