SOCCER

3 FanDuel Premier League Under-the-Radar Plays for Matchweek 25

Zack Bussiere  —  @ZackBussiere Jan 31st, 2019
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Jordan Ayew, Forward, Crystal Palace

Salary: $7,500

Wilfried Zaha's ($9,500) absence due to the red card he received against Southampton on Wednesday will force Crystal Palace to make some changes to their lineup and should secure a fifth consecutive Premier League start for Jordan Ayew. Zaha's absence certainly hurts Crystal Palace, but it could lead to an increase in opportunities on the ball for Ayew at a time when the public is likely to look at the striker on the other side of the pitch, Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Mitrovic's two-goal performance midweek propelled Fulham to a much-needed victory over Brighton, but their defensive issues were on full display as they conceded twice, bringing their total for the season to a whopping 53 goals allowed in 24 matches, an average of 2.2 goals per match. That average is even worse on the road, where they have conceded 30 goals in just 12 matches, an average of 2.5 goals per match. No matter how well Mitrovic plays, Fulham's defense remains a liability and enhances the outlook of any forward facing them.

After scoring just two goals through their first six home matches this season, Crystal Palace have improved slightly. They have four goals in the five home matches since, all of which came against non-elite sides. While they haven't been good in the final third, they have been exceptional at keeping their opponents off the scoresheet, allowing 11 goals in 11 home matches, the fourth-fewest in the Premier League, and just four goals in their last six home matches. Mitrovic will definitely be more popular than Ayew this weekend, but with a much easier matchup and a salary that is $4,000 less, Ayew might be the better play for tournaments.


Zack Bussiere is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Zack Bussiere also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zbuss1. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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