DraftKings: Liverpool pair both must-haves for fantasy football this weekend

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Our third instalment of the collaboration with DraftKings suggests the players to pick ahead of Saturday’s 7-match contest in the Premier League, excluding the early kick-off between Fulham and Watford. With a $50k dollar salary budget and eight players to pick (one keeper, two defenders, two midfielders, two forwards and on utility player) here are our tips.  

Goalkeeper - Rui Patricio (WOLVES vs Manchester United) $3,900 

It was a convincing win in midweek for Manchester United, but Wolves will hope to exploit any fatigue from Jose Mourinho’s side after the Portuguese fielded a strong lineup for the game against Young Boys. Playing at home, the Red Devils will be expected to play on the front foot, so Rui Patricio may well be busy, so with points awarded for saves he could be a good bet this week. Only the current top three have conceded fewer goals than Wolves so far, so this will be no walkover for United, that’s for sure. 

Defender - Andrew Robertson (LIVERPOOL vs Southampton) $5,900 

There have been a number of notable performers for Liverpool so far this season, boasting a 100 per cent record to date, but perhaps no more so than the left-back. His development into one of the league’s finest full-backs has been rapid, combining committed defending with a crossing threat from the flanks, registering two assists thus far. Up against a Saints side that has failed to score in the last three meetings between the teams, and without top scorer any Ings - on loan from the Reds - a fourth clean sheet of the season could also be on the cards. 

Defender - Ricardo Pereira (LEICESTER vs Huddersfield) $5,200 

After a pretty woeful defensive display at Bournemouth last weekend Claude Puel will be demanding far better from his side this weekend and the visit of Huddersfield is an ideal chance to put that right. The Terriers are the league’s lowest scorers (two goals) and lost this fixture 3-0 last season, so the Foxes will be hoping for another shut out. In an attacking sense the WhoScored.com match forecast predicts that the hosts will score from a wing play situation, and summer signing Pereira has been a threat down the right thus far, certainly looking better going forwards than he has at the back. This game should play to his strengths. 

Midfielder - Leroy Sane (Cardiff vs MANCHESTER CITY) $8,700 

It’s been a stop-start season for Sane so far, having surprisingly missed out on Germany’s World Cup squad in the summer. The winger will have been pleased with his impact in the last two games though, opening his account for the season against Fulham and laying on an assist from the bench in midweek. After the shock defeat to Lyon the youngster should return to the lineup and will be keen to exact some revenge against this weekend’s opposition Cardiff following a terrible tackle who received in the cup against the Bluebirds last season. 

Midfielder - Wilfried Zaha (CRYSTAL PALACE vs Newcastle) $8,100 

Having complained of being singled out for dirty treatment from opposition players and harsh officiating from referee’s last week, all eyes will be on Zaha’s performance against struggling Newcastle this weekend. It’s a fixture he scored in when Palace last beat the Magpies and since then his efficiency has improved in front of goal markedly. The winger, who often plays up front, has scored in three of his four league appearances this season and Rafa Benitez’s side lack quality in the full-back areas, so the 25-year-old could have a field day. 

Forward - Roberto Firmino (LIVERPOOL vs Southampton) 

Hoping to return to the starting XI having been the hero late on off the bench against PSG in midweek, Roberto Firmino will be aiming to score in five successive matches for club and country when Saints visit Anfield this weekend. The Brazilian was also on the scoresheet the last time the two sides met and even when he doesn’t score he invariably registers an assist, so at a significantly cheaper price than either Mo Salah or Sadio Mane he would be my tip from the Reds’ front three this week. 

Forward - Joshua King (Burnley vs BOURNEMOUTH) 

It’s been a super start to the season for Eddie Howe’s side thus far and they will make the trip to Burnley full of confidence, with another three points in their sights against the bottom of the table Clarets. It’s a fixture the away side won last season, with King starting a comeback that was eventually sealed by Callum Wilson in injury time. It was the third successive fixture between the teams in which King had found the net, and given he is on spot kick duties for the visitors too - scoring two penalties already this season - the forward is a good option on a budget. 

Utility Man - Steve Cook (Burnley vs BOURNEMOUTH) 

With a limited budget to play with for our utility player this week (a pick of any player, from any position) we’re banking on Burnley’s struggles in front of goal to continue. Sean Dyche’s side looked short of ideas and quality against Wolves and have now failed to score in back-to-back games. Steve Cook, then, will hope to marshal the Bournemouth defence to a clean sheet at Turf Moor, while posing a threat himself in the opposition box from set pieces. 

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Whoscored promotes DraftKings but we are also avid fans and users, and may sometimes play on our personal account in the games that we offer advice on WhoScored.com.  Although we have expressed our personal views on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and we may also deploy different players and strategies than what we recommend above. We are not employees of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information. 

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