Fantasy football scout tips gameweek 38: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Virgil van Dijk, Marcus Rashford and more

How many of our picks are in your team?

Mark Critchley
Friday 11 May 2018 11:08 BST
Comments

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Criminally overlooked ahead of gameweek 37, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang punished us with a 23-point haul in Arsenal’s double-header against Burnley and Leicester City.

A trip to Huddersfield Town follows on Sunday and David Wagner’s side are newly safe in the top flight after their heroic draw at Stamford Bridge in midweek.

Arsenal’s away form is infamously poor but against opponents already celebrating safety, in Arsene Wenger’s final game, surely Aubameyang helps his side pick up their first points on the road in 2018?

Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool need a point on the final day in order to secure the final top-four Champions League qualification spot and come up against one of the top-flight’s worst travelling sides in Brighton and Hove Albion.

Chris Hughton’s men have have scored only 10 goals on the road this season. Curiously though, they have the top flight’s joint-sixth best defensive record away from home, with 25 conceded.

All this suggests that Sunday’s meeting at Anfield will be a low-scoring affair and a Liverpool defender is probably your best option. No team has conceded more from set-pieces than Brighton, so Virgil van Dijk carries an added bit of attacking threat.

Marko Arnautovic

Marko Arnautovic has not quite kicked on in the way that we hoped once he started playing up front for West Ham United, but 10 goals and six assists is a welcome return for a mid-price midfielder.

The Austrian has a chance to add to that record on Sunday when Sam Allardyce’s Everton rock up at the London Stadium. The Toffees are unbeaten in their last five but only narrowly avoided defeat to Southampton last time out.

West Ham, meanwhile, can finish as high as 10th if they take all three points and see other results go their way. Arnautovic is likely to be central to any attacking threat they pose.

Marcus Rashford

Jose Mourinho confirmed after Thursday’s goalless draw at West Ham that both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial would return to his starting line-up against Watford on Sunday.

The pair had a difficult time during last week’s defeat to Brighton but should find things easier against Javi Gracia’s out-of-form Hornets, who have lost more away matches than any other top-flight side this season.

With Romelu Lukaku sidelined through an ankle injury, Rashford is likely to start up top and will have a point to prove as he looks for his first goals since March.

Patrick van Aanholt

Crystal Palace end the year in good knick having won three of their last four. West Bromwich Albion, stung by relegation in midweek, are their guests at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

Wilfried Zaha has produced some excellent returns of late but Patrick van Aanholt also deserves our attention, as he comes up against a side that has struggled to score on the road.

The full back offers valuable attacking threat and is owned by only 2.2 per cent of managers, making him a potential differential for those lagging behind in their mini-leagues.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in