Dream Team

EIGHT teams are set to pull double duty in Gameweek 16.However, with starting line-ups for the Carabao Cup quarter-finals difficult to predict, Dream Team managers are best served focusing on the weekend’s Premier League action.
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Punching above his weightCredit: Dream Team
Vitaliy Mykolenko (£3.2m)
Everton have beaten Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Chelsea this month without conceding a goal.
Consequently, the Toffees’ left-back is now Dream Team’s fourth-best defender having moved onto 98 points, 26 of which have come across his last three outings.
The Ukraine international has made the most tackles among assets in his position, contributed to six clean sheets, and even chipped in with two goals and an assist.
It was easy to overlook Everton assets while the European group stages were ongoing but with the continental competitions set to pause for approximately two months, gaffers should be open to in-form assets from any top-flight outfit.
Sean Dyche returns to Turf Moor on Saturday and will feel confident of a positive result given his side boast the fourth-best defensive record in the league this season.
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Mykolenko features in 1.8% of teams at the time of writing but he has more total points than Kyle Walker (£3.3m), Matty Cash (£3m), Virgil van Dijk (£4m) and a host of other popular defenders.
Everton are also due to face Fulham in midweek so there’s a chance Mykolenko may get two run outs.
Son Heung-min (£4.4m)
Ten goals and countingCredit: PA
A lack of European fixtures was the only semi-justifiable reason to stay clear of Tottenham’s captain but now that’s not a factor, it’s all systems go.
Only three players have earned more points in Premier League games than Son in 2023/24.
The 31-year-old banked 17 points against Newcastle last weekend and his backers will be hopeful of another double-digit haul against Nottingham Forest on Friday night.
Among strikers, only Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) and the injured Erling Haaland (£7.9m) average more points-per-game than Son this season – plus, we’ve now had confirmation he’s on penalties.
Spurs’ No7 is clearly a great option for the remainder of December but gaffers should be aware that he’s due to meet up with South Korea for the Asian Cup in early January.

Pedro Porro (£3.3m)
Porro has been in great form of lateCredit: Reuters
Much of what applied to Son is also relevant to Spurs’ right-back.
Impressively, Porro has made his way up the rankings in recent weeks despite the fact Ange Postecoglou’s side haven’t kept a clean sheet since October 23rd.
Only Kieran Trippier (£5.3m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) have provided more assists and created more big chances than the Spaniard among defensive assets.
Given Newcastle’s right-back is suspended for Fulham’s visit to St James’ Park at the weekend, even a short-term punt on Porro could yield healthy returns.
Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.8m)
Liverpool should ease to victory over Manchester UnitedCredit: Rex
First things first, Salah and Alexander-Arnold remain the best Liverpool options – that should go without saying.
Many Dream Team bosses will already have the Reds’ two most-popular players in their XI and may feel there are even more points to be had from Jurgen Klopp’s troops in Gameweek 16.
In that case, Szoboszlai could fit the bill.
The Hungary captain is comfortably his side’s best-performing midfielder this season having brought up a century of points last weekend.
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Liverpool host a beleaguered, injury-hit Manchester United on Sunday before welcoming West Ham to Anfield in midweek.
Klopp’s side have won every single game at home this season in all competitions so Gameweek 16’s double header should be ripe for returns.

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THE Dream Team season has reached a pivotal turning point.Once Gameweek 15 is in the record books, there will be no more European fixtures until February.
Dream Team managers should therefore prioritise domestic form above all else when devising their latest strategies.

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Domestic specialistsCredit: Dream Team
With that in mind, allow us to present the list of players who have taken the most points from Premier League fixtures so far in 2023/24.
Points in Premier League games this season:
1st Erling Haaland (£7.9m) – 141 pts2nd Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) – 134 pts3rd Bukayo Saka (£6.7m) – 132 pts4th Son Heung-min (£4.4m) – 123 pts5th Jarrod Bowen (£5.3m) – 116 pts6th Ollie Watkins (£4.7m) – 111 pts7th Kieran Trippier (£5.3m) – 104 pts8th Matheus Cunha (£3.1m) – 103 pts9th Phil Foden (£5.2m) – 101 pts10th Bryan Mbeumo (£3.8m) – 100 pts=10th Anthony Gordon (£4m) – 100 pts12th John McGinn (£3.8m) – 94 pts=12th James Ward-Prowse – 94 pts=12th Pedro Porro (£3.3m) – 94 pts15th Abdoulaye Doucoure (£3m) – 93 pts=15th Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) – 93 pts17th Dominic Solanke (£3.6m) – 92 pts=17th Douglas Luiz (£3.7m) – 92 pts=17th James Maddison (£4.2m) – 92 pts20th Declan Rice (£3.9m) – 88pts=20th Raheem Sterling (£3.8m) – 88pts=20th Julian Alvarez (£4.2m) – 88pts
Naturally, there’s a considerable amount of overlap with the true rankings, starting with Manchester City’s No9 at the top of the pile.
But it’s the differences to which Dream Team bosses should pay attention.
Tottenham’s captain certainly catches the eye in fourth.
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Son is joint-11th overall but only because he doesn’t have European fixtures to enhance his schedule.
The South Korean superstar has to be considered a top-tier asset during this period between the end of the European groups stages and before he joins up with his international team-mates in January ahead of the Asian Cup.
Alvarez’s points total owes plenty to his Champions League effortsCredit: Getty
Take note of Alvarez’s ranking of equal 20th alongside Rice and Sterling in this list.
The World Cup winner is currently the sixth-best performer in Dream Team but that’s largely because of the points he’s earned against Man City’s favourable Champions League opponents.
The Argentina international has not been slack in the league by any means but the stats suggest he’s likely to be overtaken by several rivals in the coming Gameweeks.
Few Dream Team managers would have realised the extent of Cunha’s domestic success.
The Wolves forward has earned all of his 103 points in the league, putting him above the likes of Foden, Ward-Prowse and Alexander-Arnold in top-flight competition.
The Brazilian’s lofty position on this list should serve as a stark example of how the dynamics of Dream Team will change throughout the festive period and into the new year.
The same could be said for Porro, Doucoure and Solanke, who have all outscored some big names in the Premier League arena this campaign.

Solanke has scored nine goals already this seasonCredit: Reuters
Conversely, assets such as Bruno Fernandes (£5.6m), Martin Odegaard (£5.1m) and Joao Pedro (£3.1m) are absent from this list, indicating they have been heavily reliant on European fixtures to date.
This doesn’t necessarily mean they will struggle in the coming Gameweeks but it’s worth noting.
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Finally, a word for Maddison who features in this list despite the fact he’s been injured since Gameweek 11 – his league form was truly magnificent until that point.
Expect him to be a popular recruit later in the season if he returns from injury smoothly.

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TIME to shine a light on Dream Team’s underrated gems.In reverse order, here are the top seven players (based on total points) who currently feature in less than 5% of teams.

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Everton are on the charge!Credit: Reuters
7 Vitaliy Mykolenko

£3.2m
1.5% ownership
98 points

Every Dream Team manager should be monitoring Everton’s in-form leff-back now the European group stages are drawing to a close.
Mykolenko is currently the fourth-best defender in the game having plundered 26 points from his last three outings.
The Toffees have beaten Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Chelsea this month without conceding a goal and only Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City boast a better defensive record in the top flight this season.
The Ukraine international has made 51 tackles, the most among defenders at the time of writing.
6 Abdoulaye Doucoure
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£3m
1.4% ownership
101 points

Another underestimated Goodison Park resident.
The 30-year-old is above the likes of Jeremy Doku (£4.1m), Gabriel Martinelli (£4.7m) and Kaoru Mitoma (£3.5m) in the rankings having brought up his century with an eight-point haul against Chelsea at the weekend.
Playing in a more advanced role where he can crash the box, Doucoure has scored six goals and provided three assists already in 2023/24 – he’s on course for the best season of his career in terms of attacking output.
Quietly brilliantCredit: Getty
5 Matheus Cunha

£3.1m
0.2% ownership
103 points

The Wolves forward has been on a tear of late having amassed 67 points across eight outings since the start of Gameweek 9!
And his most recent performance, a 14-point return against Nottingham Forest, was his best of the campaign to date.
In fact, Cunha is statistically the most in-form striker in Dream Team right now in terms of points-per-game average across the last three fixtures.
The Brazilian 24-year-old has scored five goals and provided three assists and no forward has registered more successful dribbles this season.
4 Bryan Mbeumo

£3.8m
4.7% ownership
104 points

Brentford’s No19 was relatively popular prior to his injury so he doesn’t truly fit among the other underrated gems in this list.
The remaining 4.7% of gaffers with Mbeumo still in their teams either had more pressing issues last week or they’ve simply given up on Dream Team – the Second Shot competition is coming up!
Jarrod Bowen (£5.3m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.7m) are the only midfield assets to have scored more goals than the Cameroon international this season.
Many Dream Team bosses will be eagerly awaiting his return from injury.
The Premier League’s most underrated player?Credit: Reuters
3 Pascal Gross

£3.9m
1.4% ownership
106 points

Brighton’s perennially underrated midfielder was fairly well backed at the start of the campaign and his returns were more than healthy but an injury setback in late September caused his ownership of plummet.
Upon Gross’ return, his points were initially underwhelming and so he never enjoyed a resurgence in popularity but 21 points across his last two outings should have raised a few eyebrows.
The Germany international has actually played as a full-back lately to cover for absentees but, if anything, it’s only improved his attacking returns.

2 Dominic Solanke

£3.6m
0.9% ownership
106 points

Bournemouth’s No9 scored his ninth goal of the season against Manchester United at the weekend.
The Cherries are top of the Premier League form table across the last five games and no team has generated more xG in the same time frame.
Having looked limp throughout the first three months of the campaign, something has clicked for Andoni Iraola’s men in recent weeks.
If they can extend their good form through the Christmas period, Solanke may well prove to be a smart differential option for Dream Team bosses – he’s outscored Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) across his last three games!
The Villains’ heroCredit: Dream Team
1 John McGinn

£3.8m
4% ownership
117 points

Who else but Villa Park’s fan favourite to top this list?
The Scotland international was the Villains’ match-winner against Arsenal on Saturday.
An all-round midfield general, McGinn got through 11 tackles across the victories over the Gunners and Manchester City – an effort that earned him five points.
Remarkably, the 29-year-old has scored six goals from just nine shots on target.
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For comparison, Bruno Fernandes (£5.6m) has scored five goals from 20 shots on target.
McGinn is Dream Team’s outright top performer among assets with an ownership below 5%.

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