Welcome back to “The Kick-Off”! It has been a while since we last had a slate, but here we are once again and our only favorite is Manchester United -207. There are a few new bench bosses on the slate and a few that are under immense pressure.
With so many matches up in the air in terms of their outcome, it is okay to be different and not feel safe making a lineup here. That will be the key to winning the slate in GPP formats.
If you have any questions on today's slate, bankroll management, GPP strategy, Cash game strategy, or anything else don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected] or via Twitter @df_solutions or on “SLACK”.
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The Kick-Off - EPL Matchweek 12
[H] Aston Villa (+147) vs Brighton & Hove Albion [A] (+197): Total: 2 1/2u
Many are expecting Gerrard’s first game as Villa’s new bench boss to be an underwhelming match at that. The hosts are in troubling form with five losses out of their last six matches and Brighton conceding less than a goal on average when traveling. Even if there are goals to be scored, it will most likely end in a draw nevertheless.
Expected Outcome: 1-1
AVL:
Cash/GPP:
M/F: Buendia($7.3K)
GPP: Ings($6.4K), Targett($4.5K)
BHA:
Cash/GPP:
M/F: March($6K)
GPP: Trossard($8.8K), Maupay($6.3K), Steele($4.4K)
[H] Burnley (+172) vs [A] Crystal Palace (166): Total: 2 1/2u
Surprisingly, in the last six matchups, it has been one way or another in terms of the outcome. In the last three meetings, Burnley has won with a combined score of 5-0. The three matches prior, Palace won with a combined score of 7-1. Although Burnley is playing at home under the lights of Turf Moor, they are going to be up against a tough in-form Palace squad who has won their last two matches both 2-0 -- one of them against Manchester City --. This surely will be a low-scoring affair, but one the Eagles should manage to win.
Expected Outcome: 2-0 Crystal Palace
BUR:
Cash/GPP:
M/F: McNeil($6.9K)
GPP: Taylor($5.1K), Lowton($4.6K)
CRY:
Cash/GPP:
M/F: Gallagher($9.2K)
GPP: Zaha($8.6K), Benteke($6.8K), Guaita($4.8K), Mitchell($4.2K)
[H] Newcastle United (+164) vs [A] Brentford (+167): Total: 2 1/2u
The International Break could not have come at a better time for either club. Brentford was sliding in form and Newcastle now has a new bench boss. Eddie Howe is very familiar with a few faces for the Magpies, namely Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson. Both players will be expected to immediately receive important roles under the new boss. Meanwhile, the visitors are still figuring out what is exactly going wrong -- their scoring -- and this could prove tough to break down the hosts.
Expected Outcome: 2-1 Newcastle
NEW:
Cash/GPP:
G: Dubravka($4.7K)
D: Ritchie($5.9K)
M/F: Saint-Maximin($7.7K), Wilson($7.3K), Fraser($4.1K)
GPP: Willock($6.3K)
BRE:
Cash/GPP:
D: Canos($5.4K)
M/F: Jensen($5.5K)
GPP: Toney($7.5K), Mbuemo($6.6K), Norgaard($4.4K)
[H] Norwich (+267) vs [A] Southampton (+103): Total: 2 1/2u
Norwich is coming in with terrible form, while Southampton has won their last five matches. Norwich also has a new bench boss in Dean Smith, but the poor lad has to face Southampton once again -- they were his final loss at Aston Villa --. With James Ward-Prowse back and healthy, it will be an uphill battle for the hosts to get anything positive out of this meeting.
Expected Outcome: 3-0 Southampton
NOR:
Cash/GPP:
GPP: Rashica($7.4K), Cantwell($5.9K), Pukki($5.7K)
SOU:
Cash/GPP:
G: McCarthy($5.2K)
D: Livramento($5.7K)
M/F: Ward-Prowse($9.1K), Armstrong($6.9K), Elyounoussi($4.6K)
GPP: Adams($6.5K)
[H] Watford (+517) vs [A] Manchester United (-207): Total: 2 1/2o
Surprisingly, the Red Devils are favored here away from the Theatre of Dreams. The Hornets have proven a tough opponent over the years when playing in front of the fans at Vicarage Road and it may happen here again. United bench boss Ole is in a do-or-die situation and he cannot drop any points over his next few fixtures, otherwise, he is gone. Manchester United will look to grind out a hard-fought three points.
Expected Outcome: 3-1 Manchester United
WAT:
Cash/GPP:
M/F: Sarr($7K), Cleverley($3.4K)
GPP: King($5.5K), Dennis($5.2K), Foster($3.9K)
MU:
Cash/GPP:
G: de Gea ($5.7K)
D: Shaw($6K)
M/F: Fernandes($8.9K), Ronaldo($8.7K)
GPP: Martial($6.1K), van de Beek($3.9K)
[H] Wolverhampton (+200) vs [A] West Ham United (+140): Total: 2 1/2u
Both clubs are coming into this meeting in some of the best form in the league. Wolverhampton has won four of their last six matches and West Ham has won five of their last six matches. However, West Ham will hope to extend the incredible form that helped them to a 3-2 win over Liverpool prior to the International Break. Wolverhampton also ended their win-streak prior to the break thanks to Crystal Palace and they may struggle without Raul Jimenez who returned late from International duty.
Expected Outcome: 2-0 West Ham
WOL:
Cash/GPP:
D: Ait-Nouri($4.9K)
M/F: Moutinho($4.5K)
GPP: Hee-Chan($6.8K), Trincao($5.2K)
WHU:
Cash/GPP:
G: Fabianski($5K)
M/F: Bowen($9K), Fornals($6.7K)
GPP: Antonio($7.9K), Benrahma($6.6K)
Expected Corner Takers:
Aston Villa: Buendia
Brighton & Hove Albion: Gross/March/Trossard
Burnley: Westwood/McNeil
Crystal Palace: Gallagher
Newcastle United: Ritchie/Fraser
Brentford: Jensen/Canos
Norwich: Rashica
Southampton: Ward-Prowse
Watford: Cleverley/Sarr
Manchester United: Shaw/Fernandes
Wolverhampton: Moutinho/Ait-Nouri
West Ham United: Bowen/Cresswell
Thanks for reading The Kick-Off! Good luck in all of your contests today!