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    Mohamed Salah’s statement return prompts early tidal wave of transfers among Dream Team managers

    DREAM TEAM managers have wasted no time in recruiting Mohamed Salah (£6.7m).The Egyptian superstar returned to action a little sooner than expected when he replaced the injured Diogo Jota (£4.3m) against Brentford just before half time on Saturday.
    And he was on the pitch just over ten minutes before he provided an assist for Alexis Mac Allister (£3.2m) with an incisive pass into the Bees’ penalty area.
    Then just after the hour-mark, Salah latched onto a flick-on and bamboozled Nathan Collins (£2m) to score the Reds’ third goal in what was ultimately a 4-1 win in West London.
    A statement performanceCredit: Dream Team
    Having missed eight games through international duty and injury, the 31-year-old needed just 50-odd minutes upon his comeback to deliver two goal involvements and ten Dream Team points.
    Naturally, this statement performance has prompted an early tidal wave of transfers among Dream Team gaffers.
    In fact, only four players were transferred into more teams prior to Gameweek 24 than Salah for Gameweek 25… and there’s still five days until the deadline.
    It’s early days but the recruitment of Salah ahead of Gameweek 25 is likely to be one of the most-popular transfers of 2023/24, especially with Jota now facing a spell on the sidelines.
    Jurgen Klopp’s side have another another fixture to fulfil before this Gameweek is done and dusted – a home game against Luton on Wednesday night.
    In the likely scenario Salah starts and hauls against the Hatters, his ownership will only spike further.
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    Salah was back among the goals in the blink of an eyeCredit: Getty
    Liverpool’s No11 now has 222 points to his name this season, a tally only bettered by Erling Haaland (£7.3m) among forwards.
    It’s remarkable that the familiar duo are once again on top in their position give both recently missed a substantial number of fixtures, such is their pedigree.
    In the same way most right-thinking gaffers immediately brought Manchester City’s No9 back into their XI the moment he was available for selection, Salah’s showing against Brentford is seemingly all many will need to centre their strategy around him ahead of Gameweek 25.
    His goal against Thomas Frank’s troops was his 19th of the campaign in all competitions – only Haaland (21) has more at the time of writing.
    However, ten assists makes it 29 goal involvements for Salah this term – the joint-best tally alongside Ollie Watkins (£4.4m).
    Dream Team bosses should target Liverpool fixtures in the coming weeksCredit: AP
    Liverpool face Chelsea (Carabao Cup final) and Southampton (FA Cup fifth round) in Gameweek 25 and they’re one of just four clubs with two fixtures each in Gameweeks 26 and 27 because of their Europa League commitments.
    Injury concerns may give Klopp sleepless nights but the fact remains his side are top of the Premier League and favourites to lift the trophy at Wembley next weekend.
    Dream Team bosses should keep an eye on proceedings at Anfield on Wednesday night but all signs points towards Salah at this stage.

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    Injuries & suspensions update ahead of Gameweek 24 – latest on Trent Alexander-Arnold, Pedro Porro and more

    DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 24 in one easily digestible dose.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.2m) is expected to miss Liverpool’s next three games at least following the recurrence of a previous injury.
    At the time of writing, the Reds’ right-back still appears in 14.5% of teams.
    Jurgen Klopp will be able to call upon Alisson (£3.4m), Conor Bradley (£3m) and Ibrahima Konate (£2.9m) away at the Brentford on Saturday – the latter returns from suspension.
    The German tactician also revealed that Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) is “automatically in contention” having returned to full training this week.

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    Trent Alexander-Arnold is unlikely to return before the Carabao Cup finalCredit: Dream Team
    Malo Gusto (£2.5m) and Levi Colwill (£3.1m) are available for Chelsea again after midweek concerns but Thiago Silva (£3.1m) will not feature at the Etihad having sustained a minor injury.
    Jack Grealish (£3.3m) has joined Josko Gvardiol (£3.3m) on the sidelines after the midfielder was prematurely substituted against Copenhagen.
    Pep Guardiola also said that Bernardo Silva (£3.8m) will be assessed before a final decision is made on his involvement.

    Matheus Cunha (£4.3m), who has been one of the best surprise packages in Dream Team this season, is set for a relatively lengthy spell on the sidelines having incurred what Gary O’Neil described as a “fairly significant” hamstring injury.
    In brighter news for Wolves, Hwang Hee-chan (£3.3m) is available again and is expected to feature against Tottenham in some capacity on Saturday.
    As for Spurs, Ange Postecoglou told reporters that first-choice full-backs Destiny Udogie (£2.8m) and Pedro Porro (£3.7m) will not be among the matchday squad.
    The latter is currently Dream Team’s third-best defender and the fifth-most selected asset in his position.
    “Pedro picked up a sort of strain in training,” Postecoglou said. “And it’s fair to say he’ll miss tomorrow, maybe a couple of weeks for him.”
    Pedro Porro will be a big miss for SpursCredit: Getty
    Eddie Howe told journalists that Alexander Isak (£4.4m) will “probably not” be among Newcastle’s squad this weekend although he said something similar about Anthony Gordon (£3.7m) prior to the Magpies’ No10 playing 89 minutes against Nottingham Forest.
    Dream Team bosses have learned to take Howe’s comments regarding availability with a pinch of salt.
    Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara (£2.3m) has been ruled out for the remainder of the season having been diagnosed with a ruptured ACL.
    He joins team-mates Tyrone Mings (£2.8m) and Emi Buendia (£2.5m) among the Villains’ long-term absentees.
    Diego Carlos (£2.1m) is expected to miss the next three or four weeks with a hamstring issue.
    At West Ham, David Moyes told reporters: “Lucas Paqueta is not fit for tomorrow. He’s been on the grass for a couple of days, but he’s not ready yet.
    “Kurt Zouma is fine. The bigger issue was Edson Alvarez, who came off with illness last time out, but he’s fine as well.”
    Boubacar Kamara will not play again this seasonCredit: Getty
    ARSENAL
    Injuries: Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, Fabio Vieira (doubt), Gabriel Jesus (doubt), Oleksandr Zinchenko (doubt), Emile Smith Rowe (doubt), Takehiro Tomiyasu (doubt)
    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, Romain Faivre (doubt)
    Suspensions: Philip Billing
    BRENTFORD
    Injuries: Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, Bryan Mbeumo, Josh Dasilva
    Suspensions: None
    BRIGHTON
    Injuries: Julio Enciso, Solly March, Joao Pedro, James Milner, Jack Hinshelwood
    Suspensions: None
    BURNLEY
    Injuries: Luka Koleosho, Jordan Beyer, Charlie Taylor (doubt), Nathan Redmond, Lyle Foster
    Suspensions: None
    CHELSEA
    Injuries: Trevoh Chalobah (doubt), Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Lesley Ugochukwo, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Beniot Badashile, Carney Chukwuemeka, Thiago Silva
    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, Abdoulaye Doucoure, (doubt) Andre Gomes, Arnaut Danjuma, Ben Godfrey (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    FULHAM
    Injuries: Raul Jimenez
    Suspensions: None
    LIVERPOOL
    Injuries: Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Joel Matip, Dominik Szoboszlai, Trent Alexander-Arnold
    Suspensions: None
    LUTON
    Injuries: Tom Lockyer, Marvelous Nakamba, Mads Juel Andersen, Daiki Hashioka
    Suspensions: None
    MANCHESTER CITY
    Injuries: Josko Gvardiol, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    MANCHESTER UNITED
    Injuries: Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, Anthony Martial, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    NEWCASTLE
    Injuries: Elliot Anderson, Matt Targett, Joe Willock (doubt), Nick Pope, Joelinton, Alexander Isak (doubt), Callum Wilson, Jacob Murphy (doubt)
    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), Oli McBurnie (doubt), Ben Brereton Diaz, Gustavo Hamer (doubt), Rhys Norrington-Davies
    Suspensions: None
    TOTTENHAM
    Injuries: Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Fraser Forster, Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro
    Suspensions: None
    WEST HAM
    Injuries: Lucas Paqueta, Michail Antonio (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    WOLVES
    Injuries: Matheus Cunha
    Suspensions: None

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    Captaincy & Booster options for Gameweek 24: Dare you take on the imperious Erling Haaland?

    FOR many Dream Team managers the captaincy conversation is an open-and-shut case.Erling Haaland (£7.3m) plundered 19 points in Gameweek 23 via a match-winning brace against Everton and so there’s every reason to keep the armband on Manchester City’s No9.
    The prolific poacher has scored 21 goals in 24 appearances this season and he’s the focal point of a team that have won their last eleven games in all competitions.

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    Gameweek 24’s two most-popular captainsCredit: Dream Team
    Haaland is the default captain for a reason.
    That being said, some gaffers may feel the need to go against the grain at this stage of the season in order to significantly improve their overall ranking and/or Mini League position.
    In that case, Bukayo Saka (£5.5m) seems to be the most appealing alternative.
    Arsenal’s No7 thoroughly enjoyed himself against West Ham last weekend, pocketing 17 points despite being substituted midway through the second half.
    The 22-year-old scored his 12th and 13th goals of the season against the Hammers and was briefly the outright top points scorer in Dream Team until Phil Foden (£5.3m) leapfrogged him in midweek.
    Looking ahead to Gameweek 24, Mikel Arteta’s side have the luxury of a Premier League match-up with Burnley at Turf Moor this weekend.
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    The Clarets have the worst home record in the top flight at present.
    A top-tier Dream Team assetCredit: Getty
    Arsenal will then travel to Portugal for the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie with Porto.
    The combination of a favourable league game plus an additional midweek fixture certainly brings Saka into the captaincy conversation – he averages 8.1 points-per-game in 2023/24.
    Some Dream Team bosses may even be tempted to take on Haaland by backing one of his team-mates instead.
    Pep Guardiola’s side will host Chelsea and Brentford at the Etihad in Gameweek 24.
    The aforementioned Foden is in fantastic form and Kevin De Bruyne (£5.9m) was actually the only player to take more points (20) from Gameweek 23 than Haaland.
    The superstar midfielders are more than capable of justifying a captain’s armband but if you’re going to back City for plentiful returns then there’s a danger of overthinking it if you select anyone other than Haaland.
    In-form strikers Darwin Nunez (£4.5m) and Diogo Jota (£4.3m) deserve a mention since Liverpool also have two fixtures to fulfil in Gameweek 24.
    The Reds travel to Brentford before welcoming Luton to Anfield in midweek.
    Gameweek 23’s top performerCredit: PA
    In terms of Booster strategies for Gameweek 24, a Park the Bus XI built around Arsenal’s solid defence has potential.
    Opting to double the points of a back five that features William Saliba (£3.1m), Gabriel (£3.7m) and Ben White (£3.3m) alongside a couple of Liverpool/Man City regulars could be just the ticket.
    Efficient Park the Bus opportunities are becoming less frequent as the campaign progresses but we’re not yet in the realm of use-it-or-lose-it so there’s no need to pull the trigger if you’re doubtful.

    With the Premier League’s three title contenders having two fixtures each this coming Gameweek, some gaffers will be tempted to activate their 12th Man Booster.
    Saka, Foden, De Bruyne, Haaland, Nunez and Jota all feel borderline essential looking at the schedule but fitting them all in is easier said than done.

    Selecting one of these in-form stars as 12th Man with a view to outscoring your Mini League rivals in what should be a fruitful Gameweek is a perfectly viable tactic.
    Lock in your transfers, captain and any Boosters you wish to play before Saturday’s 11:30am deadline.

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    Score Predictor tips for Matchweek 27 – Somebody must win £500 Amazon gift card!

    WE’RE once again giving away a £500 Amazon gift card with Score Predictor in Matchweek 27.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.

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    Play now for free!Credit: Dream Team
    Check out our top tips below…
    Brentford v Liverpool
    Everyone knows by now that 12:30am on a Saturday is Jurgen Klopp’s least favourite kick-off time but the league leaders will start as clear favourites at the Gtech Community Stadium.
    Only Manchester City have scored more goals than the Reds in the top flight this term but the underlying numbers (xG) suggest Liverpool have generated the most threat.
    The visitors are likely to be without Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah this weekend but the likes of Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez should have too much firepower for the Bees.
    Most read in Football
    Thomas Frank’s men are 16th in the form table over the last ten fixtures and while the return of Ivan Toney has boosted their hopes, it’s difficult to look past an away win.
    Our Prediction: 3-1 to Liverpool
    Liverpool will be without Alexander-ArnoldCredit: Rex
    Manchester City v Chelsea
    The first thing to note is that the defending champions have won 11 games in a row in all competitions and remain unbeaten at home this season.
    Score Predictor users will remember the reverse fixture between these two teams finished 4-4 but Pep Guardiola’s men have raised their level since.
    The Blues continue to blow hot and cold having been overpowered by Liverpool and dismantled by Wolves before encouraging victories over Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.
    Chelsea look good when everything clicks but they’re still too easily thrown into disrepair, as evidenced by the fact they’re tenth in the table having won ten times and lost ten times.
    37% of Score Predictor users have submitted a 3-1 home win at this stage which feels about right – City have struggled for clean sheets this campaign.
    Our Prediction: 3-1 to Man City
    Man City are a different beast when Haaland, Rodri and De Bruyne are all availableCredit: Getty
    Sheffield United v Brighton
    The Seagulls have won two, drawn two, lost two in their last six league games – a Score Predictor user’s nightmare.
    That being said, a meeting with the team currently rooted to the bottom of the table has to be considered a favourable match-up.
    The Blades won their third league game of the season last time out but the Bramall Lane faithful will have kept their feet on the ground as only Burnley have earned fewer points at home at this stage.
    Brighton have only won three times on the road in the top flight but they’ll feel confident ahead of this weekend having beaten Sheffield United 5-2 in the FA Cup last month.
    The home fans may get something to cheer at least as Roberto De Zerbi’s men don’t really do clean sheets.
    Our Prediction: 3-1 to Brighton
    Both teams score more often than notCredit: Getty
    Luton v Manchester United
    The Red Devils have seemingly turned a corner of late with only Man City and Liverpool above them in the form table (last six games) at present.
    Rasmus Hojlund has found his shooting boots with Alejando Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes providing plenty of support behind the Danish striker.
    As a result, Man United have scored 15 goals in their last five outings in all competitions – a far cry from their underwhelming attacking stats throughout the first half of the campaign.
    That being said, their defence is still prone to strange ten-minute spells when everything goes pear-shaped but their results are undoubtedly heading in the right direction.
    As for the Hatters, their defeat to Sheffield United last time out was a real spanner in the works.
    Prior to that loss (probably the first time they haven’t been underdogs in the league since promotion) they had gone unbeaten in six games, which included a surprise thrashing of Brighton and a crazy 4-4 draw with Newcastle.
    Rewind a couple of months and it would have been easy to envisage United coming unstuck at Kenilworth Road on a Sunday afternoon but their in-form attack should have enough to carry them through this one.
    Our Prediction: 3-2 to Manchester United
    Man United are back among the goalsCredit: Reuters
    Everton v Crystal Palace
    After a decent run before Christmas, the Toffees are now without a win in 11 games and are once again threatened by relegation, mostly because of their ten-point deduction of course.
    However, Sean Dyche’s side have had the wood over the Eagles of late.
    In fact, Monday night’s meeting will be the fourth time these two teams have played each other since November 11th – with wins for Everton either side of a 0-0 draw.
    At the time of writing, it’s unclear who will be in the dugout for Palace at Goodison Park but they’ll have their work cut out trying to get a tune out of the visitors’ available players – frequent injuries to Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze have been hugely detrimental.
    Both these teams desperately struggle to score goals so it’s unlikely to be a festival of attacking football and we suspect it’s the type of encounter that will leave neither set of supporters satisfied.
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    Our Prediction: 1-1 draw
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    Transfer recommendations ahead of Gameweek 24 – Arsenal defenders promise plentiful points

    DREAM TEAM managers should fix their sights firmly on the Premier League title contenders in Gameweek 24.Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal are among the select group of five teams with two fixtures to fulfil, making their popular players even more appealing than usual.
    Brentford and Luton are also set for double headers but while Ivan Toney (£4.9m) is a tempting differential option, gaffers who don’t need to do anything drastic should exclusively shop around the top three.
    With that in mind, allow us to propose some transfer recommendations…

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    A solid partnershipCredit: Dream Team
    William Saliba (£3.1m) and/or Gabriel (£3.7m)
    News of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s (£5.2m) latest injury setback will leave many gaffers in need of defender.
    While it’s frustrating to have one’s hand forced, this turn of events invites Dream Team bosses to back Arsenal’s resolute defence ahead of their favourable visit to Turf Moor on Saturday.
    Burnley have the worst home record in the top flight this season while the Gunners boast the best defensive record – it’s a huge clean sheet opportunity on paper.
    Then in midweek, Mikel Arteta’s men travel to Portugal for the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie with Porto.
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    The midweek match-up promises to be more competitive but it’s worth noting that the Primeira Liga outfit have been comprehensively outscored by Benfica and Sporting CP in the league this term.
    If the combination of a friendly league fixture coupled with an additional midweek outing isn’t enough, the fact Saliba and Gabriel banked 29 points between them last time out should be sufficient evidence of their viability.
    Arsenal have posed a serious threat from set-pieces this season, as evidenced by the goals scored by each of their first-choice centre-backs against West Ham last weekend.
    The Brazilian is marginally ahead in the rankings on 150 points to the Frenchman’s 144 but the truth is there isn’t much between them – Saliba’s cheaper price may even make him the superior option but it’s a case of take-your-pick.
    Doubling up on Arsenal defenders is a perfectly valid strategy.
    The obvious choiceCredit: Rex
    On a similar theme, Bukayo Saka (£5.5m) is essentially a must-have for Gameweek 24.
    The England winger is the second-most popular player in the game and the current top scorer so this suggestion should go without saying.
    Gabriel Martinelli (£4m) and Martin Odegaard (£4.1m) owners will feel confident of healthy returns too…
    Nathan Ake (£3.2m)
    Gaffers who would rather continue stocking up on Manchester City assets – an understandable inclination given they’ve won eleven games in a row – would do well to consider their Dutch defender.
    Pep Guardiola’s rotation policy is cause for concern but Josko Gvardiol’s (£3.3m) injury should ensure back-to-back starts for Ake against Chelsea and Brentford in Gameweek 24.
    Go Dutch!Credit: Getty
    Granted, the defending champions haven’t kept as many clean sheets as they should have this season but they held firm against Everton last weekend and really should have kept FC Copenhagen at bay in midweek – the Danish side registered just one shot on target and 21% possession.
    Ake banked 13 points in Gameweek 23 via a helpful (accidental) assist against the Toffees.
    The 28-year-old is far from a short-term punt either as City play Luton and Bournemouth in Gameweek 25 – they’re also the only team with two fixtures scheduled for Gameweek 26 (Manchester United and Copenhagen).
    We won’t waste any time justifying City’s blindingly obvious talents – Phil Foden (£5.3m), Kevin De Bruyne (£5.9m) and Erling Haaland’s (£7.3m) returns speak for themselves.
    Agent of chaosCredit: PA
    Diogo Jota (£4.3m) and/or Darwin Nunez (£4.5m)
    Gaffers without a Liverpool forward in their XI will be nervous heading into Gameweek 24.
    The Reds travel to Brentford on Saturday before welcoming Luton to Anfield on Wednesday.
    Both opponents are capable of mixing it with bigger teams on their day but the fact remains the Bees and the Hatters are closer to relegation than Jurgen Klopp’s men at the top of the table.
    Only Man City have scored more league goals than Liverpool at this stage of the campaign and they haven’t really felt the absence of Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) in recent weeks.
    Jota has contributed 14 goals and six assists in 2023/24 while Nunez has provided 12 goals and 14 assists – impressive numbers to say the least.

    Salah was pictured in training earlier this week and may get some minutes but the onus will once again be on the aforementioned pair to get the job done in the final third.
    The Portugal international is way more efficient and methodical than the Uruguayan No9 but the latter’s unique brand of chaos typically results in plenty of points.
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    Like Saliba and Gabriel, it’s a toss-up between the two but backing both Jota and Nunez alongside Haaland would constitute a fantastic front three.
    Lock in your transfers before Saturday’s 11:30am deadline.

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    34 points across four games makes Ivan Toney tempting differential striker ahead of double Gameweek

    WE have a soft spot for Ivan Toney (£4.9m) here at Dream Team HQ.Ever since Brentford were promoted to the Premier League, their combative target man has punched above his weight and mixed it with the game’s top strikers despite his comparatively relaxed schedule (no European commitments).
    And so when Toney became available again after his eight-month suspension for gambling offences, we promised we’d review his comeback performances soon after.

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    Back with a bangCredit: Dream Team
    The 27-year-old has hit the ground running since his return in Gameweek 20, banking 34 points across four outings to remind Dream Team managers everywhere of his pedigree.
    A three-point haul against treble winners Manchester City is his only blemish so far with goals against Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and Wolves making him one of Dream Team’s most in-form forwards.
    In fact, among assets in his position, only Erling Haaland (£7.3m) averages more points-per-game than Toney in 2023/24 – although of course the latter’s figure of 8.5 comes from a much smaller sample size.
    What’s undeniable is that the Bees’ talisman is worthy of due consideration.
    And a quick look at the schedule suggests he might be an interesting differential option in Gameweek 24.
    That’s mainly because Thomas Frank’s side are one of just five teams with two fixtures to fulfil this coming Gameweek.
    Most read in Football
    Brentford’s new double actCredit: Rex
    However, it should be noted that Brentford’s double header is comfortably the most challenging on paper – they host Liverpool on Saturday before travelling to Manchester City on Tuesday night.
    Those testing match-ups reduce the viability of every other Brentford player but Toney’s record sets him apart from his team-mates.
    Remember, he scored 20 goals from 33 league games last season, even outscoring Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) in the top flight.
    And three goals from his first four appearances this term suggests the lengthy suspension has not had a negative impact on his playing ability.

    Admittedly, stocking up on Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool players in Gameweek 24 appears the wisest strategy as the three title contenders also have two fixtures each.
    But Toney deserves to be shortlisted among the potential recruits this week.
    His ownership of 1.8% makes him a huge differential, one that may appeal to gaffers who feel the need to think outside the box in order to gain ground in their Mini Leagues.

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    Brentford vs Liverpool: Get £30 in free bets when you stake £10 with talkSPORT BET

    BRENTFORD host Liverpool in the Premier League.And brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim a wonderful £30 in free bets when they sign-up and stake a tenner on Saturday’s top-flight encounter.
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    You could decide to use your free bets on Saturday’s clash between Brentford and Liverpool, and below are some of our expert picks and top prices with TalkSPORT BET.
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    Liverpool should be capable of scoring at least a few against their opponents on Saturday.
    The Reds are scoring bundles of goals with Jurgen Klopp’s side having netted 3+ goals in four of their last six matches in all competitions.
    That’s good news for the in-form Diogo Jota, who’s netted five goals in his last six games. He’s faced Brentford on six occasion in his career and scored three times.
    Though results have improved, Brentford are without a clean sheet in their last 14 home games this season, and only Sheffield United and Burnley have conceded more on their own patch.
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    As mentioned, Liverpool are scoring a fair few goals with Manchester City the only side to have outscored them in the Premier League this season.
    Brentford registered their first clean sheet since October 28th against Wolves last weekend, but their opponents still managed 20 efforts on total and no side has conceded more efforts on target in the last two matches.
    The Bees are more than capable of a goal themselves having scored at least once in each of their last nine outings.
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    Kevin De Bruyne punishes hesitant Dream Team bosses to finish as Gameweek 23’s top performer

    WAS there any doubt Kevin De Bruyne (£5.9m) would put on an exhibition in Gameweek 23?Manchester City’s playmaker-in-chief has hardly missed a beat since returning from a lengthy injury lay-off, as Everton and FC Copenhagen discovered to their detriment.

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    A world-class performerCredit: Dream Team
    Initially, it seemed as if the Dream Team managers who resisted the urge to transfer the brilliant Belgian into their XI were justified as he was named on the bench against the Toffees for Saturday’s early kick-off.
    However, De Bruyne was introduced just before the hour-mark with the score at 0-0 and helped the defending champions register their tenth straight win in all competitions.
    The 32-year-old provided the assist for Erling Haaland’s (£7.3m) second goal to register four points from just over half an hour’s work.
    A short weekend shift all but guaranteed De Bruyne’s place in the starting line-up in the Danish capital on Tuesday night and that’s where he really cashed in.
    Those hesitant gaffers could only watch on and grimace as he scored City’s opening goal before assisting their second and third.
    When all was said and done, De Bruyne claimed 16 points from the Champions League round of 16 first leg to make it 20 for the Gameweek.
    De Bruyne produced a pinpoint finish to unlock Copenhagen’s defenceCredit: Getty
    This combined haul means he finishes as the top performer in Gameweek 23, edging out team-mates Haaland and Phil Foden (£5.3m).
    Most read in Football
    De Bruyne has been among the top five most transferred-in players for the last four Gameweeks in succession but a significant portion of gaffers have been resistant, perhaps because his playing time remains somewhat uncertain.
    His sizeable ownership of 26.7% is enough to make him the eighth most-popular player in the game but, such is the star midfielder’s pedigree, he’s historically been owned by approximately half of gaffers when fully fit.
    In fairness, De Bruyne has only completed 90 minutes twice in seven outings since his return but the overriding point is that he doesn’t need much time on the pitch to change the course of a game.
    He’s plundered 50 points across the last five Gameweeks via two goals and eight assists.
    A formidable duoCredit: AFP

    The Belgium international is known for his unmatched playmaking ability but even so his tally of eight assists is remarkable given he’s played just eight games in 2023/24.
    For comparison, Bruno Fernandes (£4.9m) has registered seven assists and he’s played 32 games this season.
    Pep Guardiola’s side have six fixtures between Gameweeks 24 and 26, the most of any Premier League team, so De Bruyne’s backers should expect plenty more returns in the coming weeks.
    And to those still reluctant to transfer him in – what are you waiting for?

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