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There are two English Premier League (EPL) games taking place on Tuesday, with Brighton and Hove Albion taking a trip to Leicester City followed by a London derby as Tottenham Hotspur hosts West Ham United. The two home sides should expect to win their respective fixtures against sides fighting for points at the wrong end of the standings. Leicester can move six points clear of Chelsea in the race for third place, while Tottenham can climb above Sheffield United into seventh place with a win.
DraftKings is offering multiple ways for soccer fans to cash in on Tuesday’s soccer action. First, there is an interleague five-game soccer slate that pays out $15K in total prizes, including $3K to the winner. Set your lineups here: Interleague $15K Counter Attack [$3K to 1st].
There are also two EPL Showdown slates. The first one is a 1:00 p.m. ET contest between Leicester City and Brighton and Hove Albion that pays out $10K to the winner. Set your lineups here: EPL Showdown $35K Counter Attack Special [$10K to 1st] (LEI vs BHA).
The later Showdown contest is a 3:15 p.m. ET match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. This contests is larger and pays out $20K to the winner. Set your lineups here: EPL Showdown $70K Counter Attack [$20K to 1st] (TOT vs WHU).
Soccer fans can also get in on the action by downloading the DK Sportsbook app or heading over to the DraftKings Sportsbook website.
In this article, I will highlight the players that I think are worth rostering, as well as looking at some of the bets offered on DraftKings Sportsbook. For the full list of available bets, download the DraftKings Sportsbook app or check out the DraftKings Sportsbook website.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
Not many goals expected between Leicester and Brighton
Leicester has all but secured a place in next season’s Champions League for the first time since they sensationally won their first Premier League title in 2016. With eight matches remaining, the Foxes have an eight-point cushion on fifth place Manchester United. Manager Brendan Rodgers knows Leicester won’t have things their own way at home to Brighton, whose confidence will be sky-high following their come-from-behind 2-1 win against Arsenal over the weekend.
It was the first time in five matches in which a Brighton fixture saw three or more total goals scored. Four of Leicester’s last five matches have seen under 2.5 total goals scored (-114), so this might not be a high-scoring affair. That is highlighted by the fact that four of the last five meetings have produced two or fewer goals scored. That includes the reverse fixture at the Amex Stadium which Leicester won 2-0. Brighton gave a good account of themselves in that game with their resistance finally being broken in the 64th minute.
Scoring in the second half has been a trend for Leicester this season. Of the 59 goals, the Foxes have scored, 37 (63%) have been scored after halftime. More recently, eight of their last nine goals have been scored in the second half. It’s a similar story for Brighton, who has scored 22 of their 34 goals (65%) after the interval. In their previous seven matches, Brighton has scored eight goals and seven of them have come in the second half.
Prediction: Under 2.5 goals (-114)
Players to consider for DraftKings DFS
Jamie Vardy ($10,200) will be a popular player to draft in this game and it’s easy to see why. He has a good record against Brighton, but you could say that about him against practically any side in the top flight. Vardy has four goals in his last four games against Brighton, scoring in all four. Two of them have come from the penalty spot, so Brighton has been warned. If they mistime a tackle in their penalty area, the chances are they will be punished by Leicester’s talisman. Vardy failed to get on the scoresheet in his first game back after lockdown at the weekend, but you cannot keep a good striker quiet for a long period of time. I expect Vardy to possibly add to this run of games with a goal against the Seagulls.
If you don’t think Vardy, who has scored in one of his last 11 games, is worth his value, then who should be considered? Defender Ben Chilwell ($6,400) could be a candidate for you to draft. He showed on Saturday in the Foxes’ 1-1 draw at Watford how valuable he is to the 2015-16 Premier League champions. He was in the right place at the right time to open the scoring in the 90th minute and he must have thought that it was going to be a winning goal and a clean sheet. However, a Watford goal moments later denied him that defender’s dream double and he had to settle for 23.8 DFS points.
Brighton’s matchwinner on Saturday, Neal Maupay ($8,400), needs one more goal to reach double figures, which is a great return for a player who was playing in the second tier of English football last season for Brentford. Maupay’s nine goals have come in nine different league games, and when he scores, Brighton never loses. In five games Maupay has found the opponent’s net, the Seagulls have won once and drawn in the other four.
Prediction: Vardy to score (+105)
Set your lineups here: EPL Showdown $35K Counter Attack Special [$10K to 1st] (LEI vs BHA).
Tottenham increases the pressure on London rivals West Ham
West Ham failed to score for the second consecutive EPL game on Saturday, which leaves them one place above the relegation zone. Only a goal difference is keeping them 17th, and a trip to Tottenham is a difficult fixture to end a run of six defeats in their last six road games. Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho looked like he was going to get one over on his previous club Manchester United, but a late penalty denied the Spurs a win on their return to action. These two sides served up a five-goal thriller at the London Stadium earlier in the season, with Tottenham holding on for the win after seeing their 3-0 lead reduced to 3-2 at the final whistle. Tottenham has not trailed at halftime in their last four home EPL matches, helped by the fact they have scored the first goal in those encounters.
West Ham has failed to open the scoring in their last five games, so the home side to score first (-245) is certainly a bet worth considering. If the Hammers do give up the opening goal, then history suggests they will lose. This season, West Ham has conceded the first goal 13 times and lost all 13. Four of West Ham’s last five losses have been to nil. One glimmer of hope for the visitors is Tottenham’s inability to keep a clean sheet. Their 1-1 draw with Manchester United was their fifth consecutive match in which Jose Mourinho’s side gave up a goal to their opponents.
Prediction: Tottenham to score first (-245)
Players to consider for DraftKings DFS
While Harry Kane ($10,400) and Son Heung-Min ($11,400) ease their way back from injury, Dele Alli ($8,400) is the player you might want to consider. Alli fell foul of the Premier League’s social media regulations at the start of lockdown for an inappropriate tweet about COVID-19. He was suspended for one game, and how Tottenham could have done with him in their 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Friday night. Alli owes his team a good performance and I expect him to make up for that suspension with a good display against West Ham. In his last two games before the lockdown, Alli had a goal and an assist as his renaissance under Jose Mourinho continues. More players may draft Kane and Son, and for good reason. Kane has scored eight goals against West Ham in his Spurs career while Son has scored four goals in his last four games against the Hammers. However, I’m expecting Alli to shine in this one.
As for West Ham, it’s difficult to see who will shine brightest for them. Very few of their players have made positive contributions in their last few EPL games. Andriy Yarmolenko’s ($5,000) time at West Ham has been plagued by injuries and he will be hoping for a run of games in the side to prove his worth to manager David Moyes. The Ukrainian has scored three times for the Hammers this season with his last goal coming in September. However, the lockdown has helped him recover from a thigh injury. Yarmolenko’s future is uncertain, so if he wants to stay at West Ham or attract offers from other clubs in the coming months, he needs to impress in the games ahead.
Prediction: Alli to have an assist (+350)
Set your lineups here: EPL Showdown $70K Counter Attack [$20K to 1st] (TOT vs WHU).
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is CharliePMullan) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
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