FanDuel Focus – Gameweek 38

It’s time for our final FanDuel article of the season as we visit our partner game to consider the various contests on offer and also propose an XI for the last day of the campaign.

There’s only one window to enter teams, with all ten fixtures running simultaneously on Sunday. The deadline is at the 3pm kick-offs.

To add a little last-day spice, we’ve also set up a ‘Beat the Scout’ contest for the window, giving you the chance to take on a combined Mark and Jonty XI for a shot at £50 in cash.

The contest is for FanDuel newcomers and veterans alike. For FanDuel first-timers, simply register and deposit funds and you can have a crack at besting Mark and Jonty’s combined team. Vets, meanwhile, just need to follow the link and sort out their Scout-busting team.

Everyone who surpasses Mark and Jonty’s score will be entered into a draw to win £50 in cash – that’s cash, not credit.

For newcomers to FanDuel, check out our pre-season strategy guide, which provides some hints on which types of players to target.

My Strongest XI

Joel Pereira (£4m)

John Terry (£7.4m)

Adrian Mariappa (£7.8m)

Callum Chambers (£8.5m)

Scott McTominay (£5m)

Luka Milivojevic (£7.8m)

Cesc Fabregas (£11.5m)

Mesut Ozil (£12.6m)

Daniel Sturridge (£10.2m)

Gabriel Jesus (£11.8m)

Harry Kane (£13.4m)

The Key Picks

We couldn’t overlook Manchester United’s third-choice keeper Joel Pereira following Jose Mourinho’s strong hint that the youngster is set to for his debut against Crystal Palace. The young Portuguese’s bargain price-tag alone makes him a tempting pick, but he should also pick up a few saves as he attempts to deny Christian Benteke. Furthermore, a clean sheet can’t be ruled out – United have conceded 12 goals in 18 matches at Old Trafford. Only Spurs have a better defensive record at home (9 goals from 19).

John Terry notched the opener at Watford for Chelsea – reminding us of his goal threat and helping him score an impressive 29.25 FanDuel points with 5 CBIs also registered. We’re expecting the centre-back to turn in a similar performance as the champions host Sunderland in a match set to be his last for the club. He’ll likely be pinpointed at set-pieces to deliver a parting goal and, promisingly, the Black Cats have conceded the most headed attempts (60 in 18) on road trips this term.

The Watford back-line has been hit by a host of injuries as they welcome an in-form Manchester City attack to Vicarage Road. Adrian Mariappa is all but guaranteed to face the onslaught and should be busy picking up defensive FanDuel points on Sunday. The centre-back’s 67 clearances, blocks and interceptions (CBIs) and 18 tackles have produced a healthy 20-point average over his last six outings.

We’ve spent big on our third and final defender. Middlesbrough are in store for a tough afternoon at Liverpool with the home side knowing a win will confirm Champions League football next season. Calum Chambers is our pick from the Boro defence – he’s averaged over 10 CBIs and just under three tackles per match this campaign to accrue a 20.8 FanDuel point average.

Similar to our keeper, our first midfielder mainly makes the line-up as a Jose Mourinho budget buy. We don’t have much to go on for Man United’s Scott McTominay, although he did pick up an encouraging 8.25 FanDuel points in under ten minutes when he made a late cameo against Arsenal in Gameweek 36. At a cut-price 5m, the central midfielder acts as an ideal enabler to fit in big-hitters elsewhere.

Our next selection’s end-to-end role suits the FanDuel scoring matrix. Crystal Palace’s Luka Milivojevic netted a penalty to score 28.75 points in the 4-0 victory over Hull City last time out. The Serb has recorded 28 CBIs and 15 tackles over the last six matches to highlight his combativeness. He’s also drawn nine fouls over that period and spot-kick duties underline his threat going forward. An 18-point average over those six fixtures, and a reasonable price, should make him a worthwhile pick at Old Trafford.

Cesc Fabregas arrived from the bench against Watford to score the goal that ensured another win for Antonio Conte’s outfit. Considering he was rested for most of the encounter, it means the Spaniard looks an assured starter for their closing match with Sunderland and his recent influence promises more returns. The Blues midfielder has now tallied five assists and a pair of goals in his last seven starts, while a 41-point average in his previous six home appearances indicates he’s a sound pick in FanDuel against the basement dwellers.

Although we would have liked to fit in Alexis Sanchez as our Arsenal weapon of choice against Everton, Mesut Ozil’s performance last time out in the win over the Black Cats has convinced us to go for the midfielder. The German created 12 chances in the 2-0 win over David Moyes’ side to provide an assist and a 49.75-point FanDuel haul – enough to exceeded Sanchez’s 41.75 points despite the latter’s brace. Three goals and four assists in ten matches for Ozil demonstrates his improved output over the run-in and his creativity could be key to penetrating a stubborn Toffees rearguard in a must-win match for the Gunners.

It’s sensible to pick a differential or two in a FanDuel line-up and we’ve gone for Daniel Sturridge here. The Liverpool forward flourished and scored as part of a front two positioned ahead of a diamond formation against Southampton. He should have plenty of opportunities to net again – the Reds will throw waves of attacks at visitors Boro and the relegated side have conceded 11 goals in their last three away trips.

Gabriel Jesus continues to indicate he has a bright future under Pep Guardiola. A goal and assist in the 3-1 West Brom victory reflected his combined goal threat and playmaking skills. The Brazilian has notched six goals and served up three assists in seven Man City starts, averaging 35 FanDuel points per match. That makes him difficult to ignore for the trip to Watford – the Hornets have leaked eight goals in three outings.

Romelu Lukaku was leading the race for the Golden Boot, but after Harry Kane’s four-goal display at Leicester City the Spurs frontman has made his move. He’ll be keen to further the gap as Spurs roll up to Hull. The Tigers have only two clean sheets (conceding 28 goals in 18 matches) at the KCOM Stadium this term while the England forward now has 12 goals and four assists in eight starts. Over the last four weeks, Kane’s 24 goal attempts and 14 shots on target suggest his irrepressible form will continue to the season’s final whistle.

This Week’s Contests

The largest pot this weekend is again the Fan Favourite, which has £2500 in prize money and is £5 per entry. The top 120 placed line-ups will collect winnings, with £500 for first spot.

There’s the third round of the Combo Free Play this week, which allows you to try out FanDuel without risking any money. A total of £50 of prizes are available for those who have made their first deposit.

Finally, remember that you can go head-to-head against a line-up picked by Mark and Jonty. There’s another £50 on offer here and the chance to prove your selection skills against the Scouts comes free of charge.

You can register for a free account at FanDuel and enter the tournament via this link.

You must be over 18 years of age, resident in the UK, and of legal capacity to register with FanDuel and open an Account. If you sign up, please always play responsibly.