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      Ollie Watkins overtakes Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland for goal involvements this season

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      EARLIER this month, Ollie Watkins (£4.5m) was among the most transferred-out Dream Team players for two Gameweeks in a row.Needless to say, many gaffers have since regretted the decision as the Aston Villa striker has been on a roll of late.
      The 28-year-old scored one goal and assisted another as Unai Emery’s men beat Nottingham Forest 4-2 on Saturday.
      This impressive showing took Watkins’ tally for the season to 31 goal involvements, divided into 16 goals and 15 assists.
      31 goal involvements already this seasonCredit: Dream Team
      At the time of writing, he leads the way among all Dream Team assets for goal involvements!
      MOST GOAL INVOLVEMENTS (GOALS + ASSISTS) THIS SEASON:

      31 – Ollie Watkins
      30 – Erling Haaland
      29 – Mohamed Salah
      28 – Bukayo Saka
      27 – Darwin Nunez
      26 – Phil Foden
      24 – Julian Alvarez
      23 – Cole Palmer

      Naturally, this haul has translated to a boat-load of Dream Team points, 218 to be precise.
      An 11-point return at Forest’s expense propelled Watkins up to third among forwards with just top-tier assets Haaland and Salah above him.
      More broadly, he’s currently fifth among all players.
      Most read in Football
      The England international suffered a lean run of returns from late-December through January but he’s answered his doubters with 60 points in his last six outings.
      This productive streak has featured four goals and four assists.
      A fantastic Dream Team asset under Unai Emery’s guidanceCredit: Getty
      Watkins is likely to be a immensely popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 26 and not just because of his impressive form.
      The Villains are due to play Luton at the weekend before travelling to Amsterdam to face Ajax in the Europa Conference League round of 16.
      The famous Dutch outfit are a huge name in Europe’s tertiary competition but the current iteration of the side are vulnerable.
      Jordan Henderson and company are without a win in their last four league games and are currently fifth in the Eredivisie table, 29 points adrift of league leaders PSV.
      Given this context, Watkins’s upcoming double header has to be considered a favourable one – he averages 6.4 points-per-game this term so a big double-digit haul is certainly on the cards.
      It’s early days but Villa’s No11 is currently the most-popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 26 – he now features in 26.1% of teams.

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      Nottingham Forest vs Man Utd: Get £30 in free bets when you stake £10 on the FA Cup with talkSPORT BET

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      MANCHESTER UNITED and Nottingham Forest will be looking to advance to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup when they clash at the City Ground on Wednesday.And brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim a massive £30 in free bets when they sign-up and stake a tenner on the fifth-round knockout encounter.
      Nottingham Forest vs Man Utd FA Cup: Get £30 in free bets with talkSPORT BETCredit: TalkSPORT BET
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      It could be a tricky evening for Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot.
      He’s likely to be up against Nottingham Forest’s tricky winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, who’s thriving after a run of first-team minutes under Nuno Espirito Santo.
      He’s netted three in his last four outings, and is the most fouled Forest player in the last six league matches. He’s won 12 fouls, while the last two full-backs to have faced him have been shown yellow cards.
      Dalot was booked in the trip to the City Ground earlier this season, and has committed six fouls in his last four league games – the highest of any United player.
      Nottingham Forest to win at 23/10 with TalkSPORT BET – CLAIM HERE
      We’re siding with Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
      The hosts have picked up 10 points from the first nine games of Nuno Espirito Santo’s tenure, and they’ve netted 17 Premier League goals during that time.
      That’s the same as in the first 17 games of the season under Steve Cooper – scoring 2+ against Newcastle, Man Utd, Aston Villa and West Ham.
      Visitors Manchester United are again without Rasmus Hojlund, who registered seven goals in his previous six outings. Erik ten Hag will also have one eye on Sunday’s trip to the Etihad Stadium for a crucial Manchester derby against arch-rivals City.
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      Virgil van Dijk’s Wembley heroics catapult him up Dream Team rankings – no defender has scored more goals this season

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      LIVERPOOL may have won the Carabao Cup final with a host of youngsters on the pitch but it was their experienced captain who dealt the crucial blow.Virgil van Dijk (£3.9m) glanced a 118th-minute corner into the far corner to spare Wembley the nerve-shredding agony of a penalty shootout and secure the seventh major honour of the Jurgen Klopp era.
      Liverpool’s hero once again!Credit: Dream Team
      The 32-year-old centre-back appeared to have given the Reds the lead in normal time with an imperious header from a wide free-kick but the goal was disallowed for an offside upon VAR review.
      No doubt that decision would have been a major point of contention had Chelsea ended up lifting the trophy after spot-kicks but, incredibly, Van Dijk was able to repeat the trick in the nick of time without any infringements to send Liverpool fans home happy.
      Sunday’s final underlined the Dutchman’s potent threat at set-pieces.
      In fact, he’s now scored three goals in his last seven appearances.
      Naturally, this profitable run has catapulted him up the Dream Team rankings.
      Van Dijk is now fourth in his position overall having taken his season total to 162 points, just four shy of third-placed Gabriel (£4.1m).
      Job doneCredit: PA
      When all was said and done at Wembley, Van Dijk banked 15 points for his second-best single-game return of the campaign.
      He’s also Dream Team’s most in-form defender statistically having averaged 9.7 points-per-game across his last three outings.
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      Van Dijk’s tally of four goals is the joint-highest among assets in his position at this stage – level with Fabian Schar (£3.4m), Dan Burn (£3.3m) and Lewis Dunk (£2.8m).
      Couple this attacking threat with nine clean sheets (only Everton and Arsenal’s regulars have contributed to more) and it’s no wonder Liverpool’s No4 now finds himself among the cream of the Dream Team crop.
      Furthermore, his tally of 21 bonus points is only bettered by six defenders at the time of writing.
      Plenty of Dream Team bosses have benefited from Van Dijk’s fruitful form of late.
      An ownership of 23.8% makes him the fourth-most selected player in his position and 12th-most popular overall.
      Klopp mostly rested Van Dijk during the Europa League group stageCredit: Getty
      Looking forward, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Van Dijk was rested against former club Southampton in midweek with Klopp likely to see the FA Cup as a low priority all the while his injury-hit side top the Premier League table, especially now they’ve checked off a domestic cup this term.
      In Gameweek 26, Liverpool face Nottingham Forest and Sparta Prague, a double header which could yield more healthy returns for Van Dijk.
      However, it’s worth noting that Liverpool’s skipper played just 90 minutes during the Europa League group stage campaign – will Klopp see things differently in a knockout environment?
      Having re-established himself as one of Europe’s best defenders, Van Dijk is obviously a tempting option right now but gaffers should monitor his minutes closely to be certain.

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      Injuries & suspensions update ahead of Gameweek 25 – Manchester United without Rasmus Hojlund and Luke Shaw

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      DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 25 in one easily digestible dose.Rasmus Hojlund (£3.8m) is expected to be sidelined for “two to three weeks” with a muscular injury.
      Manchester United’s No11, who has scored in each of his last six games, is among the most transferred-in players ahead of the Gameweek 25 deadline at the time of writing – many gaffers will need to reverse their transfers and think again.
      The Red Devils will also be without Luke Shaw (£3.9m) for the foreseeable future.
      The England left-back suffered a recurrence of his leg injury against Luton last Sunday and may not return before the end of the season.
      Shaw is a long-term absenteeCredit: Dream Team
      Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) and Darwin Nunez (£4.5m) are considered doubts for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
      Both forwards skipped Liverpool’s midweek win over Luton and will be assessed before Jurgen Klopp selects his squad for Wembley.
      The Egyptian superstar is said to be suffering “fatigue” but is likely to to feature against Chelsea is some capacity.
      Earlier this week, the club confirmed Diogo Jota (4.3m) will be out for “months” after he was stretchered off against Brentford with a knee injury.
      Alisson (£3.4m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.1m) are also likely to be unavailable until after the international break in mid-March.
      Mauricio Pochettino generally kept his cards close to his chest ahead of Sunday’s final, although he did offer an update of sorts on Thiago Silva (£3.1m): “He has the chance. Tomorrow we will see if he’s ready to play in the game.”
      Salah is a doubt for the Carabao Cup finalCredit: Alamy
      Eddie Howe informed journalists that he “won’t take any risks” in regards to Alexander Isak (£4.4m) and Joe Willock’s (£2.6m) return to action, although the Newcastle gaffer is prone to misleading updates.
      Fabian Schar (£3.5m) has recovered from the wrist injury he sustained against Bournemouth last time out.
      Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne (£6.2m) is “not injured” but neither is the Belgian 100% fit.
      “I think we took a good decision not to take a risk,” Manchester City’s boss said of the midfielder’s absence against Brentford. “We took a decision because he did not feel comfortable… I’m pretty sure he will travel [to Bournemouth].”
      New Crystal Palace coach Oliver Glasner confirmed key players Marc Guehi (£2.3m), Michael Olise (£4.1m) and Eberechi Eze (£3.9m) remain sidelined, though the latter isn’t far away.
      Mikel Arteta told reporters a late decision will be made on Thomas Partey (£2.6m), Gabriel Jesus (£4.8m) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (£3.4m) following Friday’s training session.
      Takehiro Tomiyasu (£2.7m) is thought to be further away from a comeback.
      Sean Dyche is hopeful Vitaliy Mykolenko (£3.6m) will be able to shake off a knock ahead of Everton’s trip to Brighton on Saturday.
      As for the Seagulls, Kaoru Mitoma (£3.5m) is a major doubt having felt something in his back but Julio Enciso (£2.2m) should return to the squad after a lengthy lay-off.
      Pep Guardiola will probably manage De Bruyne’s workload again in Gameweek 25Credit: Getty
      Fulham talisman Joao Palhinha (£3.6m) will serve the first of his two-game suspension this weekend having been shown his tenth yellow card of the campaign in his last outing.
      Armando Broja (£1.7m) should be available having recovered from illness this week.
      Lucas Paqueta (£4.1m) has returned to training and therefore “in contention” for West Ham’s Monday night game against Brentford.
      Kalvin Phillips (£1.7m) is suspended having been sent off last weekend.

      ARSENAL
      Injuries: Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey (doubt), Gabriel Jesus (doubt), Oleksandr Zinchenko (doubt), Takehiro Tomiyasu
      Suspensions: None
      ASTON VILLA
      Injuries: Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Jhon Duran, Ezri Konsa, Boubacar Kamara, Diego Carlos
      Suspensions: None
      BOURNEMOUTH
      Injuries: Ryan Fredericks, Tyler Adams, James Hill, Max Aarons
      Suspensions: Philip Billing
      BRENTFORD
      Injuries: Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, Bryan Mbeumo, Josh Dasilva, Ethan Pinnock
      Suspensions: None
      BRIGHTON
      Injuries: Solly March, Joao Pedro, James Milner, Jack Hinshelwood
      Suspensions: None
      BURNLEY
      Injuries: Luka Koleosho, Jordan Beyer, Nathan Redmond, Lyle Foster, Aaron Ramsey
      Suspensions: None
      CHELSEA
      Injuries: Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Lesley Ugochukwo, Reece James, Marc Cucurella (doubt), Beniot Badashile, Carney Chukwuemeka, Thiago Silva (doubt)
      Suspensions: None
      CRYSTAL PALACE
      Injuries: Cheick Doucoure, Will Hughes (doubt), Rob Holding, Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi
      Suspensions: None
      EVERTON
      Injuries: Dele Alli, Andre Gomes, Arnaut Danjuma, Seamus Coleman (doubt), Vitaliy Mykolenko (doubt)
      Suspensions: None
      FULHAM
      Injuries: Raul Jimenez, Willian (doubt)
      Suspensions: Joao Palhinha
      LIVERPOOL
      Injuries: Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Joel Matip, Dominik Szoboszlai (doubt), Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Curtis Jones (doubt), Mohamed Salah (doubt), Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez (doubt)
      Suspensions: None
      LUTON
      Injuries: Tom Lockyer, Marvelous Nakamba, Mads Juel Andersen, Daiki Hashioka, Alfie Doughty (doubt), Albert Sambi Lokonga (doubt), Elijah Adebayo, Jacob Brown
      Suspensions: None
      MANCHESTER CITY
      Injuries: Josko Gvardiol, Jack Grealish
      Suspensions: None
      MANCHESTER UNITED
      Injuries: Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, Anthony Martial, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Rasmus Hojlund
      Suspensions: None
      NEWCASTLE
      Injuries: Elliot Anderson, Matt Targett, Joe Willock (doubt), Nick Pope, Joelinton, Alexander Isak (doubt), Callum Wilson
      Suspensions: Sandro Tonali
      NOTTINGHAM FOREST
      Injuries: Chris Wood, Ibrahim Sangare, Gonzalo Montiel, Willy Boly, Ola Aina
      Suspensions: None
      SHEFFIELD UNITED
      Injuries: Daniel Jebbison, John Egan, Chris Basham, George Baldock (doubt), Ben Brereton Diaz, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Max Lowe, Cameron Archer (doubt)
      Suspensions: Mason Holgate
      TOTTENHAM
      Injuries: Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Fraser Forster, Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro
      Suspensions: None
      WEST HAM
      Injuries: Lucas Paqueta (doubt)
      Suspensions: Kalvin Phillips
      WOLVES
      Injuries: Matheus Cunha
      Suspensions: None

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      Captaincy & Booster options for Gameweek 25: Pedro Neto as 12th Man and other tempting tactics

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      DREAM TEAM managers have until 2pm on Saturday to decide upon their strategy for Gameweek 25.The first thing to note is that Tottenham have zero fixtures so owners of James Maddison (£4.1m), Son Heung-min (£4.8m) and company need to find replacements as a matter of urgency.
      Nine teams will play twice this coming Gameweek with the FA Cup fifth round to follow the weekend’s action, which includes Sunday’s Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea.
      With that in mind, let’s mull over some potential Booster strategies.

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      Manchester United’s striker has been among the goals since the turn of the yearCredit: Alamy
      The 12th Man Booster is a helpful way of recruiting an in-form player ahead of a juicy double Gameweek without committing to them long-term.
      Take Rasmus Hojlund (£3.8m) for example.
      Manchester United’s No11 has scored in six consecutive fixtures and may well prove to be smart selection for the remainder of the season but a quick glance at the schedule reveals a stark contrast between Gameweeks 25 and 26.
      Erik ten Hag’s side have the luxury of a favourable double header up next in the form of Fulham and Nottingham Forest but their lone fixture in Gameweek 26 is Manchester City at the Etihad.
      It’s also worth noting that the Red Devils will have fewer fixtures in the coming weeks compared to the teams still active in Europe.
      Most read in Dream Team
      Backing Hojlund as 12th Man in Gameweek 25 would allow gaffers to target his friendly double header without worrying about his comparatively worse schedule up until the international break.
      Neto against Sheffield United? Bloodbath…Credit: Dream Team
      The same logic applies to Pedro Neto (£3.4m)
      Wolves are set to host Sheffield United this weekend and the thought of their electric winger running at the league’s worst defence should have the Molineux faithful salivating.
      Brighton are expected to provide stiffer opposition in the cup but the Seagulls certainly aren’t shy of an open, end-to-end contest.
      Neto has registered 16 goal involvements in 19 outings this season and he averages 6.2 points-per-game.
      This suggests even a pair of run-of-the-mill performances would yield a double-digit haul but the Portugal international has the ability to take the beleaguered Blades for 10+ points before moving onto Roberto De Zerbi’s side in midweek.
      Gary O’Neil’s troops look well placed to bank plentiful points in Gameweek 25 but, like Man United, their schedule dampens in comparison to the likes of Liverpool and Brighton from Gameweek 26 onwards.
      Pascal Gross (£4.4m) is another nominee given his impressive form of late but the German midfielder may actually be worthy of a transfer looking at his upcoming fixtures.
      UnderratedCredit: Reuters
      We recommend keeping Park the Bus and Max Captain holstered this Gameweek – there will be better opportunities these Boosters later in the season.
      In terms of captaincy options, Erling Haaland (£7.3m) is once again the leading candidate.
      Manchester City’s No9 banked 15 points in Gameweek 24 (mostly because of his winner against Brentford) although it should have been so much more as he missed some gilt-edged chances against Chelsea last Saturday.
      We suggested Bukayo Saka (£5.7m) as the best alternative to the Norwegian poacher last week and those who opted to stick the armband on Arsenal’s No7 were rewarded with some extra points.
      The England international pocketed 18 across his two fixtures, with 14 of them coming at Turf Moor.
      This option isn’t all that viable for Gameweek 25 though as the Gunners have just one fixture (Newcastle) compared to Man City’s double (Bournemouth and Luton).

      The obvious captain for a reasonCredit: Rex
      Mohamed Salah’s (£6.7m) return to action means he deserves a mention in the captaincy debate but his minutes are far from certain having been forced to skip Liverpool’s midweek game against Luton.
      The Egyptian superstar scored and assisted against Brentford in just over 45 minutes of playing time for a ten-point return but he’s said to be battling fatigue after his recent spell on the sidelines.
      He will surely play a prominent role at Wembley with a trophy on the line but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he skipped the Reds’ FA Cup meeting with Southampton in midweek.
      Pep Guardiola could just as easily rest Haaland in the cup but even if it boils down to just the weekend fixtures, City’s poacher against out-of-form Bournemouth looks a better shout than Salah against Chelsea in a final.
      The aforementioned Hojlund and Neto are tempting captaincy options for those who own either/both outright.
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      However, gaffers who are relatively content with their ranking and therefore don’t feel the need to go against grain should simply captain Haaland – it’s not exactly a head-scratcher this week.
      UPDATE: Rasmus Hojlund is expected to be sidelined for two or three weeks and is therefore not a suitable 12th Man option

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      Play Score Predictor for free and compete for £500 Amazon gift card – top tips!

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      WE’RE once again giving away a £500 Amazon gift card with Score Predictor in Matchweek 28.Submit your predictions for the outcomes of five selected Premier League fixtures and you could land the fantastic prize by Monday night.
      Remember, you don’t have to get all five predictions exactly correct to win the voucher, you just have to earn more points (based on accuracy) than anyone else.
      Score Predictor remains free to play and, if you opt for sheer gut instinct, it takes just seconds to enter your predictions.

      PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S PREMIER LEAGUE ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

      Play now for free!Credit: Dream Team
      Check out our top tips below…
      Manchester United v Fulham
      Marco Silva’s side have been dismal away from home this season.
      They’ve won just one of 12 games on the road and only Sheffield United have earned fewer points on their travels.
      Couple this with the Red Devils’ upturn and it seems like a cut-and-dry home win.
      Most read in Football
      Rasmus Hojlund and company have turned a corner in 2024, having won their last four league games via 11 goals scored.
      Our Prediction: 3-1 to Man United
      A man in formCredit: Getty
      Bournemouth v Manchester City
      The Cherries’ results have fallen away of late and they head into this weekend’s daunting match-up without a win in their last six league games.
      In contrast, the defending champions are top of the form table having addressed their draw against Chelsea with a win over Brentford in midweek.
      This contest features two of 2023/24’s most prolific scorers in Dominic Solanke (14 league goals) and Erling Haaland (17 league goals) so predicting both teams to score seems reasonable – City have not kept all that many clean sheets this season.
      Statistically, this fixture is the most one-sided in Premier League history – a fact underlined by their last meeting, a 6-1 win for Pep Guardiola’s machine.
      Arsenal and Liverpool will be hoping for an upset but there’s precious little evidence to suggest one will occur on the south coast – Bournemouth actually have better record away from home this campaign.
      Our Prediction: 4-1 to Man City
      A familiar sightCredit: Rex

      Arsenal v Newcastle
      Arguably the standout fixture among the Premier League match-ups and one that is already simmering after the controversial nature of the Magpies’ winner the last time these sides met.
      Defeat in Porto will have checked the Gunners’ progress somewhat but their domestic has been superb since the winter break – just ask Liverpool, West Ham and Burnley.
      As for Newcastle, their record in their last six league games reads: two wins, two draws, two defeats, 16 goals scored, 16 goals conceded.
      Eddie Howe’s side have been involved in some thrilling contests recently but fans are justifiably concerned about the leaky nature of the defence at present.
      It will be interesting to see whether the visitors can lure Arsenal into a chaotic shootout as the hosts generally prefer patterned control.
      Let’s try manifest an entertaining affair…
      Our Prediction: 4-2 to Arsenal
      Say no moreCredit: Reuters
      Wolves v Sheffield United
      It’s difficult to look past a comfortable home win here.
      The Blades are 20th in the table having mustered just 13 points since promotion and their 5-0 defeat to Brighton last time out was particularly disheartening – albeit they were forced to play with ten men from the 13th minute.
      Matheus Cunha’s injury came as a blow to Gary O’Neil but Pedro Neto offers plenty of threat and the return of Hwang Hee-chan from international duty has bolstered Wolves’ forward line.
      The visitors have conceded 65 goals in 25 league games this season… it makes for bleak reading.
      Our Prediction: 3-0 to Wolves
      Neto should enjoy himself against the league’s worst defenceCredit: Getty
      Brentford v West Ham
      Monday night football once again pits two out-of-sorts teams against each other.
      Only Burnley sit below the Hammers in the form table while the Bees have registered just two wins since early December.
      Thomas Frank has at least been able to call upon a potent weapon in the form of Ivan Toney in recent weeks – the target man is averaging a goal every 135 minutes since his return.
      That being said, we’ve had a lot of success predicting underwhelming draws lately and this match-up feels like it fits the same bill.
      Our Prediction: 1-1 draw
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      Submit your predictions before this weekend’s action gets underway!

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      Chelsea vs Liverpool: Get £30 in free bets when you stake £10 on the Carabao Cup final with talkSPORT BET

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      CHELSEA and Liverpool clash in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday afternoon.And brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim a massive £30 in free bets when they sign-up and stake a tenner on the weekend’s all-important encounter.
      Chelsea vs Liverpool: Get £30 in free bets when you stake £10 on the Carabao Cup final with talkSPORT BETCredit: TalkSPORT BET
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      in Soccer

      Transfer recommendations ahead of Gameweek 25 – target midweek FA Cup games for bumper points

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      MIDWEEK FA Cup fifth round fixtures mean nine teams are set to pull double duty in Gameweek 25.As usual, you should try to ensure your Dream Team contains several players with two fixtures at their disposal in hope of banking plentiful points.
      However, while the short-term focus is on favourable double headers in Gameweek 25, you should probably be plotting to target the upcoming Europa League knockout fixtures – not to mention Aston Villa’s Europa Conference League round of 16 tie.

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      One of Dream Team’s most in-form players currently features in just 3.1% of teamsCredit: Dream Team
      Here we’ll propose some transfer suggestions specifically for Gameweek 25 as well as some with longer legs.
      Pascal Gross (£4.4m)
      First up, a man who ticks both boxes.
      No midfielder has earned more points than Brighton’s No13 across their last three outings and a home game against out-of-form Everton this Saturday looks ripe for further returns.
      The Seagulls will then face Wolves in the cup on Wednesday night.
      If the combination of good form, favourable league match-up and additional midweek fixture isn’t enough to convince you of Gross’ viability then it’s worth noting that Roberto De Zerbi’s men have four fixtures to fulfil across Gameweeks 26 and 27 once their Europa League opponents are determined.
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      In fact, Brighton and Liverpool are the only two teams facing three consecutive double Gameweeks.
      Gross has scored scored five goals and provided a whopping 12 assists in all competitions this season.
      He’s also seemingly on penalties while Joao Pedro (£4.3m) is injured.
      The Germany international is comfortably De Zerbi’s most-used player in 2023/24 too – he’s essentially rotation-proof.
      Pedro Neto (£3.4m)
      One of the Premier League’s most-exciting talentsCredit: Getty
      It doesn’t take a genius to see that backing Sheffield United’s opponents is often a fruitful endeavour.
      The Blades are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table having mustered just 13 points since promotion and this Sunday they travel to Molineux to face a Wolves side who beat Tottenham last time out.
      Gary O’Neil’s side have a certain swagger about them these days, mostly because of Neto’s incredible dribbling and counterattacking speed.
      The Portuguese winger has registered 16 goal involvements in just 19 appearances this season and will surely be licking his lips at the prospect of running at the top flight’s worst defence.
      As previously mentioned, Wolves will then host Brighton in midweek.
      Neto averages 6.2 points-per-game this campaign and is therefore on for a double-digit haul in Gameweek 25, he may even manage that against Chris Wilder’s beleaguered troops alone.
      Luis Diaz (£3.8m)
      A man in formCredit: EPA
      Like Gross, Liverpool’s Colombian winger has a lot of things going for him right now.
      Not only is he set to take his impressive form (47 points in five games) into a double header this coming Gameweek, the upcoming Europa League knockouts mean he’ll be extra busy.
      Plus, with Diogo Jota (£4.3m) sidelined for at least two months and both Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) and Darwin Nunez (£4.5m) minor doubts at the time of writing, Diaz is virtually guaranteed substantial minutes in the Reds’ productive front three for the foreseeable future.
      After Wednesday night’s win over Luton, the 27-year-old has now scored ten goals and provided six assists in 2023/24.
      Jurgen Klopp’s side take on Chelsea at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday before hosting Southampton on Wednesday night – one suspects Saints will be more focused on their quest for promotion in the Championship.
      Looking ahead, Gameweek 26 looks ripe for points for Diaz and company with an as yet undecided Europa League opponent to follow a game against 16th-placed Nottingham Forest.
      It’s probably spelling out the obvious here: if Salah is good to go this weekend then he’s clearly a fantastic option.
      The Egyptian superstar bagged ten points in just over 45 minutes upon his return to remind us all of his supreme pedigree.
      Rasmus Hojlund (£3.8m)
      Very much among the goalsCredit: AP
      You simply have to consider Manchester United’s in-form striker given he’s scored in each of his last six games in all competitions.
      This bounteous spell has yielded 59 points and so it’s understandable why he’s currently the second-most popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 25.
      The Red Devils play Fulham in the league and Forest in the cup which constitutes a friendly double header on paper.
      However, it’s worth noting they have just one fixture in Gameweek 26 – a trip to the Etihad.
      Pep Guardiola’s side have struggled for clean sheets this season and Hojlund is capable of posing a threat to any opponent in current form but it’s fair to assert that Manchester City away is about as tough as it gets schedule-wise.
      If you’re happy to ride out the Manchester derby then United are also due to play Everton and Sheffield United before the international break.
      Diogo Dalot (£3.4m) also belongs in this conversation although the industrious full-back is certainly more of a short-term punt with that trip to the Etihad looming large.

      Elsewhere, Man City’s double header of Bournemouth and Luton looks appealing on paper but we’ve highlighted this strategy several times in recent weeks.
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      If you can negotiate Guardiola rotation policy then ample rewards await.
      Lock in your transfers before Saturday’s 2pm deadline!

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