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    Wolves vs Chelsea: Get £30 in free bets when you stake £10 with talkSPORT BET

    CHRISTMAS EVE brings an early cracker as Wolves and Chelsea meet in the Premier League on Sunday.Bookmakers talkSPORT BET are offering brand new customers a fabulous £30 in free bets when they stake just £10 on any of the football this festive period – including this game!
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    Wolves go into the weekend in 13th place after an uncharacteristic thumping off West Ham last time out.
    They’ve registered just one win in their last five games now – losing three of those.
    While Chelsea will come here buoyed from their League Cup quarter final triumph in midweek.
    The Blues were fortunate with three potential sending offs before capitalising on another Kieran Trippier error with a 92nd minute equaliser – before progressing on penalties.
    They arrive here just three points clear of Wolves in 10th.
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    Will Christopher Nkunku prove to be a game-changer for Chelsea and Dream Team managers?

    CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU (£4m) made his long-awaited Chelsea debut last night.The Frenchman came off the bench in the 69th minute as the Blues edged out Newcastle on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
    Given he’s spent over four months on the sidelines with an injured knee, a little ring rust was to be expected but Nkunku looked comfortable enough in the game’s closing stages and, most encouragingly, he emphatically converted his spot-kick in the shootout.

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    “Like a new signing”Credit: Dream Team
    Naturally, the Stamford Bridge faithful were over the moon to see their £52million forward in action.
    Chelsea are currently tenth in the Premier League having blown hot and cold so far this season and many fans will be hoping Nkunku’s return to fitness will act as a positive turning point.
    The 26-year-old is a natural talent and so many Dream Team managers will be wondering if he’s a potential game-changer at this crucial stage of the campaign.
    At £4million he’s reasonably priced, cheaper than the likes of Alexander Isak (£4.1m), Darwin Nunez (£4.1m) and Julian Alvarez (£4.2m) at present, but there are several other factors to consider.
    Nkunku was one of the Bundesliga’s very best players prior to his transfer to West London but while some individuals have transitioned seamlessly from Germany to English soil, many others have either required time to adapt or diminished entirely.
    For example, Kai Havertz (£3.4m) was highly-admired in his homeland (he still is) but he never truly settled at Chelsea and it’s only in the last month he’s begun to win over Arsenal supporters.
    Most read in Football
    Havertz has impressed in spells but underwhelmed at other times since his arrival from GermanyCredit: Alamy
    Nkunku scored 58 goals across his last two seasons at his former club and his success was not contained to the German top flight – he produced several eye-catching performances in the Champions League, including a hat-trick against Manchester City.
    The 2022/23 Bundesliga top scorer is not an out-and-out striker in the mould of an Erling Haaland (£7.9m), Ivan Toney (£5m) or Callum Wilson (£4.4m) but he is a goalscorer.
    Dream Team gaffers should not be put off by the fact he’ll occupy deeper positions at times, it’s his ultimate output in the final third that matters.
    It’s interesting to note that the France international ranked just 17th for shots on target in the Bundesliga last season given nobody scored more league goals than him.
    Throughout the first two months of the season, Chelsea’s primary problem was their inability to convert chances.
    A fully-fit Nkunku should address that issue.

    Chelsea fans were happy to see Nkunku in action on Tuesday nightCredit: Getty
    On paper, Mauricio Pochettino’s men have a favourable double header in Gameweek 17: Wolves (a) followed by Crystal Palace (h).
    However, a flurry of Dream Team gaffers using transfers to recruit Nkunku this week would be exceedingly bold.
    Having suffered a relatively serious knee injury, his return is likely to be managed in the coming weeks in regards to minutes on the pitch.
    It’s probably best to scout him during this festive period with a view to making a firmer decision on his viability in the new year.
    Read more on The Sun
    If he regains match sharpness and settles into Chelsea’s set-up smoothly, he may well prove to be a smart differential.
    Good luck to the 0.7% of Dream Team bosses who are set to back Nkunku in Gameweek 17!

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    Bruno Guimaraes leads Dream Team for bonus points this season – Newcastle midfielder strong option for Gameweek 17

    DREAM TEAM managers only have to look at the players who have earned the most bonus points this season to understand it’s a worthy measure of talent.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m), Jeremy Doku (£4.1m), Kieran Trippier (£5.2m), Phil Foden (£5.2m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) all rank highly but a new name jumped to the top of the tree at the weekend, Bruno Guimaraes (£3.7m).

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    Christmas Bonus!Credit: Dream Team
    The Newcastle midfielder produced an exceptional performance at home to Fulham on Saturday.
    He provided the assist for Lewis Miley’s (£2.4m) opening goal, created two big chances, had a shot on target, and, most importantly, earned FIVE bonus points, the maximum available for a single game.
    All in all, Guimaraes banked 12 points at the Cottagers’ expense to extend what has been a prosperous run of late – he’s earned 45 points across the last four Gameweeks.
    The Brazil international makes a lot of tackles and has chipped in with four goal involvements but the headline story is his unrivalled ability to earn bonus points.
    So how does he do it?
    Guimaraes keeps Newcastle ticking overCredit: Getty
    A well-rounded midfielder, Guimaraes is a key player for the Magpies both in possession and defensively.
    He ranks highly in his position for successful dribbles, fouls won, blocks and interceptions.
    Most read in Dream Team
    Consequently, he’s racked up 33 bonus points already this season – that accounts for 29.2% of his overall tally of 113 points.
    That total puts Guimaraes joint-12th among midfielders at the time of writing but he seems to have a reasonable chance of improving his rank in Gameweek 17.
    Eddie Howe’s side arguably have the most favourable double header in the form of Luton and Nottingham Forest.
    Assuming the 26-year-old isn’t rested – the only game he’s sat out this season was because of suspension – he looks well placed to post a double-digit return in Gameweek 17.
    Howe’s troops will be popular this weekCredit: AFP

    Of course, Guimaraes is far from the only viable Newcastle asset ahead of what appears to be a friendly pair of fixtures.
    Anthony Gordon (£4m) is joint-fourth among Dream Team midfielders at this stage of the campaign having amassed 134 points.
    The aforementioned Trippier is likely to return against Luton having served his suspension at the weekend.
    The England international looked unusually rusty earlier this month but his overall pedigree can’t be denied – only Alexander-Arnold has more points among defenders.

    And Martin Dubravka (£1.6m) represents a potentially savvy bargain for Dream Team bosses who believe Newcastle will keep at least one clean sheet in Gameweek 17 – the Slovak notched nine points against Fulham.
    Whatever the details, backing multiple Newcastle assets could yield huge returns in Gameweek 17 if everything clicks for Howe’s men, though it’s worth noting they remain dogged by injuries.

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    2.4%-owned Mohammed Kudus now statistically the most in-form player in Dream Team but AFCON looms large

    THIS is not the first time we’ve addressed the success of West Ham’s midfielders in Dream Team this season.But it’s worth repeating because one of the season’s most prominent themes has grabbed the spotlight once again in Gameweek 16.
    At the time of writing, Jarrod Bowen (£5.3), James Ward-Prowse (£4.4m), Lucas Paqueta (£4.1m) and Mohammed Kudus (£4.5m) are all among the top seven assets in their position!

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    Made for the Premier LeagueCredit: Dream Team
    For the purposes of this article, the focus is on the latter after his eye-catching brace against Wolves on Sunday.
    The Ghana international benefited from two smart Paqueta passes to give the Hammers a comfortable 2-0 lead by the 32nd minute.
    Having been eased in initially, Kudus now looks a vital component for David Moyes’ side, as evidenced by the fact he’s now statistically Dream Team’s most in-form player.
    The 23-year-old has plundered 32 points across his last three outings, more than any other player in the same time frame.
    More broadly, he’s been rising sharply up the rankings ever since Gameweek 10 – he’s banked 88 points in 11 outings in that time!
    Bowen remains the Dream Team midfielder with the most goals to his name having notched his 11th to seal the 3-0 victory over Wolves at the weekend but Kudus is now joint second having drawn level with Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) on eight goals (all competitions).
    Most read in Football
    West Ham midfielders are thriving in Dream Team this seasonCredit: Getty
    It should also be noted that the ex-Ajax talent earned five bonus points against Gary O’Neil’s side, the maximum available for a single game.
    When all was said and done, Kudus took 20 points from the fixture, making him Gameweek 16’s top performer at the time of writing.
    He may even be in action again with West Ham set to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday night.
    The numbers are undeniable but the fact is very few Dream Team gaffers have benefited from Kudus’ immense form.
    His ownership currently sits at a modest 2.4%, although it wouldn’t be a surprise if he ended up among the most-popular recruits ahead of Gameweek 17, not that the Irons have particularly appealing fixtures – Manchester United (h), Arsenal (a).

    Moyes admits Kudus will be a big loss during AFCONCredit: Getty
    It may be that Kudus’ ownership is yet to reflect his quality because Dream Team bosses are so spoiled for choice when browsing West Ham midfielders but he’s comfortably outscored Ward-Prowse of late and the latter features in 19.8% of teams.
    The set-piece specialist, who has nine assists to his name already, has been fantastic this season (hence his overall tally of 134 points) but Kudus is unquestionably the man of the moment.
    That being said, the Africa Cup of Nations looms large with the international tournament scheduled to get underway in January.
    Still, with two weekly transfers available, Dream Team managers could back Kudus for some short-term gains over the festive period.

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    Chelsea vs Newcastle: Get £30 in free bets when you stake £10 with talkSPORT BET

    BOTH Chelsea and Newcastle will be confident of landing a Carabao Cup semi final spot when the pair meet in the quarters tonight.Bookmakers talkSPORT BET are offering brand new customers a fabulous £30 in free bets when they stake just £10 on any of the football this week – including tonight’s game!
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    Place your first bet of £10 on any sports market at odds Evens (2.00) or greater
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    You’ll then receive £30 (3x£10) in free bets!

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    Chelsea returned to winning ways at the weekend after just one win in their previous five games.
    They’ve had a relatively straightforward run to this stage of the competition, with AFC Wimbledon, Brighton and Blackburn their opponents – all at home.
    Newcastle’s has been anything but easy, having already beaten Manchester City at home and Manchester United away – without conceding a goal yet.
    They too got a much-needed win at the weekend though did sustain more injury concerns in doing so.
    Newcastle won the only previous meeting between the sides this season – a thumping 4-1 win last month.
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    talkSPORT BET are offering new customers the chance to claim £30 in free bets for tonight’s clash between Chelsea and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup.
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    With your very first bet, stake £10 on any sports market at odds of 1/1 or greater – within seven days of opening your account.
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    A responsible gambler is someone who:

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    Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
    Never chase their losses
    Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
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    Injuries & suspensions update ahead of Gameweek 16: Erling Haaland serious doubt, Anthony Gordon to be assessed

    DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 16 in one easily digestible dose.Barring any late developments, Christopher Nkunku (£4m) is expected to be among Chelsea’s squad for the first time this season.
    However, Robert Sanchez (£2.6m) and Marc Cucurella (£2.7m) have been added to the list of the Blues’ absentees, as has Reece James (£3.7m).
    Pep Guardiola left some room for interpretation when talking about Erling Haaland’s (£7.9m) status but the decorated tactician did state: “I don’t think he will be ready to play this weekend.”
    Dream Team’s most-selected player is the game’s most transferred-out player this week.

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    Haaland almost certainly won’t play against PalaceCredit: Rex
    Thomas Frank has revealed that Bryan Mbeumo (£3.8m) will undergo surgery on his ankle and will be sidelined for a further 12 weeks – the Cameroon international will therefore not partake in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
    Key players Lucas Digne (£2.9m) and Douglas Luiz (£3.7m) are suspended for Aston Villa’s visit to Brentford on Sunday.
    Unai Emery is hopeful Leon Bailey (£3.2m) and Youri Tielemans (£2.8m) will recover from niggles in time for the trip to West London but the pair are considered doubts.
    Eddie Howe once again kept his cards close to his chest during his Friday press conference.
    The Newcastle boss told reporters that Anthony Gordon (£4m) “will be assessed” before a final decision is made on the winger’s involvement this weekend.
    The Magpies’ No10 started against Milan in midweek but appeared in discomfort before he was replaced.
    Speaking earlier in the week, Howe said: “He [Gordon] said he had an awareness of something in his hamstring. We’re not sure if it’s an injury because he could still sort of play, but he couldn’t play to the very high level that he has played for a long time.”
    Gordon’s backers have a decision to makeCredit: Dream Team
    Kieran Trippier (£5.3m) is suspended for Fulham’s visit to St James’ Park having picked up his fifth domestic yellow card against Tottenham.
    Harry Maguire (£2.9m) and Anthony Martial (£2.4m) have been ruled out of Manchester United’s meeting with Liverpool but Luke Shaw (£4.6m) and Marcus Rashford (£4.3m) are thought to be available.
    Gabriel Martinelli (£4.7m) has got over his illness and is in contention to feature for Arsenal against Brighton this weekend.
    Mohamed Elneny (£1.4m) was forced off against PSV in midweek while Emile Smith Rowe (£2.3m) returned from his layoff with a substitute appearance.
    As for the Seagulls, Roberto De Zerbi made a point of mentioning the importance of managing his players’ minutes, making specific reference to Kaoru Mitoma (£3.5m), but no specific team news is known.
    Odsonne Edouard (£2.8m), Sam Johnstone (£2.1m) and Jefferson Lerma (£2.2m) have been added to Crystal Palace’s increasingly lengthy injury list.
    In more positive news for the Eagles ahead of their trip to Manchester City, Tyrick Mitchell (£2.7m) is back in contention to start at left-back.
    Giovani Lo Celso (£2.2m) is not available for Spurs this evening.
    Martinelli has recovered from illnessCredit: PA
    ARSENAL
    Injuries: Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Fabio Vieira, Takehiro Tomiyasu
    Suspensions: None
    ASTON VILLA
    Injuries: Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Bertrand Traore, Leon Bailey (doubt), Youri Tielemans (doubt)
    Suspensions: Douglas Luiz, Lucas Digne
    BOURNEMOUTH
    Injuries: Ryan Fredericks, Emiliano Marcondes (doubt), Tyler Adams, Alex Scott, Max Aarons, Lloyd Kelly, Hamed Traore (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    BRENTFORD
    Injuries: Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, Nathan Collins, Mathias Jensen (doubt), Bryan Mbeumo
    Suspensions: Ivan Toney
    BRIGHTON
    Injuries: Julio Enciso, Pervis Estupinan, Solly March, Danny Welbeck (doubt), Tariq Lamptey, Adam Webster, Ansu Fati
    Suspensions: None
    BURNLEY
    Injuries: Lyle Foster, Jack Cork, Luka Koleosho, Josh Cullen, Michael Obafemi (doubt), Aaron Ramsey (doubt)
    Suspensions: Charlie Taylor
    CHELSEA
    Injuries: Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Romeo Lavia (doubt), Ben Chilwell, Malo Gusto (doubt), Lesley Ugochukwo, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez
    Suspensions: None
    CRYSTAL PALACE
    Injuries: Dean Henderson (doubt), Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Cheick Doucoure, Eberechi Eze, Jefferson Lerma, Rob Holding, Sam Johnstone, Odsonne Edouard
    Suspensions: Jordan Ayew
    EVERTON
    Injuries: Dele Alli, Andre Gomes, Seamus Coleman (doubt), Ashley Young, Michael Keane (doubt)
    Suspensions: Jarrad Branthwaite, Idrissa Gueye
    FULHAM
    Injuries: Adama Traore, Tim Ream
    Suspensions: None
    LIVERPOOL
    Injuries: Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Andy Robertson, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip, Alexis Mac Allister
    Suspensions: None
    LUTON
    Injuries: Dan Potts, Reece Burke, Cauley Woodrow
    Suspensions: Marvelous Nakamba
    MANCHESTER CITY
    Injuries: Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku (doubt), Erling Haaland
    Suspensions: None
    MANCHESTER UNITED
    Injuries: Amad Diallo (doubt), Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Mason Mount, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Anthony Martial
    Suspensions: None
    NEWCASTLE
    Injuries: Javier Manquillo, Harvey Barnes, Sven Botman, Jacob Murphy, Elliot Anderson, Matt Targett, Joe Willock, Nick Pope, Anthony Gordon (doubt)
    Suspensions: Sandro Tonali, Kieran Trippier
    NOTTINGHAM FOREST
    Injuries: Taiwo Awoniyi, Murillo (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    SHEFFIELD UNITED
    Injuries: Rhys Norrington-Davies, Daniel Jebbison, John Egan, Chris Basham, Tom Davies, Rhian Brewster
    Suspensions: Jack Robinson
    TOTTENHAM
    Injuries: Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Alfie Whiteman, Manor Solomon, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur, Eric Dier, Giovan Lo Celso
    Suspensions: None
    WEST HAM
    Injuries: Alphonse Areola (doubt), Michail Antonio, Edson Alvarez (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    WOLVES
    Injuries: Joe Hodge, Pedro Neto
    Suspensions: None

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    Captaincy options for Gameweek 16: Erling Haaland’s expected absence creates open field

    Erling Haaland (£7.9m) is unlikely to feature against Crystal Palace on Saturday.Manchester City’s No9 has been the most-popular captain every Gameweek this Dream Team campaign but his foot injury has blown the field wide open this week.
    Let’s run through the best options for Gameweek 16.

    CLICK HERE TO PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN A £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

    A reliable alternative to HaalandCredit: Dream Team
    Mohamed Salah (£6.7m)
    Let’s not beat around the bush, more Dream Team bosses will captain Liverpool’s main man this Gameweek than at any other stage of the season with Haaland sidelined.
    On Sunday, the Reds host a injury-hit Manchester United side with a soft underbelly – Bruno Fernandes (£5.6m) is suspended.
    Jurgen Klopp’s side have won every home game in 2023/24 (all competitions) and so it’s difficult to envisage anything other than an enjoyable day out for the league leaders with Salah best placed to take advantage.
    The Egyptian superstar averages 7.6 points-per-game this season having scored 14 goals and provided eight assists.
    And there’s a chance Salah may also get some minutes against West Ham in midweek, depending on how Klopp views the Carabao Cup this season.
    Most read in Dream Team
    Son Heung-min (£4.4m)
    Dare you opt to double Son’s points tonight?Credit: Rex
    Tottenham’s captain is among the most-popular recruits this week and with good reason.
    Son took Newcastle for 17 points last time out and his impressive Premier League record makes him a particularly good option for the festive period – at least until he departs for the Asian Cup in January.
    And it may be that the in-form forward is worthy of the captain’s armband ahead of Spurs’ trip to Nottingham Forest on Friday night.
    Steve Cooper’s side haven’t won since November 5th, losing four of their five games since.
    Only Haaland and Salah have scored more league goals than Son this season and Ange Postecoglou has made it clear he will continue to encourage his side to be ultra attacking no matter the situation.

    Vitaliy Mykolenko (£3.2m)
    If Salah and Son are a little too mainstream for your taste then consider Everton’s left-back a rogue wildcard.
    The Ukraine international has banked 26 points across his last three outings with the Toffees having beaten Forest, Newcastle and Chelsea without conceding a goal this month.
    Sean Dyche has genuinely crafted one of the most resolute defences in the top flight – only Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City have conceded fewer league goals at this stage.
    Everton face 19th-placed Burnley this weekend and they will host Fulham in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
    If Mykolenko starts both games then his backers will be hopeful of a double-digit haul given his current form.
    Phil Foden (£5.2m)
    Foden has registered 13 goal involvements already this seasonCredit: AFP
    Haaland’s absence doesn’t automatically mean Dream Team bosses should look shy away from the contest at the Etihad.
    Roy Hodgson’s men gave Liverpool a good game last weekend but the reality is they’ve lost four of their last five games – hardly form that suggests they’re likely to upset Pep Guardiola’s side.
    Foden is currently fourth in the Dream Team rankings having amassed 149 points via seven goals, six assists and 29 bonus points.
    The England international has been particularly productive of late having notched 82 points across the last six Gameweeks!
    Read more on The Sun
    Select your captain before Friday’s 7pm deadline!

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    Pau Torres & Mohamed Salah feature in Gameweek 15’s best XI – one Dream Team gaffer now £100 richer!

    ONE Dream Team gaffer’s Christmas shopping just became a whole lot easier.Sean Conquer is £100 richer after his XI ‘Bonkers Conquers’ racked up 130 points in Gameweek 15, the highest score among managers worldwide!
    Let’s take a closer look at how he did it…

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    Incredible faith in Aston VillaCredit: Dream Team
    Sean had immense faith in Aston Villa in Gameweek 15 and Unai Emery’s men didn’t let him down.
    The Villains may be on a mightily impressive streak of home wins but it was still a gutsy move to activate Park the Bus ahead of Arsenal’s trip to the Midlands.
    As it happened, the hosts won 1-0 with Emi Martinez (£3.1m), Lucas Digne (£2.9m), Ezri Konsa (£3.1m) and Pau Torres (£2.8m) contributing to the clean sheet.
    Matty Cash (£3m) came off the bench but didn’t play enough minutes to earn clean sheet points but that was put right on Thursday night when the Poland international started against Zrinjski Mostar in the Europa Conference League.
    Cash and Torres were helpfully substituted before Villa conceded a late equaliser to the Bosnia and Herzegovina outfit, meaning they kept their clean sheets points.
    The Spanish centre-back was Sean’s best-performer and his 14 points were doubled to 28 by the Park the Bus Booster.
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    Generally, it’s wise to switch to a formation with five defenders when activating Park the Bus but it’s hard to criticise Sean too much given he’s just won £100 from a fantasy football game.
    Pau Torres banked 14 points in Gameweek 15Credit: Dream Team
    The consistently impressive Phil Foden (£5.2m) was Sean’s best midfielder by virtue of an eight-point return against Luton – a decent effort considering he didn’t score or assist either of Manchester City’s goals.
    The England star scooped three bonus points, registered two shots on target, earned one point for two tackles, and played 89 minutes.
    Bukayo Saka (£6.7m) is the only player with more bonus points than Foden this season.
    Arsenal’s No7 earned three of them at Villa Park despite his side’s defeat.
    Lucas Paqueta (£4.1m) chipped in with seven points across his two fixtures against Fulham and Freiburg.
    West Ham suffered a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of the Cottagers but they rallied to beat the Bundesliga side 2-0 on Thursday night to finish top of their Europa League group.
    Only Joao Palhinha (£3.4m) has made more tackles than Paqueta in all competitions this season.
    Salah stepped up for Dream Team gaffers in Haaland’s absenceCredit: Rex
    Erling Haaland’s (£7.9m) unexpected absence in Gameweek 16 caught the vast majority of Dream Team managers off guard.
    The prolific poacher was also the most-popular captain by a wide margin and his foot injury is the main reason Gameweek 16 was a low-scoring affair across the board.
    Alexander Isak (£4.3m) didn’t contribute much to Sean’s success either with just three points against Tottenham and Milan.
    Fortunately, the ever-reliable Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) came through with a goal and assist against Crystal Palace for a ten-point return.
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    The Egyptian superstar didn’t get on the pitch against Union Saint-Gilloise but he will surely be a key figure for Liverpool during the knockout stages when he returns from the Africa Cup of Nations.
    Fair play, Sean, your unwavering faith in Aston Villa’s defence against a strong Arsenal side proved to be a stroke of genius – spend the cash wisely!

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