The 2022/23 season is officially in the record books and Manchester City fans couldn’t have wished for a more satisfying finale.
Pep Guardiola’s side beat Inter in Saturday’s Champions League final to claim a historic treble and bring the curtain down on another captivating Dream Team campaign.
Given City’s dominance, one might expect an overwhelming presence of Etihad assets in Dream Team best XI of the season… but that’s not the case.
In fact, just three treble-winners make the cut once the numbers have been crunched.
For clarity, we’re exclusively interested in which players earned the most Dream Team points across the 36 Game Weeks, nothing else matters.
GOALKEEPER: David de Gea
It was a two-horse race between the sticks for the majority of the campaign with Manchester United’s No1 ultimately edging out Nick Pope, 163 points to 147.
De Gea’s individual performances were subject to justified criticism at times but 25 clean sheets in all competitions was a formidable tally.
To put that into perspective, the Spaniard earned the same number of points through clean sheets (125) alone as Ederson did overall.
DEFENDERS: Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luke Shaw
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Ruben Dias’ late charge wasn’t quite enough to earn him a place in this XI but it seems likely the Portuguese centre-back would have finished as runner-up in his position had he not suffered a spell on the sidelines with injury.
As it was, Liverpool’s homegrown hero claimed the silver medal by virtue of a creative outpouring that produced seven assists across the last eight Game Weeks.
Alexander-Arnold was exposed defensively throughout the first two thirds of the season but only a fool would underestimate his talent in possession – how he mustered 167 points despite the Reds’ defensive woes is a compelling mystery.
Shaw completes the podium having impressed for Man United at both left-back and centre-back when required.
Again, the Red Devils’ mountainous clean sheet total is the main factor but the England international was worthy of the 73 points he earned through match ratings – he finished on 158 overall.
In regards to top spot, any tension evaporated long before Christmas as Trippier took a commanding lead through a combination of regular clean sheets, 7+ ratings and Star Man awards.
Newcastle’s set-piece specialist was among the Premier League’s most prolific chance creators and a key cog in the top flight’s joint-best defence (33 goals conceded).
This double life produced 230 points across the 36 Game Weeks, giving him a lead of 63 over his nearest rival when the fat lady sang.
MIDFIELDERS: Bruno Fernandes, Kevin De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, Bukayo Saka
Most Dream Team gaffers will know by now that Man United’s playmaker-in-chief topped the charts in relation to 7+ ratings and Star Man awards.
Fernandes built on his impressive World Cup form to stride clear of De Bruyne, himself a potent asset, in the second half of the season to end on 283 points, 31 clear of the Belgian superstar.
With 14 goals and 15 assists in all competitions, the Portugal international once again proved that his play style is perfectly suited to Dream Team.
Mahrez didn’t feature in the FA Cup final or the Champions League final but his ruthless efficiency once again made him a perplexing yet brilliant Dream Team asset.
Despite starting just 22 of City’s 38 league games and six of their 13 European fixtures, the Algerian winger notched 197 points thanks mostly to 15 goals and 13 assists.
Completing our midfield, Arsenal’s resident Star Boy.
Given the Gunners’ lengthy title challenge, it’s rather surprising that Saka is his side’s only representative in this XI.
Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Ben White and Gabriel were all among the best players in their respective positions but the standards are high among the cream of the crop.
Saka’s form may have faded somewhat in the final Game Weeks of the season but 15 goals and 12 assists in all competitions justified his popularity throughout 2022/23.
FORWARDS: Erling Haaland, Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane
There are no superlatives left to describe Man City’s No9 debut Dream Team campaign.
Europe’s apex predator plundered 431 points when all was said and done, 130 more than his closest competitor, to become just the second player ever to reach the status of quadruple centurion.
Haaland finished on 52 goals having scored SIX hat-tricks over the course of the season, including a five-goal rampage at RB Leipzig’s expense.
The Norwegian captains our side.
Man United’s top scorer was arguably the world’s most in-form player for a while this season.
Rashford bagged 90 points in the space of just five Game Weeks at his rampant best and his final tally of 301 earned him the silver medal not just among forward but all Dream Team assets.
The battle for the final forward spot was hard fought between Tottenham’s main man and Mohamed Salah, who both posted mightily impressive individual campaigns despite their teams’ problems.
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Anfield’s favourite Egyptian banked 275 points in all but a brace to relegate Leeds on the final day meant Kane finished on 30 league goals and 289 points.
The England skipper essentially fought a one-man battle for much of 2022/23 to cement his status as a Dream Team legend.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
