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    Captaincy options for Gameweek 13: Gaffers spoiled for choice amid decisive turning point

    GAMEWEEK 13 is a decisive turning point in the Dream Team season.All 20 Premier League clubs will be in action TWICE, signalling a start to the hectic festive period.There will be shed-loads of points up for grabs in the coming weeks but you will have to make smart decisions if you are to leave your rivals in the dust.Liverpool v Manchester City will cause shock waves in Dream Team one way or the otherCredit: AFPSelecting the right captain for Gameweek 13 would be a great start but that’s easier said than done as it’s a wide open field ahead of this evening’s deadline (6:30pm).Erling Haaland (£8.6m) and Mohamed Salah (£7.4m) are always the most popular captains but with the pair in direct competition at Anfield on Sunday, it might be wise to look elsewhere for a change.That being said, Liverpool’s main man should still be considered a fine choice given the form of Pep Guardiola’s side – the defending champions are conceding plenty of goals at the moment.The Reds travel to Newcastle in midweek while City will host Nottingham Forest.Set for his first double Gameweek of the seasonCredit: Dream TeamPerhaps this is the week to captain Cole Palmer (£6m)?Chelsea’s main man has had his workload managed this season but the schedule is likely to make Gameweek 13 his first double of 2024/25.Enzo Maresca’s side welcome an out-of-form Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge this weekend before a favourable trip to Southampton on Wednesday.Most read in FootballPalmer has mustered just 13 points from his last three appearances but the Blues’ upcoming double header looks mightily appealing on paper.Bukayo Saka (£6.4m) finished as Gameweek 12’s top performer having collected 30 points across his two fixtures.Arsenal’s No7 took 14 points off Forest and 16 off Sporting CP, registering a goal and assist in each outing.Martin Odegaard’s (£5.1m) return from injury has undoubtedly helped Saka and the England international is certainly among the leading captaincy candidates for Gameweek 13 ahead of games against West Ham and Manchester United.Gaffers who captained Saka in Gameweek 12 were handsomely rewardedCredit: RexA rare double Gameweek for all 20 top flight teams opens up all manner of alternative captaincy options for gaffers who like to think outside the box.Joao Pedro (£4.1m) has added 25 points to his tally from just two outings since regaining fitness and the Brazilian forward will be hopeful of extending his good form at home to Saints tonight.Brighton travel to Fulham on Thursday for their second fixture.Pedro averages 8.7 points-per-game this season, a rate only bettered by Haaland and Salah among forwards.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 NOWCaptain material?Credit: GETTYMatheus Cunha (£4.8m) is among the most popular recruits this week and Dream Team bosses who have transferred Wolves’ talisman into their XI might want to go the whole hog and captain him.After a 20-point haul at Fulham’s expense last weekend, the former Atletico Madrid man is the most in-form player in the game!Gary O’Neil’s troops face Bournemouth and Everton this coming Gameweek.READ MORE SUN STORIESElsewhere, strong cases can be made for Nicolas Jackson (£4m), Bryan Mbeumo (£4.3m) and a couple of Spurs assets – it really is a wide open field.Confirm your captain (and vice captain) before the 6:30pm deadline!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 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 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.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

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    Transfer recommendations for Gameweek 13: Joao Pedro among tempting one-week punts

    DREAM TEAM managers are spoiled for choice ahead of Gameweek 13 with all 20 Premier League clubs set to play twice.With so many options available to you, allow us to present some transfer recommendations bursting with potential.Before we get into the merits of specific players, it’s worth flagging that the Gameweek 13 deadline falls at 6:30pm on Friday – that’s earlier than usual so don’t get caught out!Gaffers are spoiled for choice this weekCredit: Dream TeamJoao Pedro (£4.1m)A rare double Gameweek across the board gives Dream Team bosses every reason to back a Brighton player and who better than their in-form No9?Pedro averages 8.7 points-per-game this season, a rate only bettered by Erling Haaland (£8.6m) and Mohamed Salah (£7.4m) among forwards.He’s registered six goal involvements in six games and his return from injury has yielded 25 points in two outings.The Seagulls will host Southampton on Friday (Saints have the worst away record in the top flight) before a trip to Fulham in the week.Matheus Cunha (£4.8m)A man in formCredit: GettyIf Pedro doesn’t float your boat then how about a midlands-based Brazilian forward instead?Most read in FootballCunha banked 20 points via two excellent goals at Fulham last weekend and is now Dream Team’s most in-form player.Wolves’ talisman has seven goals and three assists to his name but that only tells half the story.He ranks in the top three in his position for big chances created and bonus points; an impressive feat without European commitments to bolster his schedule.Cunha will be unleashed upon Bournemouth and Everton in Gameweek 13.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 NOWJurrien Timber (£3.7m) and/or Riccardo Calafiori (£3.9m)Timber appears affordable ahead of Gameweek 13Credit: GettyGabriel (£4.8m) and William Saliba (£5m) are Arsenal’s top defenders in terms of total points but the full-backs offer more affordable routes into the Gunners’ defence.With Ben White (£4.1m) expected to be sidelined for a number of weeks, Timber is likely to start at right-back for the foreseeable future.The Dutchman banked 16 points in Gameweek 12 thanks to an assist and three points against Sporting CP in Lisbon.Calafiori’s minutes aren’t quite as assured but he’s also coming off the back of a healthy double-digit haul.More broadly, Arsenal’s fixtures appear relatively favourable from now until the new year.Fraser Forster (£1.8m)Vicario’s injury presents an opportunity for ForsterCredit: GettyTottenham’s 36-year-old veteran is no Caoimhin Kelleher (£2.6m) in the world of the reserve goalkeepers but he has to be considered a tempting option purely because of his bargain price.Guglielmo Vicario (£3.1m) faces several weeks on the sidelines having undergone surgery on his ankle and so Forster, who has made three appearances already this term, will surely start throughout the busy festive period.READ MORE SUN STORIESSpurs clean sheets aren’t guaranteed by any means but at £1.8m Forster is a low-cost punt who frees up budget to invest elsewhere.The North London side face Fulham and Bournemouth in Gameweek 13.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 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 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.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

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    Liverpool v Manchester City headlines Score Predictor Matchweek 13 – read our top tips!

    IT’S all eyes on Anfield this weekend but Score Predictor users will have to negotiate four other Premier League fixtures before they get to Matchweek 13’s main event.As usual, we’re putting up £250 for the weekly prize – not bad for a free-to-play game, eh?Play now!Credit: Dream TeamSimply submit your predictions for the five selected games and earn points for the accuracy of your forecast as the action unfolds.If you amass the most points then you’ll claim the cash!Allow us to present some key stats and facts for each relevant fixture this Matchweek, along with our own predictions.West Ham v ArsenalThe Hammers beat the Gunners at the Emirates between Christmas and New Year last season but Mikel Arteta’s side took their revenge in emphatic style with a 6-0 victory at the London Stadium back in February.Julen Lopetegui relieved some pressure with a 2-0 win at St James’ Park on Monday night but he will have to execute something special to upset an Arsenal side fresh of impressive wins over Nottingham Forest and Sporting CP.The North London outfit have taken just eight points from a possible 18 on the road in the league this campaign but it’s hard to look past them this Saturday, especially with the Martin Odegaard/Bukayo Saka combination up and running again.Our Prediction: 2-0 to ArsenalMost read in FootballWest Ham will have their hands full with Saka this weekendCredit: GettyTottenham v FulhamSpurs are the league’s top scorers at this stage and they rank second for shots, shots on target and xG – they pack a serious punch.However, even their most partisan fans freely admit consistency is an issue.Ange Postecoglou’s troops dusted Manchester City 4-0 last weekend but their most recent home game ended in defeat to Ipswich.As for the Cottagers, they’re still sitting pretty in the top half but a 4-1 loss to Wolves came as something of a reality check last time out.Fulham’s underlying defensive numbers are impressive but resisting Son Heung-min, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and company is a tough ask. Our Prediction: 2-1 to SpursSpurs score plenty of goalsCredit: GettyManchester United v EvertonRuben Amorim’s first league game at Old Trafford pits two relatively blunt attacks against each other.Only Southampton have scored fewer goals than the Toffees, with the Red Devils joint-16th in the same metric.Sean Dyche watched his side fail to breach the ten men of Brentford last Saturday while Man United drew 1-1 at Portman Road the day after.This match-up looks low on entertainment on paper but the Amorim factor (new manager bounce and all that) gives it a little something extra.The hosts have a Europa League game against Bodo/Glimt to fulfil first but, assuming they don’t lose any key men to injury, we’re envisaging celebrations at Old Trafford on Sunday.Our Prediction: 2-0 to Man UnitedScore 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 NOWChelsea v Aston VillaThe Villains have won their last two visits to Stamford Bridge in the league but they head to the capital amid a downturn in form.Wednesday night’s 0-0 draw with Juventus made it seven games in a row without a win in all competitions – Unai Emery’s side have slipped to 8th in the table.Whereas Chelsea are in third, breathing down Man City’s neck just one point adrift.The Blues play Heidenheim in Germany later today but Enzo Maresca has rotated his squad in the Conference League so the likes of Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke will be plenty fresh for the weekend.Both these teams have fared better away from home so far this season but this feels like an opportunity for Chelsea to make a statement in front of their season ticket holders.Our Prediction: 2-1 to ChelseaChelsea could rise to second by the end of the weekendCredit: GettyLiverpool v Manchester CityThe big one.It’s been years since a Pep Guardiola side approached a fixture as underdogs in the eyes of the neutrals.City’s late capitulation against Feyenoord on Tuesday night was their sixth result without a win – almost unthinkable for a side who have been so dominant in the modern era.In contrast, Arne Slot is enjoying a flying start to life on Merseyside.The Reds are eight points clear the top of the league table and boast a 100% record in the Champions League.Clashes between Liverpool and Man City have been gripping and unpredictable in recent years but the hosts couldn’t have picked a better time to welcome the defending champions to their lair.Our Prediction: 3-1 to LiverpoolREAD MORE SUN STORIESThink you know better? Prove it!Enter your predictions for Matchweek 13 now and compete for the £250 cash prize.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 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 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.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

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    Which teams have the most favourable fixtures this December?

    CHRISTMAS is a time for friends, family and football.The games come thick and fast throughout the festive period and Dream Team managers will need to have their wits about them if they are to come out the other side with an improved rank.The festive period is a crucial juncture in the Dream Team calendarCredit: Dream TeamMany gaffers like to take each Gameweek as it comes but it’s often beneficial to plan further ahead.With that in mind, let’s analyse each Premier League team’s fixtures between Gameweeks 13 and 17 – some teams will play NINE games during this crucial period.LIVERPOOLManchester City (h)Newcastle (a)Everton (a)Girona (a)Fulham (h)Southampton (a)Tottenham (a)Leicester (h)West Ham (a)Everything’s coming up roses for the Reds right now.Arne Slot’s side are top of the league and well on course for safe passage through to the Champions League round of 16.And it’s a great time to play Man City with the defending champions in the midst of a rare crisis.No fewer than five Anfield residents have achieved 100+ points to date – they’re flying.Most read in FootballMANCHESTER CITYLiverpool (a)Nottingham Forest (h)Crystal Palace (a)Juventus (a)Manchester United (h)Aston Villa (a)Everton (h)Leicester (a)Pep Guardiola’s winless run has extended to six games in all competitions and so it has to be considered a terrible time to visit Anfield.Erling Haaland (£8.6m) addressed his minor blip with a brace against Feyenoord but points have severely dried up for the likes of Rico Lewis (£3.4m) and Josko Gvardiol (£4.6m).Dream Team’s transfer activity suggests many gaffers have lost patience with City assets… at least for the time being.Guardiola has problems to solveCHELSEAAston Villa (h)Southampton (a)Tottenham (a)Astana (a)Brentford (h)Shamrock Rovers (h)Everton (a)Fulham (h)Ipswich (a)The Blues are one of five teams with nine fixtures to fulfil from this weekend until New Year’s Day.However, Enzo Maresca has made extensive use of rotation in the Conference League so it’s likely to be Christopher Nkunku (£4.5m), Joao Felix (£4.4m) and Mykhailo Mudryk (£3.1m) who cash in against Astana and Shamrock Rovers.Those three league games at the end of the month could be profitable for Cole Palmer (£6m) backers if Chelsea’s talisman is in the mood.ARSENALWest Ham (a)Manchester United (h)Fulham (a)Monaco (h)Everton (h)Crystal Palace (h)Crystal Palace (a)Ipswich (h)Brentford (a)The Gunners won’t be leaving London until 2025 and one suspects minimal travel time will be an advantage when the schedule gets hectic.A double header against the Eagles has to be considered a stroke of luck (facilitated by the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw) given Oliver Glasner’s men are currently languishing 19th in the table.Bukayo Saka (£6.4m) could well be a must-have asset for December as ninth-placed Fulham is his toughest domestic opponent according to the league table.EssentialCredit: RexBRIGHTONSouthampton (h)Fulham (a)Leicester (a)Crystal Palace (h)West Ham (a)Brentford (h)Aston Villa (a)Just the seven games for the Seagulls but a string of bottom-half opponents (and Fulham) until the end of Gameweek 16 appears ripe with potential.Joao Pedro (£4.1m) averages 8.7 points-per-game at the time of writing, a rate only bettered by Haaland and Mohamed Salah (£7.4m) among forwards.Kaoru Mitoma (£3.7m) and Georginio Rutter (£3.4m) might prove to be smart differential midfielders.TOTTENHAMFulham (h)Bournemouth (a)Chelsea (h)Rangers (a)Southampton (a)Manchester United (h)Liverpool (h)Nottingham Forest (a)Wolves (h)There’s almost no point looking at Spurs’ schedule because their inconsistency defies the form table; as typified by their mighty 4-0 win over Man City in the wake of their defeat to Ipswich.Son Heung-min (£5.3m) and company will be busy boys in the coming Gameweeks though with plenty of points on offer.As well as the skipper, Pedro Porro (£4.4m), Dejan Kulusevski (£3m), Brennan Johnson (£3.7m), James Maddison (£4.5m) and Dominic Solanke (£4.3m) are all perfectly viable options.Plus, Fraser Forster (£1.8m) is a potential bargain while Guglielmo Vicario (£3.1m) recovers from a fractured ankle.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 NOWNOTTINGHAM FORESTIpswich (h)Manchester City (a)Manchester United (a)Aston Villa (h)Brentford (a)Tottenham (h)Everton (a)After a flying start to the campaign, consecutive losses to Newcastle and Arsenal either side of the international break have come as a reality check for Forest.Chris Wood’s (£3.8m) owners will be hopeful of healthy returns at home to the Tractor Boys this weekend but the schedule takes a nasty turn from Gameweek 14.ASTON VILLAChelsea (a)Brentford (h)Southampton (h)RB Leipzig (a)Nottingham Forest (a)Manchester City (h)Newcastle (a)Brighton (h)In complete contrast to last season, the Villains have earned more league points away from home this time around.Unai Emery’s men are in a bad moment right now having gone seven games without a win in all competitions.Emi Martinez (£3.9m), Ollie Watkins (£5.3m), Lucas Digne (£3.5m) and Morgan Rogers (£2.8m) are all popular selections in the realm of Dream Team but gaffers will need to see an upturn from Villa sooner rather than later.Villa’s form has fallen away in recent weeksCredit: ReutersFULHAMTottenham (a)Brighton (h)Arsenal (h)Liverpool (a)Southampton (h)Chelsea (a)Bournemouth (h)The West Londoners have enjoyed a positive start to the campaign but their next four opponents are all within the top six of the table – a tough test.Fulham will be desperate to get one over their local rivals on Boxing Day but their record against Chelsea is miserable – they haven’t won at Stamford Bridge since 1979!NEWCASTLECrystal Palace (a)Liverpool (h)Brentford (a)Leicester (h)Brentford (h)Ipswich (a)Aston Villa (h)Manchester United (a)Gaffers keen on backing Alexander Isak (£5.4m), an understandable inclination, might want to target the Magpies’ fixtures in Gameweeks 15 and 16 (Leicester, Brentford, Ipswich and Villa).Eddie Howe’s side looked to be heading the right direction after wins over Chelsea, Arsenal and Forest but an unexpected defeat to West Ham on Monday night has slowed their momentum.Truth be told, Newcastle games have been a tad light on Dream Team points this season.Always a tempting optionCredit: GettyBRENTFORDLeicester (h)Aston Villa (a)Newcastle (h)Chelsea (a)Newcastle (a)Nottingham Forest (h)Brighton (a)Arsenal (h)The Bees boast the best home record in the top flight but the second-worst away record.Given the nature of their away fixtures in December, their problems on the road could extend until the new year.That being said, Bryan Mbeumo (£4.3m) is a decent midfield option for Gameweek 13 – the Cameroon star averages 8.1 points-per-game this season.MANCHESTER UNITEDEverton (h)Arsenal (a)Nottingham Forest (h)Viktoria Plzen (a)Manchester City (a)Tottenham (a)Bournemouth (h)Wolves (a)Newcastle (h)The last of our teams with nine fixtures to fulfil.A match-up with the Toffees represents a relatively favourable first league game at Old Trafford for Ruben Amorim but the Portuguese tactician faces some tough tests in December.A trip to Czechia in the Europa League might provide some relief before a tricky Gameweek 15 (Man City and Spurs) but if the Red Devils come through relatively unscathed there could be healthy returns up for grabs against the Cherries and Wolves.Bruno Fernandes (£6.4m), Alejandro Garnacho (£4.2m), Noussair Mazraoui (£4.1m) and Diogo Dalot (£4m) have all provided their fair share of points across the first 12 Gameweeks of the season.Can Amorim get a tune out of Man United in the coming weeks?Credit: APBOURNEMOUTHWolves (a)Tottenham (h)Ipswich (a)West Ham (h)Manchester United (a)Crystal Palace (h)Fulham (a)Antoine Semenyo (£2.9m) is the only player in the squad to make any waves in Dream Team so far and he’s suspended for this weekend’s trip to Molineux.And with just seven games for the Cherries, let’s move on…WEST HAMArsenal (h)Leicester (a)Wolves (h)Bournemouth (a)Brighton (h)Southampton (a)Liverpool (h)The Hammers have just seven fixtures with testing match-ups bookending this run but a few Dream Team managers may feel Jarrod Bowen (£5.3m) is worth a whirl at some stage.The England international has amassed 105 points at an average of 7.5 per outing via four goals and four assists.Bowen has almost twice as many points as West Ham’s next best performers, Mohammed Kudus (£5.1m) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£3.3m), who are level on 56 each.A reliable performerCredit: PAEVERTONManchester United (a)Wolves (h)Liverpool (h)Arsenal (a)Chelsea (h)Manchester City (a)Nottingham Forest (h)There’s no sugarcoating the Toffees’ December; it’s a brutal run.Dwight McNeil (£3.7m) has impressed this season but gaffers should probably stay well clear of all Everton assets in the run-up to New Year’s Day.LEICESTERBrentford (a)West Ham (h)Brighton (h)Newcastle (a)Wolves (h)Liverpool (a)Manchester City (h)The Foxes are in desperate need of a new manager bounce and they’ll probably need to get their points early in December as they face an extremely taxing end to the month.WOLVESBournemouth (h)Everton (a)West Ham (a)Ipswich (h)Leicester (a)Manchester United (h)Tottenham (a)Wolves are a tad light without European fixtures or a Carabao Cup quarter-final but six consecutive bottom-half opponents could yield plenty of points for Matheus Cunha (£4.8m).Gary O’Neil’s star player averages 8.3 points-per-game this season and is in particular strong form right now having banked over 50 points in his last four appearances.A strong wildcardCredit: RexIPSWICHNottingham Forest (a)Crystal Palace (h)Bournemouth (h)Wolves (a)Newcastle (h)Arsenal (a)Chelsea (h)Liam Delap (£2.4m) is the only Tractor Boy with an ownership above 0.3% and that’s unlikely to change any time soon, despite Kieran McKenna’s admirable efforts in Suffolk.CRYSTAL PALACENewcastle (h)Ipswich (a)Manchester City (h)Brighton (a)Arsenal (a)Arsenal (h)Bournemouth (a)Southampton (h)The Carabao Cup draw has cruelly given the Eagles a double header against the Gunners but at least they have eight fixtures, one more than nine other clubs.Palace have found it hard going this season but Eberechi Eze (£5m) is player to keep an eye on as he tends to collect Dream Team points for fun when fit – he’s due back from injury any day now.Palace need Eze back sooner rather than laterCredit: GettySOUTHAMPTONBrighton (a)Chelsea (h)Aston Villa (a)Tottenham (h)Liverpool (h)Fulham (a)West Ham (h)Crystal Palace (a)With all due respect to Saints, there aren’t many Dream Team bosses out there keen on a club rooted to the bottom of the table.READ MORE SUN STORIESTheir next six opponents are all top-half clubs too – it could get messy for Russell Martin and his troops.Target the right fixtures with the right players and you will surge up the leaderboard this Christmas!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 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 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.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

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    Bukayo Saka among most transferred-out players prior to Gameweek 13 – punishes doubters with 30-point mega haul

    BUKAYO SAKA (£6.4m) was among the most transferred-out players in Dream Team prior to Gameweek 12.And managers who ditched the Arsenal star have been severely punished after two spellbinding performances in the last four days.Dream Team’s top midfielder by a distanceCredit: Dream TeamSaka scored one goal and assisted another during the Gunners’ 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday for a 14-point return.As if that wasn’t bad enough for gaffers who sought a replacement for the England international prior to the deadline, he then notched a goal and an assist away to Sporting CP in Lisbon on Tuesday night as part of a 16-point haul.Saka is currently Gameweek 12’s top performer on 30 points and whether he retains that crown once the remaining fixtures are complete is largely irrelevant, the point is that bosses who stuck by him have been handsomely rewarded for their loyalty.The 23-year-old returned just three points in Gameweek 11 but the reason he was ditched in droves is because he was deemed an injury doubt.Arteta has frustrated Dream Team bosses in regards to Saka’s availability this seasonCredit: ReutersDream Team managers are accustomed to availability uncertainty with Saka but it remains as difficult as ever to see through Mikel Arteta’s mind games.Earlier in the campaign, the Spanish tactician gave an optimistic view of Saka’s chances of featuring against Bournemouth in Gameweek 8.However, not only did the electric winger miss the trip to the south coast, he didn’t play a single minute at home to Shakhtar Donetsk three days later.This sparked a huge number of transfers prior to Gameweek 9, amplified by more Arteta vagueness, only for Saka to start and score against Liverpool in the following fixture.Most read in FootballScore 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 NOWSaka pulled out of England duty for the November international break and had his training workload managed prior to the Forest game, which clearly prompted a significant portion of gaffers to look elsewhere – a foolish decision with the power of hindsight.Inevitably, Saka will be among the most transferred-in players for Gameweek 13 and with good reason.Martin Odegaard’s (£5.1m) return from injury has certainly improved Arsenal’s attacking play with Saka openly acknowledging his understanding with the Norwegian playmaker after victory in Portugal.Odegaard’s return to the team only boosts Saka’s viabilityAdditionally, Arteta’s side have relatively favourable fixtures from now until the new year, a run that could yield plentiful points.ARSENAL FIXTURESGW13: West Ham (a), Manchester United (h)GW14: Fulham (a), Monaco (h)GW15: Everton (h), Crystal Palace (h)GW16: Crystal Palace (a), Ipswich (h)GW17: Brentford (a)Saka’s mega haul has seen him carve out a bracket of his own among Dream Team midfielders.He’s now on 155 points for the season, 36 clear of his nearest rival, James Maddison (£4.5m).READ MORE SUN STORIESOnly Mohamed Salah (£7.4m) and Erling Haaland (£8.6m) have more points among all assets.Saka ranks first for big chances created (15), third for shots on target (22) and joint-first for assists (10) – he’s a top-tier Dream Team asset worthy of his price.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 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 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.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

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    Ibrahima Konate and other top defenders selected by fewer than 10% of Dream Team gaffers

    DREAM TEAM managers should always be aware of potential differential options, players who appear in relatively few teams.These individuals are often the difference-makers as their returns are more likely to impact Mini League standings and overall rank than the popular superstars.With Manchester City on a losing streak and several other high-profile defenders out injured, many gaffers will want to refresh their back line ahead of Gameweek 13.Here we’ve simply identified the defenders with the most points who currently feature in fewer than 10% of teams.Takes no prisonersCredit: GettyDaniel Munoz£3.4m1.5% ownership68 ptsThe Crystal Palace wing-back has made a whopping 55 tackles already this season.Only Noussair Mazraoui (£4.1m) has registered more but he’s only ahead of Munoz because he’s had additional European fixtures to pad out his schedule.Plus, Rico Lewis (£3.4m) is the only defender with more assists than the Colombia international at this stage.The Eagles are struggling this term with just eight points from their first 12 league outings but scoring goals is their primary problem – they’ve conceded the same number of goals as Manchester City.Most read in FootballLewis Hall£3.8m2% ownership72 ptsRising up the ranksCredit: GettyThe fact the Newcastle left-back was just capped by England is a good indicator of his recent form.Only six defenders have earned more points from their last three outings – Hall even mustered a respectable five points on Monday night despite the Magpies’ 2-0 defeat to West Ham.The ex-Chelsea youngster also ranks joint-fourth for bonus points among assets in his position.A meeting with Liverpool aside, Newcastle’s fixtures appear rather favourable from now until Boxing Day.Destiny Udogie£3.5m5.6% ownership75 ptsUnfairly overlooked?Credit: GettyPedro Porro (£4.4m) is clearly the optimum Tottenham defender but the Spaniard’s counterpart on the left is considerably more affordable and ranks 11th among players in his position.Udogie hasn’t provided the same attacking threat as last season but only the aforementioned Mazraoui and Munoz have made more tackles (among defenders).Ange Postecoglou’s side are frustratingly inconsistent, as typified by their 4-0 win over Man City in the wake of a 2-1 defeat to Ipswich.But Spurs have got plenty of potential and Udogie deserves more recognition in the world of Dream Team.Diogo Dalot£4m9.3% ownership89 ptsTicking boxesManchester United’s No20 has been a decent Dream Team asset for a while now.He was one of the more reliable performers under Erik ten Hag’s watch and while that doesn’t say much, he ticks a few useful boxes.Dalot ranks fourth among defenders for big chances created, fifth for tackles, and sixth for clean sheets.The Portugal international was deployed as a wing-back in Ruben Amorim’s first game as the Red Devils’ head coach and if he continues in the role his backers may enjoy an increase in attacking returns.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 NOWIbrahima Konate£4.8m8.9% ownership90 ptsImperiousCredit: GettyIt’s easy to understand why over 91% of gaffers are overlooking the Frenchman right now.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) and Virgil van Dijk (£5.5m) are the only defenders to have brought up a century of points at the time of writing while left-backs Andy Robertson (£4.1m) and Kostas Tsimikas (£3.2m) have offered a more affordable route into the top flight’s best defence.Konate lands in the middle in terms of points and price and has been consequently underutilised.The physically imposing 25-year-old is now just one point behind fourth-placed Josko Gvardiol (£4.6m) in the rankings.READ MORE SUN STORIESArne Slot’s side are due to face Man City and Newcastle in Gameweek 13 but they’ve got a relatively favourable run from Gameweek 14 until the new year.Selecting two or even three Liverpool defenders for that spell could be a profitable strategy.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 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 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.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

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    Dream Team managers can repeat Caoimhin Kelleher ‘trick’ with Fraser Forster following Guglielmo Vicario’s ankle injury

    DREAM TEAM managers have been presented with an opportunity to repeat a useful trick.Guglielmo Vicario (£3.1m) has been ruled out for the foreseeable future having undergone surgery on a fractured ankle.Toittenham’s No1 sustained the injury against Manchester City on Saturday and bravely played through the pain to keep a clean sheet at the Etihad and contribute to his side’s impressive 4-0 victory.No timescale has been given in regards to the Italian goalkeeper’s rehabilitation at the time of writing but he will surely be unavailable for several weeks.Are you watching closely?Credit: Dream TeamDream Team bosses don’t like to see players get injured and most will wish Vicario a speedy recovery but it’s simply a fact that incidents such as this create an opportunity in the world of fantasy football.Suddenly, Fraser Forster (£1.8m) is in line to start between the sticks for Spurs over the busy festive period.The 36-year-old is the established deputy having played three games this season, two in the Europa League and one in the Carabao Cup.Currently available for just £1.8m, he is ridiculously affordable for a player who is now a starter for one of the more prominent Premier League clubs.TOTTENHAM’S DECEMBER FIXTURES:Fulham (h)Bournemouth (a)Chelsea (h)Rangers (a)Southampton (a)Manchester United (h)Liverpool (h)Nottingham Forest (a)Wolves (h)Most read in FootballForster should get plenty of minutes across the next few GameweeksCredit: GettyIf this strategy sounds familiar it’s because many Dream Team bosses have followed the same path with Caoimhin Kelleher (£2.6m) recently.The Irish keeper has deputised for the injured Alisson (£5.1m) with aplomb across the last five Gameweeks.In that time, Kelleher has notched 40 points from seven outings via three clean sheets and 19 saves, including one to deny Adam Armstrong (£2.7m) from the penalty spot.The 26-year-old is currently level with Andre Onana (£4.2m) as the most in-form asset in his position.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 NOWKelleher has provided excellent value for money while Alisson has been sidelinedCredit: GettyGaffers who opted to recruit Kelleher not only freed up some budget to invest elsewhere, they have been rewarded with a steady stream of points.However, with Alisson having returned to training, Kelleher’s time as starting keeper for the Reds is coming to an end.In this sense, Forster’s emergence as a viable option is perfectly timed.Granted, this latest interpretation of the reserve goalkeeper trick is not quite as appealing as Spurs are not as strong as Liverpool and, with all due respect, Forster is not as reliable as Kelleher – the latter would be first choice at several other top flight clubs.That being said, Forster’s current price of £1.8m is hugely inviting.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 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 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.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

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    Bundle-of-joy Matheus Cunha excels again ahead of favourable Gameweek 13 fixtures

    MATHEUS CUNHA (£4.8m) is a popular man here at Dream Team HQ.We’re forever singing the Wolves forward’s praises and tipping him as a smart differential option when appropriate.And it’s time to beat that drum again after a thoroughly deserved 20-point haul on Saturday.A man in formCredit: Dream TeamCunha stole the show at Fulham with an assist and two goals as Gary O’Neil’s side won 4-1 at Craven Cottage.The hosts took the lead in West London but struggled to contain Cunha’s brilliance as the game progressed.The former Atletico Madrid player displayed a Bergkamp-esque first touch to facilitate the visitors’ equaliser while his second goal came in the form of a sumptuous curled effort from 20 yards out.In between those two efforts, he found Joao Gomes (£2.8m) with a neat pass into the box for his third assist of the campaign.Truth be told, Cunha has deserved considerably more assists this season as he’s created nine big chances for his team-mates in total, a tally only bettered by four players.For comparison, Manchester City’s Savinho (£4.1m) has created the same number of big chances but has twice as many assists (six).108 Dream Team points and countingCredit: RexAfter his brace against the Cottagers, Cunha has seven goals to his name this term, putting him level with Kai Havertz (£4.5m) and Nicolas Jackson (£4m) among strikers.Most read in FootballThe 25-year-old is undoubtedly his side’s talisman and his all-round contribution to Wolves’ attacking play is reflected in his tally of eight bonus points – Son Heung-min (£5.3m) is the only player in his position above him in the metric.In fact, Cunha ranks among the top three forwards for successful dribbles, accurate crosses, interceptions, fouls won and goals scored from outside the area among – he does it all!When discussing Wolves’ brilliant No10 we are usually forced to state the caveat that his viability is limited by the schedule.He doesn’t have European commitments to bulk out his fixture list and O’Neil’s troops were eliminated from the Carabao Cup in the third round, meaning he’s confined to just league games until the top flight clubs enter the FA Cup in the new year.Generally speaking, it’s wise to target as many fixtures as possible and so it’s understandable why so many Dream Team bosses are hesitant to select Cunha over the likes of Dominic Solanke (£4.3m), Ollie Watkins (£5.3m) and Havertz.Wolves are due to face Bournemouth and Everton in Gameweek 13Credit: GettyHowever, Gameweek 13 is a double Gameweek for all 20 Premier League clubs with Wolves set to take on Bournemouth and Everton.Given that Mohamed Salah (£7.4m) and Erling Haaland (£8.6m) are the only forwards with more points than Cunha right now, the latter surely has to be considered a fantastic option ahead of two games against bottom-half opposition.A lack of European fixtures may limit him in the long run but he’s well placed to deliver plentiful returns in Gameweek 13.Cunha’s current ownership? A mere 2.4%…BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 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 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.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