Gameweek 18 proved to be another successful one for the Bookies’ Advantage squad with a 66 point haul. This was mainly thanks to the efforts of captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic (30) and Eden Hazard (10).

Read on as we present the clean sheet and anytime goalscorer odds for Gameweek 19 in order to help you with your transfer, squad selection and captaincy decisions…

Defensive odds

Team Best clean sheet odds Implied chance of a clean sheet Man Utd 1.75 57% Chelsea 1.8 56% Southampton 2.05 49% Arsenal 2.1 48% Everton 2.38 42% Tottenham 2.45 41% Burnley 2.75 36% Leicester 2.9 34% Sunderland 3.3 30% Bournemouth 3.5 29% Swansea 3.6 28% Liverpool 3.8 26% West Ham 4.33 23% Man City 4.5 22% Hull 4.5 22% Watford 5 20% West Brom 5 20% Middlesbrough 8.8 11% Stoke 9.6 10% Crystal Palace 11 9%

Manchester United sit top of the bookies’ defensive rankings for the second gameweek in succession with a 57% chance of shutting out Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon. The Red Devils have kept 2 clean sheets in their last 4 outings, whilst Aitor Karanka’s men have only scored 7 in their 9 away games so far, blanking in both of their last 2. Phil Jones is the cheapest starter in United’s back line and makes our XI.

Chelsea are hot on United’s tails in the rankings with a 56% chance of a clean sheet when Stoke visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday. The Blues have the best defence in the division, conceding just 11 goals in 18 games, and have recorded 8 clean sheets in their last 10 games. The Potters have scored 9 goals in 9 on their travels this term, including in each of their last 6, but the return of N’Golo Kante from suspension should shore up Antonio Conte’s back line even further. Marcos Alonso continues to offer attacking threat from his left midfield berth and starts for our squad.

Southampton (49%) and Arsenal (48%) rank third and fourth for Gameweek 19 when they entertain West Brom and Crystal Palace respectively. The Saints, prior to last night’s game against Tottenham, had the second best home defence in the league, conceding just 5 times in 8 matches, including clean sheets in each of their last 3 at St Mary’s. Opponents West Brom have scored just 7 times in 9 on the road, blanking in their last 2. Arsenal, meanwhile, kept their first clean sheet at The Emirates since October in Gameweek 18, and will be looking to add to that when Crystal Palace visit on New Year’s Day. However, with the Eagles currently the fourth best away attack in the top flight (17 scored in 9 games), the Gunners’ defence will have to be at their best to register successive shutouts. Fraser Forster and Gabriel offer security of starts and value respectively, seeing both make our starting XI.

To fill the remainder of our defensive slots, we opt for Stoke’s budget friendly Lee Grant (£4.0m – 10%) as our backup keeper, with Everton’s Mason Holgate (£4.0m – 42%) and Burnley’s Ben Mee (£4.5m – 36%) taking the second and third spots on our bench respectively.

Before moving onto our analysis of the bookmakers attacking odds, a quick look at the bottom rungs of the clean sheet ladder tells us that defensive assets from Middlesbrough (11% – away to Man United), Stoke (10% – away to Chelsea) and Crystal Palace (9% – away to Arsenal) should be avoided this weekend.

Attacking odds

Player Best anytime goalscorer odds Implied chance of scoring Diego Costa 1.7 59% Alexis Sanchez 1.8 56% Olivier Giroud 1.91 52% Zlatan Ibrahimovic 1.95 51% Michy Batshuayi 2.15 47% Harry Kane 2.18 46% Eden Hazard 2.2 45% Theo Walcott 2.3 43% Romelu Lukaku 2.3 43% Sergio Aguero 2.45 41% Callum Wilson 2.75 36% Daniel Sturridge 2.8 36% Fernando Llorente 2.8 36% Islam Slimani 2.9 34% Jermain Defoe 2.9 34% Sadio Mane 3.1 32% Henrikh Mkhitaryan 3.1 32% Sam Vokes 3.1 32% Son Heung-Min 3.1 32% Divock Origi 3.15 32% Gylfi Sigurdsson 3.2 31% Willian 3.2 31% Paul Pogba 3.25 31% Riyad Mahrez 3.3 30% Sofiane Boufal 3.3 30% Dele Alli 3.35 30% Roberto Firmino 3.4 29% Andy Carroll 3.4 29% Nathan Redmond 3.4 29% Dusan Tadic 3.4 29% Joshua King 3.5 29% Nolito 3.65 27% Mesut Ozil 3.65 27% Kevin Mirallas 3.75 27% Christian Eriksen 3.85 26% Kevin de Bruyne 4 25% Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 4 25% Troy Deeney 4.2 24% Salomon Rondon 4.2 24% Ross Barkley 4.35 23% Victor Anichebe 4.4 23% Christian Benteke 4.5 22% Andre Ayew 4.5 22% Michail Antonio 4.5 22% Dimitri Payet 4.5 22% Yaya Toure 4.7 21% Raheem Sterling 4.7 21% Gerard Deulofeu 5 20% Junior Stanislas 5 20% Wilfried Bony 5.6 18% Robert Snodgrass 5.75 17% Nacer Chadli 5.8 17% Alvaro Negredo 6 17% James Milner 6 17% Bojan 6 17% Jonathan Walters 7 14% Andros Townsend 7.5 13% Emre Can 7.75 13% Cristhian Stuani 8 13% Etienne Capoue 8 13% Wilfried Zaha 8 13% Matt Phillips 8 13% Ryan Mason 8.5 12% Gaston Ramirez 10 10% Adama Traore 12.5 8%

Diego Costa returns from suspension and returns to the top of the bookmakers’ attacking ranks with a 59% chance of finding the net against Stoke on Saturday. The Premier League’s top scorer (13 goals) takes on a Stoke Side that have conceded 15 times in 9 away games, including 7 in their last 2. The fiery Spaniard dons our captain’s armband for Gameweek 19.

Olivier Giroud (52%) and Romelu Lukaku (43%) complete our front line. The Frenchman started last time out in the absence of the injured Theo Walcott and bagged the winner for the Gunners, which should see him retain his place in their starting XI. An Emirates encounter with Crystal Palace, who have let in 20 goals on their travels, the fourth worst away defence in the league, offers Giroud a good opportunity for back-to-back goals, especially given the fact that the Eagles are yet to keep an away clean sheet this season. Lukaku was also on the scoresheet in Gameweek 18, his tenth of the campaign, and makes the journey to Hull on Friday evening, with the Tigers conceding an average of 2 goals per game at home this term and without a clean sheet at The KC Stadium.

The bookies also fancy the chances of Zlatan Ibrahimovic (51%), Harry Kane (47%) and Michy Batshuayi (51%) ahead of meetings with Middlesbrough, Watford and Stoke respectively, but we overlook the trio due to their price (Zlatan and Kane) and lack of starting security (Batshuayi).

Arsenal’s home clash with Palace sees us double up on their attackers, with Alexis Sanchez (56%) joining Olivier Giroud in our starting XI. The Chilean superstar has 12 goals to his name in the league this campaign. Joining Alexis in our midfield is Heung-Min Son (32%). The Tottenham midfielder should return to the Lillywhites’ starting XI after bagging off the bench against Southampton – his sixth goal in the league this season. The Hornets are without a clean sheet in 8 matches.

Gylfi Sigurdsson and Willian (both 31%) complete our lineup for Gameweek 19. Swansea’s Icelandic talisman will be looking to drag his side off the bottom of the table, and add to the 5 goals he has scored this term, against a Bournemouth unit that have conceded 9 in their last 3 on the road. Willian, meanwhile, should start for Chelsea against Stoke, given Pedro’s suspension, hoping to build on a goal and an assist in his last 5 outings. As is customary, Etienne Capoue (13%) takes the first spot on our substitutes bench.

The bookmakers also fancy the chances of Eden Hazard (45% – price), Theo Walcott (43% – injury doubt), Sadio Mane (32% – price) Henrikh Mkhitaryan (32% – price), but we have to forgo the services of the quartet for the reasons given in parentheses.