Dream Team

ALL Dream Team managers should be aware that player prices will vary throughout the season.Our boffins have been tweaked the algorithm that determines price changes for the 2024/25 campaign.Here’s how it works.Each Gameweek, every player is assessed by comparing the points he earned against his ‘expected score’.We can’t reveal the exact formula but past performances and current price are both taken into account when expected scores are calculated.Haaland started the season as the most-expensive player in Dream TeamCredit: GettyTop-tier assets such as Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka will have a higher expected score than the likes of Danny Ings, Beto and Will Hughes (with all due respect to those players).If a player outperforms their expected score, they will increase in price.Conversely, if a player performs below expectations by failing to match their expected score, they will decrease in price. Like last season, prices are updated on a weekly basis and can fall or rise either £0.1m, £0.2m or £0.3m – or stay the same.A player will have to significantly outperform their expected score to earn the maximum price increase of £0.3m but such a performance will result in an increased expected score for the subsequent Gameweek, making another big rise a little harder, but still possible.Of course, this works the other way too – a significant underperformance will decrease the given players’ expected score for the following Gameweek.This will ensure the market remains relatively stable while also reflecting recent form.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 NOWIf a player features in two fixtures in any given Gameweek, their average points from the two outings is what’s measured against their expected score, not their cumulative total.For example, if you own Son Heung-min and he scores 12 points in the Premier League at the weekend then four points in the Europa League on Thursday night, his average for the Gameweek would be eight – because 12 plus four equals 16 and 16 divided by two equals eight – and that figure is what would be measured against his expected score to determine his next price change.Of course, the broader picture in this scenario is that the Tottenham forward has earned you 16 points throughout the Gameweek – this is more noteworthy than a potential price change.It’s important to note that players are only subject to price changes if they play at least ten minutes (not including injury time).This is to prevent late substitutes from being unfairly penalised for failing to positively impact the game with such little time at their disposal – a regular occurrence.Although, again, this works both ways – players who come on at the death and end up with a healthy points return will also not be considered for a price change.Dream Team bosses should be smart with their money, just like… Todd Boehly?Credit: PAPlease be aware that price changes come into effect when a Gameweek starts – that’s AFTER your transfers have gone through.Finally, it’s worth stressing that predicting price changes is part of the game.Work the Dream Team stock market to your advantage by taking gambles on low-priced players on the way up or snapping up star players who have become more affordable.Remember, the initial £50million budget was only relevant prior to Gameweek 1.If price changes result in your team total rising above £50m, not only is that absolutely fine, it means you’re doing something right!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £60 in free bets — 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 6x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 2 x £10 Bet Builder, 2 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

WE’RE putting up £250 in Score Predictor this weekend!It doesn’t matter if you didn’t play in Matchweek 1 amid all the excitement of the Premier League’s return, if you earn the most points in Matchweek 2 you’ll pocket the cash prize.Simply gaze into your crystal ball and foresee the scores of five selected top flight fixtures and you’ll earn points based on the accuracy of your predictions.Remember, you don’t have to get all five scores exactly correct – that requires almost superhuman foresight- you just have to outperform everyone else.CLICK HERE TO PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR FOR FREE – £250 CASH PRIZE MUST BE WON!Play for free today!Credit: Dream TeamFor full transparency, these are our predictions for Matchweek 2.Manchester City v IpswichThe fixture computer have dealt the Tractor Boys a brutal baptism of fire with a trip to the champions’ lair hot on the heels of Liverpool’s visit to Portman Road.It’s essentially a free hit for Kieran McKenna’s mob but it’s difficult to envisage anything other than a comfortable home win given Ipswich were in League One two seasons ago while Pep Guardiola’s side have won four consecutive league titles.Erling Haaland will certainly fancy his chances of getting on the scoresheet – when does he not?Most read in FootballPrediction: 4-0 to Man CityIpswich, beware!Credit: GettyTottenham v EvertonThe Toffees suffered the heaviest defeat in Matchweek 1, a 3-0 loss at home to Brighton.It wasn’t just the result that was a concern but the open nature of their defence, something we don’t expect from a team organised by Sean Dyche.As for Saturday’s hosts, they were held to a 1-1 draw at Leicester on Monday night despite dominating the first hour – chance conversion has been an issue ever since Ange Postecoglou took charge.Only Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal won more home games than Spurs in the league last term.Prediction: 2-1 to SpursDyche would have been concerned how easily Brighton sliced through his teamCredit: ReutersAston Villa v ArsenalThe standout match-up of the weekend and one that the Gunners won’t be relishing.Unai Emery did the double over his former club last season and the Villains’ win at the Emirates in April remains the Arsenal’s only defeat in the league this calendar year.Both teams won their opening games, knocking off West Ham and Wolves respectively, so it’s a difficult one to call.Mikel Arteta’s side should be favourites but Villa have been their bogey team of late.Prediction: 1-1 drawScore 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 NOWWolves v ChelseaIs there a harder Premier League team to gauge than the Blues right now?From the outside, the club seems chaotic beyond belief with almost half the senior players branded as unwanted outcasts but it’s also true Enzo Maresca has a number of talented assets at his disposal.Among them, Pedro Neto, who returns to Molineux a week on from his departure.A winner from the Portuguese winger seems just cliched enough to come true.Prediction: 2-1 to ChelseaIt’s inevitable isn’t it?Credit: ReutersLiverpool v BrentfordThe Bees have lost every game they’ve played at Anfield since late 1937.Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa may pose a threat on the counterattack but their defence will have to play out of their skin to keep the likes of Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz at bay in Merseyside.A fairly regulation win for the Reds, we reckon…READ MORE SUN STORIESPrediction: 3-1 to LiverpoolCLICK HERE TO PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR FOR FREE – £250 CASH PRIZE MUST BE WON!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £60 in free bets — 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 6x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 2 x £10 Bet Builder, 2 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

SEVERAL widely-owned defenders justified their popularity in Gameweek 1.Josko Gvardiol (£4.5m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.5m) and Pedro Porro (£4m) all banked double-digit hauls to pick up where they left off last season but gaffers should also take note of the surprise names floating near the top of the rankings at this exceedingly early stage.Rico Lewis (£3m) being a prime example.Mature beyond his yearsCredit: Dream TeamThe 19-year-old was listed at right-back for Manchester City’s opening game against Chelsea but, as is common these days, he was deployed as an inverted full-back and spent a lot of time in midfield.After a typically mature yet tenacious performance, Lewis earned nine points via a clean sheet, bonus point, two tackles and appearance points as Pep Guardiola’s side won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.The England one-cap wonder was expected to start for the champions in Gameweek 1 as Kyle Walker (£4m) returned to training late following his involvement with the Three Lions at Euro 2024.After an impressive performance and healthy returns to show for it, many Dream Team managers will now be wondering how long Lewis will maintain his status as a starter for the defending champions.Walker was an unused substitute at Stamford BridgeCredit: GettyIn the short-term, he appears to be a strong option for Gameweek 2 with Man City set to host Ipswich.They will then travel to West Ham in Gameweek 3 before Gameweek 4 brings a home game against Brentford as well as their first Champions League fixture of 2024/25.At £3m, Lewis is comfortably the cheapest City defender and should be considered a tremendously generous bargain if guaranteed substantial minutes.Most read in FootballBut at this stage it remains unclear if and when Walker will reclaim his place as first-choice right-back.The 34-year-old was an unused substitute on Sunday, as was John Stones (£4.5m), but Phil Foden (£6.5m) was given 45 minutes – perhaps an indication that the England contingent will be reintegrated sooner rather than later.Lewis contributed to City’s win in West LondonCredit: EPAOf course, there’s a chance Walker may have been permanently usurped.His performance levels have been declining of late, as is natural with age, while Lewis’ role at the club grows in prominence every day.Guardiola cares not for egos and reputations, he will always select the team he believes best capable of getting a result and it may be this results in fewer minutes for Walker going forward.Alternatively, Lewis may be given increased playing time in specialist midfield roles – a possibility that would certainly increase his Dream Team viability. At the very least, this is a situation for Dream Team bosses to monitor closely.Jack Grealish sneaks out of Bernardo Silva’s birthday party in underground tunnel as Man City stars hit town with Wags (1) More

KAORU MITOMA (£3.5m) sent out a reminder of his talents to Dream Team managers everywhere at the weekend.Having missed the last three months of the 2023/24 season with a back injury, Brighton’s No22 marked his return to competitive action with a goal against Everton on Saturday.Mitoma’s return to action is a huge boost for BrightonCredit: Dream TeamMitoma was on hand at the back post to finish off an incisive move and put the Seagulls ahead in what was ultimately a comfortable 3-0 victory for the visitors at Goodison Park.His goal was one of three shots on target, the joint-most in the Premier League at this embryonic stage of the campaign, while only two players completed more successful dribbles – a key factor in him earning a bonus point against the Toffees.Add in three tackles (one point) plus 89 minutes (two points) and the Japan international left Merseyside with a 13-point haul.Only top-tier assets Mohamed Salah (£7m) and Bukayo Saka (£6m) banked more points (15 each) in Gameweek 1.Mitoma’s reminder has already been widely heeded as he’s currently the most transferred-in player in Dream Team ahead of Gameweek 2.Ashley Young failed to deal with Mitoma on SaturdayCredit: GettyThere’s still plenty of time for that to change with the deadline falling at 11am on Saturday morning but the 27-year-old is certainly a popular recruit.This is understandable as Fabian Hurzeler’s side registered the biggest win of the first round of Premier League fixtures.Overreacting to the opening weekend can lead gaffers astray but Mitoma is a player who has punched above his weight in Dream Team previously – he was one of the game’s best value-for-money gems back in 2022/23.Most read in FootballAt £3.5m he’s certainly affordable right now, particularly if he’s going to rediscover his best form now he’s fully recovered from injury, as his first outing of the new campaign suggests.Brighton are due to face Manchester United and Crawley in Gameweek 2 with the latter being a Carabao Cup fixture.All 13 top flight clubs not set to participate in Europe this season will be in action in midweek after a full round of league games across Saturday and Sunday.Hurzeler couldn’t have asked for a better start to life in the Premier LeagueCredit: ReutersWhether Mitoma will start both fixtures remains to be seen as a certain degree of rotation is expected across the board in the early rounds of the domestic cups but he does appear to be decent option in the mid-range.Gaffers keen on Mitoma should be aware that Brighton travel to Arsenal in Gameweek 3 – one of the toughest match-ups for an attack-minded asset given the Gunners’ defensive solidity in recent times.Home games against Ipswich and Nottingham Forest in Gameweeks 4 and 5 seem much more favourable but Dream Team bosses should be targeting the midweek European fixtures at that time.Of course, it’s entirely possible to recruit Mitoma on a temporary basis until the time comes to replace him with a player active in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League (if Chelsea win their play-off). More

THE opening weekend of the new season ticked a lot of Dream Team boxes.Erling Haaland (£7.5m) scored, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.5m) created big chances, and last season’s top three sides all kept clean sheets.Leicester and Tottenham players will have the final word but as it stands, two familiar superstars will top the rankings after Gameweek 1 in Mohamed Salah (£7m) and Bukayo Saka (£6m).Salah and Saka are on top ahead of Gameweek 2Credit: Dream TeamThe former scored and assisted as Liverpool beat Ipswich 2-0 on Saturday.The Tractor Boys did well to restrict the visitors for an hour at Portman Road but the Reds’ attacking quality shone through in final half hour.Liverpool’s Egyptian hero, in his 350th game for the club, put it on a plate for Diogo Jota (£4.5m) before bagging his customary opening weekend goal five minutes later.No player registered more shots on target (three) over the weekend and so Salah banked 15 points by the final whistle – doubled to 30 for those who captained him.Quick out the blocksCredit: GettyNot long after, Arsenal’s No7 also registered a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win to underline his status as one of Dream Team’s top-tier assets.Saka provided an inviting cross for Kai Havertz (£4.5m) midway through the first half and scored a trademark finish in the second half with a powerful left-footed effort past Jose Sa (£2.5m).The England international also registered three shots on target and would have been the outright top performer had he not been booked, which dropped him down a point to 15 from 16.Most read in FootballSalah and Saka’s status as early joint-leaders is a reminder to all Dream Team bosses of the need for premium options.Finding value-for-money difference-makers is an important aspect of the game but so is recognising which of the expensive stars are worth the investment.Salah against Ipswich always looked like a match-up to targetCredit: EPAOnly Haaland started the campaign with a higher price than Salah while Saka is the joint-third most-costly midfielder alongside Cole Palmer (£6m) and Bruno Fernandes (£6m).Their combined cost added to Haaland’s price equals £21.5million – 43% of each gaffer’s starting budget.Committing this much cash to three players means having to make sacrifices elsewhere but the trio’s return of 39 points in Gameweek 1 speaks for itself.A familiar sightCredit: PASalah’s form dropped away at the back end of last season but the broader point is that he has finished among the top point-scorers in Dream Team for seven consecutive campaigns, having averaged 30 goals (all comps) per season during that time.Combine his historical pedigree with a fast start and Liverpool’s relatively favourable fixtures until October and it already seems curious that approximately three quarters of gaffers decided to go without him from the get-go.It will be interesting to see to what degree his ownership rises before Brentford’s visit to Anfield in Gameweek 2.’Ben Brereton Diaz is a disgrace and should face charge with Schar’ | The Whistleblower, Mark Halsey More