SOCCER

FanDuel Premier League Matches to Target in Matchweek 17

Douglas Smith  —  @DFresh39 Dec 16th, 2016
This five-game slate is the toughest to narrow to two matches since FanDuel began their Premier League contests.

It is only a five-game slate on FanDuel this Saturday, and all the matches come with a level of intrigue. The Premier League games in the slate are largely being contested by teams in the lower half of the table and could be spun into favorable matchups for many.

Three of the five matches are toss ups, and all the matches have an over/under of 2.5 goals. In other words, there could be an argument for players from each match on the slate.

Still, these matches stick out in the small slate that starts at 10:00 a.m. EST Saturday.

Sunderland vs. Watford

The last time these teams met, the match ended in a 2-2 draw. They will both enter the match off tough loses with 28 goals conceded on the season. Needless to say, both teams will be wanting to win badly, so an open game is expected.

The history favors Sunderland. They have four wins in the last eight league matches. Watford have only won three games in 18 versus the Black Cats. However, this may be a time to throw history out as Sunderland sits at the bottom of the table and could be in the bottom two at Christmas for the third time in the last four years.

Both teams have lost three of their last four matches. Watford have conceded 11 goals in their last three away matches. Meanwhile, Sunderland has given up a league-leading 10 goals in the final 15 minutes of a match. All of this information is a clear sign that both teams must play with desperation.


As always, Jermain Defoe is the danger man for Sunderland. He had success in his last two home matches before the poor showing in midweek action. Defoe will cost $7,800 and is averaging 16.6 FanDuel points per game.

Watford captain Troy Deeney was left out of midweek action as he has been stuck on the verge of a milestone for weeks. Hopefully his head is right now and the Watford team can help him get his 100th goal for the club. Deeney costs $7,100 for Saturday's clash at the Stadium of Light.

He may benefit from the return of Daryl Janmaat, who has battled injuries the majority of the season. Janmaat is only $4,700 and will be given the license to get forward.

With an open game expected, there should be a chance for both Jordan Pickford and Heurelho Gomes to get save points. Both teams have struggled to convert and sit in the bottom half of the goals scored category. Watford took 33 shots against Sunderland in their two matches last season, more than against any other side.

West Brom vs. Manchester United

On paper, this is the best game of the five-match slate. The teams are separated by four points and have both won two of their last three. West Brom scored six goals in those two wins but failed to get a clean sheet. United's goal scoring is not as prolific, but they did shut out Tottenham.

Manchester United's defense will look a little different as Chris Smalling comes back in while Eric Bailly joins Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Luke Shaw on the injury table. Smalling is more than capable of continuing the consistency that United has shown of late. They are also closing out games to keep near the top of the table. United's growing confidence will make the team feel they can win their 10th match over the last 13 visits to The Hawthorns.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba are starting to show signs of why United paid so much to acquire their services. Zlatan is the most expensive player on the slate at $12,200. Pogba is in third at $9,500. Despite the big money, some think that Ander Herrera is United's most important player. Herrera is still reasonably priced at $7,500 and averages over 21 points a game.

If Wayne Rooney makes the lineup, he does have a good history against West Brom. He has been directly involved in 11 goals over his last nine games against West Brom.


The Baggies are not going to go down quietly. Veteran Chris Brunt is thinking about possible European qualifying. Due in part to Brunt's service, they lead the league in headed goals and have scored one more goal than Manchester United on the season. Salomon Rondon helped West Brom move into the lead in that category during midweek action with a hat trick of headed goals. Rondon is West Brom's most expensive player at $7,500.

Unlike Manchester United, West Brom generally convert their big chances. They do not get a lot of touches on the ball but are able to absorb pressure and convert. This can be a statement game for The Baggies, so expect a solid, disciplined effort.

Enjoy the action this weekend as the loaded Premier League schedule is a clear sign that the holidays are here.