This article is part of our FPL Best XI series.
Week 23 of the Premier League season includes many top-heavy tussles, as four of this weekend's 10 matches feature top-half teams against each other.
Additionally, leaders Arsenal host Chelsea, who are still toward the bottom of the league, but maintain a certain venom going into Sunday's London derby.
With plenty of close encounters to consider, building rosters for Mondogoal's Saturday and Sunday contests is hardly a straight forward exercise this week, but nonetheless, here's the projected Best XI using MondoGoal's £100M budget.
Goalkeeper:
Simon Mignolet (£6.3M)
After tying for a league-best 14 clean sheets last season, Mignolet has already strung together seven such performances to this point. In doing so, the Belgian earned a contract extension with Liverpool this week, which should put him in good spirits ahead of Saturday's visit to Norwich City. Only four teams have scored fewer goals than the Canaries, who failed to score last weekend at Bournemouth. Costing just £6.3M, Mignolet is among the cheapest starting goalkeepers, and Saturday's matchup sweetens his stock further.
Defenders:
Eric Dier (£8.7M)
Thanks to another 6.96 fantasy points last weekend, including his first assist of the season, Dier ascended to Mondogoal's third-ranked defender in Saturday contests. The young Englishman ranks third on Tottenham in both passes intercepted (48) and tackles won (36), and he also sports three goals – just one shy of star midfielder Christian Eriksen. With such all-around potential, Dier more than justifies his price tag, and considering Tottenham's top defense goes against a Crystal Palace attack scoreless in its last five, Dier is a must-have in Week 23.
John Stones (£7.6M)
Four months younger than Dier, Stones has played the entirety of all but two games for Everton this season, posting an average of 5.93 fantasy points per game on Mondogoal. Most recently, with teammate Seamus Coleman injured, Stones has seen some time at right back, allowing him to display his attacking ability more than usual. Although Everton's defense has been wildly inconsistent this season, Sunday's home game versus Swansea City, the Premiership's second-worst offense, offers promise for the Toffees, who blanked Swansea in their previous meeting this season.
Chris Smalling (£7.4M)
In holding Liverpool scoreless at Anfield last Sunday, Smalling brought his league-leading clean sheet tally to 11. With production like that, Smalling has undoubtedly outperformed his £7.4M evaluation, which is outside the top 40-priced defenders set to play Saturday. That represents a great opening for fantasy owners, especially as Manchester United returns to Old Trafford this weekend. Although Smalling and company are pitted against an improving Southampton side, they've incredibly still only conceded four goals in 10 home matches.
Midfielders:
Aaron Ramsey (£12.7M)
Back in his personal hell of Stoke City last weekend, Ramsey overcame abuse from the crowd, as well as a scoreless scoreline, to still notch 6.75 fantasy points on Mondogoal. Such proved Ramsey's consistent fantasy value while playing in Arsenal's central midfield. In fact, only four midfielders boast more than Ramsey's 9.91 fantasy points per game, and the Welshman has scored four goals and three assists in his past 10 appearances. Even though this Sunday's match comes against a Chelsea defense that's absolutely stymied Arsenal lately, the teams' contrasting fates thus far point toward Ramsey continuing his strong stretch.
Georginio Wijnaldum (£11.9M)
Fresh off 18.25 Mondogoal points in Newcastle's triumph over West Ham last weekend, Wijnaldum has now reached double figures in three of his last four outings. By scoring in back-to-back games, the dynamic Dutchman now ranks second among midfielders with nine goals, and he also totes three assists. In flying form, Wijnaldum will surely look forward to Saturday's match at Watford, who've managed a league-low four points from their past six games. Such contrast should make Wijnaldum confident of steering Newcastle toward a rare road result this weekend.
Junior Stanislas (£7.1M)
Speaking of rare, the inclusion of a Bournemouth attacker in fantasy lineups actually might not be such an uncommon idea in Week 23. That's because the Cherries are set to square off with Sunderland, the Premier League's worst defense by a difference of at least six goals. Such futility makes someone like Stanislas, Bournemouth's leading midfielder with 6.75 fantasy points per game, worth a shot come Saturday, particularly after the Cherries netted three goals just last weekend. Additionally, Stanislas' £7.1M salary is rather budget friendly on Mondogoal, mitigating some of the risk involved with picking him.
Dusan Tadic (£6.7M)
Even cheaper than Stanislas on Mondogoal's midfielder listings, Tadic earns a second consecutive Best XI selection thanks to his fantastic value. The Serbian has scored in consecutive games as a substitute, giving him six goals and four assists on the campaign. With 147.50 total Mondogoal points, Tadic sits just outside the top 10 midfielders playing Saturday, when he almost certainly has earned the opportunity to start again. Although Southampton is at Manchester United's stringy home defense, Tadic scored a winner at Old Trafford last season, cementing his status as a potential fantasy steal.
Forwards:
Roberto Firmino (£6.6M)
With burly teammate Christian Benteke a strange fit in manager Jurgen Klopp's high-pressing scheme, Firmino has been advanced into Liverpool's starting central striker position recently. That deployment alone aids Firmino's fantasy stock, but so does the fact that he's just two games removed from netting a brace against Arsenal. Last weekend, he and the Reds were blanked by Man United, but come Saturday, the sledding should be easier at a Norwich City side that's tied to surrender the third-most goals thus far. Moreover, Firmino's mere £6.6M cost makes him a cheap enough striker to work into most lineups without compromising much upside.
Romelu Lukaku (£11.4M)
Mondogoal's second-ranked player overall with 232.18 fantasy points, Lukaku's stock largely speaks for itself. The big Belgian has bagged 15 goals this season, tying him for the most league-wide, and he has also pitched in five assists to boot. While he's combined to put up just 4.71 fantasy points over Everton's last two matches – at Manchester City and Chelsea, respectively – Lukaku has an outstanding rebound opportunity waiting Sunday. That's when he'll go against 17t- place Swansea City at Goodison Park, where he's scored seven goals in his last six league outings.
Sergio Aguero (£13.4M)
A supreme standout picking up stream, Aguero grabbed a brace and an assist versus Crystal Palace last weekend, resulting in a whopping 23.30 points on Mondogoal. That continued Aguero's brilliant start to 2016, as he's now averaging 12.94 fantasy points per game across his five appearances for Manchester City. Now in double figures with 10 Premier League goals, Aguero is poised to take on a West Ham team that laid an egg at Newcastle last weekend. Moreover, Aguero has notched one goal and one assist from Man City's past two games against the Hammers' defense.
