This article is part of our Mondogoal Fantasy Soccer series.
RotoWire recently joined forces with daily fantasy soccer host MondoGoal.com to offer weekly recommendations that could lead to fantastic prize money for contestants heading into the holiday season.
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 Gameweek 13 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 palatable cash payouts from MondoGoal:
Goalkeeper
Brad Guzan, AST (@ BUR), $5.4M
One of MondoGoal's least expensive goalkeeper options, Guzan's 55.60 points on the season rank tenth at his position, making the American a true bargain. Only three backstops sport more clean sheets than Guzan's four, while his 37 saves are the fifth-most in the Premier League. Although Aston Villa's attack doesn't offer much comfort for Guzan, he should enjoy facing England's second-lowest scoring team this weekend at Burnley. Given Guzan's strong statistics and Burnley's futile offense, he's a fantastic value for Gameweek 13 if you want to limit your spending on a goalkeeper.
Alternative Options:Thibaut Courtois, CHE (at SUN), $9.1M; Lukasz Fabianski, SWA (vs. CRY), $8.3M; David de Gea, MUN (vs. HUL), $8.3M
Behind a Jose Mourinho coached defense, Courtois will always be protected by a steady alignment, which could stifle low-scoring Sunderland this weekend. MondoGoal's second-best goalkeeper, Fabianski approaches a potentially fruitful pairing versus Crystal Palace at home, where Swansea has allowed just four goals this season. The third-ranked goalie, de Gea put forth an eight-save Man of the Match effort at Arsenal last weekend and now gets to play a struggling Hull City at home.
Defenders
Branislav Ivanovic, CHE (@SUN), $6.8M
For whatever reason, Ivanovic remains on clearance in MondoGoal's pricing despite his standing as this season's eleventh-best defender with 70.59 total points. That haul includes a clean sheet from last weekend, which gave him four through 12 outings. The Serbian also totes a pair of goals and leads Chelsea defenders with 27 tackles this term. The Blues' defense averages less than one goal allowed per game and this weekend play a Sunderland outfit that failed to score against Leicester City last time out.
Chris Smalling, MUN (vs. HUL), $6.0M
Despite playing alongside a teenager and a 20-year-old in a three-man defense, Smalling kept a clean sheet for 94 minutes at Arsenal last weekend. Although a stunning goal ultimately spoiled Manchester United's surprising defensive effort, the Red Devils completed a clean sheet in their prior Premiership match, even though Smalling was unavailable due to suspension. Nonetheless, an endless list of injuries figures to provide Smalling another start this weekend, when United host Hull City. In addition to boasting confidence from their current top-four standing, Smalling and Man U's chances this Saturday are boosted by the fact that Hull have scored just once in their past four league efforts.
Kyle Bartley, SWA (vs. CRY), $5.1M
Another cut-price defensive option, Bartley has started Swansea City's past two games, which was dauntingly come against his former club Arsenal and defending champions Manchester City. Should he receive another first-team selection, Bartley's sledding figures to be a tad easier this Saturday, with Swansea City hosting 15th-place Crystal Palace. Yes, the Eagles thumped Liverpool last weekend, but they also went scoreless in their most recent road trip. Meanwhile, Swansea's current total of four home goals allowed is only bettered by Chelsea and Southampton - the Premier League's two best teams.
Alternative Options:Per Mertesacker, ARS (at WBA), $7.9M; Jeffrey Schlupp, LEI (at QPR), $7.4M; Steven Caulker, QPR (vs. LEI), $5.7M
Mertesacker could welcome his defensive partner Laurent Koscielny back to the lineup Saturday against West Brom, after Arsenal posted a midweek clean sheet versus Borussia Dortmund. Although MondoGoal designates him as a defender, Schlupp plays more of a midfield role for Leicester, who face the league's worst team this weekend. In a match of two relegation zone teams, Caulker could benefit from being at home versus Leicester, who haven't scored for a depressing streak of five consecutive games.
Midfielders
Cesc Fabregas, CHE (@ SUN), $12.5M
The only Premiership side with an average of over two goals per match, Chelsea's offensive exploits have often been started by Fabregas, whose 10 assists are unmatched in England's top-flight. In doing so, the Spaniard sits second among midfielders with 127.52 total points on MondoGoal – only behind teammate Eden Hazard. However, compared to Hazard's hefty $17.5M price tag, Fabregas' $12.5M salary is much more manageable. Regardless, Chelsea has an excellent matchup at Sunderland this weekend, as just three teams have conceded more goals than the Black Cats this season. Furthermore, following Chelsea's midweek Champions League victory, Fabregas has produced an assist in back-to-back matches heading into the weekend.
Raheem Sterling, LIV (vs. STK), $8.5M
Sterling also handed out an assist in the Champions League this week, which highlighted arguably his best performance in months. Since Sterling is still only 19 years young, inconsistency remains a factor for him to overcome, as his current streak of seven league matches without a goal suggests. Whether fatigue has impacted Sterling's performances or not, the dazzling talent still holds down MondoGoal's fifth-place ranking among midfielders, with 111.26 total points. In Gameweek 13, Sterling encounters a Stoke City defense fresh off allowing a pair of goals at home to lowly Burnley, so Saturday's tie at Anfield could see Sterling and Liverpool poised for a desperately needed revival.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, ARS (@ WBA), $8.5M
In contrast to Sterling, his countryman Oxlade-Chamberlain has been outstanding lately. To that point, "The Ox" has powered two goals and 12 shot attempts over his past five starts across all competitions, while he also rattled the crossbar with a breath-taking strike during Champions League play this week. Overall, the 21-year-old has featured in all 12 of Arsenal's Premier League outings this term and has made the Gunners' right wing position his own in recent fixtures. With his spot on the team sheet secure, Oxlade-Chamberlain looks forward to this weekend's match at West Brom, who have conceded two goals in an incredible five of their six home games this season.
Moussa Sissoko, NEW (@ WHU), $6.7M
Fueling the Premier League's hottest team, Sissoko's midfield industry has driven Newcastle to six straight total wins and fifth-place on the league table. The Frenchman has scored twice over that span, including the lone goal in last weekend's victory versus Queens Park Rangers. With Newcastle slated to take on another London club this Saturday, Sissoko will aim to continue his strong stretch at West Ham. Costing just $6.7M, Sissoko recorded an assist at West Ham last season and is the kind of in-form prospect that can complete a team without impacting one's budget too much.
Alternative Options:Eden Hazard, CHE (at SUN), $17.5M; Angel di Maria, MUN (vs. HUL), $15.1M; Samuel Eto'o, EVE (at TOT), $11.5M; Riyah Mahrez, LEI (at QPR), $8.1M
MondoGoal's most expensive player in Gameweek 13, Hazard has one goal and one assist in two matches over the past week and could build on his midfield-leading 144.06 point total versus a suspect Sunderland side. The top-ranked midfielder on average (12.03 points), di Maria should take delight in this weekend's matchup with Hull City, who have been destroyed by Manchester United in recent years. While Everton has gone unbeaten in their past five league matches, Eto'o has provided two goals and one assist over that span. Sitting just outside the top-20 midfielders, Mahrez's average of 7.10 points has a great opportunity against last-place Queens Park Rangers and their league-worst defense this weekend.
Forwards
Wayne Rooney, MUN (vs. HUL), $14.2M
With a lifted counter-attack goal last weekend, Rooney took the Manchester United lead with four scores in the Premier League this season. With that, Rooney brought his MondoGoal point average to 7.81, which ties for tenth among forwards. Considering last week's international appearance for England, Rooney has bagged three goals in two matches, and six goals and two assists over his past eight total performances. Prior to his Gameweek 12 score, Rooney's previous three league goals all came at Old Trafford, where Manchester United welcomes Hull City this weekend. Remarkably, in the Red Devils' past four meetings with the Tigers, United has accrued 13 goals, with Rooney personally tallying an amazing six goals and two assists in his last three games against Hull.
Diego Costa, CHE (@ SUN), $13.1M
Don't look now, but Costa enters Gameweek 13 with a leg concern, which coincides with a hamstring issue that has lingered throughout the campaign. No matter, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has deemed Costa fit ahead of this weekend's match at Sunderland, where the Blues will look to keep their unbeaten record intact. Speaking of records, Costa's goal history of 11 in 10 Premier League outings is phenomenal, giving him a MondoGoal average of 13.08 points per match. He's scored in his past two league games and is now pitted versus a Sunderland defense that has displayed a penchant for not only scoring on themselves, but also allowing opponents to score fairly regularly this season.
Wilfried Bony, SWA (vs. CRY), $12.4M
Continuing the trend, Bony also scored last weekend (at Manchester City) and with five goals in 10 starts on the campaign, the Ivory Coast international is MondoGoal's seventh-best striker. Through 12 matches, Bony claims nearly one-third of Swansea City's 16 league goals, 10 of which have come at home. Conversely, opponents Crystal Palace have leaked 12 away goals this season, a mark that proves only last-place Queens Park Rangers has fared worse defensively on the road. With Swansea's sights on remaining in the picture for European competition next season, the Swans should steadily serve Bony in a favorable matchup this Saturday.
Alternative Options:Sergio Aguero, MCI (at SOU), $17.0M; Alexis Sanchez, ARS (at WBA), $16.0M; Mame Biram Diouf, STK (at LIV), $6.7M
The Premier League's top scorer, Aguero is coming off a midweek hat trick against Bayern Munich, making this weekend's matchup versus Southampton less stressful for owners. Despite not scoring last weekend, the always-threatening Sanchez curled a wonderful goal in Champions League action this week and now plays a West Brom home defense tied for second-worst this season. Stoke City's joint top scorer, Diouf has two goals and an assist over his past four total outings, which could improve versus an embarrassing Liverpool defense this weekend.
