The Scout Picks return ahead of Gameweek 8 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).

This is, essentially, a Free Hit in all but name, with the focus solely on the upcoming Gameweek. Selections made in the Scout Squad are a big factor when it comes to deciding who made the final cut.

As ever, we are limited by certain restrictions:

• An £83.0m budget for our starting XI
• An overall squad limit of £100.0m
• No more than three players per team

GAMEWEEK 8 SCOUT PICKS

GOALKEEPER

David Raya (£6.1m) is our chosen goalkeeper after he was selected by three of our Scout Squad pundits.

No side has better clean sheet odds than Arsenal in Gameweek 8…

Mikel Arteta’s men are the joint-best team in 2026/27 for actual goals conceded, with five. They’ve also kept four clean sheets, with Raya scooping the maximum bonus twice.  

Opponents Everton have failed to score in two of their last four matches, having netted only three goals in that period.

DEFENDERS

Tarik Muharemovic (£5.0m) offers potential at both ends of the pitch away to Sunderland, who had a European tie in Poznan on Thursday.

The aerially dominant centre-back will be a natural target for set-pieces…

Above: Defenders sorted by headed goal attempts from set plays in 2026/27

Also, our clean sheet odds list makes Leeds United fourth favourites for a shut-out in Gameweek 8.

Furthermore, Muharemovic already has eight defensive contribution (DefCon) points to his name, further highlighting his multiple routes to points.

Riccardo Calafiori (£6.0m) was in the running for Scout Picks duty this week, but with Arsenal’s Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday run in mind, we’ve opted to play it safe with Ezri Konsa (£4.6m), a 90-minute man since he made his first start in 2026/27.

In that time, Konsa has banked two clean sheets, hit the DefCon threshold twice and secured maximum bonus against Nottingham Forest, averaging 4.8 points per start, level with Calafiori.  

Meanwhile, Brentford’s Kristoffer Ajer (£4.5m) is another defender with good DefCon potential, having delivered nine or more contributions in six of his seven matches.  Opponents Hull City are winless in five and are 20th for shots in the box (42) this season.

MIDFIELDERS

Cole Palmer (£9.8m) and Morgan Gibbs-White (£7.9m) were both backed by three of our Scout Squad pundits.

Rate My Team (RMT) has Palmer as the second top projected midfield scorer of Gameweek 8.

Opponents Tottenham Hotspur have admittedly tightened up recently, with the second-fewest expected goals conceded (xGC) over the last six Gameweeks. However, Chelsea have plundered 11 goals across their three home matches to date, highlighting their immense firepower under Xabi Alonso.

Penalty-taker Palmer is Chelsea’s leading player for shots (23) and chances created (15).

As for Gibbs-White, he was one of the first names on the teamsheet this week. Passed fit to start by Oliver Glasner in his pre-match presser, the Nottingham Forest midfielder has scored once and supplied two assists in three away matches this season, amassing 23 points.

Up against a clean sheet-less Ipswich Town side who have looked suspect at the back all season, Gibbs-White gets the nod.

Above: Teams sorted by most expected goals conceded (xGC) in 2026/27

Kevin Schade (£6.2m) only came off the bench last weekend after he suffered a shoulder injury in Gameweek 6, but should be fit enough to start against Hull on Sunday. Prior to that, the Brentford winger had delivered three goals and two assists in five matches.

Averaging a shot in the box every 36.3 minutes, Schade looks primed to deliver against Sergej Jakirovic’s men, who haven’t kept a clean sheet since Gameweek 3.

Marcus Tavernier (£6.2m) rounds off our midfield selection at Manchester United, who, like Ipswich, are yet to keep a clean sheet in 2026/27. After the Como fiasco, Bournemouth may be facing Michael Carrick’s side at an opportune time.

Tavernier meanwhile has four goals in seven Premier League matches. He also netted a penalty against AC Milan on Thursday.

FORWARDS

The leader in this week’s Captain Poll, Erling Haaland (£15.7m) has scored eight times in seven matches.

Injury-free and rested in midweek, the Norwegian was unsurprisingly seen as the best forward in Gameweek 8 by our Scout Squad panel. All four of our pundits backed him in the top spot in his position, despite a potentially tricky trip to an improving Aston Villa side in the early Saturday kick-off.

Another Chelsea option, Joao Pedro (£7.9m) has been directly involved in 47% of the Blues’ goals when on the pitch this season. The Brazilian also boasts a points-per-start average of 7.8, with eight attacking returns in six matches.

Finally, we’ve chosen Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.1m) as our third forward. Opponents Sunderland are ranked 19th for big chances conceded in 2026/27, and will be without two centre-backs on Sunday: the injured Dan Ballard (£4.8m) and suspended Kevin Danso (£5.0m).

Calvert-Lewin has two goals and one assist in his last four matches.

SUBSTITUTES

• Mike Penders (£4.4m): With Emiliano Martinez (£5.0m) out injured, Chelsea’s reserve goalkeeper takes his place on the Scout Picks bench. The Blues kept their first clean sheet of the season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last week.
• Murillo (£5.5m): The Nottingham Forest centre-back has banked DefCon points five times this season. He’s also racked up 10 shots in the box, the joint-most of any FPL defender.
• Bobby Thomas (£4.0m): With DefCon potential and set-piece threat, Thomas is named among our subs. Coventry City host Fulham, who have failed to win on the road so far this season.
• Jack Rudoni (£4.9m): The budget midfielder has scored in back-to-back Gameweeks, amassing 13 points.

THE CAPTAIN

We chose the Scout Picks captain using a vote between our Scout Squad panel.

• Marc: Haaland, Pedro, Palmer
• Tom F: Palmer, Haaland, Pedro
• Neale: Haaland, Pedro, Gibbs-White

We’re handing Erling Haaland the armband this week, with Joao Pedro as deputy.