Dream Team

IT’S almost a case of “same again” for Dream Team managers in Gameweek 31.That’s because the same five teams – Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa – are the only sides with two fixtures to fulfil because of the European quarter-final second legs.In theory, an XI crafted to Gameweek 30 should also suit Gameweek 31 and so many gaffers may choose to roll a transfer.However, others will feel the need to make changes, especially if they’ve fallen foul of availability mishaps.Allow us to propose some transfer recommendations…PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!Dream TeamCredit: Dream TeamBernardo Silva (£4m)Manchester City host Luton this weekend before they welcome Real Madrid to the Etihad for the decisive second leg of their Champions League knockout tie.Dream Team bosses will remember that Erling Haaland (£7.1m) scored FIVE goals against the Hatters back in February and given only Sheffield United and Burnley have conceded more league goals than Rob Edwards’ side this term, Saturday’s fixture should yield plentiful points for the hosts.There’s no pointing recommending the Norwegian poacher as a transfer option as he’s the most-popular player in the game with a massive ownership of 80.4% – he’s a default season-long selection.Most read in FootballBut it’s not all that clear which other City assets are best placed to capitalise this coming Gameweek.Phil Foden (£5.9m) looked in some discomfort as he limped off at the death at the Bernabeu, Kevin De Bruyne (£5.7m) was an unused substitute because of illness, and Rodri (£4.1m) openly called for a rest in his post-game interview.With all this in mind, it may be the case that Bernardo steps up for Pep Guardiola’s side in midfield, as he has many times before.The Portuguese playmaker scored a free-kick against Los Blancos on Tuesday night and banked 11 points for the Gameweek in total.Predicting Guardiola’s line-ups is fraught with risk but it does seem likely the technically-gifted midfielder will get plenty of minutes in Gameweek 31.Following a similar logic, Julian Alvarez (£4.1m) might also be a smart short-term selection, if only for the favourable match-up of Luton at the Etihad.Not injured, apparently…Credit: EPABukayo Saka (£5.5m)Arsenal’s No7 would usually fall alongside Haaland and Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) in the too-obvious-to-mention category but it’s worth underlining his credentials at this juncture.The 22-year-old was among the most transferred-out players ahead of Gameweek 30 because he was deemed a major doubt after failing to make the matchday squad against Luton.However, as he so often does, Saka pulled through to start both of the Gunners’ fixtures – scoring in both!The England international took Brighton and Bayern Munich for a combined tally of 21 points which makes him Gameweek 30’s top performer prior to the Thursday night games.With 18 goals, 14 assists and 311 points to his name, he’s a must-have asset when available.Gaffers who ditched him last week shouldn’t hesitate to bring him straight back in, despite the fact Arsenal’s double header of Aston Villa (h) and Bayern Munich (a) is a tricky one on paper.Mohammed Kudus (£5.2m)/Lucas Paqueta (£4.2m)Kudus deserves to be more popularCredit: GettyInjury will prevent Jarrod Bowen (£5m) from playing against Bayer Leverkusen this evening and it’s not yet known whether the 23%-owned asset will recover in time to face Fulham on Sunday.Fortunately, West Ham have an abundance of viable replacements for gaffers who still want to target the Hammers’ Gameweek 31 fixtures.David Moyes’ side host the Cottagers before a daunting second leg against the Bundesliga champions elect in the Europa League.It’s a borderline scandal that Kudus features in just 4.2% of teams given he’s sixth in the midfield rankings on 241 points.The Ghana star’s immense dribbling ability has helped him earn 52 bonus points this season – only Bruno Guimaraes (£4.4m) has more to his name at the time of writing.Alternatively, Paqueta is a decent option as he gets through plenty of tackles alongside his stylish attacking output.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe well-rounded Brazilian has produced 40 points across the last four Gameweeks with one fixture still to play later today.Lock in your transfers for Gameweek 31 before Saturday’s 11:30am deadline!talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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WITH the 2023/24 season drawing to a dramatic conclusion, it’s highly likely Andre Onana (£3.3m) will finish the campaign as Dream Team’s best goalkeeper.Manchester United’s custodian is 20 points clear of his nearest rival at the time of writing having somehow racked up an impressive total of 176.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!An unlikely leaderCredit: Dream TeamMOST POINTS AMONG DREAM TEAM GOALKEEPERS THIS SEASON
176 pts – Andre Onana
156 pts – David Raya
147 pts – Emi Martinez
138 pts – Jordan Pickford
128 pts – Bernd Leno
118 pts – Jose Sa
118 pts – Guglielmo Vicario
115 pts – Ederson
113 pts – Alisson
112 pts – Neto
It’s worth noting that Raya would almost certainly be top of the pile had he been Arsenal’s first-choice keeper from the get-go this term as the Gunners’ defensive numbers are comfortably the best among Premier League clubs but such hypotheticals are futile.Onana’s supremacy is a curious development given the nature of his performances throughout the first half of the campaign.The Cameroon international made several high-profile errors in the weeks following his transfer from Inter, particularly in the Champions League, with pundits and fans alike singling him out for severe criticism.More broadly, the majority of the Red Devils’ games this season have been open-ended contests.In fact, Erik ten Hag’s side have conceded more shots than any other top flight team since the turn of the year.Most read in FootballLiverpool registered 28 shots in the entertaining 2-2 draw at Old Trafford last weekend which was the most the hosts have faced in a single league game on home soil since records began in 2003/04.Man United’s structure out of possession is under the microscopeCredit: RexThe most damning statistic is that Onana has conceded more goals than any other Dream Team keeper this season.The 28-year-old has picked the ball out of his net 67 times already, two more than Luton’s Thomas Kaminski (£1.8m) and four times more than Sheffield United’s Wes Foderingham (£1.6m).So how has he established a healthy lead at the top of the rankings?While it’s true Onana has conceded plenty of goals he’s also registered 12 clean sheets in all competitions – only the aforementioned Raya has more to his name at the time of writing.This duality is symptomatic of Man United’s season as a whole; dismal at their worst but capable of hugely impressive feats when everything clicks.The decisive factor in Onana’s mountainous points tally is the sheer number of saves he’s made.This season, keepers earn one point for every two saves – this tweak recognises their individual performances in greater detail.And so, while United’s porous defence has led to many goals conceded, it’s also forced Onana to make a whopping 159 saves!Onana has been very busy this seasonCredit: GettyMOST SAVES AMONG DREAM TEAM GOALKEEPERS THIS SEASON
159 – Andre Onana
122 – Alphonse Areola
122 – Bernd Leno
119 – Thomas Kaminski
114 – Jose Sa
Onana is in a league of his own in this key metric.As a result, he’s earned 71 points through saves alone – that accounts for 40.3% of his total.While the number of shots conceded is a huge cause for concern for Ten Hag and the Old Trafford faithful, it’s created a formidable Dream Team asset almost by accident.READ MORE SUN STORIESThis extreme example teaches Dream Team managers a valuable lesson; the ideal goalkeeper is one who keeps regularly clean sheets but also makes his fair share of saves.Amid the chaos of this season, Onana has somehow struck an effective balance.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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HERE’S an ultimate Dream Team XI with a unique twist.We’ve constructed the best possible team (based on current season points) but with the crucial restriction of no more than one player per club.This limitation ensures some surprising inclusions…PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!An unlikely leader among keepersCredit: RexGOALKEEPER: Andre Onana (£3.3m)Incredibly, Manchester United’s goalkeeper is the best-performing asset in his position this campaign.The Cameroon international has racked up 176 points despite the fact he’s conceded more goals (67) than any other custodian.Onana has somehow chalked up 12 clean sheets despite the open nature of the Red Devils’ fixtures.The main reason he’s top of the pile is his massive tally of 159 saves, 37 more than his nearest rival.DEFENDERS: Kieran Trippier (£4.3m), Pedro Porro (£3.5m), Antonee Robinson (£3.3m)Most read in FootballA reliable Dream Team performerCredit: GettyArsenal defenders dominate the top of the rankings at present but Gabriel (£4.3m), the best of them, misses out because one of Mikel Arteta’s other favourites (soon to be revealed) is a must-have.That leaves the door open for Newcastle’s right-back to lead the back three having registered 199 points.The Magpies’ defence hasn’t been all that tight by any means but Trippier continues to be on par with some of the best playmakers in terms of creativity – he’s notched 11 assists this term.It’s a similar story for Tottenham’s No23, who now has ten goal involvements to his name.Porro also ranks highly for tackles and bonus points – he’s on 185 points overall.Completing our three-man defence, a shock appearance from Fulham’s diligent left-back.Only Ezri Konsa (£3.3m) has mustered more bonus points than Robinson among defenders at the time of writing while only Emerson (£3.1m) and Tyrick Mitchell (£2.5m) have made more tackles than the USA international.Add in seven assists and it’s no wonder the 26-year-old has collected 180 points and is eighth in the rankings among players in his position.MIDFIELDERS: Phil Foden (£5.9m), Bukayo Saka (£5.5m), Cole Palmer (£4.8m), Jarrod Bowen (£5m)Stars of our hypothetical XICredit: Dream TeamManchester City’s homegrown wonderkid is the outright top performer in Dream Team right now and therefore edges out the mighty Erling Haaland (£7.1m) in this XI.Foden has amassed a whopping 321 points via 20 goals, 11 assists and 50 bonus points.Of course Saka is the man keeping Arsenal’s reliable defenders out of the team.The Gunners’ No7 is one of just three triple centurions (alongside Foden and Haaland) at the time of writing having scored 17 goals and provided 14 assists.Chelsea’s new hero is an absolute shoo-in as he’s comfortably his side’s top asset this season.Palmer has been a revelation since his switch to Stamford Bridge, even accounting for a liberal supply of penalties – he’s registered more shots on target than any other midfielder.34 goal involvements in 38 appearances represents an incredible return, as does his tally of 285 points.Dream Team’s top dog at presentCredit: ReutersWest Ham’s top scorer completes our midfield quartet, despite the fact he’s played most of his minutes as a centre-forward this season.Bowen just edges out his team-mate, Mohammed Kudus (£5.2m), who is 32 points behind on 241 (to the Englishman’s 273).A relatively even spread of clubs means this quartet make up the actual top-ranked midfielders in the game right now.STRIKERS: Mohamed Salah (£6.7m), Ollie Watkins (£4.6m), Joao Pedro (£4.2m)Without Haaland, Liverpool’s main man is entrusted to lead our forward line.Salah’s tally of 23 goals and 13 assists is even more impressive when factoring in his mid-season departure to the Africa Cup of Nations and his subsequent injury layoff.The Egyptian superstar has banked 281 points at an average of eight per game.RelentlessCredit: AFPAston Villa have notable performers in every position but their first-choice striker is the jewel in the crown with 262 points to his name.Only Haaland has scored more Premier League goals than Watkins this season.Last but not least, one of the breakout stars of the campaign in Brighton’s Brazilian starlet.READ MORE SUN STORIES19-goal Pedro remains sixth in the forward rankings despite the fact he recently missed nine games through injury, thanks in no small part to a host of penalties.What a team!talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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MANCHESTER UNITED were involved in yet another chaotic match on Sunday.Liverpool enjoyed the majority of possession at Old Trafford and overwhelmed the hosts for most of the contest but the Red Devils somehow came away with a point despite conceding 28 shots.Bruno Fernandes (£5.1m) changed the complexion of the game just after half-time with a exquisite long-range strike to capitalise on a misplaced pass by Jarell Quansah (£2.1m) when Caoimhin Kelleher (£2.6m) was well outfield.PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE AHEAD OF THIS SUMMER’S TOURNAMENT!Hated, adored, never ignoredCredit: Dream TeamThe Portugal international’s strike gave Erik ten Hag’s side the impotence for a short spell, in which time Kobbie Mainoo (£2.3m) scored a glorious goal to put them ahead.Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) and company piled on the pressure late at the end of a ludicrously open affair that ultimately ended 2-2.From a Dream Team perspective, Fernandes added another 11 points to his tally by the final whistle to continue his impressive individual form.The 29-year-old may not be every gaffer’s cup of tea as he’s prone to acts of petulance but that doesn’t mean his output should be underestimated.In fact, he’s technically Dream Team’s second-most in-form midfielder right now as only Cole Palmer (£4.8m) has produced more points in his last three outings.252 points and countingCredit: RexAnd Fernandes’ prosperous form is far from a flash in the pan – he’s climbed the rankings at a fair lick since the turn of the year.Most read in FootballHe started 2024 with a 12-point haul against Wigan in the FA Cup and since then he’s added another 109 points in 14 appearances.To put it another way, Fernandes is averaging 10.1 points per Gameweek this calendar year.This surge has propelled him up to fifth in the midfield rankings on 252 points overall.Obviously, Man United no longer have European commitments to bolster their schedule but their fixtures appear relatively friendly.Fernandes and company travel to Bournemouth in Gameweek 31, with the caveat that the Cherries won the reverse fixture 3-0 back in December.Then in Gameweek 32, Man United face Coventry in the FA Cup before hosting Sheffield United in the Premier League – a favourable double header on paper.Gameweek 33 then brings a home game against Burnley.Only Cole Palmer has earned more points than Fernandes across his last three games among midfieldersCredit: AlamyIf Ten Hag’s men progress in the cup then their lack of European fixtures will be somewhat negated.Fernandes has ten goals and ten assists to his name but those stats only tell half the story.He’s registered 45 shots on target, the third-highest tally among assets in his position, while his total of 22 big chances created is only bettered by Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) among all players.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Portuguese playmaker has also got through a very respectable 89 tackles.For all the complaints about his attitude, Fernandes is consistently among Dream Team’s top midfielders, even with question marks hanging over his side’s broader tactical approach.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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Last week, Kevin De Bruyne (£5.7m) watched on as an unused substitute as Phil Foden (£5.9m) scored a hat-trick against Aston Villa to win the game for Manchester City.On Saturday, the latter remained rooted to the bench as the brilliant Belgian scored two goals and provided an assist against Crystal Palace to secure all three points.The incredibly high level of this particular rotation option is a priceless luxury for Pep Guardiola as his side seek to defend the FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League at the back end of this dramatic season.But for Dream Team managers, this shuffling of the deck can be immensely frustrating.PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE AHEAD OF THIS SUMMER’S TOURNAMENT!De Bruyne produced a masterclass against Crystal PalaceCredit: Dream TeamFoden is the third most-popular captain this Gameweek and so his unexpected absence at Selhurst Park came as a bitter blow for a sizeable chunk of gaffers – never mind the fact he features in 51.4% of teams overall.As for De Bruyne, his workload has been carefully managed since his return from a relatively serious hamstring injury.While this is a sensible move on the club’s part, Dream Team bosses generally prefer players who are guaranteed extensive minutes.The temptation is to minimise such headaches by staying clear of Man City assets altogether, thus taking Guardiola’s rotation policy out of the equation.The problem with such a strategy is that it means sacrificing a mountain of points.Most read in Dream TeamWell rested for City’s trip to Real MadridCredit: EPAWith 321 points to his name, Foden remains Dream Team’s top performer at the time of writing, despite being given the weekend off.Erling Haaland (£7.1m) is currently second in the rankings having reached 310 points with his 30th goal of the campaign against the Eagles.While De Bruyne’s 20-point haul makes him Gameweek 30’s top performer as is stands.Annoyingly, gaffers almost have no choice but to submit to Guardiola’s unpredictable team selections as the returns provided by the cream of the crop at the Etihad are simply too great to ignore.Those who captained Foden may yet have their Gameweek salvaged when City take on Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night.The 23-year-old will surely start against Los Blancos having been rested at the weekend.More pressingly, will De Bruyne drop to the bench or will Guardiola deploy both of his superstar attacking midfielders at the Bernabeu?The scourge of Dream Team gaffers worldwideCredit: AlamyIf gaffers are able to predict Guardiola’s approach going forward to a relatively accurate degree then then the potential rewards are huge.In Gameweek 31, the treble winners host both Luton and Real Madrid before Gameweek 32 brings a double header of Chelsea and Brighton.They are one of just three sides with four fixtures across the next two Gameweeks, with fellow title challengers Arsenal and Liverpool being the others.But those who fall foul of Pep Roulette risk losing momentum at the worst possible time.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt’s worth noting that Rodri (£4.1m) is close to being rotation-proof, such is his importance to Guardiola’s system.The Spaniard, who has 204 points in total, may not be as explosive as De Bruyne but he will be near ever-present as the season reaches its conclusion. talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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