Dream Team

NEWCASTLE and West Ham played out one of the most ridiculous games of the Premier League season on Saturday.One of the St James’ Park ball boys refusing to give up his stool to a celebrating Mohammed Kudus (£5m) was probably only the fourth or fifth weirdest thing to happen as the hosts came from 3-1 down to win 4-3 amid a cacophony of noise.Harvey Barnes (£2.7m) was the Magpies’ hero on the day as it was his late brace that sent the home fans into raptures.All smiles on SaturdayCredit: Dream TeamFrom a Dream Team perspective, the 26-year-old’s 15-point haul served as a timely reminder of his pedigree.Barnes has been one of the most free-scoring midfielders in the game when fit but Eddie Howe hasn’t been able to call upon him for the majority of the campaign.The ex-Leicester winger has missed over 30 games through injury this term but has set himself up for a bright finish to 2023/24 after his heroics against the Hammers.Barnes scored 37 goals across his last three seasons with the Foxes and even earned a senior England cap despite stiff competition in his position.In fact, he’s averaging a goal every 109 minutes for Newcastle since his transfer north, albeit from a limited sample size.A free-scoring midfielderCredit: GettyThe vast majority of Dream Team managers will need to see more from Barnes before being convinced he’s worthy of a transfer but at £2.7m he’s a potential bargain to monitor closely.Helpfully, gaffers will be able to get another look at him this Gameweek as Newcastle are due to host Everton this evening.Most read in FootballAnd with Anthony Gordon (£3.8m) having been shown a late red card on Saturday (as he was been heralded as Man of the Match) it seems likely that Barnes will start on the left flank, assuming he’s fit enough for such a task.It remains to be seen whether Howe can fit both Gordon and Barnes into the same starting line-up at the back end of the season.Both prefer to play from the left but the temptation to name the pair either side of Alexander Isak (£4.2m) in a front three must be strong.A truly weird gameCredit: GettyDavid Moyes was understandably frustrated with how the game played out in the North East but many gaffers were satisfied by the continued good form of Kudus, Jarrod Bowen (£4.9m) and Lucas Paqueta (£4.2m).All three were among the goal involvements with the Ghana star notching 16 points while the England and Brazil internationals pocketed 12 and six respectively.Bowen remains third among all midfielders having taken his overall tally to 264 points with Kudus up to sixth on 231 points.In Gameweek 30, the Irons take on injury-hit Wolves before travelling to Germany to face Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League quarter-finals.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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DREAM TEAM managers are spoiled for choice when deciding upon their transfers this week.With all 20 Premier League clubs set to play twice in Gameweek 29, there are arguably more viable options now than at any other juncture this season.And with Manchester City and Arsenal in direct competition this weekend, gaffers may reap rewards if they think outside the box.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!Dangerous when fitCredit: Dream TeamAlexander Isak (£4.3m)Newcastle’s No14 is frustratingly injury-prone but he’s a prolific goalscorer when available, as he is expected to be in Gameweek 29.The Sweden international has scored 16 goals in all competitions this season a rate of one every 132 minutes.With Callum Wilson (£3.9m) sidelined, Isak will surely lead the line against West Ham and Everton in the coming days, with the Magpies having the benefit of back-to-back home games.Eddie Howe’s side have slipped to tenth in the table but their league record at St James’ Park remains impressive (nine wins, two draws and three defeats in 2023/24).This advantage coupled with Isak’s individuals statistics makes the rangy forward a good option.Most read in FootballAntonee Robinson (£3.1m)A smart short-term punt?Credit: GettyThe nature of Gameweek 29 opens up new possibilities and Fulham’s energetic left-back is certainly worthy of proper consideration.Marco Silva’s side beat Tottenham 3-0 before the international break and will therefore be confident of positive results against Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest.Robinson provided an assist against Spurs and his haul of 14 points (his best of the season) made him the best performer among assets in his position last Gameweek.The USA international is currently joint-seventh among defenders having amassed 171 points, a total bolstered by his impressive tally of 37 bonus points.He’s the Premier League unmatched master of interceptions and he ranks highly for successful dribbles and accurate crosses too.Additionally, only one other defender, Emerson (£3.3m), has made more tackles than Robinson.Add in seven assists and the only thing missing from his game is the odd goal.Fulham arguably have the most favourable double header in Gameweek 29 and Robinson is well placed to capitalise.Mohamed Salah (£6.6m)The most transferred-in player ahead of Gameweek 29Credit: GettyWe try to avoid blindingly obvious transfer suggestions but this one is worth underlining several times over.There’s a chance Man City and Arsenal will cancel each other out to some degree on Sunday which would leave the door open for Liverpool assets to cash in, with all eyes on their Egyptian superstar.Jurgen Klopp’s side are undefeated at Anfield this season and, like Newcastle, they too have the benefit of two home fixtures this coming Gameweek in the form of Brighton and Sheffield United.Granted, the Seagulls have been a bogey team in recent years but it’s hard to envisage anything other than an emphatic home win on Thursday night when the Blades visit Merseyside.Salah has racked up 255 points via 21 goals and 13 assists despite Africa Cup of Nations commitments and an injury lay-off.His record speaks for itself over many years, hence why he’s the most-popular recruit by a wide margin ahead of Saturday’s deadline.Cole Palmer (£4.5m)Burnley bewareCredit: APChelsea also have the convenience of two home games in Gameweek 29 with the first being a favourable match-up against Burnley.The Clarets are 19th in the table and will probably struggle to contain the Blues’ in-form midfielder, who has 14 goals and 14 assists to his name since his switch from Man City.Palmer has been one of the standout stories of the Dream Team campaign and currently finds himself ranked fourth among midfielders with 236 points – a remarkable achievement without European commitments to bolster his schedule.Manchester United will provide a sterner test in midweek but the 21-year-old may have already registered a double-digit haul by then with Vincent Kompany’s side having lost nine of their 14 away games since promotion.READ MORE SUN STORIESLooking further ahead, Chelsea only have one fixture in Gameweek 30 but it’s against Sheffield United so Palmer may feast again.Lock in your transfers for Gameweek 29 before Saturday’s 11:30am deadline!talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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ALL 20 Premier League clubs are set to play twice in Gameweek 29.This virtually guarantees a high-scoring affair and so it’s imperative Dream Team managers get their strategy just right ahead of Saturday’s 11:30am deadline.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!Captain fantastic?Credit: Dream TeamFirst things first, captaincy options.Erling Haaland (£7.7m) is the default choice and with good reason given he’s on the brink of becoming the first player to reach the 300-point mark this season.Manchester City have the luxury of back-to-back home games this coming Gameweek but it’s a tricky double header on paper.Arsenal visit the Etihad on Sunday before Aston Villa do the same in midweek.Haaland is at a level where the standard of the opposition doesn’t dent his viability all that much but two top-four teams represents a relatively stiff test – the Gunners boast the best defence in the league at present.So perhaps it’s best to look to Mohamed Salah (£6.6m) for double points in Gameweek 29.Liverpool also have two home fixtures and against more vulnerable opposition in the form of Brighton and Sheffield United.Most read in FootballGranted, the Seagulls have been something of a bogey team for Jurgen Klopp in recent years but that match-up is offset (and then some) by the Blades’ trip to Anfield in midweek.Haaland faces a tricky double header but may well add to his goal tallyCredit: GettyThe Reds’ Egyptian hero averages eight points-per-game this season and so it’s more than reasonable to expect a big double-digit haul from him once the dust has settled.Son Heung-min (£4.8m) is another candidate for the armband with Luton (h) and West Ham (a) up next but Tottenham’s 3-0 defeat to Fulham prior to the international break lingers in the memory.With Man City and Arsenal in direct opposition, it’s hard to look past Salah – he could feast against Sheffield United on Thursday night.Gaffers with Boosters in the holster should seriously consider activating one in Gameweek 29 as opportune moments are becoming increasingly rare as the season reaches the business end.A full double Gameweek allows Dream Team bosses the opportunity to craft a five-man Park the Bus defence to target a whopping TEN fixtures for double points (12 including the standard captain).Time to Park the Bus?Credit: GettyFor example, Antonee Robinson (£3.1m) is a potentially smart selection with Fulham set to play Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest.The USA left-back was excellent against Spurs last time out and is currently joint-seventh among defenders having racked up 171 points – he collects bonus points for fun.Liverpool’s aforementioned fixtures suggest the likes of Virgil van Dijk (£4.2m) and Conor Bradley (£3.8m) may thrive while Newcastle’s double header of West Ham and Everton (both at St James’ Park) could be a profitable endeavour for Kieran Trippier (£4.3m) if he returns to the starting line-up as expected.Diogo Dalot (£3.5m), Pedro Porro (£3.6m) and Malo Gusto (£3m) are all tempting options worth mentioning too.Again, the Man City v Arsenal fixture is a spanner in the works but there’s almost certainly a successful Park the Bus defence available for those with the ability to identify it.Chelsea host Burnley and Manchester United in Gameweek 29Credit: GETTYMax Captain is probably the least appealing of the three Boosters this week as it would be a huge surprise if the familiar favourites (Haaland, Salah, ect) didn’t provide healthy returns.Gaffers yet to play 12th Man could choose one ahead of the weekend’s action with a view to capitalising on the busy Gameweek to an even greater extent.Most of the aforementioned players fit the bill and we’ll add Cole Palmer (£4.5m), Alexander Isak (£4.3m), Luis Diaz (£4.2m) and Dominic Solanke (£3.8m) into the mix.READ MORE SUN STORIESObviously, the likes of Phil Foden (£5.8m) and Bukayo Saka (£5.8m) go without saying.Gameweek 29 is all set to be a decisive one – make sure your XI is set to succeed.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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WITH the international break effectively boxed off, focus switches to a mouthwatering weekend of Premier League action.Sunday’s clash between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad is unquestionably the main event, a contest that will go a long way to deciding the tense title race.It’s an industry obligation to construct a combined XI for a fixture of this magnitude but we’ve added a twist.Rather than basing it on subjective opinion, this combined XI is purely determined by total Dream Team points this season and the results are rather interesting.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!European heroicsCredit: GettyGOALKEEPER: David Raya (£3.2m)The Gunners’ first-choice custodian ranks third in his position overall having amassed 134 points, whereas Ederson (£2.8m) is sixth a further 19 points back.Raya leads the way for clean sheets among keepers with 13, evidence of the tight ship Mikel Arteta runs these days.The 28-year-old looked somewhat shaky in his first few performances between the sticks for his new club but he’s settled since and recently played a huge role in Arsenal’s progression to the Champions League quarter-finals.DEFENDERS: Ben White (£3.9m), Gabriel (£4.1m), William Saliba (£3.4m)Most read in FootballA solid partnershipCredit: GettyArsenal boast the best defensive record among all Premier League clubs this season and so it’s no surprise to see total dominance along the back line.In fact, Saliba has contributed to a whopping 15 clean sheets this campaign, the highest tally among all assets.In addition to his side’s solidity at the back, Gabriel has scored three goals and been a persistent threat at set-pieces – only four defenders have registered more shots on target.White has chipped in with five assists and he might count himself unlucky not to have more to his name as only four assets in his position have created more big chances.In contrast, Man City have found clean sheets relatively hard to come by and Pep Guardiola’s rotation policy means their defence is nowhere near as settled as Arsenal’s.Kyle Walker (£3m) has performed best but his tally of 146 points puts him just 18th among all defenders.For comparison, Gabriel (185 pts), White (182 pts) and Saliba (171 pts) are second, third and joint-seventh respectively.MIDFIELDERS: Phil Foden (£5.8m), Bukayo Saka (£5.8m), Martin Odegaard (£4.3m), Rodri (£3.9m), Declan Rice (£3.9m)Two of the Premier League’s very best playersCredit: Dream TeamCity get on the board in midfield and in fine style as Foden is currently the second-best performer among all players having racked up 294 points via 17 goals and 11 assists.It’s seemingly a two-horse race between him and Saka in regards to Dream Team’s outright best midfielder for 2023/24.The Gunners’ No7 is just eight points further back but he has a comfortable 34-point cushion over third-placed Jarrod Bowen (£5m).While Saka is playing catch-up to Foden, he actually boasts a superior tally of goal involvements having scored scored 16 and assisted 14 – he also averages more points-per-game.Odegaard is also among the select group of a dozen midfielders to have reached a double century of points (202 to be precise) at this stage of the season.Rice needs eight points to join his skipper at the same milestone.The England international has scored six goal and provided the same number of assists but he’s very much an all-rounder in the middle of the park; he ranks highly for bonus points having also notched 75 tackles in all competitions.Arsenal’s heartbeatCredit: GettyRodri completes the five-man midfield (formation determined by total points) with an overall tally of 181 points.The imperious Spaniard is viewed as a defensive midfielder but he’s a masterful passer and decent shooter from the edge of the box.As a result, he’s scored seven goals and provided ten assists already this campaign on top of his defensive duties.We accept that the balance of this hypothetical XI probably wouldn’t work in real life but, in isolation, a midfield consisting of Odegaard as playmaker ahead of a Rice-Rodri double pivot with Saka and Foden out wide is a glorious thing to imagine.STRIKERS: Erling Haaland (£7.7m), Julian Alvarez (£4.4m)Serious firepowerCredit: APIt was all Arsenal in defence but City’s two premium forwards occupy the advanced positions.Admittedly, Gabriel Jesus’ (£4.5m) progress has been hindered by injury but even if he had played every game this campaign he may not have caught Alvarez, who is 99 points ahead of his fellow South American on 234.Having been an understudy at the Etihad for most of last season, the Argentine World Cup winner has been a key player for the treble winners this time around, as evidenced by his tally of 14 goals and 13 assists.Naturally, Haaland leads the line as Dream Team’s overall top performer (again).The irrepressible Norwegian poacher has missed more than his fair share of gilt-edged chances this season and he was also forced to miss a few fixtures with a foot injury; but still he’s plundered 29 goals in all competitions – the stuff of cheat codes.Haaland needs just two points to become this season’s first triple centurion, a likely outcome this weekend so long as he’s available.READ MORE SUN STORIESNo doubt Pep Guardiola will feel confident of a positive result on Sunday given his side remain unbeaten at home this season but this exercise suggests the visitors have a great chance to improve their position in the title race.Our XI contains seven Arsenal assets and just four City players.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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QUALITY usually comes at a cost in Dream Team.The likes of Erling Haaland (£7.7m), Mohamed Salah (£6.6m) and Bukayo Saka (£5.8m) provide boat-loads of points but backing them puts a strain on a gaffer’s finances.With that in mind, let’s run through the players currently available for cheaper than £3.5million who have racked up the most points in 2023/24.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!Almiron has improved a lot under Eddie HoweCredit: AlamyMiguel Almiron
£3.1m
162 points
2.6% ownership
The Paraguay international was one of the stories of the season in 2022/23 and he’s performed admirably again this time around but without the same end product.Having scored five goals and provided four assists, he’s just Newcastle’s third-best midfielder at this stage of the campaign in terms of total points – both Bruno Guimaraes (£4.4m) and Anthony Gordon (£3.9m) are double centurions.Almiron’s tally of 162 shouldn’t be underestimated though as it puts him above the likes of Moussa Diaby (£2.9m), Jeremy Doku (£3.5m) and Kai Havertz (£3.4m) in the rankings.An industrious winger, he gets through plenty of tackles.Most read in FootballAndre OnanaDream Team’s top goalkeeperCredit: Getty
£3.3m
167 points
11.8% ownership
Manchester United’s goalkeeper remains the leading performer in his position, 28 points clear of his closest rival.The Cameroon custodian has been forced to make 143 saves in all competitions, the most among all keepers in the game.Only two of his peers, James Trafford (£1.6m) and Wes Foderingham (£1.6m), have conceded more goals than Onana but the latter has quietly accumulated 12 clean sheets.The ex-Inter man has copped more than his fair share of criticism this season but his points tally is undeniable.Tomas Soucek
£3.2m
169 points
0.4% ownership
It’s a measure of the success West Ham midfielders have enjoyed this season that the Czech international, despite outperforming Gabriel Martinelli (£3.9m), Ross Barkley (£3.6m) and Dominik Szoboszlai (£4.2m), is only the fourth-best asset in his position among the Hammers’ squad.Lucas Paqueta (£4.1m), Mohammed Kudus (£5m) and Jarrod Bowen (£5m) are all above Soucek in the rankings.The 29-year-old has scored nine goals this term and he enjoyed a fruitful spell when he was briefly deployed as a box-crashing advanced midfielder but he’s dropped deeper in recent weeks.David Moyes’ side have the advantage of three consecutive double Gameweeks coming up but Kudus and/or Bowen really are worth the extra budget.West Ham have six fixtures across the next three GameweeksCredit: ReutersWilliam Saliba
£3.4m
171 points
39.4% ownership
The Arsenal centre-back is one of the most-popular players in Dream Team and with good reason.Saliba has contributed to 15 clean sheets already this season, the outright highest tally among all defenders and goalkeepers.The Frenchman doesn’t provide as much creative output as Ben White (£3.9m) or as much of a goal threat from set-pieces as Gabriel (£4.1m) but he’s a guaranteed starter for the Premier League’s best defence.£3.4m is a steal.Antonee Robinson
£3.1m
171 points
2.1% ownership
Amazingly, after a 14-point haul last time out, Fulham’s left-back is just eight points shy of Virgil van Dijk (£4.2m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.1m) in the rankings!The 26-year-old is a particularly enticing option ahead of Gameweek 29 because he’s due to face Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest, two teams currently in the relegation zone.Robinson has earned 37 bonus points in 2023/24 – only Ezri Konsa (£3m) and Kieran Trippier (£4.3m) have more to their name among defenders.Add in seven assists and a whopping 93 tackles (second most among defenders) and the USA international offers several routes to healthy returns.Leon Bailey22 goal involvements and countingCredit: Reuters
£3.4m
174 points
2.7% ownership
Aston Villa’s No31 has scored ten goals and registered 12 assists this season having struck up a productive partnership with Ollie Watkins (£4.9m).And it may be a smart time to back Bailey with the Villains set to fulfil seven fixtures across the next four Gameweeks by virtue of two Europa Conference League quarter-final legs against Lille.The Jamaica international rarely plays a full 90 minutes but his attacking output has been mightily efficient in recent months.James Garner
£3.2m
178 points
1.4% ownership
Top of the pile is a firmly underrated Dream Team asset.The hardworking Everton midfielder has somehow amassed 178 points despite fact he’s scored just two goals this season.READ MORE SUN STORIESOnly two players, Joao Palhinha (£3.4m) and Vinicius Souza (£2.3m), have made more tackles than Garner (99) this campaign and just seven midfielders have earned more bonus points (37).Truly a hidden gem.UnderratedCredit: Dream TeamtalkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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