Scout Picks – Gameweek 18

We revert to a 3-4-3 set-up this weekend as Fantasy managers prepare for the penultimate Gameweek of the calendar year. Tottenham supply us with three players ahead of a home clash with Norwich, whilst we also call upon a couple of Swansea assets for the visit of West Brom.

Jack Butland is selected between the sticks for Stoke’s home encounter with United. The Red Devils arrive at the Britannia low on confidence, having scored just twice in the last three, which boosts Butland’s chances of serving up an eighth clean sheet in 11 league outings. Should the visitors find the net, the Potters number one is likely to have save points to fall back upon – only Costel Pantilimon has made more stops this season.

Ashley Williams comes in as Swansea welcome West Brom to the Liberty. The Welsh side have tightened up since the departure of Garry Monk and bagged their first clean sheet since Gameweek 6 at home to West Ham last weekend. Having earned maximum bonus against the Hammers, the 4.8-priced Williams could be in the points again, considering that the Baggies have scored just six times on their travels.

Scott Dann’s threat from the back is enough to earn him a place in our Picks. The Palace centre-half has found the net in two of his last three road trips and with hosts Bournemouth sweating over the fitness of Junior Stanislas and Josh King, the Eagles defender looks a solid shout for points at both ends of the pitch.

Toby Alderweireld completes our back three as Spurs welcome Norwich to the Lane. The top scoring defender in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game, the Belgian has bagged both his goals at home this season and faces a side that sits bottom for shots on target (eight) over the last four Gameweeks.

Two goals, a pair of assists and four bonus points in his last four appearances brings Dele Alli into our line-up. Setting you back just 5.2, the Spurs youngster continues to benefit from a move to the role in “the hole” and bagged a 12-point haul at Southampton last week – his highest of the season.

Mesut Ozil earns the nod as Arsenal make their way to St Mary’s. After carving open City’s defence with a pair of assists on Monday evening, the German is looking to produce points for the twelfth successive league match against a Southampton side that’s failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last five.

Riyad Mahrez is another obvious candidate as Leicester roll up to Anfield. The Algerian has averaged an incredible 10.75 point per appearance away from home (86 points from eight appearances) and bearing in mind that Liverpool have one clean sheet in eight, there’d be no surprise if he delivered yet again.

We were all set for Palace’s Yannick Bolasie but with the winger braced for a late fitness test, Gylfi Sigurdsson is called upon instead. The Icelandic international has produced five attempts on goal in each of his two appearances since the departure of Garry Monk and faces a West Brom backline that’s been breached in each of the last seven.

Fit-again Sergio Aguero looks to get back amongst the goals as City entertain a Sunderland outfit that ranks bottom for goals conceded (24) on the road. Certainly, the Argentine’s home comforts are in evidence more than ever this season – all of his attacking returns (seven goals and an assist) have arrived at the Etihad, with a five-goal haul against Newcastle in just 65 minutes attesting to his capabilities with limited pitch time.

Romelu Lukaku looks to score for the eighth straight league match as Everton roll up to a Newcastle side with one clean sheet in five. Only Leicester and Man City (37 and 33 respectively) have found the net more times this term than the Toffees, with the big Belgian playing a part in 17 (13 goals and four assists) of his side’s 31 goals.

Back in the goals at Southampton last week, Harry Kane sits joint-top of the Captain Poll along with Aguero as Spurs entertain Norwich at the Lane. Despite blanking in the three outings prior to his trip to St Mary’s, Kane has managed eight strikes in as many matches ahead of a clash with a defence that’s yet to keep a clean sheet on their travels.

Charlie Daniels warms the bench for Bournemouth’s head-to-head with Palace. The left-back benefitted from spot-kick duties last week and leads the way for shots inside the box (six) amongst defenders in the previous four Gameweeks. With injuries across both squads in attacking areas, we believe there’s every chance that the clash with Palace could end in a goalless stalemate as legs are preserved for Monday’s match-ups.

Liverpool’s home encounter with Leicester affords Philippe Coutinho a place amongst the subs. Given that the Foxes have three clean sheets to their name all season, the Brazilian will be looking to rediscover the form that saw him serve up three successive double-figure hauls prior to sustaining an injury in late November.

Having scored four of Villa’s last six goals, Jordan Ayew looks a real differential for the home clash against West Ham. Granted, the Hammers roll up to Villa Park on the back of three straight clean sheets but the underlying stats tell a different story – Slaven Bilic’s men conceded more shots inside the box (33) than any other side over that stretch.

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 17’s community champion Red Devil beat the Scout Picks by 69 points to 44. He now takes the lead to claim the £100 Amazon voucher.

Gameweek 18’s Community Champion as selected by our lottery, is Saint Slaven. His starting XI is as follows: Hennessy, Cresswell, Kompany, Ivanovic, Ozil, Toure, Mahrez, Alli, Ighalo, Lukaku, Aguero.