This article is part of our Mondogoal Fantasy Soccer series.
Starting in recent weeks, RotoWire has joined forces with daily fantasy soccer host MondoGoal.com to offer weekly recommendations that could lead to fantastic prize money for contestants.
The best kept secret in daily fantasy soccer, MondoGoal provides daily games covering the English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Major League Soccer. Furthermore, users can enter cross-league competitions, as well as Champions League and Europa League contests, to satisfy their constant craving for fantasy soccer. Using Opta Stats, MondoGoal.com stimulates the excitement of large cash competitions with real-time scoring that can also be monitored from their mobile application.
With freshly formed partnerships with prestigious European outfits Liverpool F.C., Manchester City F.C., West Ham United F.C. and A.S. Roma, MondoGoal.com is an awaiting treasure for savvy fantasy players to turn their attention toward. In doing so, players can take advantage of spectacular contests, like MondoGoal's weekly $1,000 guaranteed leagues that are up for grabs and merely require a $5 entry fee. To acclimate to the contests, users can also try out risk-free games every week, while still having the chance to win cash in MondoGoal's Weekly $100 free roll.
MondoGoal's Week 12 Premier League game allows owners to spend a $100M salary cap on 11 players to fill out their roster. From there, MondoGoal's squad confirmations let contestants adjust their line-ups leading up to kickoff to ensure maximum participation from all selected players. To capitalize on the upcoming Premier League fixtures, here are some candidates that could bank bonus cash payouts from MondoGoal.
Goalkeeper:
Asmir Begovic $5.8M 
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Although Begovic's present tally of merely 14 saves and two cleans sheets pales in comparison to last season's whopping 104 stops and nine scoreless outings, the recently-captained Bosnian enters an outstanding matchup versus Burnley this weekend. Only Aston Villa has scored fewer than Burnley's six goals through 11 matches. Furthermore, Burnley has mustered just two goals on the road, while going scoreless in four of five away outings to date. As a result, Saturday's trip to the Britannia Stadium could prove especially trying for the Premiership's current last-place side and Begovic's $5.8M price tag is a bargain for a starting goalkeeper of his quality.
Alternative Options:Fraser Forster, SOU (at AST), $8.3M; Thibaut Courtois, CHE (vs. WBA), $8.0M; Tim Krul, NEW (vs. QPR), $6.3M
Forster is MondoGoal's highest-scoring goalkeeper and approaches a tremendous matchup versus toothless Aston Villa, factors represented in his price promotion to $8.3M. Chelsea's backstop, Courtois is usually a sound selection, but even more so at home this weekend against a West Brom side experiencing goal difficulties on the road. Krul has posted a clean sheet in three matches during Newcastle's current four-game winning streak, is very cheaply priced, and goes against a QPR team with only two road goals.
Defenders:
Ryan Bertrand $9.1M 
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As Southampton continues to sport the Premier League's best defensive record, Saints' new-boy Bertrand has emerged among fantasy's top defensive options. The on-loan Chelsea left-back ranks seventh on MondoGoal with 84.75 points on the campaign, a total boosted by Bertrand's stellar seven clean sheets. With both one goal and one assist on his ledger as well, Bertrand offers contributions across the board. This weekend, Southampton takes their second-place position in the standings to Villa Park to face the top-flight's lowest-scoring team. To illustrate Aston Villa's struggles in front of goal, the Villains have scored just once in their past seven matches, a figure that could very well see Bertrand and Southampton improve their already astounding accomplishments in defense.
Branislav Ivanovic $6.8M 
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The only team ahead of Southampton on the table, under manager Jose Mourinho, Chelsea is certainly no slouch defensively, either. In fact, only Southampton has allowed fewer goals than Chelsea thus far and the Blues are particularly tough to crack at home, where they've allowed just three goals this season. With an average of 5.97 MondoGoal points per match, no Chelsea defender fares better than Ivanovic, who claims two goals from his right-sided defensive post. Curiously, the Serbian's price evaluation is at least $1.5M cheaper than his starting comrades. All three of Ivanovic's clean sheets have come at Stamford Bridge and only the bottom-three teams have scored fewer away goals than West Brom, who travel to London this weekend. Ivanovic also scored against the Baggies last season.
Martin Skrtel $6.2M 
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Although Liverpool's defense appears to be nothing special this season, Skrtel's impressive totals of seven goals and eight clean sheets from last season are still fresh in the memory. The rugged center-half has yet to find goal this term, but he remains a constant in Liverpool's back-line, evidenced by nine starts. Additionally, his $6.2M salary is significantly less than the Reds' other defensive options on MondoGoal. That could come in handy this weekend, as Liverpool taking on Crystal Palace is a very winnable contest. Even though it's an away game for Skrtel, Palace's attack has actually scored four fewer goals at home this season than on the road, albeit in one fewer match. Nonetheless, 17th-place Palace's average of just one goal at home makes Skrtel a decent value heading into Week 12.
Alternative Options:Leighton Baines, EVE (vs. WHU), $13.1M; Daryl Janmaat, NEW (vs. QPR), $8.7M; Ryan Shawcross, STO (vs. BUR), $6.5M
MondoGoal's most expensive defender, Baines seems to enjoy facing West Ham, as he's accumulated two goals, two clean sheets, and one assist over his past three matches against the Hammers. Jamaat has been the best defender for a Newcastle team that has allowed just one goal over the past four Premier League games and carries two assists from his last performance into this weekend's match versus QPR. Shawcross is the rock in Stoke's team and leads Potters defenders with 5.59 MondoGoal points per game ahead of Saturday's tie with last-place Burnley.
Midfielders:
Angel di Maria $15.3 
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MondoGoal's leader in points per game from a midfielder with 12.27, di Maria's sensational start to the season has lived up to his hefty $15.3M price. The Argentine ranks in the top-five at his position in goals (three), assists (five), and shots on target (10), but has done so in only nine appearances for Manchester United. Following a pair of outings for his country over the international break, di Maria approaches a tasty fixture at Arsenal this weekend. Considering how both teams' defensive ranks have been ravaged by injuries this season, a shootout could ensue at the Emirates on Saturday. That would bode perfectly for di Maria, as he'll likely line-up against Arsenal right-back Calum Chambers, who endured a horrid performance in his most recent Premiership outing. This time around, the 19-year-old Chambers' naivety could be exploited by the dazzling di Maria, who led Europe's top five leagues in assists last season.
Aaron Ramsey $10.5 v.
On the Arsenal side of the attacking coin, Ramsey embodies the Gunners' most likely midfield scorer, as the Welshman broke out for 10 goals in 20 Premier League starts last season. Besides a couple of late goals to begin the current campaign, Ramsey's form has noticeably dipped to this point in the season. Nonetheless, this weekend's home match versus Manchester United presents an enticing rebound opportunity for Ramsey, as there should be no shortage of goals from Saturday's clash. The Gunners are averaging two goals per game at home this season, while United's defense allows nearly the same on the road, where the Red Devils have yet to win thus far. With patchwork defensive setups from both sides, Ramsey figures to see his share of opportunities all over the pitch, giving him solid potential to snap his recent slump.
Victor Moses $8.9M v.
A somewhat underrated performer this season, Moses has been brilliant during his loan spell at Stoke City. To that point, the pacy winger's average of 7.49 points ranks 15th on MondoGoal among midfielders that have played in at least nine matches. Most notably, Moses leads Stoke with three assists and six shots on goal, while his 17 total shot attempts are tied for the Potters' best. The Chelsea outcast has excelled in Mark Hughes' squad and is gifted with a matchup against the league's worst team, Burnley, this weekend. Prior to winning their only match of the season last time out, Burnley had shipped 15 goals over their previous five outings, including nine on the road. So with Stoke at home this Saturday and Moses coming off a goal in his last effort at the Britannia Stadium, he's the sort of mid-priced option that could prove fruitful to owners.
Wilfried Zaha $6.5M v.
Like Moses, Zaha found consistent minutes hard to come by upon signing with one of England's biggest clubs, so the young Englishman was loaned from Manchester United to Crystal Palace this season. Since returning to his old setting, Zaha has supplied one goal and one assist in three Premier League starts and his 1.6 shot attempts per game rank second on Palace. Although terms of his loan prevented Zaha from featuring in Palace's Week 11 match versus parent club United, the 22-year-old started the Eagles' preceding pair of performances. This weekend, Zaha will be clear for combat against Liverpool, whose defense has faltered regularly this season. Also, since Zaha's MondoGoal average of 6.97 points places just outside of the top 20 for midfielders, his $6.5 salary makes him a great buy-low option.
Alternative Options:Eden Hazard, CHE (vs. WBA), $16.5M; Juan Mata, MUN (at ARS), $12.9M; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, ARS (vs. MUN) $8.8M; Sebastian Larsson, SUN (at LEI), $7.0M
Hazard paces all midfielders with 123.76 MondoGoal points and scored against West Brom in Chelsea's meeting at home last season. Mata, who scored in United's most recent outing, is another creative influence that could trouble Arsenal come Saturday. Oxlade-Chamberlain is fresh off scoring for England and turning in a valiant shift for Arsenal in Week 11, which should earn him a start versus United's delicate defense. A fairly inexpensive option, Larsson found the net last time out for Sunderland and will play a Leicester team winless in its past six Premiership efforts.
Forwards:
Diego Costa $12.1M v.
Subject of controversy with his much-maligned choice country of Spain, Costa stayed in London over the international break, citing his lingering hamstring concern. Despite the ailment, Costa has been plenty useful when declared fit this season, as his 10 goals and 12.74-point average on MondoGoal both rank second among forwards. However, Costa has done so in only nine games and has found the back of the net in seven of those outings. The center forward reached double-figures by scoring in Chelsea's most recent Premiership contest and will aim for similar success versus West Brom this Saturday. While the Baggies are allowing just one goal per game on the road thus far, Costa himself is averaging a goal at Stamford Bridge and no team has scored more than Chelsea's 28 goals this season.
Danny Welbeck $9.6M v.
A player that will surely be fired up for this weekend is Welbeck, who will go against his boyhood club of Manchester United. The Red Devils often deployed Welbeck out wide, but the pacy and powerful 23-year-old has strived since his sale to Arsenal, where he spearheads the North London club's attack. To quantify, Welbeck has five goals, two assists, and 40 shot attempts (15 on goal) in 12 total starts for Arsenal. Although he's gone five games without a goal for the Gunners, Welbeck did set up a score in his side's most recent match and bagged a brace for England over the international break. With that momentum, coupled with motivation to beat his former teammates, Welbeck's encouraging credentials are bolstered even further when considering United's suspect road defense.
Robin van Persie $9.1M v.
Another striker familiar with both Arsenal and Manchester United, van Persie transferred to the latter outfit after rising to prominence at the former. Since signing with United in 2012, the Dutchman has tallied one goal in three of four meetings with Arsenal. Despite being rested for his country's match versus Mexico, van Persie notched one goal and two assists for Holland in Sunday's subsequent outing against Latvia. With that proof of fitness, van Persie is expected to start this weekend at his former stomping ground, where a makeshift Arsenal defense awaits. In essence, van Persie carries starkly similar form, motivation, and match-up qualifications to Welbeck, while both top-20 MondoGoal forwards come at very reasonable prices.
Alternative Options:Sergio Aguero, MCI (vs. SWA), $18.2M; Alexis Sanchez, ARS (vs. MUN), $16.9M; Ayoze Perez, NEW (vs. QPR), $8.1M
The Premier League's top scorer with 12 goals, Aguero struck twice for Manchester City prior to the international break and could be relied on even more this weekend versus Swansea City in light of current injuries to the Citizens. Causing a significant price rise, Alexis phenomenally sports five goals in his past three Premiership matches and could torment the Manchester United defense this weekend. A relatively unknown 21-year-old Spaniard, Perez has scored in three consecutive matches coming into this weekend's tie versus QPR's league-worst defense.
