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    Israeli football team forced to train in SECRET ahead of France clash amid fears of anti-Semitic bloodshed in Paris

    ISRAEL have been forced to train in a secret location ahead of their controversial Nations League clash with France this week.Some 4,000 police, many of them armed, have been drafted in to provide security for a Stade de France crowd of barely 20,000 in Paris.The Israel national team has been forced to train in a secret hotel in France due to safety concernsCredit: RexFrench police stand outside the Stade de France stadium prior to Israel’s behind closed doors training sessionCredit: EPASAS-style special force RAID officers and up to 6,000 other cops are all scheduled to be on duty for the high-risk game – representing one officer for every three fans inside the ground.The high-alert security approach was already planned even before last week’s shocking scenes in Amsterdam around Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Europa League game at Ajax.Disturbing footage showed Israeli football fans being chased through the streets of the Dutch capital by an anti-Semitic mob last Thursday. This has prompted international concerns over the safety of Jewish fans particularly those watching Israeli-based teams.read more in footballAnd events in the Netherlands have only ramped up the need for special measures further in wake of rising anti-Semitic bloodshed in Europe. One of these precautions saw the Israel team being confined to their undisclosed hotel in the Val d’Oise region to the north of the capital.Constant armed guards were at the base and accompanied the players and staff to their training site on Tuesday.Authorities demanded the location be kept under wraps and all media activities were cancelled.Most read in FootballParis police chief Laurent Nuñez said security around the game was of extreme concern for the authorities.He said: “There’s a context, tensions that make that match a high-risk event for us.”There will be an anti-terrorist security perimeter around the stadium.”Inside Paris’ ‘patchwork of steel’ security op with AI surveillance, 45,000 cops & drones for most guarded Olympics everIsraeli security forces, including agents from the Mossad intelligence agency, will also be inside the stadium on Thursday.Many fans have stayed away with the Israeli government telling supporters to “categorically avoid attending” the match.Addressing the anticipated low attendance, Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano said: “I can understand why people do not want to come. It’s their choice. “We will fight on the pitch and aim to win this match. “This week we saw November 11. I love peace and hope that someday we will achieve it in every country. “Regardless of our religion or where we come from, we all want peace.”French President Emmanuel Macron and his prime minister, Michel Barnier, will also attend the match.Specialist RAID officers will join 6,000 cops to help protect Paris after the police chief labelled the game as a ‘high-risk eventOfficials have announced there will be at least one cop per three football fans in the capitalCredit: GettyRioters run through the streets amid disturbing clashes in Amsterdam between Israelis and an anti-Semitic mobCredit: REXMany people have called for the game to be moved to a neutral venue but Bruno Retailleau, France’s Interior Minister, said it was hugely important that the game went ahead in Paris.He said: “I think that for a symbolic reason we must not yield, we must not give up.”The RAID has been active since the Israeli team set foot on French soil, and they will be in the stadium.”The French government say they are determined to push ahead with the match as it will mark the two year anniversary of the 2015 terror attacks.ISIS thugs killed 130 people on a single night with chilling eruptions even being heard from the Stade de France on the harrowing evening. French FA chief Philippe Diallo insisted it would have been “unthinkable” for the match to be cancelled.Israel’s manager Ran Ben Shimon has told the press he and the team feel safe.France has already answered calls for tightened security around Israeli athletes after the 2024 Paris Olympics earlier this year.They deployed a widely successful “ring of steel” around the Games to ensure safety after several declarations of violence from terror group ISIS and anti-Israel parties.It became the most guarded Games ever with over 60,000 cops and soldiers, drones, helicopters and a huge increase in AI surveillance all deployed.Israel’s sporting calendar has been thrown into chaos since the war kicked off last October.Many of their games have been played at neutral venues due to fears over public safety.SAS-style RAID special forces are being deployed across Paris ahead of the France vs Israel matchCredit: AFPFrench cops surrounded the stadium ahead of Thursday’s clashCredit: EPAIsrael fans have been targeted at sporting events such as in the Paris OlympicsCredit: GettyBelgium, who are scheduled to play Israel on Sunday following the France clash, have already made the match be moved to Hungary.Israeli FA chief Shino Moshe Zuares added: “This is a very complex period for us. But we know what we represent, and we are proud to represent our country. “The events in Amsterdam only strengthen us, and we will not let hate and ignorance defeat us. “I am concerned and worried but we will face the situation and emerge stronger.”Away from the football, another Israeli-linked security fear comes in the form of a pro-Palestinian march.Thousands are expected to take to the streets of Paris on Wednesday – a day before the football clash – to demonstrate against a controversial pro-Israel gala.The “Israel is Forever” gala was originally set to be attended by Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich but he has since pulled out.Several controversial figures linked to Israel’s far-Right are expected to show – making life difficult for cops.Police chief Nuñez spoke on the gala and said: “A gala in a closed place is not a demonstration on the public road, so it is more complicated for a prefect to ban it.”I considered that there was no risk of disturbing public order but we will be attentive to the comments made and I can potentially take legal action.”An open letter by seven civil rights groups to the French media reads: “Holding this gala in the French capital constitutes an insult to international law and contempt for the United Nations and for the orders issued by the highest international court.”A counter-demonstration has also been announced and is expected to attract up to 8,000 people.Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, antisemitic violence has surged globally.It has been fuelled by heightened geopolitical tensions and polarising public discourse around the war.This escalation is marked by an alarming rise in physical attacks, threats, and hate speech targeting Jewish communities.In Europe, reports of antisemitism have spiked, with attacks on synagogues, Jewish schools, and individuals intensifying.Countries like Germany and France have seen notable incidents of physical violence and vandalism.READ MORE SUN STORIESIn Germany, synagogues were firebombed, and Jewish youth sports teams have reported attacks, reflecting a growing climate of fear.Public spaces associated with Jewish identity, including schools and cemeteries, have also required heightened police protection.Members of the RAID deescalating a situation in FranceCredit: AFPA match between Mali and Israel at the Parc des Princes in July 24 saw brawls up in the standsCredit: The Mega Agency More

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    ‘Chaos’ as Premier League stars forced to abandon Marbella training camp amid red weather warnings and flooding fears

    PREMIER LEAGUE stars have been forced to abandon a training camp in Marbella following bad weather.Sweden flew to the Spanish coast in the hope of some warmer weather training ahead of their Nations League fixtures.Alexander Isak admitted he was ‘worried’ by the bad weatherCredit: RexBut they have been forced to return to Stockholm after weather warnings were issued in Marbella.Rain and thunder hit the popular tourist destination, weeks after Valencia was hit with tragic floods.Newcastle striker Alexander Isak was caught up in the storms and he shared his thoughts in a press conference along with Tottenham youngster Lucas Bergvall.Isak said: “I got a little worried. You’ve seen in other cities in Spain how it’s been, so it wasn’t very fun. Hopefully it won’t be too crazy.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“There was a lot of rain. It was not optimal. We had to modify the training a little. It was a little shorter, but we at least managed to get a little run in us.”Bergvall echoed his sentiments, adding: “It was chaos. Rain chaos. With thunder and all that. We had to stop early.”Sweden were preparing for matches against Slovakia and Azerbaijan.They are top of their group after four matches, level on points with Slovakia so would have to avoid defeat and likely need to beat Azerbaijan to win promotion to League A.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSMeanwhile England’s Nations League preparation has also been far from ideal with eight players withdrawing from the squad.England visit Greece on Thursday and host the Republic of Ireland on Sunday in two Nations League clashes, with promotion back to the competition’s top tier at stake.Taylor Harwood-Bellis discusses being called up for the England squad for the first time Rice, Saka, Palmer and Colwill all started the 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Arsenal on Sunday but all have cried off international duty – Rice and Palmer after passing late fitness tests to play for their clubs.Midfield man Rice played with a broken toe on Sunday but will not be risked for England.Alexander-Arnold could face a lengthy lay-off with a hamstring problem after being substituted in the first half Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa on Saturday.Play VideoGrealish has not trained for two weeks and Carsley’s decision to include him in his squad sparked a sarcastic response from City boss Pep Guardiola.City right-back Kyle Walker has remained in the squad but is also believed to be a fitness doubt. More

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    Spain U21 vs England U21: Get up to £40 in free bets to spend on football with talkSPORT BET

    ENGLAND’s U21s are in friendly action this Friday when they head to face Spain’s youngsters.And brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim up to £40 in free bets when they register an account and stake at least £20 on the contest.Spain U21 vs England U21: Get up to £40 in free bets – Claim here*Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereHow to claim talkSPORT BET offertalkSPORT BETVisit the talkSPORT website HERE*Create an account and Opt In to this promotion via the OFFERS tabMake a depositPlace your first bet up to £40, minimum £20, on any football market, at odds of Evens or greaterYou must do this within 7 days of registrationOnce that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with up to £40 free bets based on your first betFor example, if you stake £20, you will receive 4 x £5 free betsIf you stake £40 you would receive the full 4 x £10 free betstalkSPORT BET: Get up to £40 in free bets – Claim Here*Spain U21 vs England U21: Get up to £40 in free bets – Claim here*What’s the offer?Brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim a welcome bonus of up to £40 when they register an account.How to claim?Simply visit the talkSPORT BET website on your mobile device and create an account. Opt in to this promotion via the OFFERS tab and then make a deposit via debit card or Apple Pay.Stake £20 or more on any football market at odds of at least Evens. Remember, you must do this within 7 days of opening your account.What happens next?Once that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with up to £40 free bets based on your first bet bet.For example, if you stake £20, you will receive 4 x £5 free bets. If you stake £40 you would receive the full 4 x £10 free bets:On settlement of your qualifying bet, your account will be credited with the following:£10 free bet – Bet Builder (if your qualifying bet is £20, you will only receive a £5 free bet)£10 free bet – Correct Score (if your qualifying bet is £20, you will only receive a £5 free bet)And the following free bets, which will be credited 24 hours after the first bonus funds:£10 free bet – To Win and Both Team to Score – 90 mins (if your qualifying bet is £20, you will only receive a £5 free bet)£10 free bet – Acca 4+ selection (if your qualifying bet is £20, you will only receive a £5 free bet)You can read the full breakdown of free bets and more on how to claim talkSPORT BET’s welcome offer here**18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile device, bet up to £40 (min. £20) on any football market at odds of 2.00+, in 7 days. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsiblyRemember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.gambleaware.orgFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk More

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    Portugal vs Poland: Get up to £40 in free bets to spend on football with talkSPORT BET

    IT’S yet another international break and veteran legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski go toe-to-toe when Portugal host Poland on Friday.And brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim up to £40 in free bets when they register an account and stake at least £20 on the League A Group 1 fixture.Portugal vs Poland: Get up to £40 in free bets – Claim here*Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereHow to claim talkSPORT BET offertalkSPORT BETVisit the talkSPORT website HERE*Create an account and Opt In to this promotion via the OFFERS tabMake a depositPlace your first bet up to £40, minimum £20, on any football market, at odds of Evens or greaterYou must do this within 7 days of registrationOnce that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with up to £40 free bets based on your first betFor example, if you stake £20, you will receive 4 x £5 free betsIf you stake £40 you would receive the full 4 x £10 free betstalkSPORT BET: Get up to £40 in free bets – Claim Here*Portugal vs Poland: Get up to £40 in free bets – Claim here*What’s the offer?Brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim a welcome bonus of up to £40 when they register an account.How to claim?Simply visit the talkSPORT BET website on your mobile device and create an account. Opt in to this promotion via the OFFERS tab and then make a deposit via debit card or Apple Pay.Stake £20 or more on any football market at odds of at least Evens. Remember, you must do this within 7 days of opening your account.What happens next?Once that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with up to £40 free bets based on your first bet bet.For example, if you stake £20, you will receive 4 x £5 free bets. If you stake £40 you would receive the full 4 x £10 free bets:On settlement of your qualifying bet, your account will be credited with the following:£10 free bet – Bet Builder (if your qualifying bet is £20, you will only receive a £5 free bet)£10 free bet – Correct Score (if your qualifying bet is £20, you will only receive a £5 free bet)And the following free bets, which will be credited 24 hours after the first bonus funds:£10 free bet – To Win and Both Team to Score – 90 mins (if your qualifying bet is £20, you will only receive a £5 free bet)£10 free bet – Acca 4+ selection (if your qualifying bet is £20, you will only receive a £5 free bet)You can read the full breakdown of free bets and more on how to claim talkSPORT BET’s welcome offer here**18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile device, bet up to £40 (min. £20) on any football market at odds of 2.00+, in 7 days. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsiblyRemember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.gambleaware.orgFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk More

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    Denmark vs Spain: Get £60 in football free bets and bonuses with William Hill

    EUROPEAN champions Spain put their 14-game unbeaten run on the line when heading for Denmark in the Nations League on Friday.And brand new William Hill customers who register an account and stake a tenner will be rewarded with a colossal £60 in free bets and bonuses to spend on football!Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereHow to claim..William Hill £60 bonusVisit the William Hill website on your mobile device HERE*Register a new account and deposit a minimum of £10 using the Promo Code: T60Place a bet of at least £10 from your main balance on football on the William Hill Sportsbook at odds of 1/2 or greaterAfter settlement – win or lose – William Hill will credit your account with £60 in free bets and bonusesWilliam Hill: Claim your £60 bonus – click here*Not got a William Hill account? No problem!It’s really easy to register an account and you can get your hands on that generous £60 in free bets and bonuses to spend on the footy!Simply register a new account and deposit a minimum of £10 using the Promo Code: T60After that, stake at least £10 from your main balance on football on the William Hill Sportsbook at odds of 1/2 or greater.After settlement — win or lose — William Hill will credit your account with £60 in free bets and bonuses to spend on football and in the casino!Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.gambleaware.orgFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk*18+. Play Safe. New players only, using promo code T60. Valid from 13/04/2022. Online play. Get £60 Bonus split between Vegas & Sports in the following manner – (i) Deposit £10 to unlock £20 Vegas Free Bet on Selected Games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); then (ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash (excl. £10 deposit) or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, receive £40 Sports Free Bets excluding Virtual Markets (4x £10, 7 days expiry). Payment methods & country restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. More

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    Belgium vs Italy: Get £40 in free bets and bonuses to spend with BetMGM

    THE Nations League returns and throws up a corker in League A this Thursday when Italy travel to Belgium.Bookmakers BetMGM are offering brand new customers a cool £40 in free bets when you register an account and stake a tenner on the tasty international clash.Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereHow to claim..BetMGM £40 welcome bonusVisit the BetMGM website HERE*Select SPORTS OFFER on the websiteRegister a new account – No Promo Code necessaryOpt in for this promotion by depositing and placing at least £10 on football at odds of Evens or greaterOnce that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with £40 in free betsBelgium vs Italy: Get £40 in free bets — claim yours here*Not got a BetMGM account? No problem!This offer is just for you, and it’s incredibly easy to claim!Simply register a new account, deposit and stake a minimum of £10 on football at odds of Evens (1/1) or greater. This must be done within seven days of opening your account with the bookmaker.Once that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with £40 in free bets!Belgium vs Italy: Get £40 in free bets — claim yours here**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.gambleaware.orgFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk More

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    Man Utd legend Darren Fletcher restrained by colleague after ‘extremely aggressive’ referee confrontation

    DARREN FLETCHER had to be restrained by a Manchester United colleague during his “extremely aggressive” confrontation with referees.Fletcher, 40, is now a coach with the Red Devils having spent three years as technical director until April. Darren Fletcher let rip at the referees following Brentford’s goal at Old TraffordCredit: GettyHowever, his anger boiled over during the club’s 2-1 win over Brentford on October 19 – sparking a three-match ban from the FA and a £7,500 fine. Fletcher was furious over Ethan Pinnock’s opener just before half-time which went in while bleeding Matthijs de Ligt was ordered off the pitch to receive treatment for the gash on his head. And now the details of the referee’s report have been revealed by the Independent Regulatory Commission – including fourth official Gavin Ward’s version of events.As reported by the Daily Mail, Ward told the Commission: “Following the half-time whistle and as I made my way up the tunnel, I was approached by Darren Fletcher of Manchester United in an extremely aggressive manner pointing and shouting at me, ‘You are all f***ing s***, that is a f***ing joke, every f***ing week.’READ MORE ON FOOTBALL”I asked him to calm down and highlighted that his behaviour was completely unacceptable at this point. “He then needed to be held back by another member of staff, as he tried to get closer to me. “With this, I turned away and continued to make my way to the match officials changing room. “Once in the changing room and when the other match officials arrived, I made them aware of the conduct of Mr Fletcher.”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSVideo footage without audio from inside the Old Trafford tunnel showed Fletcher’s behaviour.The Commission commented: “[Fletcher had become] agitated and started to remonstrate with the Fourth Official, gesturing with his hands, shouting, and attempting to get closer to the Fourth Official in a confrontational manner. Man Utd director Darren Fletcher in X-rated row with furious fan during heated Leicester draw”He is then held back and pushed away by a Manchester United colleague.”The video showed Fletcher acting in a manner that we consider to be aggressive.”Fletcher admitted his misconduct charge from The FA but denied he was abusive – but the investigation “found this to be proven”. The ex-midfielder apologised for his reaction and claimed it was triggered by United conceding right before half-time.He also claimed his words were “criticism towards the process for managing medical treatment of the particular football player in this matter and in reference to an incident in a previous home game where at a similar stage of the game a red card was incorrectly issued to a Manchester United player”. The Commission took into consideration Fletcher’s exemplary disciplinary record as a player and as a coach – however, further mitigation requests were ignored. Man Utd ratings v LeicesterHere’s how SunSport’s Martin Blackburn rated the Red Devils.ANDRE ONANA – 7Stood tall when Ndidi went through on goal and a decent tip round the post from Ayew as Leicester tried to get back in it.NOUSSAIR MAZROUAI – 6Lucky to escape tackle on Buonanotte without any punishment. Supplied the cross from the left which led to United’s second goal.MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 6Made a key second half clearance when the Foxes were trying to find their way back into the game. Fairly comfortable afternoon for home defenders.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 7Spent the first hour at centre half then showed his versatility by switching to left-back when Dalot was forced off.DIOGO DALOT – 6Did a steady job keeping the Foxes at bay but then taken off on the hour – presumably due to injury as United had to reshuffle their defence.CASEMIRO – 7Better from the veteran Brazilian who helped United take command of the game before getting the chance to put his feet up late on.MANUEL UGARTE – 6Great challenge on Soumare showed what he is all about and some signs he is finding his feet. Will be looking forward to arrival of former boss Amorim.AMAD DIALLO – 7Delightful backheel for Fernandes to curl home the opener and could have scored himself. The Ivorian has had a good week.  BRUNO FERNANDES – 8Presented with a shirt to mark his 250th appearance before the game and will be getting more plaudits for his performance here. Involved in all three goals.MARCUS RASHFORD – 5Given the nod to start ahead of Garnacho but did not do enough to justify the faith of Van Nistelrooy. No surprise when he was replaced by the Argentine on the hour.RASMUS HOJLUND – 5A largely ineffective afternoon for the Danish forward before he was subbed late on. Nothing wrong with his work-rate but does he have the quality Amorim will want?They added the three-match touchline ban was “a fair and reasonable sanction given the confrontational behaviour displayed on the video evidence and the fact that there was an opportunity to leave the remonstration with the Fourth Official, but Mr Fletcher decided to carry on”.Fletcher served the first game of his suspension during Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leicester.He will then be in the stands for Ruben Amorim’s opening two fixtures as the new United manager – against Ipswich on November 24 and then Everton on December 1. Ironically, Fletcher was sat in the stands for his club’s next Premier League match following the comeback win over Brentford when United travelled to West Ham.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd his fury exploded into another expletive-laden rant when VAR awarded the Hammers a controversial last-gasp penalty – with De Ligt again at the centre of the drama. Fletcher was sat among the United analysts at the London Stadium and reportedly fumed: “One week it’s a high threshold, next week it’s not, f***ing joke.”United were angry Ethan Pinnock scored while Matthijs de Ligt was off the field getting treatmentCredit: Getty More

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    Dominic Solanke to spearhead attack in our England XI determined by Dream Team points

    IT may only be mid-November, but we’ve already entered the THIRD international break of the season…Hugely frustrating for fans of Premier League football, but incredibly good news for Nations League Ultras. Both of them.Anyway, we’ve taken this opportunity to bring you a fantasy football curveball by revealing who should be in England’s starting XI based on Dream Team points.Dominic Solanke makes the cutCredit: DREAM TEAMThis is obviously the only true way of picking an England side and must be adhered to by interim manager Lee Carsley, Thomas Tuchel and Sam Allardyce when he inevitably returns to the dugout.Before we get to the XI, a quick note to acknowledge a crucial limitation of our methodology.Since Dream Team only covers Premier League players, we are forced to omit English players who ply their trade abroad, such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Sorry lads.GOALKEEPERNot a hugely competitive area of this squad given there’s only a handful of English goalkeepers starting regularly in the Premier League.But Newcastle United stopper Nick Pope has edged out Jordan Pickford by 17 points to secure his spot between the sticks.The 32-year-old has three clean sheets under his belt this season and ranks third for bonus points behind Guglielmo Vicario and Emiliano Martinez. He also boasts a save percentage only bettered by Alisson and Kelleher (80.8%).Newcastle’s Nick Pope has outscored Jordan Pickford in Dream Team this campaignCredit: GETTYDEFENDERSTrent Alexander-ArnoldRico LewisLewis HallWe’ve evidently gone with the Garth Crooks approach for our defensive set-up.It’s not a huge surprise to see Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold leading the standings with a bumper 101 points at an average of 6.7 points per game. He’s yet to score but does have eight clean sheets and two assists in 15 appearances in all competitions.He’s joined by Manchester City’s Rico Lewis, who’s accumulated a sizeable 87 points thanks to his four assists.Newcastle United full-back Lewis Hall completes the defensive trio after edging out Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa – although they might have been useful in this centre-back-less defence…Lewis Hall makes the cut having scored 68 points this seasonCredit: GETTYMIDFIELDERSBukayo SakaCole PalmerEberechi EzeJames MaddisonDwight McNeilAgain, not the most balanced midfield we’ve seen – but them’s the rules.Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer walk into the starting XI courtesy of their combined 235 points this season. The pair also have a combined 23 goal involvements (11 goals, 12 assists).Saka is Dream Team’s top midfielder on 125 points with Palmer not far behind on 110.Yes, we’re aware the pair plus a host of others have withdrawn from the England squad through injury – but c’mon – have some imagination people!Anyway, Eberechi Eze is the next highest-scoring midfielder with 99 points and a whopping 16 bonus points, bettered only by five players on Dream Team.He’s struggled to replicate last season’s form in the Premier League having provided just one goal and one assist in nine for a struggling Crystal PalaceBut he’s fully capitalised in the Carabao Cup with three goals and an assist.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWOne of those five players with more bonus points also features in our England team is Tottenham’s James Maddison.Despite having only completed 90 minutes ONCE for Ange Postecoglou’s side in 15 appearances, he’s still registered three goals and four assists – boasting an average of 6.6 points per game.Maddison, 27, was not in Lee Carsley’s squad for this month’s games, and has not represented England since he was cut from the Euro 2024 squad by Gareth Southgate just before the summer tournament. In fact he’s only been capped seven times for the Three Lions!But he’s not the least-capped inclusion in our fantasy XI, that prestigious honour belongs to Everton attacker Dwight McNeil.Everton’s No.7 has plundered 90 points this season thanks to his four goals and three assists. He ranks FIFTH for chances created in the Premier League – behind Saka, Palmer, Andreas Pereira and Dejan Kulusevski.Dominic Solanke has more points than any English strikerCredit: GETTYFORWARDSDominic SolankeJarrod BowenWith Harry Kane off in Germany, it falls to Dominic Solanke to spearhead this England attack alongside West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen.Solanke, 27, hasn’t exactly been prolific since his switch to Tottenham but he’s still managed to put 98 points on the board – a figure bettered only by Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland.Solanke has six goals and two assists in his 15 appearances in all competitions and, aside from Salah, has the highest average points tally over the last three game weeks (11.3) thanks to his assist in the Europa League and brace against Aston Villa.West Ham captain Bowen has narrowly pipped Danny Welbeck and Ollie Watkins to secure the final spot in this experimental England XI. He’s not been prolific either but a steady four goals and two assists leave him with 92 points for the campaign.Someone ring Lee Carsley and tell him we’ve solved his selection headache. More