Dream Team

ALL but two of the 20 Premier League clubs have one fixture to fulfil in Gameweek 28.This weekend will host eight top flight fixtures as well as the Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Newcastle at Wembley.As a result, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are set to start the international break early.Eze and Rogers are among the players on the way out in Dream Team this weekCredit: Dream TeamConsequently, popular Dream Team assets such as Morgan Rogers (£3.9m), Ollie Watkins (£5.2m) and Marc Guehi (£4m) will BLANK this coming Gameweek.Gaffers must find replacements for these players or make their peace with zero-pointers.MOST POPULAR ASTON VILLA AND CRYSTAL PALACE PLAYERS (% OWNERSHIP)26.5% – Morgan Rogers20.8% – Ollie Watkins20.6% – Emi Martinez11.2% – Lucas Digne9.4% – Marc Guehi8.3% – Eberechi Eze8.1% – Marcus Rashford7.9% – Youri Tielemans5.9% – Marco Asensio5.4% – Dean HendersonThere’s no doubt about it, these blanks are inconvenient to say the least.Asensio and Watkins were both among the five most recruited players ahead of Gameweek 27 as many Dream Team bosses intended to target the Villains’ double header against Brentford and Club Brugge – a perfectly logical strategy.But gaffers who opted for such a ploy will have to ditch those very same players before Saturday’s 1:30pm deadline.Asensio has been a popular man of late but a blank Gameweek is a significant hurdleCredit: PAAnd it may be a case of the hokey-cokey as Villa assets will probably be popular again during the international break as Unai Emery’s side are one of just seven teams with two fixtures to fulfil in Gameweek 29: Preston (a) and Brighton (a).Most read in FootballIn, out, in, out…Crystal Palace are also among the septet with two games scheduled for Gameweek 29: Fulham (a) and Southampton (a).There’s no easier opponent than Saints in the Premier League this season and so the likes of Daniel Munoz (£5.3m) and Jean Philippe-Mateta (£4.5m) should be considered among the best options once the Eagles’ blank Gameweek is out of the way.Munoz is Dream Team’s second-best defender right nowCredit: PASome gaffers may be in the unfortunate position of having more Villa and Palace players than transfers available for Gameweek 28.In such cases, it might be wise to ditch those most vulnerable to price drops.For example, Watkins banked ten points against the Bees at the weekend while Rashford settled for just two points.The outlook may change after Wednesday night’s game at Villa Park but at the stage the former is almost certainly set for a price increase whereas the latter will probably decrease in value.For some, Gameweek 28 might be about damage limitation.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

CHRIS WOOD (£3.9m) has already done enough to be forever synonymous with the 2024/25 Premier League season.The 33-year-old has scored 18 goals in the top flight this campaign to fire Nottingham Forest to the brink of Champions League qualification.One of the stories of the seasonCredit: Dream TeamWood’s clinical finishing has been a huge factor in the massive over-performance of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, currently third in the table having finished 17th last season.Only Mohamed Salah (£8m), Erling Haaland (£8.1m) and Alexander Isak (£6.4m) have scored more goals than the big New Zealander in Dream Team this term.But whereas those three superstars all rank within the top ten for total shots in the league at this stage, Wood is just 26th in the same metric.The list of players to have registered more shots than Forest’s top scorer includes Dominik Szoboszlai (£4.4m), Alejandro Garnacho (£2.9m) and Alex Iwobi (£2.9m).Wood is on track for 20+ Premier League goals this seasonCredit: PAWood’s efficiency is truly remarkable.He’s scored 18 league goals from chances worth a total of 10.9 xG (expected goals) – in this regard he has been the league’s best finisher.For comparison, Haaland has scored 20 goals from 19.9 xG.Naturally, an in-form goalscorer of this variety is a hugely appealing prospect for Dream Team managers.Most read in FootballHowever, Wood’s viability has been limited by his comparatively relaxed schedule.All but 85 of his 2,368 minutes have come in the Premier League.Whereas Salah, with additional European commitments and a more prominent role in the domestic cups, has racked up 3,486 minutes!Salah has played over 1,000 more minutes than WoodCredit: EPAThis deficit has been a reason to avoid Wood for much of the campaign but there’s no reason to shy away from him ahead of Gameweek 28.Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are set to blank this coming Gameweek while the other 18 clubs will all be in action once each.And Forest have one of the most favourable fixtures in the form of a trip to Portman Road.Ipswich are languishing in 18th having mustered just 17 points in 28 outings since their return to the top flight.Only Southampton and Leicester have conceded more goals than the Tractor Boys and so Wood has to be considered a relatively strong option for Saturday’s match-up.Wood versus Ipswich is a potential mismatchCredit: EPALooking past the international break, Forest are one of just seven teams with two games in Gameweek 29: Brighton (a) and Manchester United (h).That visit to the Seagulls comes in the FA Cup and there’s every chance Wood will start on the bench as Taiwo Awoniyi (£2.2m) has led the line in the cups of late.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut the big No11 might get some substitute minutes in the second half before he starts against the Red Devils at the City Ground.The point being, Wood’s main weakness in Dream Team (lack of minutes) will not be a factor at all for the rest of March.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

DREAM TEAM managers shouldn’t be shy of backing Bournemouth players when the time suits.The Cherries may be without a win in their last three league games but they remain in a very strong position in the Premier League, just three points behind Manchester City in the Champions League places.Fit and firingCredit: Dream TeamAndoni Iraola’s dynamic side pack a real punch in attack.They rank third in the top flight for xG, fourth for shots and seventh for goals.And those stats simply reinforce what Dream Team bosses will have observed when watching Bournemouth play; they are very impressive in full flow.A quick check of the schedule suggests that now might be an opportune moment to back one or two of the Vitality Stadium’s star residents.Bournemouth are one of just five teams with three fixtures to fulfil across the next two Gameweeks and the only one with the luxury of three consecutive home games.Evanilson scored 25 goals in all competitions for Porto last seasonCredit: GettyIn Gameweek 28, they are due to face Brentford in a match-up with the necessary ingredients for an open, high-scoring affair.Then in Gameweek 29, Iraola’s men will host Man City and Ipswich, with the former being an FA Cup quarter-final.Pep Guardiola’s side are favourites to lift the famous old cup come May but they have been well short of their best this season.Most read in FootballIn fact, Man City lost to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium in the league back in November.Kluivert is a good option for the remainder of MarchCredit: ReutersJustin Kluivert (£3.9m) and Antoine Semenyo (£4.4m) have been Bournemouth’s best performers in Dream Team this term.The former has 200 points to the latter’s 196 and has undoubtedly been in better form recently.The Dutchman also has the advantage of being his team’s first-choice penalty taker.However, Semenyo edges out his team-mate in terms of shots on target, big chances created and tackles – he also gets more minutes.Both midfielders are certainly viable selections for the next two Gameweeks at least.Iraola is doing a fantastic job at BournemouthCredit: ReutersMilos Kerkez (£3.5m) is the best option among the defensive assets with seven goal involvements to his name, the latest being a cross of the highest quality at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.The Hungarian left-back is one of the best players in his position the Premier League has to offer but, for all Bournemouth’s attacking pedigree, clean sheets have not come easily.One tempting option is Evanilson (£3.9m).The Cherries’ No9 returned from injury in Gameweek 25 and since then he’s scored two goals in two outings as a starter.The former Porto striker currently appears in just 0.2% of teams, making him a MASSIVE differential in the world of Dream Team.READ MORE SUN STORIESBournemouth’s attacking assets should be popular recruits this weekCredit: GettyEvanilson actually scored against both Man City and Brentford earlier in the season and so the prospect of recruiting him just before he is unleashed upon the same opponents – plus relegation-bound Ipswich – is an intriguing one.Kluivert and Semenyo will be the more popular options for gaffers keen on Bournemouth’s next two Gameweeks but the lowly-owned Brazilian striker is a potential difference maker worthy of consideration.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

BRUNO FERNANDES (£6.4m) reached a significant milestone on Sunday.Manchester United’s captain banked 13 points against Arsenal to take his overall tally for the season to 301.Triple centurion!Credit: Dream TeamFernandes is just the third player to achieve a triple century of points in 2024/25 and the first midfielder, with forwards Mohamed Salah (£8m) and Erling Haaland (£8.1m) being the only individuals above him in the rankings.The Portugal international ticked past the 300-point mark with a fantastic free-kick during his side’s 1-1 draw with the Gunners at Old Trafford.He registered three shots on target in total and also notched two tackles and a bonus point in what was his fourth double-digit haul in his last five outings.Despite the Red Devils’ broader struggles, Fernandes has been in fine form since the turn of the year having scored six goals and provided four assists in ten Gameweeks since New Year’s Day.The 30-year-old has earned 130 points in this time at an average of 8.7 per game.Fernandes continues to rack up pointsCredit: GettyThis increase in returns has coincided with a dip in Cole Palmer’s (£5.6m) form, best evidenced by his missed penalty against Leicester on Sunday.Another 12-point swing in favour of Fernandes has given him a 37-point gap over Chelsea’s talisman at the top of the midfielder rankings.He’s now 49 points clear of third-placed Bryan Mbeumo (£4.8m).Most read in FootballMOST POINTS AMONG DREAM TEAM MIDFIELDERS THIS SEASON301 pts – Bruno Fernandes (£6.4m)264 pts – Cole Palmer (£5.6m)252 pts – Bryan Mbeumo (£4.8m)232 pts – Dejan Kulusevski (£4.4m)225 pts – Morgan Rogers (£3.9m)224 pts – Bukayo Saka (£6.6m)223 pts – Luis Diaz (£3.4m)220 pts – Phil Foden (£6.2m)217 pts – James Maddison (£4.2m)214 pts – Youri Tielemans (£3.9m)Fernandes is starting to carve out a bracket all of his own and he has another point-scoring opportunity this Gameweek when Man United welcome Real Sociedad to Old Trafford for the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie (currently 1-1 on aggregate) on Thursday night.Man United are hugely reliant on their skipperCredit: GettyHis viability will take a hit if Ruben Amorim’s side are dumped out of Europe but he should be considered a must-have asset for Gameweek 28 when he’s due to visit the King Power.Given the Foxes are sinking towards the Championship having lost five league games on the bounce, Fernandes may even be the best captaincy option next Gameweek.The all-action midfielder has 12 goals and 15 assists to his name in all competitions but his tangible output, while impressive, only tells half the story.He ranks fourth in his position for shots on target, third for big chances created, ninth for tackles and 11th for bonus points.He does it all!Credit: GettyFernandes’ ownership of 26.7% makes him the ninth-most popular player overall but even that feels a tad low for the game’s leading midfielder.By way of a comparison, Palmer currently features in 58.9% of teams.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news for Gameweek 27 in one convenient location.Matheus Cunha, Tariq Lamptey and Anthony Gordon are all suspended having been shown red cards in what was an ill-tempered FA Cup fifth round.The latter was among the most popular midfielders in the game but his ownership has plummeted this week as he’s set to miss Newcastle’s league fixtures against West Ham and Brentford as well as the Carabao Cup final.Gordon saw red against BrightonCredit: ReutersGordon’s suspension is far from the only availability headache for Newcastle.Lewis Hall has been ruled out for the remainder of the season and will be a big miss for the Magpies having registered seven assists from left-back this campaign.Centre-back Sven Botman is also facing several weeks on the sidelines and may have to undergo further surgery on his troublesome knee.In brighter news, Alexander Isak has been declared fit by Eddie Howe.The Swedish striker, who is the third-most selected asset in his position, was considered a doubt following his withdrawal against Brighton last weekend but he’s since trained without complaint.Kaoru Mitoma appeared in discomfort at St James’ Park last week too but Fabian Hurzeler confirmed that the Japanese winger merely had cramp.The Seagulls have reported no new injuries.Most read in FootballKulusevski won’t return until AprilCredit: GettyDejan Kulusevski is expected to be unavailable until after the March international.The Sweden international did not travel with Tottenham to AZ Alkmaar because of a foot injury.Kulusevski is the most transferred-out player ahead of Gameweek 27 but at the time of writing he still appears in 12.3% of teams.Dominic Solanke returned in the Europa League on Thursday but took a knock before full time.Speaking about the Spurs target man, Ange Postecoglou said: “I think he got a knee into the backside so it’s probably a bit sore. It’s a knock so hopefully it settles down pretty quickly.”First-choice centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are “in the mix” to face Bournemouth.Ruben Amorim admitted he is unsure whether Harry Maguire or Manuel Ugarte will recover in time to face Arsenal on Sunday – the pair skipped Manchester United’s Europa League meeting with Real Sociedad.Gakpo is a “close call”Credit: ReutersCody Gakpo remains a doubt for Liverpool ahead of Southampton’s visit to Anfield.The Netherlands international travelled to Paris in midweek but did not even make the bench against PSG and was unable to train on Thursday.A late decision will be made on the 7.1%-owned forward.Jean-Philippe Mateta will not feature for Crystal Palace against Ipswich this weekend.The in-form striker suffered a nasty cut against Millwall in the FA Cup that required many stitches.Pep Guardiola gave a timeline of ten to eleven weeks for Nathan Ake’s recovery following surgery on the Dutch defender’s foot.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWARSENALInjuries: Takehiro Tomiyasu, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai HavertzSuspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Ross Barkley, (doubt), Amadou Onana (doubt)Suspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Julian Araujo, Marcos Senesi, Adam Smith, Enes Unal, Ryan Christie (doubt)Suspensions: Illia ZabarnyiBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Gustavo Nunes, Igor Thiago, Rico Henry, Sepp van den BergSuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: James Milner, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jason Steele, Igor Julio, Lewis Dunk, Joel Veltman, Matt O’Riley (doubt)Suspensions: Tariq LampteyCHELSEAInjuries: Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu, Noni MaduekeSuspensions: Mykhailo MudrykCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Cheick Doucoure, Joel Ward, Chadi Riad, Jean-Philippe MatetaSuspensions: Will HughesEVERTONInjuries: Dwight McNeil, Armando Broja, Seamus Coleman (doubt), Orel Mangala, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman NdiayeSuspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Kenny Tete, Reiss Nelson, Harry Wilson, Adama Traore (doubt)Suspensions: Sasa LukicIPSWICHInjuries: Chiedozie Ogbene, Conor Chaplin (doubt), Wes Burns, Julio Enciso, Arijanet Muric, Sammie Szmodics, Axel Tuanzebe, Cameron Burgess (doubt), Omari HutchinsonSuspensions: NoneLEICESTERInjuries: Abdul FatawuSuspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley, Cody Gakpo (doubt)Suspensions: NoneMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Oscar Bobb, Rodri, Manuel Akanji, John Stones, Nathan AkeSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez, Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo, Manuel Ugarte (doubt), Harry Maguire (doubt)Suspensions: Patrick DorguNEWCASTLEInjuries: Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman, Lewis HallSuspensions: Anthony GordonNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Carlos MiguelSuspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Ross Stewart (doubt), Ryan Fraser (doubt), Juan Larios (doubt), James BreeSuspensions: NoneTOTTENHAMInjuries: Dominic Solanke (doubt), Radu Dragusin, Richarlison, Ben Davies (doubt), Dejan KulusevskiSuspensions: NoneWEST HAMInjuries: Michail Antonio, Vladimir Coufal (doubt), Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville, Lucas Paqueta (doubt)Suspensions: NoneWOLVESREAD MORE SUN STORIESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Yerson Mosquera, Leon ChiwoneSuspensions: Matheus Cunha More

DREAM TEAM managers must remember to select their captain for Gameweek 27 before Saturday’s 11am deadline.In last week’s captaincy article, we suggested that Bruno Fernandes (£6.4m) was a better fit for the armband than Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) and so it proved to be.Manchester United’s captain banked 17 points his two fixtures in Gameweek 26 while Liverpool’s main man endured a rare off-day against PSG, mustering just two points.Salah endured a tough night in ParisCredit: GettyGaffers who opted to double Fernandes’ returns instead of Salah’s will have benefited from a significant points swing but does that mean they should bet against the Egyptian superstar again in Gameweek 27?Arne Slot’s side escaped from Paris with a 1-0 win but were comprehensively outplayed by the Ligue 1 champions.PSG’s left-back Nuno Mendes marshalled Salah very well and a similar performance at Anfield this coming Tuesday would likely result in another paltry return from Dream Team’s runaway points leader.Before that highly-anticipated second leg, Liverpool welcome Southampton to Merseyside in what should be a straightforward task.Saints are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table having conceded the most goals and Salah (30 goals and 22 assists in 2024/25) could fill his boots on Saturday afternoon.This mismatch is the biggest reason to captain the prolific 32-year-old but isn’t there a risk Slot will manage the workload of his most important players this weekend?Salah v Southampton is a HUGE mismatch on paperCredit: PA wireThe league leaders probably won’t need to be at their best to beat a team destined for a return to the Championship and so it wouldn’t be all that surprising if Salah’s minutes were reduced with a view to ensuring he’s in the best condition possible to take on PSG.Most read in FootballEven so, it would take a very brave Dream Team manager to not captain the game’s top performer ahead of the most favourable fixture on offer in the top flight this season.And just because Salah was kept quiet in Paris, doesn’t mean the same will happen on his home patch.For those willing to roll the dice, Cole Palmer’s (£5.8m) fixtures look mighty inviting.Time to end the droughtCredit: GettyChelsea’s talisman hasn’t been at his best of late but back-to-back home games against Leicester and Copenhagen make up an appealing double header.Palmer started in Denmark on Thursday night when the Blues’ registered a 2-1 win in the first leg of their Conference League round of 16 tie.Clearly, Enzo Maresca is prepared to make proper use of his star player now the competition has reached the knockout stage.The England international has missed out on some points recently but he’s still among an elite group of just four players who average more than nine points-per-game this campaign.The Foxes aren’t as bad as Southampton but they’re not that much better – they conceded 12 unanswered goals in four league games in February.Palmer will fancy his chances of ending his mini goal drought and will probably get more minutes in midweek.Fernandes has been in fine form latelyCredit: GettyThe aforementioned Fernandes has provided plenty of points recently but his upcoming double header of Arsenal and Real Sociedad doesn’t look quite as friendly as previous Gameweeks.Although he is Dream Team’s second most in-form player right now and that counts for something.Son Heung-min (£4.8m) looked a decent outside bet for captaincy in Gameweek 27 earlier this week but Tottenham’s bitterly underwhelming showing against AZ Alkmaar has all but killed that idea.The South Korean superstar averages an impressive 6.5 points-per-game this season and Spurs have the luxury of consecutive home games this coming Gameweek (Bournemouth and the return leg against AZ Alkmaar) but it’s not unthinkable Ange Postecoglou’s side will lose both games.READ MORE SUN STORIESIn our humble opinion, it comes down to Salah v Palmer.The fear of missing out on Liverpool v Southampton at Anfield will probably be the prevailing factor among engaged gaffers.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More