Welcome back to another article highlighting Fantasy Premier League Clean Sheet Tips For Gameweek 27. NaturalFootyFan returns to highlight the best clean sheet potential ahead of the weekend's fixtures.
Gameweek 26 feels like a thing of the past following the FA Cup fifth round, as well as the Champions League last 16 first leg ties taking place. Nevertheless, it was a breathtaking watch, with some pivotal results on show.
Arsenal clinched a 95th minute winner as the top two battled hard into additional time, Aston Villa were blitzed 6-0 by Liverpool on home soil, while Spurs lay down a marker as serious title contenders with a convincing 2-1 victory at the Etihad.
*Liverpool vs. Everton and Newcastle vs. Man City have been rescheduled for a later date due to involvement in the Capital One Cup Final, so will not fixture this Gameweek.
Southampton seem to have nailed down the in-form spot with their third consecutive placing at the top of our table. They have now gone nine hours and 14 minutes since last conceding a Premier League goal and are looking extremely comfortable in their 3-5-2 formation.
In possession, wing-backs Matt Targett and Cedric Soares are given freedom to advance forward and create width, then when they lose the ball, the pair tuck in forming a rigid back-five. With the majority of Chelsea's dangerous plays coming from wide positions, through Willian and Hazard, this compact strategy will go a long way in quenching this threat.
There are four clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, West Brom) trailing the top spot, having conceded the same number of goals and securing two clean sheets apiece in the last four gameweeks.
Arsenal will be desperate to bounce back from their Champions League defeat to Barcelona, Chelsea are looking to extend their unbeaten run to eleven matches, Tottenham will be aiming to take another big step to close the gap on Leicester and West Brom will have orders to stay tight at the back as usual.
Stoke are the clear favourites in terms of fixture ease, as they face an Aston Villa side who have only managed to conjure up just two big chances over the last four gameweeks - whilst scoring just four times in their last nine Premier League away matches. The Villans have now lost more games than any other team in Premier League history (322).
Crystal Palace are another strong option as they host a goal-shy West Brom side who have only managed an average of 0.8 goals per game all season. The Baggies have won just four of their last 16 Premier League matches (W4 D6 L6) and have fewest shots on target this campaign. Tony Pulis will no doubt be content with a low-scoring or goal-less draw once again.
Chelsea are another side worth considering in this slate. They come in at fourth in our fixture ease table and appear revitalised in recent weeks. Although they face a very solid Southampton defence, their opposition haven't exactly scored freely at the other end - with three goals in their last four games.
Guus Hiddink lost just two of his nine Eredivisie meetings with the Koeman brothers (W3 D1 L1 vs Ronald, W2 D1 L1 vs Erwin), and has lost just once in 22 matches in his second spell as Chelsea boss.
The Bookmakers are backing Tottenham as the front-runners for a clean sheet in Gameweek 27, with a 55% implied chance. Spurs have impressed as a defensive unit this season, with Alderweireld, Vertonghen and now Wimmer coming into their own in the heart of defence.
Throughout the campaign they have looked the most assured club in England's top flight and are arguably the least attractive team to see on an oppositions fixture list, especially away from home.
Leicester City, who come in at third in the bookies odds are also a decent shout for a clean sheet as they welcome Norwich City to the King Power. The Foxes have conceded just three goals in their last eight Premier League matches at the King Power Stadium and have gone six hours and 13 minutes since they last conceded on home soil. Norwich, on the other hand, have lost nine of their last ten matches on the road, scoring just six goals in the process.
Based on our analysis and research methods we now have our top three recommendations based on form, fixture and odds. We have also thrown in a gamble for good measure in preparation for Gameweek 26:
Form: Southampton (vs. CHE)
Ronald Koeman's side have secured clean sheets versus Arsenal (H & A) and Man United (A) this season, so will not be intimidated by Chelsea. The return of Matt Targett has further bolstered their squad, with the aim to bank a seventh shutout on the bounce.
Fixture: Stoke (vs. AVL)
The Potters were back to firing on all cylinders in Gameweek 26 and will make use of this momentum in an attempt to propel themselves back into top 6 contention. While the majority of Premier League clubs competed in additional competitions this week, Aston Villa were left embarrassed - defeated by their Under 21's squad in a match played behind closed doors.
Odds: Tottenham (vs. SWA)
As mentioned earlier, Spurs have been an extremely steady team in all areas this season. Although they might be slightly fatigued, having played three matches since Gameweek 26, they will bring the confidence of their victory over Manchester City into this one.
Gamble: Crystal Palace (vs. wba)
Although this is classed as ‘a gamble', it's usually a relatively safe decision to place your faith in the backline which faces West Brom. They have a negative goal difference at home this season, which goes to show the type of mindset their manager encourages. On the back of elimination from the FA Cup and the Chris Brunt incident, The Baggies confidence will be at an all time low.
In Form Defences Ahead Of Gameweek 27:
Let's kick things off by taking a look at recent form. The following table highlights the top ten defences based on their number of clean sheets and average goals conceded in their last four Premier League matches:| Team | CS | GC |
| Southampton | 4 | 0 |
| Arsenal | 2 | 2 |
| Chelsea | 2 | 2 |
| Tottenham | 2 | 2 |
| West Brom | 2 | 2 |
| Leicester | 2 | 3 |
| Watford | 1 | 3 |
| Man United | 1 | 4 |
| Swansea | 0 | 4 |
| West Ham | 1 | 5 |
Easiest Defensive Fixture In Gameweek 27:
The table below displays the top ten defences based on opposition goals scored (GS) and big chances (BC) created. Capital letters are used for home teams and lowercase for away teams. The data is taken from the last four Premier League matches:| Team | Vs. | GS | BC |
| STO | avl | 2 | 2 |
| cry | WBA | 2 | 5 |
| avl | STO | 3 | 2 |
| che | SOT | 3 | 5 |
| TOT | swa | 4 | 3 |
| WAT | bou | 4 | 5 |
| WBA | cry | 4 | 5 |
| MUN | ars | 4 | 10 |
| WHM | sun | 5 | 4 |
| ars | MUN | 5 | 4 |
Bookies Clean Sheet Odds For Gameweek 27:
The table below displays the top ten teams based on the bookies odds to keep a clean sheet in Gameweek 27. The odds have been converted into implied chance percentage:| Team | CS | IC% |
| Tottenham | 1.81 | 55% |
| Stoke | 1.91 | 52% |
| Leicester | 2.15 | 47% |
| West Ham | 2.37 | 42% |
| West Brom | 2.62 | 38% |
| Watford | 2.70 | 37% |
| Chelsea | 2.75 | 36% |
| Arsenal | 2.80 | 36% |
| Crystal Palace | 2.80 | 36% |
| Man United | 3.00 | 33% |
Clean Sheet Verdict:
Based on our analysis and research methods we now have our top three recommendations based on form, fixture and odds. We have also thrown in a gamble for good measure in preparation for Gameweek 26:
Form: Southampton (vs. CHE)
Ronald Koeman's side have secured clean sheets versus Arsenal (H & A) and Man United (A) this season, so will not be intimidated by Chelsea. The return of Matt Targett has further bolstered their squad, with the aim to bank a seventh shutout on the bounce.
Fixture: Stoke (vs. AVL)
The Potters were back to firing on all cylinders in Gameweek 26 and will make use of this momentum in an attempt to propel themselves back into top 6 contention. While the majority of Premier League clubs competed in additional competitions this week, Aston Villa were left embarrassed - defeated by their Under 21's squad in a match played behind closed doors.
Odds: Tottenham (vs. SWA)
As mentioned earlier, Spurs have been an extremely steady team in all areas this season. Although they might be slightly fatigued, having played three matches since Gameweek 26, they will bring the confidence of their victory over Manchester City into this one.
Gamble: Crystal Palace (vs. wba)
Although this is classed as ‘a gamble', it's usually a relatively safe decision to place your faith in the backline which faces West Brom. They have a negative goal difference at home this season, which goes to show the type of mindset their manager encourages. On the back of elimination from the FA Cup and the Chris Brunt incident, The Baggies confidence will be at an all time low.
