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    Spurs star edges out two-goal heroes Salah and Isak for top scorer of GW8

    GOAL-SCORING defenders are always a bonus in Dream Team.
    But when they also play in a side that keeps a clean sheet? It’s a priceless combination.
    That’s exactly what Micky van de Ven backers celebrated on Saturday, with the early kick off getting the Premier League weekend off to a dream start.
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    Taking the MickyCredit: EPA
    Top points scorers in Game Week 8

    ⭐Micky van de Van – 15 points ⭐
    Alexander Isak – 14 points
    Mohamed Salah – 14 points
    Raheem Sterling – 13 points
    Scott McTominay – 13 points
    James Garner – 13 points
    Jack Harrison – 13 points
    Simon Adingra – 12 points
    Murillo – 12 points

    Van de Ven (£2.6m) popped up with the all-important goal which turned out to be the winner for Ange Postecoglou’s men.
    Of course, it came from a James Maddison assist as he continues his own, personal, tremendous form.
    But the Dutchman’s tidy finish coupled with the shutout at struggling Luton saw him rack up a more than respectable 15 points.
    Fulham, Crystal Palace and Chelsea are the three opponents for table-topping Spurs after the international break and the 3.7% of managers who’ve selected Van de Ven will be hoping for further good returns in those London derbies.
    Most read in Dream Team

    Salah and Isak weren’t the top scorers this week despite two goals each
    Interestingly, despite the large points haul, he remains behind Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro in the points standings for the season so far.
    His return managed to edge out both Alexander Isak (£4m) and Mohamed Salah (£6.5m) as top scorer for the week, with both of those players turning in solid performances to give bosses a 14-point return.
    In a carbon copy across their 2pm games on Sunday, Isak and Salah managed to turn 1-0 deficits into 2-0 leads thanks to their goals – only to both end up sharing the spoils in a 2-2 draw.
    Salah’s return sees him climb into fourth for the top points scorers in Dream Team until now, with Isak not far behind in 8th.
    Raheem put in a sterling displayCredit: Getty
    Raheem Sterling (£3.3m) bounced back to form with 13 points, thanks to a goal and two assists as Chelsea swept Burnley aside.
    Sterling is joint-top with Conor Gallagher as Chelsea’s leading points scorer after that impressive return, with home games against Arsenal and Brentford to come.
    Scott McTominay (£1.8m) amassed the same points despite playing just a handful of minutes, thanks to his two late goals in added time that saw Manchester United beat Brentford in dramatic fashion.
    Everton pair James Garner and Jack Harrison were two more chalking up 13 points – with NO managers including Harrison in their teams.
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    Is it time to get rid of Manchester City defenders?

    DREAM TEAM bosses are calling for a full investigation after yet another disappointing showing from Manchester City’s defensive assets.Pep’s pricey players are considered ‘set and forget’ for most fantasy football gaffers as they usually deliver on their lofty price-tags with clean sheets and attacking returns.
    But, well, it’s not exactly happening.

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    Is Ruben Dias offering value for money?Credit: GETTY
    Despite boasting some of the best defensive data in the division, to say the Cityzens have been leaky would be an understatement.
    The treble-winners have only registered one clean sheet in their last nine matches in all competitions – a run that stretches back to August!
    And that’s somewhat baffling given City have conceded just 16 efforts on target in eight Premier League matches this season.
    That ranks as the fewest of any side in the division other than title rivals Arsenal, but does mean that Ederson (£3.9m) and his colleagues are conceding a goal for approximately every 2.6 shots on target.
    So often top of the player rankings, you would have to scroll down to 15th to find the top-scoring Manchester City defender in the 2023-24 season.
    Kyle Walker (£3.6m) is the club’s leading points-scorer with 47, but Ruben Dias (£4.7m) – the fifth most expensive player in the entire game – has less points than Manuel Akanji (£4.3m) and Nathan Ake (£3.8m).
    The Spanish centre-back has accumulated 35 points at an average of 3.9 per match, which is less than Jonny Evans (£2.5m) and the injured Rico Henry (£2.6m) combined. Even the modestly priced Rico Lewis (£2.4m) is gaining on him.
    Manchester City are struggling for clean sheetsCredit: GETTY
    It’s a similar story for Ederson, who is the second most expensive goalkeeper but has a worse average points record than Nottingham Forest’s Matt Turner (£2m) and Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez (£2.9m).
    Goals are also in unusually short supply with just four scored in their last 360 minutes of competitive action — meaning the likes of Dias have less attacking potential.
    Injuries to key players, a busy schedule and a wafer thin squad has clearly contributed to City’s recent slump, but are those issues in the rear-view mirror?
    Rodri (£3.9m) has now completed his three-match suspension after his dismissal against Nottingham Forest.
    The Spaniard’s influence on Manchester City can’t be underestimated, and is evident to see after they lost three matches on the spin without him.
    He’s back along with the likes of Jack Grealish (£4m), John Stones (£5m) and Bernardo Silva (£3.8m), while there are some interesting fixtures on the horizon with Brighton, Young Boys, Manchester United and Bournemouth to come after the international break.

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    Injuries & suspensions update ahead of Gameweek 8: Eberechi Eze, Pervis Estupinan sidelined

    DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 8 in one easily digestible dose.Roy Hodgson confirmed the rumours that Eberechi Eze (£3.7m) has suffered a “serious” hamstring injury with Crystal Palace’s No10 expected to be sidelined for approximately six weeks.
    The talented midfielder is joint-fifth in his position and leads the way among all assets for bonus points.
    In more positive news for the Eagles, Odsonne Edouard (£2.9m) was pictured in training and has a decent chance of being involved this weekend.

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    Eze is a big miss for PalaceCredit: Dream Team
    Mikel Arteta told reporters that Bukayo Saka (£6.4m) is “in contention” to face Manchester City on Sunday despite the winger’s premature substitution against Lens.
    Arsenal’s No7 has limped off in his last three outings and will be monitored closely in the coming days.
    As for Pep Guardiola’s side, John Stones (£5m) is still not quite ready to return, though he’s been named in the latest England squad.
    Rodri (£4.2m) will serve the final game of his domestic suspension.
    Tottenham’s Manor Solomon (£2.4m) faces a long spell on the sidelines because of a “significant knee injury” while Gameweek 8 also comes too soon for Brennan Johnson (£2.5m).
    Most read in Dream Team
    However, both Bryan Gil (£2m) and Giovani Lo Celso (£1.9m) have returned to training.
    Key players James Maddison (£4.4m) and Son Heung-min (£4.7m) are “fine” according to Ange Postecoglou – the pair are Dream Team’s most-popular recruits this week.
    Cody Gakpo (£3.2m) is progressing well already but Liverpool won’t be able to call upon the Dutchman’s services until after the international break.
    The Reds will also be without Diogo Jota (£3.4m) and Curtis Jones (£2m) for their trip to Brighton following the pair’s red cards at Spurs last Saturday.
    As for the Seagulls, Pervis Estupinan (£3.4m) is expected to be out of action for a month “more or less” – the Ecuador international is Dream Team fifth-most popular defender at the time of writing.
    Estupinan features in almost a fifth of all teamsCredit: Getty
    Moussa Diaby (£3.4m) is scheduled to train on Saturday and has a chance of making Aston Villa’s trip to Wolves but Unai Emery stressed that the Frenchman is a doubt – he was not in the squad for the Villians’ Europa Conference League game on Thursday night.
    Unfortunately, both Jacob Ramsey (£2.7m) and Alex Moreno (£2.5m) have suffered recurrences of their previous injuries and are once again unavailable.
    Anthony (£3.4m) is available to start for Manchester United having been reintegrated into the squad in midweek.
    Newcastle will make late decisions on Callum Wilson (£4.3m) and Joelinton (£2.8m) ahead of their game against West Ham at the London Stadium.
    Anthony Gordon (£3m), who was among the transferred-in players last week, is suspended having raced to five yellow cards.

    Diaby is a doubt but could still travel to MolineuxCredit: Getty
    ARSENAL
    Injuries: Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Martinelli (doubt), Bukayo Saka (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    ASTON VILLA
    Injuries: Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Tim Iroegbunam, Jacob Ramsey, Alex Moreno, Moussa Diaby (doubt), Boubacar Kamara
    Suspensions: None
    BOURNEMOUTH
    Injuries: Alex Scott, Ryan Fredericks, Emiliano Marcondes, Chris Mepham, Lloyd Kelly, Tyler Adams
    Suspensions: None
    BRENTFORD
    Injuries: Josh Dasilva, Shandon Baptiste, Rico Henry, Mikkel Damsgaard, Ben Mee, Kevin Schade
    Suspensions: Ivan Toney
    BRIGHTON
    Injuries: Julio Enciso, Pervis Estupinan, James Milner (doubt), Adam Lallana
    Suspensions: None
    BURNLEY
    Injuries: Michael Obafemi, Hjalmar Ekdal, Nathan Redmond, Manuel Benson, Johan Berg Gudmundsson
    Suspensions: None
    CHELSEA
    Injuries: Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Christopher Nkunku, Beniot Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Marcus Bettinelli, Carney Chukwuemeka (doubt), Romeo Lavia, Ben Chilwell
    Suspensions: Malo Gusto
    CRYSTAL PALACE
    Injuries: Michael Olise, Matheus Franca, Naouirou Ahamada, James Tomkins, Jefferson Lerma, Dean Henderson, Eberechi Eze, Odsonne Edouard (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    EVERTON
    Injuries: Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli, Andre Gomes (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    FULHAM
    Injuries: Tosin Adarabioyo, Adama Traore, Kenny Tete
    Suspensions: None
    LIVERPOOL
    Injuries: Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Cody Gakpo
    Suspensions: Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota
    LUTON
    Injuries: Dan Potts, Jordan Clark, Gabriel Osho, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Amari’i Bell (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    MANCHESTER CITY
    Injuries: Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones
    Suspensions: Rodri
    MANCHESTER UNITED
    Injuries: Luke Shaw, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, Tyrell Malacia, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Sergio Reguilon
    Suspensions: None
    NEWCASTLE
    Injuries: Joe Willock, Emil Krath, Harvey Barnes, Sven Botman, Callum Wilson (doubt), Joelinton (doubt)
    Suspensions: Anthony Gordon
    NOTTINGHAM FOREST
    Injuries: Danilo, Nuno Tavares, Nicolas Dominguez (doubt), Ryan Yates (doubt), Ola Aina (doubt)
    Suspensions: Moussa Niakhate
    SHEFFIELD UNITED
    Injuries: Rhys Norrington-Davies, Daniel Jebbison, John Fleck (doubt), Max Lowe, Ben Osborn, Will Osula, George Baldock, John Egan
    Suspensions: None
    TOTTENHAM
    Injuries: Ivan Perisic, Rodrigo Bentacur, Ryan Sessegnon, Alfie Whiteman, Brennan Johnson, Manor Solomon
    Suspensions: None
    WEST HAM
    Injuries: Aaron Cresswell (doubt), Michail Antonio (doubt), Ben Johnson (doubt)
    Suspensions: None
    WOLVES
    Read More on The Sun
    Injuries: Santiago Bueno (doubt), Hugo Bueno (doubt)
    Suspensions: Jean-Ricner Bellegarde

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    Captaincy options for Gameweek 8 – Arsenal v Manchester City creates wide open field

    STOP the presses!Is it actually possible that Erling Haaland (£8m) is NOT the safe, smart choice for captain in Gameweek 8?
    Manchester City’s No9 is still by far and away the most-popular selection to have his points doubled among Dream Team managers but if ever there was a week to take him on, this is surely it.

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    Dare you take Haaland on this weekend?Credit: Getty
    Pep Guardiola’s side travel to the Emirates for a top-of-table clash on Sunday in what should be a competitive fixture.
    Granted, the treble winners have an impressive recent record against the Gunners – they won 3-1 in North London earlier this year – but Mikel Arteta’s men ultimately triumphed in the Community Shield and when Rodri (£4.2m) is unavailable City are noticeably more vulnerable.
    The same logic can be applied to several other captaincy candidates: Martin Odegaard (£5m), Julian Alvarez (£4.5m), etc.
    So, with Gameweek 8’s headline fixture a difficult one to read, perhaps gaffers should look elsewhere for captaincy options?
    Tempting alternativesCredit: Dream Team
    James Maddison (£4.4m)
    There’s a chance Tottenham could head into the international break as league leaders.
    Most read in Football
    With Arsenal and City going to battle, Ange Postecoglou’s troops have a relatively favourable fixture in the form of Luton.
    The Hatters beat Everton last weekend but defeat to Burnley in midweek came as something of a reality check and Rob Edwards will know his side will have to be at their resilient best to keep a free-flowing Spurs at bay.
    Maddison is his side’s playmaker-in-chief and he’s not shy of a effort on goal either – no midfielder has registered more shots on target this season.
    Even without European fixtures, Spurs’ No10 is the joint-third best asset in his position this term.
    Son Heung-min (£4.7m)
    Much of what applied to Maddison is also relevant here.
    In fact, Dream Team gaffers with both Spurs stars in their XI will have a tough time deciding who to select as captain if they do decide to target the Luton fixture.
    The South Korea international has scored six goals in his last four outings, a run that includes tricky match-ups against Arsenal and Liverpool.
    Son is the fourth-most popular captain ahead of Gameweek 8.
    A man in formCredit: Reuters
    Mohamed Salah (£6.7m)
    Many gaffers will defer to Liverpool’s main man if they feel Haaland isn’t a suitable captain this weekend.
    Salah is the second-most selected striker in Dream Team and his return of four goals and four assists, while impressive, doesn’t even tell the full story.
    The 31-year-old has created ten big chances in all competitions this season – no other player has registered more than six.
    And his tally of 14 shots on target is only bettered by the aforementioned pair of Alvarez and Haaland.
    The Reds travel to Brighton on Sunday and while that may well prove to be a tricky fixture, it’s a match-up that virtually guarantees goals.
    The Seagulls are the Premier League’s top scorers but they’ve also conceded as many goals as Luton – they simply don’t do clean sheets.
    Aston Villa hit six past them last weekend and Salah will be licking his lips at the prospect of an open game with counterattacking potential.
    Levi Colwill (£2.7m)
    48 points and countingCredit: Getty
    A proper outside-the-box suggestion to finish.
    With so much of the talk around Chelsea focusing on their inefficiency in front of goal, their solid defensive record has gone somewhat unnoticed.
    The Blues have kept four clean sheets in all competitions and only Man City have conceded fewer league goals this campaign.
    This parsimony has translated to Dream Team success with Robert Sanchez (£2.7m) second in the goalkeeper rankings and both Colwill and Axel Disasi (£3.5m) among the top eight defenders.
    Read More on The Sun
    The 20-year-old, who is included in Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad, took Fulham for 12 points on Monday night and looks well placed to thrive again at Turf Moor on Saturday.
    Burnley have scored just five league goals since promotion and so they are unlikely to get much joy out of Colwill and company on current form.

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    Dan Burn & Julian Alvarez feature in Gameweek 7’s best XI – one Dream Team gaffer now £100 richer!

    IMAGINE earning 249 Dream Team points in a single week.An unrealistic dream for most gaffers but reality for Stuart Hanson, who achieved this massive tally in Gameweek 7 to earn himself £100!
    Let’s take a closer look at how he racked up such an imposing total…

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    Stuart’s XI if fullCredit: Dream Team
    To get the boring part out of the way, gaffers who activate Park the Bus would generally be better off reverting to a formation with five at the back for that Gameweek to maximise the Booster’s effectiveness.
    Consider that general advice for the masses and not a criticism of Stuart’s undeniably epic performance in Gameweek 7.
    Stuart doubled his back four’s collective haul of 59 points to 118 with Park the Bus, mostly thanks to Newcastle’s near-perfect double header against Burnley and PSG.
    The Magpies kept their fifth consecutive clean sheet with victory over the Clarets and while they did concede to the French champions, the emphatic 4-1 win at St James’ Park yielded more returns.
    Dan Burn (£3.8m) scored past Gigi Donnarumma to propel himself up to third in the defensive rankings while Kieran Trippier (£5.5m) continued his majestic form with assists in both fixtures.
    The England full-back has been on a tear of late, notching 55 points across the last three Gameweeks!
    Most read in Football
    Needless to say, Trippier is Dream Team’s outright best defender at this stage having amassed 70 points in total.
    Good touch for a big manCredit: Dream Team
    Ben White (£4.3m) is the defender sandwiched between the Newcastle pair at the top of the rankings.
    Arsenal’s No4 only played 19 minutes against Lens in midweek for a single point but by then he’d already enjoyed himself against Bournemouth to the tune of 15 points.
    The 25-year-old scored his side’s fourth goal against the Cherries in stoppage time to add to his clean sheet.
    William Saliba (£3.5m) is the most-popular defender in Dream Team right now but White has outscored his team-mate by 15 points after seven Gameweeks.
    It was a relatively modest week for Kyle Walker (£3.6m) as Manchester City failed to keep their sheets clean against either Wolves or RB Leipzig – the speedy right-back did earn three bonus points at Molineux as partial compensation.

    Saka bags points even at 30% capacityCredit: Getty
    In midfield, Stuart predicted that Mikel Arteta would pick Bukayo Saka (£6.4m) if available despite injury concerns.
    The Gunners’ No7 limped off against Bournemouth and Lens but still he managed 14 points in Gameweek 7 via a goal and an assist.
    However, it was Martin Odegaard (£5m) who benefited most from what should have been a favourable pair of fixtures for Arsenal – their Champions League defeat came at the hands of a team currently 15th in Ligue 1.
    The Norway international scored 16 of his 20 points at the Vitality Stadium where he scored one goal (from the penalty spot) and assisted two others.
    Given that Stuart activated Park the Bus, Odegaard proved to be the perfect choice for the captain’s armband.
    James Ward-Prowse (£4.1m) was the most transferred-in player prior to Gameweek 7 and he justified his popularity with a 16-point return over two fixtures.
    Shots on target, big chances created, tackles, assists, goals, bonus points… the West Ham midfielder does it all!
    Dream Team’s joint-third best midfielderCredit: Rex
    Phil Foden (£4.5m) mustered four points at Molineux but came good with a fine showing in Germany in midweek.
    The treble winner scored City’s first goal against RB Leipzig and he was unlucky not to register an assist as well having created two big chances.
    Stuart was happy to tackle Gameweek 7 without Erling Haaland (£8m) – who appears in 88.2% of teams – and this bold tactic proved to be a masterstroke.
    While the prolific Norwegian had to settle for seven points, Julian Alvarez (£4.5m) added another 20 to his overall tally.
    The World Cup winner scored a pinpoint free-kick in the defeat to Wolves and he came off the bench to finish the job in the Champions League with a goal and an assist during the final minutes of the game.
    Alvarez actually leapfrogged Haaland in the overall rankings this past week – he’s level with Saka on 85 points at the top of the tree.
    Top classCredit: AP
    Finally, Alexander Isak (£3.8m) continued his resurgence with a 17-point haul spread over two outings.
    The Swedish forward scored against Burnley and registered a further three shots on target in a threatening display, before being credited with an assist against PSG.
    Read More on The Sun
    Having clobbered together just nine points between Gameweeks 2 and 5, Isak is firmly back on track having pocketed 34 points across the two Gameweeks since.
    Magnificent work, Stuart – good luck to you and all gaffers ahead of Gameweek 8!

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    Premier League – talkSPORT BET boost: Get Tottenham, Chelsea, Everton and Man Utd all to win at 8/1

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    High flying Tottenham kick off the Premier League weekend with an away trip at lowly Luton.
    The lunchtime kick off curse? We hope not! And we can’t see it after the way Spurs have started and Luton’s disappointing defeat in midweek.
    Chelsea are hoping to build on a solid way at Fulham last time out and have a good chance of doing so against a Burnley side with just one win to their name – and that was at Luton.
    Everton are at home to Bournemouth, who have three draws and no wins so far. The Toffees had won their last two before the defeat to Luton last weekend and need to bounce back.
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    Transfer recommendations ahead of Gameweek 8 – Ollie Watkins & Tottenham stars deservedly popular

    GAMEWEEK 8 is a crucial juncture in the Dream Team calendar for two reasons.Primarily, because it hosts the first meeting between Arsenal and Manchester City, meaning a vast number of the game’s most-popular assets will be in direct competition.
    Secondly, because no gaffer will want to spend the upcoming international break mulling over underwhelming returns.
    In hope of inspiring readers to achieve plentiful points this weekend, here are some transfer recommendations…

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    Picture perfectCredit: Getty
    James Maddison (£4.4m) & Son Heung-min (£4.7m)
    We’ve grouped Tottenham’s two main men together because the same logic applies to both.
    While the Gunners’ unbeaten record will be tested against the might of Pep Guardiola’s winning machine, Ange Postecoglou’s men will be very confident of extending their undefeated streak away to Luton on Saturday.
    The Hatters beat Everton last weekend but were dealt a reality check by Burnley in midweek and they’ll have to produce an ultra resilient performance to keep Spurs at bay – the North Londoners average a shade under two and a half goals per league game this season.
    With 68 points to his name, Maddison is Dream Team’s third-best midfielder at the time of writing – a superb effort without European fixtures.
    Most read in Football
    While Son is fourth among forwards with 60 points – only Erling Haaland (£8m) has scored more goals in all competitions at this stage of the campaign.
    Many gaffers will be conscious of ensuring their XI is stacked full of players set to pull double duty in Gameweek 9 but there’s plenty to be said for recruiting Spurs’ two most potent threats ahead of a favourable match-up – even if only for some sweet, short-term gains.
    Unsurprisingly, this pair are the most transferred-in players ahead of Gameweek 8 with the England midfielder slightly more popular than the South Korean superstar.
    Gameweek 7’s top performerCredit: Dream Team
    Ollie Watkins (£4.1m)
    Some Dream Team bosses will feel the horse has bolted here.
    Aston Villa’s No11 scored three of his side’s six goals last weekend and was credited with an assist for two others.
    Watkins’ masterclass against Brighton yielded 25 points, the biggest return for a single game yet in 2023/24 – no wonder he’s earned an England recall.
    While gaffers should resist chasing lost points, the Villains’ top scorer is very much a viable option for the weeks ahead.
    Unai Emery’s side travel to Wolves this weekend before facing West Ham, Luton, Nottingham Forest and Fulham around favourable Europa Conference League fixtures.
    Julian Alvarez (£4.5m) is the only player in any position with more goal involvements than Watkins’ ten right now – the latter is the third-most popular recruit this week.
    Chelsea have been defensively sound amid problems up frontCredit: Reuters
    Levi Colwill (£2.7m)
    Gaffers looking to target a clean sheet in Gameweek 8 would do well to consider Chelsea defenders.
    The Blues have been excessively wasteful in the final third but that’s distracted from the fact they’ve actually been rather solid at the back.
    In fact, only Man City have conceded fewer league goals this season.
    This weekend, Mauricio Pochettino’s troops travel to Turf Moor where they’ll meet a Burnley side who have mustered just five goals since promotion.
    Statistically, this should be a low-scoring affair but that would probably mean more healthy returns for Colwill, who is up to sixth in the defensive rankings after a 12-point haul at Craven Cottage on Monday.
    Again, this may be a short-term strategy as Chelsea will host Arsenal immediately after the international break but two transfers per Gameweek allows for such ploys.

    Inject a little chaos into your Dream Team this weekCredit: Reuters
    Darwin Nunez (£4.2m)
    A passing mention for everyone’s favourite agent of chaos.
    With Cody Gakpo (£3.2m) injured and Diogo Jota (£3.4m) suspended, it’s virtually guaranteed that Nunez will be unleashed upon Brighton this weekend.
    Read More on The Sun
    The Seagulls pack a punch in attack but they’ve conceded the same number of goals at Luton and were thrashed 6-1 by Villa last time out.
    Liverpool’s No9, a potent counter-attacker, is well equipped to take on Roberto De Zerbi’s side and the Reds will be highly motivated to get their Premier League campaign back on track after the controversial nature of their defeat to Spurs.

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    Score Predictor Tips: Five-goal thriller at Brighton before Arsenal v Manchester City ends in stalemate

    WE’RE once again putting up a PlayStation 5 for the user who earns the most points in Score Predictor in Matchweek 8.Sunday’s mouthwatering line-up of Brighton v Liverpool followed by Arsenal v Manchester City gets the juices following but there are three Saturday fixtures to predict first.
    Let’s run through each match-up in chronological order.

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    When it rains, it poursCredit: Getty
    Manchester United v Brentford
    Two teams in a rut are set to meet at Old Trafford on Saturday.
    The Red Devils have lost six games in all competitions already this season while the Bees are without a win since August 19th.
    It’s hard to justify a clean sheet prediction for the hosts given their injury-ravaged defence and the shaky form of Andre Onana between the sticks.
    However, Mark Flekken at the opposite end hasn’t looked all that reliable either and the combination of Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes packs a punch, even if some of those around them are out of sorts.
    For all their problems, Erik ten Hag’s side have generally got the job done against bottom-half opposition this term so we’re inclined to back a unconvincing home win.
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    Our Prediction: 2-1 to Manchester United
    Have Chelsea turned a corner?Credit: Alamy
    Burnley v Chelsea
    Chelsea failed to score a single league goal in the month of September and their 2-0 win over Fulham on Monday night means they average just one goal per game in 2023/24.
    However, while the Blues have been wasteful in the final third, only Man City boast a better defensive record at this stage.
    Couple this stat with the fact Vincent Kompany’s side have mustered just five goals since promotion (two of them against Luton) and a clean sheet for the visitors feels likely.
    Mauricio Pochettino has won 85.4% of his Prem games against newly-promoted clubs – the highest ratio of any manager to have overseen at least ten games.
    We predicted a narrow 1-0 win for Chelsea last week and they outperformed our expectations by one goal so we’ll back them more confidently this time around.
    Our Prediction: 2-0 to Chelsea
    Eze is a big miss for PalaceCredit: Getty
    Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest
    The Eagles are coming off the back of an impressive victory at Old Trafford but Eberechi Eze’s injury is a sizeable spanner in the works.
    The skilful midfielder is expected to miss the next six weeks with a hamstring injury and while Palace are certainly not a one-man team, they are heavily reliant on their No10 to provide much of the creative inspiration.
    Roy Hodgson’s side have scored seven goals and conceded the same amount in their seven fixtures while Forest have drawn 1-1 against Burnley and Brentford recently.
    All signs point to one result.
    Our Prediction: 1-1 draw

    Brighton v Liverpool
    A match-up that surely promises plenty of goals.
    The Seagulls are still the league’s top scorers despite losing 6-1 to Aston Villa last time out.
    For pure entertainment, Roberto De Zerbi’s men can’t be matched – they’ve outscored Man City but conceded the same number of goals as Luton.
    As for the Reds, they also average over two goals scored per league fixture this season and if they can keep all eleven men on the pitch – something they’ve struggled with in recent weeks – fans at the Amex could be in for a thriller.
    There’s no harm submitting a prediction now as it can be edited right up until 3pm on Saturday but it would be wise to review this match-up after the two clubs’ respective Europa League adventures this evening.
    Our Prediction: 3-2 to Liverpool
    Strap in!Credit: Dream Team
    Arsenal v Manchester City
    A massive fixture in the context of the title race.
    The Gunners are undefeated, something Pep Guardiola’s side can no longer claim, but they remain one point adrift of the treble winners in the table.
    Arsenal got the better of City in the Community Shield but the recent history of this match-up is massively in favour of the Mancunians.
    City won 14 of the last 16 meetings prior to this season’s curtain raiser, a run which includes a 3-1 win in North London back in February.
    However, the visitors will be without the suspended Rodri and their record when the Spaniard is absent is notably below par.
    Saying that, there’s a good chance the hosts won’t be able to call upon a star player of their own after Bukayo Saka limped off for a third game in a row in midweek.
    A fascinating contest, one that is dividing Score Predictors users to a significant degree.
    Excuse us while we take a seat on this fence…
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    Our Prediction: 1-1 draw

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