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If Manchester City drops points on Thursday against Chelsea, Liverpool will claim the English Premier League (EPL) title. There is plenty to play for on the pitch and on DraftKings with an $80,000 contest. Here are some picks to help you prep your roster from this Showdown contest, which starts at 3:15 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: EPL Showdown $80K Counter Attack [$20K to 1st] (CHE vs MCI)
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Captain
Kevin De Bruyne ($18,000)
Kevin De Bruyne started on the bench against Burnley. It’s part of manager Pep Guardiola’s rotation strategy with the FA Cup now foremost on their minds. However, they would not want to hand Liverpool the title by dropping points. De Bruyne, as a result, should get the start and build on his 9 goals and 16 assists in this EPL season.
Others to consider: Raheem Sterling ($15,300)
High-priced flex options
Riyad Mahrez ($9,400)
Mahrez can’t be stopped, almost literally. He was too quick for David Luiz against Arsenal, earning Manchester City a penalty. He scored a brace against Burnley also as a result of his pace and nimble footwork. He has already scored 8 goals this season. However, he may be in line for some time on the bench having started both games after the resumption.
Gabriel Jesus ($8,600)
Gabriel Jesus will plausibly step into the sole striker role for the rest of the Premier League campaign after Manchester City confirmed Sergio Aguero is out for the season. Jesus is not new to that role though. He has already scored 10 goals with five assists this season. There is no reason for Manchester City to fret about trying to replace one of the best strikers in the EPL.
Raheem Sterling ($10,200)
Sterling wasn’t needed at all against Burnley in Manchester City’s previous fixture. It’s possible that Guardiola wanted Sterling to be fit and ready for this Chelsea game. With Aguero out, Sterling should return to the starting XI to accompany Jesus up front, similar to their combination and line-up against Arsenal last week.
Others to consider: Willian ($9,000).
Value flex options
Mason Mount ($7,800)
Mason Mount has been a shining light in a solid season for Chelsea. They have been hit hard by the transfer ban handed to them. Their young stars, like Mount, have stepped up for Frank Lampard this season. Mount has scored six goals with four assists this season. There aren’t many bigger games for Chelsea in the EPL than this. He would want to stand up again.
Marcos Alonso ($6,200)
To be honest, this is a bits-and-pieces choice. It’s highly unlikely that Alonso and Chelsea will keep a clean sheet against the best offensive team in the Premier League. It’s also unlikely that Alonso will score or assist a goal. The reason he is included here is because he has the ability to do both. He has already scored four goals this season, adding 13.7 DKFP per game, extremely high for a defender.
Others to consider: Bernardo Silva ($8,000).
Set your DraftKings lineups here: EPL Showdown $80K Counter Attack [$20K to 1st] (CHE vs MCI)
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Nikhil Kalro is the Founder and CEO of Altletics Esports.