Dream Team

AS the 2023/24 season draws to a close, Dream Team managers should continue to squeeze the schedule for all it’s worth.The mass exodus of English teams from the European competitions at the quarter-final stage has simplified the final Gameweeks of the campaign to some degree but there’s still an imbalance of fixtures that gaffers may be able to work to their advantage.It’s not too early to play our EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE game – win an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 256GB!Ollie Watkins is probably a must-have asset for the rest of the seasonCredit: Dream TeamAston Villa remain the only Premier League side still in contention for continental success this term as they’re set to take on Olympiakos over two legs in the Europa Conference League semi-finals.This gives the Villains four fixtures across Gameweeks 33 and 34 when every other club bar Chelsea and Tottenham will play just twice.Logic therefore dictates that backing Unai Emery’s troops should yield plentiful returns across the next two Gameweeks.In fact, Ollie Watkins (£5m) should be considered an essential asset for the season’s conclusion.The 28-year-old has racked up 291 points via 23 goals and 17 assists in all competitions.If Villa get past the Greek giants, they will compete in the Europa Conference League final (vs Fiorentina or Club Brugge) in Gameweek 37 – most clubs will be done and dusted by the end of Gameweek 36.Man City are favourites to lift the FA Cup next monthCredit: PAThe Manchester clubs should also be highlighted as potentially worthy avenues of points in the coming weeks.Most read in Dream TeamBoth City and United have six fixtures to fulfil from the start of Gameweek 33.The inharmonious neighbours both double up on league fixtures in Gameweek 35 before their date with destiny at Wembley.The FA Cup final will be the only fixture in Gameweek 37 if Villa fail to beat Olympiakos.Phil Foden (£5.8m), Bruno Fernandes (£5.4m), Rodri (£4.1m), Diogo Dalot (£3.4m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£6.2m) spring to mind in terms of viable assets.Not to mention Erling Haaland (£7m) if the prolific poacher regains fitness.Chelsea and Tottenham are the other clubs with notably busier schedules.The London rivals both have six fixtures to complete from the start of Gameweek 33 as they’re due to meet each other in a rearranged midweek fixture.Cole Palmer (£5.3m) and Son Heung-min (£4.6m) are the obvious candidates, assuming the former recovers from illness soon enough.Palmer is a doubt to face Arsenal tonightCredit: RexNUMBER OF FIXTURES LEFT TO PLAY THIS SEASON (FROM GW33 ONWARDS):
Six (possibly seven) – Aston Villa
Six – Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham
Five – Newcastle, Brighton
Four – Arsenal, Liverpool, Fulham, Brentford, West Ham, Everton, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Wolves, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Bournemouth, Luton
Dream Team bosses should note that Arsenal and Liverpool are among the crop of teams with just four games remaining from the start of the next Gameweek.Between them, the Gunners and the Reds have eight players inside the top 25 of the overall Dream Team rankings at present but they’re at risk of being leapfrogged by busier assets.READ MORE SUN STORIESThat being said, the likes of Bukayo Saka (£5.8m) and Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) obviously remain strong options – the pair have 69 goal involvements between them this season.Gaffers should always take the schedule into account when plotting their next move.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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ARSENAL and Manchester City’s joint exit from the Champions League has shaken the foundations of Dream Team.With Liverpool and West Ham expected to follow suit in the Europa League this evening, it may be that only Aston Villa remain active in Europe once the current Gameweek concludes – the Villains take a 2-1 lead to Lille tonight in their Europa Conference League tie.These developments will prompt a lot of Dream Team managers to change tact, starting with their transfers for Gameweek 32.Allow us to humbly put forward some recommendations.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!A man in form even if his team aren’tCredit: Dream TeamBruno Fernandes (£5.2m) Manchester United have plenty of problems to solve but that shouldn’t obscure the form of their midfield talisman.The Portugal international has notched 44 points across the last three Gameweeks via four goals.More broadly, he’s racked up 137 points in 16 outings at an average of 8.6 points-per-game since the turn of the year.This upturn has propelled Fernandes up to fifth in the midfield rankings on 268 points overall.Most read in Dream TeamAnd the 29-year-old arguably has the most favourable double header of Gameweek 32 in the form of Coventry (FA Cup) and Sheffield United (Premier League).The Sky Blues are a smartly-coached Championship side but Erik ten Hag’s men will obviously start as favourites at Wembley on Sunday.Man United then host the top flight’s bottom side on Wednesday night – the Blades have mustered just 16 points since promotion and have conceded 84 goals in 32 league games.Fernandes should feast, hence why he’s currently the most-popular recruit ahead of the deadline.Matheus Cunha (£3.9m)Back with a bangCredit: PAHaving recently misses seven games through injury, the Wolves forward banked 14 points upon his first start since his return in Gameweek 31.Cunha scored twice away to Nottingham Forest to remind gaffers of his considerably talent – his first goal was a brilliant solo effort.The Brazilian averages 6.8 points-per-game this season, a rate superior to that of Ollie Watkins (£4.8m), Alexander Isak (£4.5m), Dominic Solanke (£3.8m), Julian Alvarez (£4m) and Darwin Nunez (5.1m).Only Jordan Ayew (£3.1m) and Chiedozie Ogbene (£3.1m) have earned more bonus points among forwards and just three players in Cunha’s position have made more tackles.The former Atletico Madrid man faces a difficult fixture this weekend against Arsenal (although midweek exploits may have drained the Gunners) before a more friendly match-up against Bournemouth on Wednesday night.Looking further forward, he’s due to face Luton in Gameweek 33 in what will be his third consecutive match at Molineux.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.1m)Can he get Liverpool over the line?Credit: PAWhen it comes to Dream Team’s top-tier assets, it often pays to act fast when they return from injury.Liverpool’s No66 came off the bench against Crystal Palace last weekend and while he wasn’t able to salvage a result for the hosts at Anfield, his return will surely boost the Reds for the title run-in.Alexander-Arnold averages six points-per-game this campaign, the joint-highest rate among defenders, and his tally of 12 assists speaks of itself.Jurgen Klopp’s mob travel to Fulham and Everton in Gameweek 32, which has to be regarded as a favourable double header on current form.Conor Bradley’s (£3.6m) injury should mean back-to-back starts for Alexander-Arnold, assuming he’s fit enough for such a task.Cole Palmer (£5m)Golden Boot contenderCredit: GettyAn obvious recommendation but one worth underling.Chelsea face a daunting double header against Man City and Arsenal this coming Gameweek but Palmer’s form is so ridiculously strong right now the level of the opposition is almost irrelevant.After his four-goal masterclass against Everton on Monday night, the 21-year-old has banked 61 points across his last three games – obscene!Plus, the Blues are one of very few teams with two fixtures in Gameweek 33 – those who don’t recruit Palmer this week will probably be interested next week at a higher price.READ MORE SUN STORIESLock in your transfers for Gameweek 32 ahead of Saturday’s 2pm deadline.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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MATHEUS CUNHA (£3.9m) has to be considered one of the most impressive hidden gems in Dream Team this season.The Brazilian’s ownership has never risen beyond 5% despite the fact he averages 6.8 points-per-game.To put that statistic into perspective, the likes of Ollie Watkins (£4.8m), Alexander Isak (£4.5m), Dominic Solanke (£3.8m), Darwin Nunez (£5.1m) and Julian Alvarez (£4m) all have lower averages at the time of writing.In fact, the only forwards who average more points-per-game than Cunha are Erling Haaland (£6.9m), Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) and Son Heung-min (£4.7m) – the cream of the crop.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!Dream Team bosses should not underestimate the Wolves forwardCredit: Dream TeamWolves’ No12 currently features in just 0.5% of teams but that’s largely because he recently missed seven games through injury.That setback came at a frustrating time for the Molineux faithful as Cunha scored a hat-trick against Chelsea (for a 25-point return) immediately prior to the game in which he was forced off after just 20 minutes.Gary O’Neil eased the 24-year-old back into action with substitute cameos in Gameweeks 29 and 30 before starting him against Nottingham Forest at the weekend.And the result? Two goals and 14 points!This haul served as a timely reminder of Cunha’s talent and his Dream Team viability.Most read in FootballHis first goal in particular was impossible to overlook; a superb solo effort that highlighted his dribbling ability and masterful close control.Cunha has been excellent this seasonCredit: GettyCunha is not an out-and-out striker, he hasn’t got the razor-sharp instincts of a poacher, but his ability to carry the ball is unmatched in his position.He’s completed 64 successful dribbles in 2023/24, more than any other Dream Team forward.And the former Atletico Madrid man doesn’t shirk his defensive responsibilities either – only three forwards have registered more tackles (35).His brace at the City Ground on Saturday took his goal tally to 13 for the season, not forgetting his seven assists.Looking forward, Cunha should be considered a smart differential option for the next fortnight.Cunha earned Wolves a point at the City GroundCredit: ReutersWolves are among the ten Premier League clubs with two fixtures to fulfil in Gameweek 32 – back-to-back home games against Arsenal and Bournemouth.Then in Gameweek 33, they welcome Luton to Molineux in what has to be considered a favourable match-up.O’Neil’s side will face Manchester City and Liverpool in May and their schedule looks a tad light without cup or European commitments but Cunha is seemingly an appealing option in the short term at least.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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COLE PALMER (£5m) may well be Dream Team’s most-valuable player this season.The 21-year-old started 2023/24 at Manchester City, where it seemed he would have to be content with Carabao Cup starts and the occasional 15-minute cameo.However, Chelsea opted to fork out £42.5million for the talented youngster on deadline day, a move that set him on the path to one of the most remarkable campaigns in recent memory.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!Player of the Year?Credit: Dream TeamEyebrows were raised at the transfer fee at the time given Palmer had made just 18 Premier League appearances (predominantly as a substitute) prior to the switch.The Blues have generally overspent on players in recent times but the acquisition of Palmer has to be considered smart business with the power of hindsight.The England international was already Chelsea’s runaway Player of the Year before Everton’s visit to Stamford Bridge on Monday night but now there’s a clamour for him to win one of prestigious, league-wide individual awards.Palmer scored a perfect hat-trick (left foot, header, right foot) within half an hour against the Toffees but even that wasn’t enough to satiate him.Midway through the second half, he scored a penalty, his ninth of the season, after some undignified bickering on the part of Nicolas Jackson (£3.5m) and Noni Madueke (£2.9m).Palmer eventually scored his ninth penalty of the seasonCredit: AlamyWhen all was said and done, Palmer banked a whopping 30 points via four goals, five shots on target, 80 minutes played and three bonus points.Most read in FootballIncredibly, he’s now level with Erling Haaland (£6.9m) on 20 league goals in the race for the Golden Boot.There’s no doubt that he’s benefited from a steady stream of spot-kicks but his tally of 14 non-penalty goals in all competitions should not be taken for granted.Palmer has registered 38 goal involvements (23 goals, 15 assists) from 39 appearances this season – a gargantuan effort given Mauricio Pochettino’s side have lingered in mid-table for almost the entire campaign.Monday night’s haul has propelled Palmer up to joint-third in the overall Dream Team rankings, level with Bukayo Saka (£5.7m) on 315 points.Only Manchester City duo Phil Foden (£5.9m) and the aforementioned Haaland have amassed more points at the time of writing.Palmer is now only ten points behind HaalandCredit: RexDREAM TEAM’S TOP PERFORMERS THIS SEASON:
Phil Foden – 330 pts
Erling Haaland – 325 pts
Cole Palmer – 315 pts
Bukayo Saka – 315 pts
Mohamed Salah – 286 pts
Ollie Watkins – 280 pts
Jarrod Bowen – 273 pts
Darwin Nunez – 272 pts
Bruno Fernandes – 268 pts
Mohammed Kudus – 257 pts
To underline the extent of Palmer’s brilliance, it’s worth noting he’s the only player in the top ten who hasn’t had European football to bolster his schedule this term.Chelsea’s No20 averages 8.1 points-per-game, only Haaland and Michael Olise (£3.9m) boast better averages currently – the Norwegian poacher averages nine points-per-game while the Crystal Palace midfielder ticks along at a rate of 8.3.READ MORE SUN STORIESLooking forward, Palmer faces a tricky double header in the form of Man City and Arsenal (both away from home) in Gameweek 32 but Dream Team bosses won’t be perturbed by any fixtures on current form.Truly a Dream Team campaign for the ages!talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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