The Scout Picks – Gameweek 17

Having gone with a 3-4-3 last weekend, we roll out a 3-5-2 formation for the Gameweek 17 Scout Picks. Newcastle and league leaders Leicester supply our starting XI with a pair of players apiece, whilst we opt for just one player from Monday evening’s Emirates encounter between Arsenal and Man City.

Although his team-mate Chris Smalling returned to training earlier in the week, we’re playing it safe and opting for David de Gea as our United defensive cover for the visit of Norwich. The Red Devils might be struggling in the final third but they’ve been defensively superb in front of their own fans, conceded just one goal at home all season. Given that Alex Neil’s side have scored once in their last three road trips, the Old Trafford outfit could well be in line for yet another shut-out. Although there were rumours of a possible finger injury floating around yesterday, Louis van Gaal made no mention of it in today’s press conference, suggesting there was no foundation to the stories.

Chelsea’s home encounter with Sunderland brings Kurt Zouma into contention. Despite the departure of Jose Mourinho, we reckon the youngster will retain his starting berth against the Black Cats as the home side looks for a fifth clean sheet in seven matches across all competitions.

Daryl Janmaat find a spot in our XI for Newcastle’s clash with Villa. Steve McClaren’s side has two clean sheets in the last three at St James’, whilst their visitors have netted just twice in their previous four road trips. With a goal and two assists already accrued, the Dutchman offers the chance of points at both ends of the pitch.

West Brom’s Craig Dawson gets the nod for a similar reason as Bournemouth roll up to the Hawthorns. The 5.1-priced right-back grabbed his second goal of the season last weekend and is looking for a seventh shut-out against the in-form Cherries.

Newcastle’s Georginio Wijnaldum comes in for the home encounter with Villa. Having struck all seven of his league goals at St James’, the Dutchman will fancy his chances of delivering yet again, given that the visitors have conceded 10 times in their last four road trips and have picked up just one point from their last seven away matches.

We keep faith in Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez after he served up an eighth double-figure haul of the season against Chelsea on Monday. The Algerian has averaged 10.1 points per appearance away from home and now visits an Everton defence that’s managed a single clean sheet in the last 10 Gameweeks.

A move up front against Palace last week persuades us to call upon Sadio Mane as Southampton host Spurs at St Mary’s. Although he’s failed to score in the last six, the Senegal international is joint-top with Riyad Mahrez amongst midfielders for shots in the box (13) over that period and will fancy his chances of breaching a backline that’s managed just one clean sheet on their travels.

We’re opting for Aaron Ramsey’s goal threat in Monday evening’s Emirates clash with City. Whilst there’s no denying the consistency of Mesut Ozil, the Welshman has served up back-to-back double-figure hauls since moving back into central midfield and with Vincent Kompany still sidelined, the visitors will struggle to keep the Gunners at bay.

Swansea’s home clash with West Ham affords Andre Ayew a chance to get amongst the points again. The Ghana international has served up a respectable 6.25 point per appearance at the Liberty after arriving from Marseille and, with six goals and two assists to his name, has contributed to eight of his side’s 15 strikes thus far.

Romelu Lukaku is looking to notch for the seventh successive league appearance as Everton welcome Leicester to Goodison. The Toffees are second only to City for goals scored at home (17 to 25) so far and with Robert Huth suspended for the Foxes, the big Belgian could be in line for further returns.

We also turn to the consistent Jamie Vardy for the Goodison showdown. Back amongst the goals in Monday’s win over Chelsea, he’ll be hoping to take advantage of the Toffees’ dodgy defence as he looks to continue an incredible run that’s seen him blank just once in the opening 16 Gameweeks.

Stoke’s budget centre-back Philipp Wollscheid (4.4) warms the bench as Palace make their way to the Britannia. Seven clean sheets in nine underlines the Potters’ levels of resilience, with Mark Hughes’ men keeping out Man City in the previous match in front of their own fans.

We’re expecting goals at Goodison tomorrow and draft in Gerard Deulofeu as our back-up midfielder. The Spaniard has produced six assists in seven appearances since being installed to the first XI in Gameweek 10 and his link-up play with Lukaku could prove the undoing of the Foxes’ defence.

Once again, Watford’s Odion Ighalo is unlucky to only make the bench. The Nigerian is looking to score for the fourth successive Gameweek at home to Liverpool and squares up to a defence that’s managed just one clean sheet in their last seven under Jurgen Klopp.

THE COMMUNITY CHAMPION

Having scrapped the weekly vote idea from last season, we now operate a lottery system to pick our weekly candidates. 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.

Gameweek 15’s community champion Shaktimaan narrowly lost to the Scout Picks by 37 points to 38. Massive stays in the lead to claim the £100 Amazon voucher, then, after beating us by 16 points in Gameweek 6.

Gameweek 16’s Community Champion as selected by our lottery, is The Red Devil. His starting XI is as follows: Butland, Janmaat, Zouma, Alderweireld, Stanislas, Mahrez, Wijnaldum, Ozil, Vardy, Lukaku, Ighalo.