Dream Team

DREAM TEAM managers will need to select a captain for Gameweek 34 before today’s 6:30pm deadline.Ahead of Gameweek 33, we singled out Bruno Fernandes (£6.8m) and Cole Palmer (£4.9m) as the two leading candidates and those who opted for the former were handsomely rewarded.Fernandes starred against Athletic BilbaoCredit: Dream TeamManchester United’s skipper banked 27 points to finish as the Gameweek’s top performer and take his overall total for the season past the 400-point mark.The Portuguese midfielder mustered just five points against Bournemouth but took Athletic Bilbao for a whopping 22 points in the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals.This emphatic performance surely makes Fernandes the frontrunner for captaincy again this coming Gameweek, when the Red Devils will face Brentford at the Gtech Stadium before the second leg of their European semi at Old Trafford.As for Palmer, he notched nine points across his two outings against Everton and Djurgarden.As expected, Chelsea cashed in against their Conference League opponents but it was Nicolas Jackson (£2.7m) and Noni Madueke (£2m) who posted massive double-digit scores, not the 50%-owned England international.Chelsea have one foot in the Conference League finalCredit: GettyThe Blues will host Djurgarden next Thursday but there’s the small matter of a Premier League game against Liverpool to negotiate first.There may be a worthy captain lurking in Chelsea’s ranks but it’s difficult to justify selecting any Stamford Bridge over Fernandes after last night.Elsewhere, Tottenham’s double header against West Ham and Bodo/Glimt looks appealing.Most read in FootballThe Hammers are one of few very teams below Spurs in the league table and while the Norwegian outfit have impressed in the Europa League this season, they were comprehensively outplayed in North London last night, which bodes ill for the second leg.Solanke scored against Bodo/Glimt but limped off soon afterCredit: APWe have included Dominic Solanke (£3.5m) in our transfer recommendations this week and his goal last night has only strengthened his case.We had planned on listing him as a captaincy option as well but there may be a spanner in the works.The ex-Bournemouth striker hobbled off in the 75th minute against Bodo/Glimt and is therefore a minor doubt for Gameweek 34 – an annoying twist.Thankfully, Ange Postecoglou played down Solanke’s injury and suggested the substitution was precautionary but this inconvenience is probably enough to remove the 27-year-old from the captaincy conversation.The same goes for James Maddison (£4m), who was also forced off midway through the second half.Saka’s league minutes are not guaranteed this weekendCredit: GettyArsenal are the fourth and final team set to pull double duty in Gameweek 34.Instinctively, this puts Bukayo Saka (£6.1m) in the spotlight as the England winger averages a mighty 8.1 points-per-game this season – the same rate as Fernandes.However, his workload has been managed since his return from hamstring surgery – he played just 30 minutes against Crystal Palace in his last league outing – and with the Gunners 1-0 down on aggregate to PSG in the Champions League semi-finals it wouldn’t be a surprise if his involvement was limited against Bournemouth this weekend.Away from double headers, Mohamed Salah (£7m) is due to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge having ended his mini goal drought in Gameweek 33.Liverpool’s main man needs another 18 points to reach 500 for the season!Read More on The SunLiverpool are on their victory lapCredit: PAIt’s only our humble opinion but we suspect the majority of the top managers will stick the armband on Fernandes before the 6:30pm deadline.Good luck, gaffers!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 NOW More

IT’S crucial that Dream Team managers don’t get caught out by the Gameweek 34 deadline.Gaffers must confirm their transfers before 6:30pm on Friday – those who leave it until Saturday morning will miss the boat!How it feels to miss a Gameweek deadlineCredit: GettyGameweek 34 has a similar feel to Gameweek 33 in that the European semi-finals will once again take centre stage after a full round of Premier League fixtures.Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea are therefore the four teams set to pull double duty.Dream Team bosses should wait until tonight’s fixtures have played out before finalising their next moves but it’s probably wise to keep faith in the likes of Bukayo Saka (£6.1m), Bruno Fernandes (£6.8m) and Cole Palmer (£4.9m) for at least another week.Now allow us to propose some other transfer targets…Vitalyi Mykolenko (£3.5m)Current ownership: 0.4%Credit: RexIt’s always worth checking which teams have the luxury of facing Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich as the three relegated sides have given up plenty of points this season.This weekend, Saints travel to the King Power while the Tractor Boys are due to face Everton at Goodison Park.This makes Mykolenko a viable option as the Toffees’ defender with the most points to his name.David Moyes’ side boast the fifth-best defensive record in the top flight this season.Most read in FootballLooking further ahead, Everton will host Southampton in Gameweek 36 – another excellent clean sheet opportunity.The Merseysiders will be highly motivated to give their famous old ground a proper send-off and there could be some cheap points on offer against demoralised opposition.Jordan Pickford (£3.9m), Jarrad Branthwaite (£3.2m) and Jake O’Brien (£2.6m) are all decent selections for the same reasons.Dominic Solanke (£3.5m)Solanke has 23 goal involvements in Dream Team this seasonCredit: GettyRefocusing on the double headers, the most inviting of the lot seems to be Spurs against West Ham and Bodo/Glimt.In the grand scheme of things, Ange Postecoglou’s side have underwhelmed throughout 2024/25 but they actually rank highly for total Dream Team points.Solanke averages a goal or assist every 133 minutes this season and his expertly-guided header against Liverpool last weekend showed that he is capable of healthy returns even when everything else falls apart for the North Londoners.Gaffers would be wise to wait and see how the first leg of the Europa League semi-final plays out before fully committing but, as Spurs’ first-choice striker, Solanke has to be considered an appealing selection for Gameweek 34.Bryan Mbeumo (£4.8m)A class actCredit: ReutersBrentford don’t have the benefit of a second fixture this coming Gameweek but this weekend’s home game against Manchester United comes at a good time.One suspects the Red Devils will be distracted by their two-legged Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao and if that’s the case they could easily come unstuck at the Gtech, especially if Ruben Amorim rests his key players.Only Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle have scored more home league goals than the Bees at this stage, a testament to the formidable duo of Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa (£3.8m).Read More on The SunThe Cameroon international has made a mockery of his fixture deficit all season long to rack up 303 points – Fernandes is the only midfielder above him in the rankings at the time of writing.Recruiting Mbeumo now would also be a smart move for Gameweek 35, when Brentford travel to Ipswich.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 NOW More

THE season may be nearing an end but there’s still time to enhance your bank balance through Score Predictor.Matchweek 30 features the customary weekly prize of £250 and is once again free to play.Play now and you could win £250!Credit: Dream TeamSimply submit your predictions for the five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for the accuracy of your forecast as the action unfolds.If you earn the most points then you’ll claim the weekly prize!PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR NOW!Allow us to present some key stats and facts to help inform your decisions…Arsenal v BournemouthOne of the most important factors to consider here is that the Gunners are in the midst of a Champions League semi-final.The North Londoners will have to overturn a 1-0 deficit against PSG in the French capital next Wednesday and with little to play for in the league it would be understandable if Mikel Arteta viewed this weekend’s game as a low priority.That being said, Arsenal have lost three league games all season and just once at home.Granted, one of those defeats came against the Cherries at the Vitality Stadium but Andoni Iraola’s side have faded at the back end of the campaign.In fact, only West Ham and the three relegated sides have taken fewer points than Bournemouth from their last ten games.Most read in FootballOnly Everton have drawn more times than Arsenal in the top flight this term.Our Prediction: 1-1 drawThe Champions League is now Arsenal’s priorityCredit: RexBrentford v Manchester UnitedThe Red Devils may also be distracted by their two-legged European semi-final this weekend.If their Europa League tie with Athletic Bilbao hangs in the balance after the first leg then Ruben Amorim may even choose to rest key players at the Gtech Stadium.Score Predictor users will get another chance to scout the Bees when they take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Thursday night but fans, rivals and neutrals alike should know what Thomas Frank’s troops offer by now.Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are one of the most effective partnerships in Europe having scored 34 league goals between them – both are among the top six scorers in the Premier League at present.Man United have won five of seven meetings with Brentford since the latter were promoted but will head into Sunday’s match-up seven points and three places behind the West Londoners.We may tweak our prediction after Thursday night’s fixtures but for now…Our Prediction: 2-1 to BrentfordA formidable duoCredit: GettyBrighton v NewcastleThe Magpies are finishing the season in fine style with only Wolves above them in the form table (last six games) ahead of this weekend’s action.Eddie Howe’s side have won seven of their last eight outings in all competitions and averaged three goals per game throughout April.In contrast, the Seagulls late win over West Ham last weekend was their first victory since early March.Like Bournemouth, Brighton’s push for European qualification has stalled at a crucial time but they may yet snatch a place in the Conference League.Newcastle have won more league games on the road then Fabian Hurzeler’s side have managed at home in 2024/25 but this has been something of a bogey fixture for the Toon in recent times.Brighton have won three of the last four meetings (plus a draw) including victories in both the league and FA Cup this season.Even so, we’re inclined to follow the form guide on this occasion.Our Prediction: 3-1 to NewcastleNewcastle pack a punch in attackCredit: RexChelsea v LiverpoolThere’s a danger that Sunday’s main event may fall a little flat.The Reds have already confirmed their league triumph and will likely bring a last-day-before-summer-holiday vibe to their remaining commitments.But sometimes a release of pressure allows players to express themselves with great effect.Chelsea can’t afford to slack off as they find themselves firmly among the scrap to finish in the top five but if Enzo Maresca is to lift a trophy in his first year at Stamford Bridge then it will have to be the Conference League.If the Blues make mincemeat of Djurgarden in the first leg then it will be easier to focus on the task at hand when Liverpool come to town but if the Swedish underdogs put up a fight then the hosts may have one eye on the second leg.A tricky fixture, one easy to overthink.Our Prediction: 2-0 to LiverpoolLiverpool will be in a celebratory moodCredit: PACrystal Palace v Nottingham ForestThe theme of this Matchweek seems to be teams distracted by other commitments as the Eagles will surely be prioritising their date with destiny in the FA Cup final.However, that’s still a fortnight away and so Oliver Glasner’s side should be suitably focused on Monday night and they could do with a league win having mustered just two points from their last four outings.As for Forest, they will be highly motivated to secure Champions League qualification – a win over Brentford this evening would help.The two-time European champions are unbeaten against Palace since their return to the top flight with Chris Wood providing the winner in the latest encounter back in October.This match-up has been a low-scoring affair in recent years with just six goals scored in the last five meetings.Read More on The SunOur Prediction: 1-1 drawDo you see it differently? Show us how it’s done by entering your predictions now!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 NOW More

FAR be it from us to kick teams when they’re down but it’s simply a fact that Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich have endured a miserable 2024/25.All three clubs were promoted from the Championship but are heading straight back to the second tier having been reminded of the harsh demands of the Premier League.Southampton have mustered just 11 points this seasonCredit: ReutersThroughout the campaign, players from the other 17 teams have taken advantage of the quality gap when facing the doomed trio to earn plentiful Dream Team points and there’s no reason to expect anything different from the final four Gameweeks.Following this logic, managers should be aware that Everton are due to host Saints and the Tractor Boys in May.The Toffees are only 15th in the table themselves but will be highly motivated to mark their farewell from Goodison Park with victories and they could hardly have asked for more favourable opponents.Ipswich and Southampton have scored 58 league goals between them this season, just two more than Brentford, while Everton boast the fifth-best defensive record in the top flight.The stats suggest it would be reasonable to expect clean sheets from David Moyes’ men in Gameweeks 34 and 36.Moyes will want to give Goodison Park a proper send-offCredit: GettyEVERTON’S REMAINING FIXTURESGW34: Ipswich (h)GW35: Fulham (a)GW36: Southampton (h)GW37: Newcastle (a)If clean sheets are on offer then Jordan Pickford (£3.9m) is therefore a viable option.Most read in FootballEngland’s No1 ranks joint-sixth among goalkeepers with 163 points to his name having kept 11 clean sheets.James Tarkowski (£3.6m) is out for the remainder of the season having undergone surgery and so the best selections in defence are Vitaliy Mykolenko (£3.5m), Jarrad Branthwaite (£3.2m) and Jake O’Brien (£2.6m).Pickford could add to his clean sheet tally before the season endsCredit: GettyIn terms of goal threats it’s relatively slim pickings but all attacking assets become more appealing when they’re about to face two of the bottom three.Beto (£2m) enjoyed a purple patch in February but his returns have dried up since then and so the player to pick would be Iliman Ndiaye (£4.3m).The Senegalese winger has scored nine goals this season and ranks relatively high for bonus points.Ndiaye is Everton’s top scorer this seasonCredit: ReutersGenerally speaking, Dream Team bosses should target the additional fixtures on offer in the European competitions and FA Cup but this Gameweek is a great example of how targeting ultra favourable fixtures can yield shed-loads of points.At the time of writing, Matheus Cunha (£5.4m) is the top performer of Gameweek 33 with team-mate Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.5m) in third, all because Wolves had the luxury of facing Leicester at the weekend.At the very least, gaffers should be open to Everton options in May given their schedule.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 NOW More

DREAM TEAM managers have been perplexed by Tottenham all season long.Ange Postecoglou’s side are languishing 16th in the Premier League and have lost 23 games in all competitions but they’ve also provided lorry-loads of points.A strange season in many waysCredit: AlamyIn fact, six Spurs players have amassed 200+ points this campaign; only Arsenal and Liverpool have more double centurions at the time of writing.The reason for this disconnect is that while Spurs have lost far too many games, they’ve scored more than their fair share of goals, 97 in all competitions to be precise.This attacking pedigree is not to be taken lightly by Dream Team bosses.Looking ahead to Gameweek 34, Dominic Solanke (£3.5m) should be considered a strong option.Solanke scored against Frankfurt in the Europa League quarter-finalsCredit: GettyThe power of hindsight reveals that the England striker was a good punt for Gameweek 33 as he scored his side’s only goal at Anfield in what became Liverpool’s celebratory 5-1 romp.The one-sided nature of that contest meant most Spurs players suffered significant damage but Solanke escaped with a very respectable 10-point haul.And he will surely get a chance to add to his tally on Thursday when Bodo/Glimt visit North London for the first leg of an intriguing Europa League semi-final.Gaffers tempted by Solanke for Gameweek 23, when Spurs are due to face West Ham before the second leg against their Norwegian opponents, can use Thursday’s fixture to scout the 27-year-old further.Most read in FootballBodo/Glimt have punched above their weight in Europe this season but they will be missing several key players at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium due to injuries and suspensions.Solanke has earned 236 points so far this seasonCredit: EPASpurs are one of just four teams set to pull double duty in Gameweek 34, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea being the others due to their own European semi-final commitments.Given the Blues’ second leg against Djurgarden in the Conference League is offset by a league game against Liverpool, it’s reasonable to deduce that Spurs have the most favourable double header of the lot.The Hammers are among the very few teams below Postecoglou’s side in the table at present and Solanke will fancy his chances of getting on the scoresheet if unleashed upon Graham Potter’s demoralised troops.The ex-Bournemouth forward may not have scored as many goals (13) as would have liked this term but a healthy number of assists (10) means he averages a goal involvement every 132.9 minutes.Only Europa League success will salvage Postecoglou’s second season at SpursCredit: Bradley Collyer/PA WireSon Heung-min (£4.3m) leads the way for total points among his team-mates with 268 but he’s yet to return from injury.James Maddison (£4m), Brennan Johnson (£2.8m), Pedro Porro (£5.1m) and Dejan Kulusevski (£4.1m) have all outscored Solanke to date but the Swedish midfielder has struggled since his spell on the sidelines while the other three are all minutes risks, though the Spaniard is a viable option in defence.Gaffers who like to target as many games as possible should consider Solanke (8.7% ownership) as a potential replacement for the likes of Alexander Isak (£5.7m), Ollie Watkins (£4.7m) and Chris Wood (£3.8m), who all have just four games remaining before the season ends.Spurs could play as many as six games from Gameweek 34 onwards if they make it to the Europa League final.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 NOW More

DON’T say we didn’t warn you.Matheus Cunha (£5.4m) was the standout Dream Team performer over the weekend as he banked a whopping 22 points against Leicester.Cruelly overlookedCredit: Dream TeamThe Wolves forward opened the scoring against the Foxes and assisted two other goals as Vitor Pereira’s side extended their winning streak with a 3-0 victory.Not only was Cunha directly involved in all three goals, he earned enough player performance marks to pocket FIVE bonus points, the maximum available from any one fixture.CUNHA’S 22-POINT MASTERCLASS1 goal (+6 pts)2 assists (+6 pts)5 bonus points (+5 pts)3 shots on target (+3 pts)89 minutes played (+2 pts)We included the talented Brazilian in our transfer recommendations ahead of Gameweek 33, citing his fixture as a massive mismatch between two teams at the opposite ends of the form table.And so it proved to be as Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side, already condemned to relegation, were outclassed by the hosts at Molineux with Cunha taking centre stage.A walk in the parkCredit: ReutersThe problem is that so few Dream Team managers are willing to actively recruit the 25-year-old, no matter how frequently we talk up his considerable attributes.Even now, in the wake of his season-best points haul, his ownership remains a modest 3.5%.Most read in FootballThe exhaustive list of players more popular than Cunha includes Micky van de Ven (£2.9m), Murillo (£2.9m) and Kobbie Mainoo (£3m).Granted, Cunha’s disciplinary record is a factor. He recently missed four consecutive games through suspension but the truth is he has never been a truly popular selection in the world of Dream Team despite undeniable stats.Cunha’s disciplinary issues are a concernCredit: AFPThe former Atletico Madrid man has racked up 283 points at an average of 8.8 per game this season – only Mohamed Salah (£7m) and Erling Haaland (£7.8m) boast better averages.That’s right, in a straight shootout of one fixture each, the numbers suggest Cunha is likely to outperform Alexander Isak (£5.7m), Bukayo Saka (£6.1m), Bruno Fernandes (£6.8m), Cole Palmer (£4.9m) and many more of the game’s most popular players.The fact Wolves have not had European fixtures to bolster their schedule limits his viability but gaffers have not been shy in backing Bryan Mbeumo (£4.8m) in spite of Brentford’s comparatively relaxed workload.So what will it take for Cunha to be recognised for his genius?Man United are reported to be keen on CunhaCredit: GettyUnfortunately for Wolves fans, the answer to that question might be a transfer away from Molineux.Cunha is expected to leave the club this summer with Manchester United supposedly his most ardent suitors.Read More on The SunIt’s worth noting that Wolves leapfrogged the Red Devils in the Premier League table this weekend but a switch to one of world football’s most famous clubs will undoubtedly result in more attention on Cunha.It might be that he goes from one of the most overlooked players in Dream Team to among the most selected.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 NOW More