SOCCER

FanDuel Premier League Matches to Target in Matchweek 13

Douglas Smith  —  @DFresh39 Nov 23rd, 2016
Hosting 19th-place Sunderland, Emre Can and Liverpool could put on an offensive masterclass this weekend. Also, last year's champs are in a good spot, as well.

The main slate on FanDuel features three of the top five teams, but the focus of this post will be mainly on teams in the lower half of the table.

There is clearly value in Hull as the Tigers take on West Bromwich Albion, but the point totals possible in two other matches make them worth focusing on. The players at Hull can provide salary relief and high upside to allow space for high-priced stars in these fixtures.

Leicester City vs. Middlesbrough

Leicester City is riding high after claiming the top spot in their Champions League group this week. The 2-1 victory over Club Brugge on Tuesday takes any uncertainty out of the campaign and allows the defending Premier League champions to again focus on the domestic league.


That is likely not good news for Middlesbrough as they head to King Power Stadium. The Boro are without a win in their last 12 meetings against Leicester. Still, the stakes are similar for both teams as they are separated by one point and hovering just above the relegation zone.

Leicester could be without Kasper Schmeichel, Islam Slimani and Danny Drinkwater. This makes Ron-Robert Zieler a good option in net at $5,900. Jamie Vardy at $9,200 is the obvious attacking option with Slimani and Drinkwater potentially on the sideline. Vardy has scored in all three of his previous games against Middlesbrough in Premier League competition.

Christian Fuchs is a good option this week as his confidence is likely growing along with the team. Fuchs had an assist in the match against Club Brugge and factors in on longer set pieces. He is one of the most expensive defenders on the slate, but Fuchs is averaging close to 20 points per match. FanDuel has credited him with no less than four points in the passing category over the last 10 matches.

Fuchs should be considered for his offensive value rather than his defensive impact as Leicester has been more porous than Middlesbrough. This is also a matchup of two teams that like to send the long ball over the top, so Middlesbrough could find a breakthrough playing route one soccer. Gaston Ramirez and Stewart Downing have been consistent and will work the set pieces. Boro's long-ball philosophy also makes Fabio an interesting option at just $3,200. He will likely start in place of the injured George Friend and has the potential to pick up a cheap assist.

Liverpool vs. Sunderland

This seems like a mismatch on paper. Liverpool has over 100 more shots than Sunderland on the season. The teams are separated by 19 points in the table, and Liverpool has 18 more goals. Not to mention the game is at Anfield where Liverpool has never lost a Premier League match to the Black Cats.


It is fair to say that targeting Liverpool players makes sense, although it'll probably be chalk. James Milner has scored five goals against Sunderland, although he may not be a big part of the Liverpool attack on Saturday. It is the usual suspects expected up top with Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho, and Sadio Mane roaming the pitch. Along with Milner, they are the most expensive players available in the match on FanDuel. With all of them averaging over 25 points per match, the potential outweighs the price.

As added incentive to paying up for the Liverpool players, consider that the already shaky Sunderland defense will be without Papy Djilobodji. He played a big role in Sunderland's minor two-match winning streak, which includeed last week's clean sheet against Hull. Paddy McNair is also out to add to the list of Sunderland regulars battling for a return to fitness.

If there is a silver lining for Sunderland, it is said two-game winning streak. Jermain Defoe scored his 150th top-flight goal last week and has other records in his sights now. Victor Anichebe has a new lease on his playing career and scored twice last weekend. Liverpool only has two clean sheets on the Premier League season, so Sunderland should generate chances.

As always, be sure to check starting XI's prior to Saturday's roster lock.