We’ve put together our Scout Picks ‘bus team’ ahead of Gameweek 38 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
In this early selection, we select a first draft of our regular picks before they are finalised and published much closer to Sunday’s deadline.
Plenty can change between now and then, with three more Double Gameweek 37 fixtures and a whole host of press conferences still to come this week.
But in the meantime, this ‘bus team’ article – a term coined by the duo behind the Always Cheating podcast – will discuss the players who are likely to be in the running.
As ever, we are limited by certain restrictions in our selections:
- An £83.0m budget for our starting XI
- An overall squad limit of £100.0m
- No more than three players per team
GAMEWEEK 38 FIXTURES
A screenshot of the Gameweek 38 fixtures, sorted by ‘difficulty’ on our Season Ticker
THE LIKELY LADS
The final Scout Picks will unquestionably feature significant representation from Liverpool. Opponents Southampton, who are already relegated, are the worst team for expected goals conceded (xGC) over the last six matches.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.8m) has been excellent since Liverpool changed shape and looks right at home inverting into midfield when the Reds have the ball. Since the switch occurred, no player in any position has racked up more touches in the opponent’s half. Mohamed Salah (£13.1m) is another strong candidate for inclusion, having plundered 45 FPL points in his last five appearances.
Our selections from Manchester City will be influenced by minutes played in Wednesday’s encounter in Brighton. Another rest for Erling Haaland (£12.4m), for instance, would massively elevate his chances of prolonged game-time against Brentford in Gameweek 38.
Any doubts around the Norwegians’ minutes will almost certainly confirm a spot for Harry Kane (£11.4m), who has blanked in just three of his last 18 Premier League appearances, averaging 6.3 points per match.
Eberechi Eze (£5.6m) – who has eight attacking returns in nine appearances under Roy Hodgson – is in the mix, while a budget defender, perhaps in the form of Marc Guehi (£4.5m), is also in contention.
We’ll get to see Manchester United in action again before we finalise our selections from the Red Devils, and we’ll hopefully get more news on Marcus Rashford’s (£7.2m) illness in due course, too.
The chance-creating Bruno Fernandes (£9.5m) and Luke Shaw (£5.3m) will be in the Scout Picks mix as ever, while Premier League Golden Glove winner David De Gea (£5.1m) is another appealing candidate, given United’s excellent defensive form at Old Trafford, which has seen them keep six clean sheets in a row on home turf.
However, for now, we’ve opted for Victor Lindelof (£4.1m), given that Erik ten Hag is likely to go strong against Chelsea on Thursday. If UEFA Champions League qualification is secured in that match, does he field key players less than 67 hours later against Fulham?
IN CONTENTION
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