Dream Team

HERE’S an ultimate Dream Team XI with a unique twist.We’ve constructed the best possible team (based on current season points) but with the crucial restriction of no more than one player per club.This limitation ensures some surprising inclusions…PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!An unlikely leader among keepersCredit: RexGOALKEEPER: Andre Onana (£3.3m)Incredibly, Manchester United’s goalkeeper is the best-performing asset in his position this campaign.The Cameroon international has racked up 176 points despite the fact he’s conceded more goals (67) than any other custodian.Onana has somehow chalked up 12 clean sheets despite the open nature of the Red Devils’ fixtures.The main reason he’s top of the pile is his massive tally of 159 saves, 37 more than his nearest rival.DEFENDERS: Kieran Trippier (£4.3m), Pedro Porro (£3.5m), Antonee Robinson (£3.3m)Most read in FootballA reliable Dream Team performerCredit: GettyArsenal defenders dominate the top of the rankings at present but Gabriel (£4.3m), the best of them, misses out because one of Mikel Arteta’s other favourites (soon to be revealed) is a must-have.That leaves the door open for Newcastle’s right-back to lead the back three having registered 199 points.The Magpies’ defence hasn’t been all that tight by any means but Trippier continues to be on par with some of the best playmakers in terms of creativity – he’s notched 11 assists this term.It’s a similar story for Tottenham’s No23, who now has ten goal involvements to his name.Porro also ranks highly for tackles and bonus points – he’s on 185 points overall.Completing our three-man defence, a shock appearance from Fulham’s diligent left-back.Only Ezri Konsa (£3.3m) has mustered more bonus points than Robinson among defenders at the time of writing while only Emerson (£3.1m) and Tyrick Mitchell (£2.5m) have made more tackles than the USA international.Add in seven assists and it’s no wonder the 26-year-old has collected 180 points and is eighth in the rankings among players in his position.MIDFIELDERS: Phil Foden (£5.9m), Bukayo Saka (£5.5m), Cole Palmer (£4.8m), Jarrod Bowen (£5m)Stars of our hypothetical XICredit: Dream TeamManchester City’s homegrown wonderkid is the outright top performer in Dream Team right now and therefore edges out the mighty Erling Haaland (£7.1m) in this XI.Foden has amassed a whopping 321 points via 20 goals, 11 assists and 50 bonus points.Of course Saka is the man keeping Arsenal’s reliable defenders out of the team.The Gunners’ No7 is one of just three triple centurions (alongside Foden and Haaland) at the time of writing having scored 17 goals and provided 14 assists.Chelsea’s new hero is an absolute shoo-in as he’s comfortably his side’s top asset this season.Palmer has been a revelation since his switch to Stamford Bridge, even accounting for a liberal supply of penalties – he’s registered more shots on target than any other midfielder.34 goal involvements in 38 appearances represents an incredible return, as does his tally of 285 points.Dream Team’s top dog at presentCredit: ReutersWest Ham’s top scorer completes our midfield quartet, despite the fact he’s played most of his minutes as a centre-forward this season.Bowen just edges out his team-mate, Mohammed Kudus (£5.2m), who is 32 points behind on 241 (to the Englishman’s 273).A relatively even spread of clubs means this quartet make up the actual top-ranked midfielders in the game right now.STRIKERS: Mohamed Salah (£6.7m), Ollie Watkins (£4.6m), Joao Pedro (£4.2m)Without Haaland, Liverpool’s main man is entrusted to lead our forward line.Salah’s tally of 23 goals and 13 assists is even more impressive when factoring in his mid-season departure to the Africa Cup of Nations and his subsequent injury layoff.The Egyptian superstar has banked 281 points at an average of eight per game.RelentlessCredit: AFPAston Villa have notable performers in every position but their first-choice striker is the jewel in the crown with 262 points to his name.Only Haaland has scored more Premier League goals than Watkins this season.Last but not least, one of the breakout stars of the campaign in Brighton’s Brazilian starlet.READ MORE SUN STORIES19-goal Pedro remains sixth in the forward rankings despite the fact he recently missed nine games through injury, thanks in no small part to a host of penalties.What a team!talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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MANCHESTER UNITED were involved in yet another chaotic match on Sunday.Liverpool enjoyed the majority of possession at Old Trafford and overwhelmed the hosts for most of the contest but the Red Devils somehow came away with a point despite conceding 28 shots.Bruno Fernandes (£5.1m) changed the complexion of the game just after half-time with a exquisite long-range strike to capitalise on a misplaced pass by Jarell Quansah (£2.1m) when Caoimhin Kelleher (£2.6m) was well outfield.PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE AHEAD OF THIS SUMMER’S TOURNAMENT!Hated, adored, never ignoredCredit: Dream TeamThe Portugal international’s strike gave Erik ten Hag’s side the impotence for a short spell, in which time Kobbie Mainoo (£2.3m) scored a glorious goal to put them ahead.Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) and company piled on the pressure late at the end of a ludicrously open affair that ultimately ended 2-2.From a Dream Team perspective, Fernandes added another 11 points to his tally by the final whistle to continue his impressive individual form.The 29-year-old may not be every gaffer’s cup of tea as he’s prone to acts of petulance but that doesn’t mean his output should be underestimated.In fact, he’s technically Dream Team’s second-most in-form midfielder right now as only Cole Palmer (£4.8m) has produced more points in his last three outings.252 points and countingCredit: RexAnd Fernandes’ prosperous form is far from a flash in the pan – he’s climbed the rankings at a fair lick since the turn of the year.Most read in FootballHe started 2024 with a 12-point haul against Wigan in the FA Cup and since then he’s added another 109 points in 14 appearances.To put it another way, Fernandes is averaging 10.1 points per Gameweek this calendar year.This surge has propelled him up to fifth in the midfield rankings on 252 points overall.Obviously, Man United no longer have European commitments to bolster their schedule but their fixtures appear relatively friendly.Fernandes and company travel to Bournemouth in Gameweek 31, with the caveat that the Cherries won the reverse fixture 3-0 back in December.Then in Gameweek 32, Man United face Coventry in the FA Cup before hosting Sheffield United in the Premier League – a favourable double header on paper.Gameweek 33 then brings a home game against Burnley.Only Cole Palmer has earned more points than Fernandes across his last three games among midfieldersCredit: AlamyIf Ten Hag’s men progress in the cup then their lack of European fixtures will be somewhat negated.Fernandes has ten goals and ten assists to his name but those stats only tell half the story.He’s registered 45 shots on target, the third-highest tally among assets in his position, while his total of 22 big chances created is only bettered by Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) among all players.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Portuguese playmaker has also got through a very respectable 89 tackles.For all the complaints about his attitude, Fernandes is consistently among Dream Team’s top midfielders, even with question marks hanging over his side’s broader tactical approach.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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Last week, Kevin De Bruyne (£5.7m) watched on as an unused substitute as Phil Foden (£5.9m) scored a hat-trick against Aston Villa to win the game for Manchester City.On Saturday, the latter remained rooted to the bench as the brilliant Belgian scored two goals and provided an assist against Crystal Palace to secure all three points.The incredibly high level of this particular rotation option is a priceless luxury for Pep Guardiola as his side seek to defend the FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League at the back end of this dramatic season.But for Dream Team managers, this shuffling of the deck can be immensely frustrating.PLAY DREAM TEAM’S EUROS BRACKET CHALLENGE AHEAD OF THIS SUMMER’S TOURNAMENT!De Bruyne produced a masterclass against Crystal PalaceCredit: Dream TeamFoden is the third most-popular captain this Gameweek and so his unexpected absence at Selhurst Park came as a bitter blow for a sizeable chunk of gaffers – never mind the fact he features in 51.4% of teams overall.As for De Bruyne, his workload has been carefully managed since his return from a relatively serious hamstring injury.While this is a sensible move on the club’s part, Dream Team bosses generally prefer players who are guaranteed extensive minutes.The temptation is to minimise such headaches by staying clear of Man City assets altogether, thus taking Guardiola’s rotation policy out of the equation.The problem with such a strategy is that it means sacrificing a mountain of points.Most read in Dream TeamWell rested for City’s trip to Real MadridCredit: EPAWith 321 points to his name, Foden remains Dream Team’s top performer at the time of writing, despite being given the weekend off.Erling Haaland (£7.1m) is currently second in the rankings having reached 310 points with his 30th goal of the campaign against the Eagles.While De Bruyne’s 20-point haul makes him Gameweek 30’s top performer as is stands.Annoyingly, gaffers almost have no choice but to submit to Guardiola’s unpredictable team selections as the returns provided by the cream of the crop at the Etihad are simply too great to ignore.Those who captained Foden may yet have their Gameweek salvaged when City take on Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night.The 23-year-old will surely start against Los Blancos having been rested at the weekend.More pressingly, will De Bruyne drop to the bench or will Guardiola deploy both of his superstar attacking midfielders at the Bernabeu?The scourge of Dream Team gaffers worldwideCredit: AlamyIf gaffers are able to predict Guardiola’s approach going forward to a relatively accurate degree then then the potential rewards are huge.In Gameweek 31, the treble winners host both Luton and Real Madrid before Gameweek 32 brings a double header of Chelsea and Brighton.They are one of just three sides with four fixtures across the next two Gameweeks, with fellow title challengers Arsenal and Liverpool being the others.But those who fall foul of Pep Roulette risk losing momentum at the worst possible time.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt’s worth noting that Rodri (£4.1m) is close to being rotation-proof, such is his importance to Guardiola’s system.The Spaniard, who has 204 points in total, may not be as explosive as De Bruyne but he will be near ever-present as the season reaches its conclusion. talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 30 in one easily digestible dose.Bukayo Saka will be assessed after Friday’s training session to determine his availability for Arsenal’s trip to Brighton on Saturday.The Gunners’ No7, who currently features in 42.8% of teams, did not make the matchday squad in midweek but that mini break has given him a chance of a quick return.Mikel Arteta’s side are also due to face Bayern Munich in Gameweek 30.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S PREMIER LEAGUE ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!Saka is a doubt for Arsenal’s trip to BrightonCredit: Dream TeamAs for the Seagulls, Adam Webster and Evan Ferguson have been added to their lengthy injury list.Bart Verbruggen will start between the sticks against Arsenal.Unai Emery confirmed that Jacob Ramsey will not play again this season while late decisions will be made on Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins ahead of Aston Villa’s home game against Brentford on Saturday.In brighter news for the Villains, John McGinn has served his suspension and is therefore likely to regain his place in the starting line-up.Wataru Endo is expected to recover in time for Liverpool’s crunch game against Manchester United on Sunday but Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Diogo Jota and Stefan Bajcetic remain sidelined.As for the Red Devils, Casemiro, Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans all limped away from Thursday night’s frenetic clash with Chelsea.It’s too early to tell the severity of the trio’s respective injuries but all are deemed doubts for Gameweek 30 at this stage.Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez will be out for at least the rest of April.Walker remains sidelinedCredit: ReutersEderson is in contention to return for Manchester City but a final decision will be made closer to Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.However, the defending champions’ trip to Selhurst Park comes too soon for Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake.Michael Olise, who averages 9.2 points-per-game in Dream Team this season, may feature in some capacity for Crystal Palace but the talented midfielder is only ready for “15 or 20 minutes” according to Oliver Glasner.Matheus Cunha returned for Wolves last time out and might be ready to start against West Ham on Saturday.Hwang Hee-chan and Craig Dawson returned to training at the end of the week and will be assessed prior to the Hammers’ visit to Molineux.Newcastle have had terrible luck with injuries this seasonCredit: GettyTino Livramento and Miguel Almiron are both facing at least a couple of weeks on the sidelines following Newcastle’s chaotic encounter against West Ham.Anthony Gordon was dismissed in that game but he served his one-game suspension in midweek and is therefore available to face Fulham this weekend.The Cottagers’ in-form striker Rodrigo Muniz has apparently been playing through a minor issue but the problem is manageable.ARSENALInjuries: Jurrien Timber (doubt), Bukayo Saka (doubt)Suspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Boubacar Kamara, Jacob Ramsey, Ollie Watkins (doubt), Nicolo Zaniolo (doubt), Emi Martinez (doubt), Matty CashSuspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Ryan Fredericks, Chris Mepham (doubt), Marcos Senesi (doubt), Luis SinisterraSuspensions: NoneBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade (doubt), Josh Dasilva, Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee, Christian NorgaardSuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: Solly March, James Milner, Jack Hinshelwood, Kaoru Mitoma, Evan Ferguson, Adam Webster, Billy GilmourSuspensions: NoneBURNLEYInjuries: Luka Koleosho, Nathan Redmond, Aaron Ramsey, Jordan Beyer (doubt), Ameen Al-Dakhil, Han-Noah MassengoSuspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Lesley Ugochukwo, Reece James, Christopher Nkunku, Levi Colwill, Robert Sanchez (doubt), Ben Chilwell (doubt)Suspensions: NoneCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Cheick Doucoure, Rob Holding, Michael Olise (doubt), Marc Guehi, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Matheus Franca, Sam Johnstone, Chris Richards (doubt)Suspensions: NoneEVERTONInjuries: Dele Alli, Arnaut Danjuma, Lewis Dobbin, Amadou Onana (doubt)Suspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: NoneSuspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Diogo JotaSuspensions: NoneLUTONInjuries: Tom Lockyer, Marvelous Nakamba, Mads Andersen, Elijah Adebayo (doubt), Jacob Brown, Gabriel Osho, Amari’i Bell, Dan Potts, Albert-Mboyo Sambi Lokonga, Reece Burke (doubt), Chiedozie OgbeneSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Nathan Ake, Kyle Walker, Ederson (doubt)Suspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Tyrell Malacia, Anthony Martial, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane (doubt), Jonny Evans (doubt), Casemiro (doubt), Victor LindelofSuspensions: NoneNEWCASTLEInjuries: Matt Targett, Nick Pope, Joelinton, Callum Wilson, Kieran Trippier, Jamaal Lascelles, Miguel Almiron, Lewis Hall (doubt), Lewis Miley, Tino Livramento, Sven BotmanSuspensions: Sandro TonaliNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Nuno Tavares, Taiwo Awoniyi, Willy BolySuspensions: NoneSHEFFIELD UNITEDInjuries: Daniel Jebbison, John Egan, Chris Basham, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Max Lowe, Cameron Archer (doubt), Rhian Brewster, Tom Davies, George BaldockSuspensions: NoneTOTTENHAMInjuries: Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Fraser Forster, Brennan Johnson (doubt)Suspensions: NoneWEST HAMInjuries: Nayef Aguerd (doubt), Alphonse AreolaSuspensions: NoneWOLVESInjuries: Hwang Hee-chan (doubt), Craig Dawson (doubt), Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Pedro NetoSuspensions: NonetalkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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DREAM TEAM managers have some big decisions to make before the Gameweek 30 deadline.The landscape of the game has changed dramatically after what was an explosive Gameweek 29 with many gaffers tempted to switch up their captaincy strategy.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S PREMIER LEAGUE ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!There’s a new sheriff in townCredit: Dream TeamErling Haaland (£7.4m) has long been the go-to skipper for reasons that don’t need to be repeated but Manchester City’s No9 produced just two points in Gameweek 29.The stalemate between Pep Guardiola’s side and Arsenal at the Etihad yielded slim pickings before the Norwegian poacher was rested/dropped against Aston Villa in midweek.Haaland will surely retake his place in the starting line-up when the defending champions take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday and he’ll almost certainly lead the line away to Real Madrid on Tuesday.The 23-year-old has scored 29 goals in all competitions this season and remains a potent threat but he hasn’t looked his sharpest in recent outings (famous last words).And so some Dream Team bosses may feel it’s time to pivot to Phil Foden (£5.7m) when selecting their captain.49 goals between them this seasonCredit: ReutersThe England international is enjoying a magnificent season, cemented by a glorious hat-trick against Unai Emery’s side in midweek.He’s registered 20 goals, 11 assists and 50 bonus points.Most read in FootballMost notably, Foden is now Dream Team’s outright top performer in 2023/24 having improved his overall total to 321 points with a 27-point return in Gameweek 29.For that reason alone he has to be considered a strong captaincy choice going forward.Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) is the other name who deserves an obligatory mention in this discussion.Liverpool’s main man delivered 15 points in Gameweek 29 but many gaffers were disappointed to see him replaced after 60 minutes against Sheffield United last time out.The Reds face old enemies Manchester United this weekend before hosting Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-finals in midweek.Given the state of the Red Devils’ defence of late, Salah could fill his boots.The fact Liverpool theoretically have more favourable European fixtures on account of them participating in the Europa League instead of the Champions League also boosts Salah’s captaincy credentials.Salah has 270 points to his name this seasonCredit: GettyCole Palmer (£4.6m) added a whopping 44 points to his tally in Gameweek 29 and he’ll be licking his lips at the prospect of taking on relegation-bound Sheffield United this weekend.Chelsea’s top scorer would arguably be the standout captaincy option were it not for the additional fixtures in midweek – some gaffers may feel he’s capable of a suitably big haul on Sunday to justify the armband.A word for Jarrod Bowen (£4.9m) and Mohammed Kudus (£5m) too.West Ham also have two fixtures to fulfil this coming Gameweek although their Europa League meeting with Bayer Leverkusen is a daunting prospect – the Bundesliga champions elect remain undefeated in 2023/24.If we had to rank the top three captaincy options for Gameweek 30 we’d probably settle on:
Salah
Foden
Haaland
But there’s really not much between the big names at all this time around.Palmer only has one fixture in Gameweek 30 but it’s a favourable oneCredit: GettyIn terms of Booster strategies, the difficult Champions League match-ups for Arsenal and Manchester City makes it tricky to assemble a viable Park the Bus defence without a relatively high degree of risk.That being said, the Gunners’ defensive statistics look better and better with each passing week – they kept Man City at bay at the Etihad for crying out loud.It’s not a bad time to activate Max Captain by any means – this Booster would partially negate the unpredictable nature of the European games.READ MORE SUN STORIESAs for 12th Man, there will almost certainly be more inviting Gameweeks for this Booster down the line.Lock in your transfers, captain and any Boosters you wish to play before Saturday’s 11:30am deadline.talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
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