Dream Team

TRUTH be told, the captaincy conversation has often been a simple and short one for plenty of Dream Team managers.Erling Haaland (£7.9m) and Mohamed Salah (£6.5m) have been worthy default options but the landscape has changed with Manchester City’s No9 sidelined and Liverpool’s top scorer off to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Gameweek 19 is also a unique one as it features the FA Cup third round, a set of fixtures that usually prompts extensive rotation.
Granted, Haaland may return against Huddersfield but, at this stage, his minutes are not certain by any stretch of the imagination.
Deciding who to captain could be a real head-scratcher but gaffers have potentially been gifted a helping hand by the Carabao Cup semi-finals in midweek.

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Gameweek 19’s superhero-in-waiting?Credit: AP
With that in mind, let’s run through the most prominent candidates.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m)
Instinctively, Arsenal v Liverpool looks like a fixture to swerve as it’s among the most-competitive FA Cup match-ups and one that may well be contested between two second-string outfits.
That being said, it would be a surprise if the Reds’ No66 didn’t feature in some capacity, especially as Jurgen Klopp has a few absentees in defence right now.
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Not that Alexander-Arnold spends much time at right-back these days, he’s essentially a midfielder in his current role.
Liverpool are then set to host Fulham in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
Alexander-Arnold will surely start at least one of his Gameweek 19 fixtures while playing some role in the other – it wouldn’t be a surprise if he started both.
With Salah on international duty, the England international is arguably Liverpool’s most-important player and the simple fact is he averages 6.7 points-per-game this season.
The 25-year-old has registered ten assists in all competitions and no defender has created more big chances.
Many Dream Team bosses will be reluctant to captain a defender but Alexander-Arnold is a different breed.
Alternatively, look up top at Darwin Nunez (£4.1m), who is second behind Salah among Liverpool’s squad in terms of goal involvements.
Cole Palmer (£3.4m)
A popular man this weekCredit: Dream Team
Chelsea’s in-form youngster is the most-popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 19 and there’s argument to be made that his new backers should immediately strap the armband on him.
The Blues’ fixtures look favourable on paper in the form of Preston at home (FA Cup) followed by Middlesbrough away (Carabao Cup) – two mid-table Championship teams.
Palmer may spend some time on the bench but he should get his fair share of minutes across the two games.
The 21-year-old took Luton for 17 points last time out and now has eight goals and seven assists to his name.
Only four midfielders have registered more shots on target in all competitions this campaign.
Granted, Mauricio Pochettino’s side have blown hot and cold but Palmer averages 6.2 points-per-game in 2023/24 so the prospect of a double header against second-tier opposition has substantial potential.
Pedro Porro (£3.5m)
Rising up the rankingsCredit: Getty
The midweek fixtures really do suggest Gameweek 19’s best captain plays for either Liverpool or Chelsea but some gaffers may prefer to target a single FA Cup match-up.
Tottenham were eliminated from the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle and they don’t have European commitments – surely they should give it a good go in the FA Cup?
Their campaign starts with a home game against Burnley on Friday night with the Clarets very much prioritising top-flight safety above everything else at present.
Son Heung-min (£4.7m) would normally be the primary candidate among Spurs assets but he’s already joined up with South Korea ahead of the Asian Cup.
Porro is statistically the next-best option among Ange Postecoglou’s troops having amassed 116 points – a total that puts him fourth among defenders.
The Spanish right-back is only behind Kieran Trippier (£4.9m) and the aforementioned Alexander-Arnold in terms of assists and big chances created among players in his position and he ranks highly for bonus points as well.
If selected to start, it’s certainly not unthinkable he could combine a clean sheet with an attacking return for a double-digit haul.

Julian Alvarez (£4.1m)
Worth a punt?Credit: PA
One last suggestion as Manchester City v Huddersfield is a huge mismatch on paper.
The Terriers are threatened by relegation in the Championship this term and so a visit to the treble-winners’ lair could be a humbling experience.
Predicting Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up is not an easy task but only Kyle Walker (£3.1m) has played more minutes than the Argentine forward among City’s outfield assets – although that could suggest he’s due a rest.
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Alvarez has enjoyed himself at centre-forward lately, collecting 26 points from his last three outings.
If he does start at home to Huddersfield then he should feast but this captaincy options comes with the risk that the World Cup winner will be on the bench watching Oscar Bobb (£1.7m) and/or Haaland have all the fun.

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GAMEWEEK 19 is a tricky one for Dream Team managers to negotiate.Attempting to predict the Premier League clubs’ starting line-ups for the FA Cup third round fixtures is a near-impossible task as it’s traditionally a weekend that involves extensive rotation.
Looking at the schedule, it may be wise for gaffers to target the additional midweek games – in the form of the Carabao Cup semi-final first legs – in search of suitable returns in what could prove to be a banana skin of a Gameweek.

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A popular recruit this weekCredit: Getty
With that in mind, allow us to suggest some recommendations.
Cole Palmer (£3.4m)
Some Dream Team bosses will see this suggestion as a ship that’s already sailed given the 21-year-old banked 17 points against Luton last weekend.
And sure, those who transferred him in prior to Gameweek 18 will be happy as Larry but given Chelsea are one of only three teams set to pull double duty in Gameweek 19, there could be plenty more points to come.
Mauricio Pochettino may choose to rotate his preferred starting line-up but Palmer should get his fair share of minutes across games against Preston (FA Cup) and Middlesbrough (Carabao Cup).
Both opponents are currently languishing in the middle of the Championship table with the former having conceded plenty of goals so the Blues’ in-form No20 should enjoy himself if given a decent run out.
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After his Player of the Match display against the Hatters, Palmer has eight goals and seven assists to his name.
The 21-year-old is now Chelsea’s top Dream Team performer too, having moved onto 124 points for the season.
The Blues will fulfil their second semi-final leg against Boro next week, meaning consecutive double Gameweeks at a time when the schedule relaxes for most other teams.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m) and/or Joe Gomez (£3.4m)
An affordable differential?Credit: Dream Team
We try to avoid painfully obvious transfer recommendations in this weekly article and Alexander-Arnold certainly falls into that category as Dream Team’s top defender but he’s worth underlining this week in particular.
Like Chelsea, Liverpool will be in action in both domestic cups in Gameweek 19 and while their games are against tougher opposition, the Reds themselves are considerably stronger than the Blues at present.
Jurgen Klopp’s side face Arsenal on Sunday in what may end up a match-up between two second-string outfits before hosting Fulham in midweek.
Again, the England international’s minutes are not guaranteed but he’ll probably feature in both fixtures in some capacity.
On a similar theme, Gomez is a viable and potentially smart, value-for-money option.
The 26-year-old doesn’t provide the same attacking threat as Alexander-Arnold – not many defenders do – but with Andy Robertson (£3.7m) and Kostas Tsimikas (£3.5m) both sidelined, he’s very much first-choice left-back for the time being.
Some gaffers may not be able to afford Alexander-Arnold and so Gomez offers an affordable route into Liverpool’s defence ahead of back-to-back double Gameweeks.
Pairing the two would be perfectly reasonable too – a clean sheet in either fixture would yield healthy returns.
See also Virgil van Dijk (£4.3m), who splits the difference in terms of price.
Darwin Nunez (£4.1m)
An enigmatic figureCredit: AFP
Seriously, Liverpool are a great team to back this month.
Much of what applied to the defenders is also relevant when discussing the Uruguayan striker.
Nunez can be a very frustrating Dream Team asset to own because he misses more than his fair share of chances but, on the other hand, he’s provided eight goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season.
Only Dream Team’s top boy Mohamed Salah (£6.5m) has more goal involvements to his name among Anfield residents and with the Egyptian superstar off to AFCON, Nunez is arguably Klopp’s most-potent weapon.
It’s not unthinkable that some combination of Luis Diaz (£3.3m), Cody Gakpo (£3.6m), Diogo Jota (£3.9m) and Harvey Elliott (£2.7m) will make up the starting front three at some stage but Nunez’s unique brand of chaos is irreplaceable.
To ram the point home, Liverpool’s No9 squandered several chances against Newcastle last time out but he still added ten points to his total from just over an hour’s playing time.
Kevin De Bruyne (£6.7m)
Loading…Credit: Getty
A tongue-in-cheek suggestion to finish.
Manchester City’s brilliant Belgian was an unused substitute against Sheffield United and is therefore expected to get some minutes against Huddersfield this weekend.
The sensible thing to do would be to wait for a glimpse of De Bruyne in action before deciding on his Dream Team viability but such is the enormity of the playmaker’s talent, the thought of even a 20-minute cameo against a relegation-threatened Championship outfit is enough to spark the embers of temptation.
One thing’s for sure, if De Bruyne returns and resumes normal service, his ownership will increase sharply – there’s something to be said for getting in early.
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At the very least, he’s one to keep a close eye on this weekend.

The deadline for Gameweek 19 is 6:15pm on Friday – don’t get caught out by Brentford v Wolves kicking-off at 7:15pm!

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THIS month is an intriguing one in the Dream Team calendar.With several players unavailable due to Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup commitments, plus a mini break for all 20 Premier League clubs, it might be wise for gaffers to target the cup competitions.
The FA Cup third round is set to take place in Gameweek 19 with the fourth round fixtures scheduled for the end of month, in Gameweek 21.
Then there’s the small matter of the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

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Smart option for January?Credit: Dream Team
Let’s take a look at the current January fixtures for every club currently in the top half of the table.
LIVERPOOL

Arsenal (a)
Fulham (h)
Bournemouth (a)
Fulham (a)
Chelsea (h)

The Reds’ participation in the FA Cup fourth round is far from certain as their trip to the Emirates represents one of most-competitive third round match-ups.
However, a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against the Cottagers ensures Jurgen Klopp’s troops will be one of the busier teams this month.
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Mohamed Salah (£6.5m) isn’t around to cash in but the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m), Darwin Nunez (£4.1m) and Virgil van Dijk (£4.3m) will be popular selections.
ASTON VILLA

Middlesbrough (a)
Everton (a)
Newcastle (h)

The Villains’ home record is their great strength and so it may be a quieter month for Ollie Watkins (£4.4m) and company if they end up with just one game at Villa Park.
Eddie Howe’s side battered Villa at St James’ Park earlier in the campaign but it’s a good time to play Newcastle with them having lost three games in a row amid their sustained injury crisis.
The FA Cup results will impact City’s schedule considerablyCredit: AFP
MANCHESTER CITY

Huddersfield (h)
Newcastle (a)
Burnley (h)

The treble-winners against a side battling relegation in the Championship is a huge mismatch on paper and one that could yield massive returns but predicting Pep Guardiola’s line-up is far from easy.
Again, Howe’s side are vulnerable at present so City’s league fixtures look friendly enough and it would be a huge surprise if they weren’t in the hat for the FA Cup fourth round draw.
There’s also a chance the postponed meeting with Brentford will be rearranged for this month.
When will Erling Haaland (£7.9m) return to action? That’s the big question.
ARSENAL

Liverpool (h)
Crystal Palace (h)
Nottingham Forest (a)

The Gunners will fancy their chances of stopping the rot in their league form although Forest are showing signs of Nuno Espirito Santo’s New Manager Bounce.
It will be interesting to see how Mikel Arteta views the FA Cup with the Champions League knockout stages on the horizon.
TOTTENHAM

Burnley (h)
Manchester United (a)
Brentford (h)

Ange Postecoglou will have to contend with the absences of Son Heung-min (£4.7m), Yves Bissouma (£2.5m) and Pape Matar Sarr (£2m) on top of those currently injured.
That being said, Spurs have won four of their last five and their next three opponents have all been out of form lately.
Son will be a big miss for Spurs this monthCredit: PA
WEST HAM

Bristol City (h)
Sheffield United (a)

At this point, the Hammers have just two fixtures scheduled for the rest of January but don’t be fooled, they host Bournemouth on February 1st which falls under Gameweek 21.
Plus, they’re favourites to get past the Robins this weekend although their squad looks stretched thin suddenly.
BRIGHTON

Stoke (a)
Wolves (h)
Luton (a)

A relatively favourable run of games for the Seagulls as it stands although Gary O’Neil’s outfit are no pushovers by any means.
Joao Pedro (£3.6m) and Pascal Gross (£4.3m) are best placed to take advantage this month with Karou Mitoma (£3.4m) and Simon Adingra (£3.2m) away on international duty.
MANCHESTER UNITED

Wigan (a)
Tottenham (h)

Like West Ham, the Red Devils have a game on February 1st (a trip to Wolves) and should progress in the FA Cup.
However, most Dream Team bosses will be understandably hesitant to back any Old Trafford resident right now.

Newcastle are under pressureCredit: PA
NEWCASTLE

Sunderland (a)
Manchester City (h)
Aston Villa (a)

A fierce derby followed by two of the most difficult Premier League fixtures – a tough ask on current form.
CHELSEA

Preston (h)
Middlesbrough (a)
Fulham (h)
Middlesbrough (h)
Liverpool (a)

Despite their inconsistent form, now is a great time to back the Blues as their two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Boro means they’re busier than the vast majority of teams this month.
Cole Palmer (£3.4m) appears to be the most likely player to capitalise – he’s Chelsea’s best asset this season having reached 124 points with a 17-point return against Luton in Gameweek 18.
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A trip to Anfield is a tough ask but it should be a productive few weeks nonetheless.
It’s worth repeating that this weekend’s FA Cup results will shape the remainder of the January schedule so pay attention – there’s points to be had this month despite the disruption!

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