Fantasy Football

IT may only be mid-November, but we’ve already entered the THIRD international break of the season…Hugely frustrating for fans of Premier League football, but incredibly good news for Nations League Ultras. Both of them.Anyway, we’ve taken this opportunity to bring you a fantasy football curveball by revealing who should be in England’s starting XI based on Dream Team points.Dominic Solanke makes the cutCredit: DREAM TEAMThis is obviously the only true way of picking an England side and must be adhered to by interim manager Lee Carsley, Thomas Tuchel and Sam Allardyce when he inevitably returns to the dugout.Before we get to the XI, a quick note to acknowledge a crucial limitation of our methodology.Since Dream Team only covers Premier League players, we are forced to omit English players who ply their trade abroad, such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Sorry lads.GOALKEEPERNot a hugely competitive area of this squad given there’s only a handful of English goalkeepers starting regularly in the Premier League.But Newcastle United stopper Nick Pope has edged out Jordan Pickford by 17 points to secure his spot between the sticks.The 32-year-old has three clean sheets under his belt this season and ranks third for bonus points behind Guglielmo Vicario and Emiliano Martinez. He also boasts a save percentage only bettered by Alisson and Kelleher (80.8%).Newcastle’s Nick Pope has outscored Jordan Pickford in Dream Team this campaignCredit: GETTYDEFENDERSTrent Alexander-ArnoldRico LewisLewis HallWe’ve evidently gone with the Garth Crooks approach for our defensive set-up.It’s not a huge surprise to see Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold leading the standings with a bumper 101 points at an average of 6.7 points per game. He’s yet to score but does have eight clean sheets and two assists in 15 appearances in all competitions.He’s joined by Manchester City’s Rico Lewis, who’s accumulated a sizeable 87 points thanks to his four assists.Newcastle United full-back Lewis Hall completes the defensive trio after edging out Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa – although they might have been useful in this centre-back-less defence…Lewis Hall makes the cut having scored 68 points this seasonCredit: GETTYMIDFIELDERSBukayo SakaCole PalmerEberechi EzeJames MaddisonDwight McNeilAgain, not the most balanced midfield we’ve seen – but them’s the rules.Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer walk into the starting XI courtesy of their combined 235 points this season. The pair also have a combined 23 goal involvements (11 goals, 12 assists).Saka is Dream Team’s top midfielder on 125 points with Palmer not far behind on 110.Yes, we’re aware the pair plus a host of others have withdrawn from the England squad through injury – but c’mon – have some imagination people!Anyway, Eberechi Eze is the next highest-scoring midfielder with 99 points and a whopping 16 bonus points, bettered only by five players on Dream Team.He’s struggled to replicate last season’s form in the Premier League having provided just one goal and one assist in nine for a struggling Crystal PalaceBut he’s fully capitalised in the Carabao Cup with three goals and an assist.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 NOWOne of those five players with more bonus points also features in our England team is Tottenham’s James Maddison.Despite having only completed 90 minutes ONCE for Ange Postecoglou’s side in 15 appearances, he’s still registered three goals and four assists – boasting an average of 6.6 points per game.Maddison, 27, was not in Lee Carsley’s squad for this month’s games, and has not represented England since he was cut from the Euro 2024 squad by Gareth Southgate just before the summer tournament. In fact he’s only been capped seven times for the Three Lions!But he’s not the least-capped inclusion in our fantasy XI, that prestigious honour belongs to Everton attacker Dwight McNeil.Everton’s No.7 has plundered 90 points this season thanks to his four goals and three assists. He ranks FIFTH for chances created in the Premier League – behind Saka, Palmer, Andreas Pereira and Dejan Kulusevski.Dominic Solanke has more points than any English strikerCredit: GETTYFORWARDSDominic SolankeJarrod BowenWith Harry Kane off in Germany, it falls to Dominic Solanke to spearhead this England attack alongside West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen.Solanke, 27, hasn’t exactly been prolific since his switch to Tottenham but he’s still managed to put 98 points on the board – a figure bettered only by Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland.Solanke has six goals and two assists in his 15 appearances in all competitions and, aside from Salah, has the highest average points tally over the last three game weeks (11.3) thanks to his assist in the Europa League and brace against Aston Villa.West Ham captain Bowen has narrowly pipped Danny Welbeck and Ollie Watkins to secure the final spot in this experimental England XI. He’s not been prolific either but a steady four goals and two assists leave him with 92 points for the campaign.Someone ring Lee Carsley and tell him we’ve solved his selection headache. More

DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 11 in one easily digestible dose.Cole Palmer has been considered a doubt since he was on the receiving end of a stiff challenge from Lisandro Martinez last weekend.Chelsea’s No20 is the second-most popular player in the game with an ownership above 50% but it remains to be seen whether he will feature against Arsenal on Sunday.Enzo Maresca told reporters: “He is getting better. Hopefully we can have him for a session, at least on Saturday, and then we take a decision.”Approximately 55% of Dream Team bosses will be disappointed if Palmer is ruled outCredit: Dream TeamAs for the Gunners, it’s unclear whether Declan Rice will feature at Stamford Bridge.The England midfielder skipped Arsenal’s European jaunt to Inter with a broken toe but has expressed his desire to play through the pain.However, Mikel Arteta confirmed that Rice hasn’t trained this week and is therefore a major doubt.Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino are also concerns after issues in midweek – the former suffered a nasty cut to his head but it would be a surprise if he wasn’t involved.Tottenham will make a late call on Cristian Romero following Saturday’s training session but Micky van de Ven has been ruled out until after the international break.Richarlison, Mikey Moore, Timo Werner and Wilson Odobert also remain sidelined.Most read in FootballOn Son Heung-min, Ange Postecoglou said: “He obviously had the injury, and we brought him back, and he had a relapse. We don’t want to put him in that position. We’re building him up, managing his minutes.”Havertz was left bloodied in MilanCredit: GettyAhead of Manchester City’s trip to Brighton, Pep Guardiola expects to have the same players available that were present in Lisbon last time out.This means Jack Grealish is not available despite having been included in England’s latest squad.As for the Seagulls, both Joao Pedro and Matt O’Reilly have a “big chance” of making the matchday squad.Liverpool have no fresh concerns ahead of their meeting with Aston Villa on Saturday night.Diogo Jota, Alisson, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa all need more time to recover.The Villains will only be missing Ross Barkley and Matty Cash at Anfield.Eddie Nketiah has joined Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton, Jefferson Lerma, Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca on Crystal Palace’s injury list.Midfielder Will Hughes is also suspended for the Eagles.Elsewhere, Mohammed Kudus has had his ban extended to five games in total, meaning he won’t return for West Ham until early December.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: Kieran Tierney, Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Declan Rice (doubt), Kai Havertz (doubt), Mikel Merino (doubt)Suspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Ross Barkley, Matty CashSuspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Luis Sinisterra, Alex Scott, Dango OuattaraSuspensions: NoneBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Igor Thiago, Josh Dasilva, Gustavo Nunes, Rico Henry, Kristoffer AjerSuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: Solly March, Matt O’Riley (doubt), James Milner, Joao Pedro (doubt), Adam Webster, Yankuba Minteh (doubt), Lewis Dunk (doubt), Yasin Ayari (doubt)Suspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Cole Palmer (doubt)Suspensions: NoneCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Matheus Franca, Chris Richards (doubt), Cheick Doucoure, Chadi Riad, Adam Wharton, Eberechi Eze, Jefferson Lerma, Eddie NketiahSuspensions: Will HughesEVERTONInjuries: Youssef Chermiti, Armando Broja, Tim Iroegbunam, James Garner, Abdoulaye Doucoure (doubt), Dwight McNeil (doubt), Iliman Ndiaye (doubt), Seamus ColemanSuspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Sasa LukicSuspensions: NoneIPSWICHInjuries: Axel Tuanzebe, Jacob Greaves, Chiedozie Ogbene, Jack Taylor, Janoi DonacienSuspensions: Kalvin PhillipsLEICESTERInjuries: Patson Daka (doubt), Jakub Stolarczyk, Hamza Choudhury (doubt)Suspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa, Alisson, Diogo JotaSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Oscar Bobb, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, John StonesSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, Tyrell Malacia, Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire, Amad Diallo (doubt)Suspensions: NoneNEWCASTLEInjuries: Callum Wilson, Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman, Kieran TrippierSuspensions: NoneNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Danilo, Ibrahim SangareSuspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Gavin Bazunu, Ross Stewart, Will Smallbone, Ryan Fraser (doubt), Adam Lallana (doubt)Suspensions: NoneTOTTENHAMInjuries: Djed Spence, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero (doubt), Wilson Odobert, Timo Werner, Richarlison, Mikey MooreSuspensions: NoneWEST HAMInjuries: Niclas Fullkrug, Edson AlvarezSuspensions: Mohammed KudusWOLVESREAD MORE SUN STORIESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Boubacar Traore, Bastien Meupiyou (doubt), Yerson Mosquera, Hwang Hee-chan (doubt)Suspensions: NoneBetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. 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IT’S Friday which means it’s time for Dream Team managers to pick a captain for the Gameweek ahead.Gameweek 11 consists of a full round of Premier League fixtures set to take place over Saturday and Sunday – nice and simple.Haaland captainers were punished in Gameweek 10Credit: GettyErling Haaland (£8.9m) is currently the most selected captain, as always, but gaffers who backed him in Gameweek 10 were largely punished.Manchester City’s No9 mustered just six points against Bournemouth and Sporting CP while Mohamed Salah (£7.3m) banked 22 at the expense of Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen.Liverpool are due to host Aston Villa this weekend which isn’t a favourable match-up on paper given the Villains’ upturn under Unai Emery but the Egyptian superstar has to be considered a strong captaincy choice once again.Villa are without a win in their last four games and shipped four goals to Tottenham last Sunday whereas Arne Slot’s side extended their unbeaten streak to 12 with an emphatic 4-0 victory over the Bundesliga champions in midweek.Salah has nine goals and nine assists to his name from 16 outings this season and recently usurped Haaland at the top of the overall rankings.InevitableCredit: GettyWriting off the Norwegian poacher is fraught with danger but a trip to Brighton (undefeated at home this season) is no easy task for Pep Guardiola’s men coming off the back of three consecutive losses.At the risk of oversimplifying things, Liverpool are flying right now and Salah remains the main man.Elsewhere, many Dream Team bosses will be tempted to select Dominic Solanke (£4m) as skipper ahead of this weekend’s action.Most read in FootballTottenham’s first-choice striker racked up 29 points in Gameweek 10.The England international ended his mini drought with a brace against Villa and then scored against Galatasaray on Thursday night after coming off the bench in the second half.Back among the goalsCredit: ReutersChasing lost points is a futile endeavour but Solanke looks well placed to cash in again this coming Gameweek.Spurs are the league’s top scorers at present and on Sunday they welcome Ipswich to North London – the Tractor Boys have the second-worst defensive record this season.It should be one-way traffic in favour of the hosts and Solanke may be the chief beneficiary having rediscovered his scoring boots.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 NOWBruno Fernandes (£5.9m) is another player in the captaincy conversation.The Portuguese midfielder has amassed 54 points across the last three Gameweeks in a spree containing three goals and two assists.In Gameweek 9, he banked 18 points against Leicester in the Carabao Cup and the Foxes are due to visit Old Trafford again this weekend.You have until 1:30pm on Saturday to confirm your captain for Gameweek 11 – choose wisely!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

DREAM TEAM managers have some extra time to decide upon their transfers for Gameweek 11 as the deadline isn’t until 1:30pm on Saturday.The upcoming Gameweek simply consists of a full round of Premier League fixtures to take place over Saturday and Sunday before the international break takes centre stage.As usual, we’ve assembled some transfer recommendations for your perusal…Transfer timeCredit: Dream TeamTottenham playersSpurs v Ipswich leaps out of the schedule as a mismatch to target.Ange Postecoglou’s side are the Premier League’s top scorers this season while only Wolves have conceded more goals than the Tractor Boys.Dominic Solanke (£4m) is the most popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 11 following his 21-point mega haul against Aston Villa last Sunday.But truth be told, gaffers are spoiled for choice.Son Heung-min (£5.3m) boasts the highest points-per-game average among his team-mates but Brennan Johnson (£3.8m) is the club’s top goalscorer in 2024/25.James Maddison (£4.6m) has flourished (he’s a bonus point magnet) but his minutes are becoming harder to predict.Most read in FootballLast but not least, assist specialist Dejan Kulusevski (£3.1m) offers excellent value for money and has been at the heart of Spurs’ best attacking moves in recent weeks.Solanke was back on target last weekendCredit: ReutersBruno Fernandes (£5.9m)Manchester United’s captain is the most in-form player in Dream Team at the time of writing having taken 37 points from his last three outings.That may change later when the Red Devils take on PAOK but the point is that Fernandes is a very strong option right now.Ruud van Nistelrooy’s final game as interim head coach comes in the form of a home game against Leicester, which is handy for the Dutchman as he oversaw a 5-2 win against the Foxes in the Carabao Cup in Gameweek 9.Fernandes banked 18 points that night and while Steve Cooper is likely to name a stronger side this time around, the Portuguese playmaker will fancy his chances of another successful outing.See also: Alejando Garnacho (£4.2m)Fernandes being on penalties is another useful factor to considerCredit: GettyKostas Tsimikas (£2.9m)Liverpool are flying right now.You don’t need us to explain the benefits of selecting the likes of Mohamed Salah (£7.3m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m) but the Reds’ Greek left-back is worth flagging.Tsimikas currently features in just 0.9% of teams but he’s seemingly leapfrogged Andy Robertson (£4.1m) in the pecking order.He started against both Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen in Gameweek 10 and returned 19 for his efforts.Recruiting Tsimikas ahead of Gameweek 11 comes with risk as Aston Villa are relatively difficult opponents on paper and it wouldn’t be a total surprise if Robertson was given the nod by Arne Slot.However, the prospect of an in-form defender starting for the league leaders at just £2.9m is hugely appealing.A potential bargainCredit: GettyRayan Ait-Nouri (£3.6m) and/or Matheus Cunha (£4.4m)A couple of one-week punts to finish.Wolves are yet to win a league game this season but their most talented players have the ability to bank plenty of points against Southampton at Molineux on Saturday.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 NOWAit-Nouri leads the way for goal involvements (three goals, two assists) among Dream Team defenders this season.The Algeria international is a left-back in the loosest possible sense; he takes up some extremely advanced positions.Cunha is a class act and a man in form having taken 24 points from his last three games.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Brazilian forward ranks highly in his position for bonus points and big chances created.Gaffers who like to seek out differential options for short-terms gains should look to Wolves this weekend.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

THIS weekend’s Score Predictor fixtures feature every member of the so-called ‘big six’.If you can decipher the intriguingly poised match-ups then you will bank the £250 weekly prize – that would get you through the international break, wouldn’t it?Play Score Predictor now!Credit: Dream TeamSimply submit your predictions for the five selected Premier League games and earn points for the accuracy of your forecast as the action unfolds.If you amass the most points then – cha ching – you’ll pocket the cash!Allow us to present some key stats and facts for each relevant fixture this Matchweek.Brighton v Manchester CityThe defending champions’ shock defeat to Bournemouth last weekend was a major blow to the majority of Score Predictor users.Add in losses to Tottenham (Carabao Cup) and Sporting CP (Champions League) and it’s three defeats in a row for Pep Guardiola’s side in all competitions.Fabian Hurzeler will privately believe it’s a pretty good time to play the usually imperious Man City, especially given the latter’s injury list.That being said, the Seagulls have avoided defeat just twice in the last 15 meetings between these two teams.Most read in FootballPhil Foden inspired City to a 4-0 victory at the Amex back in April but they are unlikely to find life as easy on the south coast this Saturday – Brighton are one of just four top-flight teams yet to lose a league game at home this season.Our Prediction: 2-2 drawMan City rarely lose three games in a rowCredit: GettyScore 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 NOWLiverpool v Aston VillaOn paper, a match-up between the teams that finished third and fourth last season should be an ultra competitive affair.However, it’s almost impossible to look past Arne Slot’s side on current form.The Reds are unbeaten in 12 with their latest victory coming in the form of a thumping 4-0 win over Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.In contrast, the Villains are without a win in four games after their disappointing 1-0 loss to Club Brugge on Wednesday night – they also folded in the second half against Spurs last weekend.Villa beat Liverpool 7-2 in a crazy game typical of the lockdown era but but they’ve lost six and drawn two in the eight meetings since.Our Prediction: 3-1 to LiverpoolLiverpool are flying high this seasonCredit: GettyManchester United v LeicesterThis fixture is a replay of the Carabao Cup last 16 game that took place just over a week ago which ended 5-2 to the Red Devils.Granted, the Foxes named a much-changed side that day but the hosts will be hopeful of another positive result.Leicester are actually above Man United in the form table but that’s mainly because they took four points off Southampton and Ipswich – their upcoming fixtures are less favourable.The underlying stats are concerning for Steve Cooper’s troops; they rank in the bottom three for xG generated and top three for xG conceded.Man United have desperately struggled for league goals this season, only Crystal Palace and Ipswich have scored fewer, but we reckon they’ll break the shackles this weekend.Our Prediction: 3-1 to Man UnitedRuud van Nistelrooy oversaw a 5-2 win over Leicester in late OctoberCredit: GettyTottenham v IpswichThe Tractor Boys and Wolves are the only teams yet to win in the top flight this season.And fans of the East Anglian club won’t be all that hopeful of ending their drought in North London on Sunday with Spurs having seen off Man City and Villa in their two most recent home games.Ange Postecoglou’s dynamic side are top scorers in the Premier League at present while Ipswich have the second-worst defence – it’s serious mismatch on paper. Our Prediction: 4-0 to SpursSpurs are strong at homeCredit: ReutersChelsea v ArsenalThe Gunners have already dropped eight points on the road in 2024/25 and consecutive defeats to Newcastle and Inter have given Mikel Arteta much to consider.Chelsea’s draw at Old Trafford last Sunday saw them jump above Arsenal in the table, if only on goal difference.The Blues have actually earned more points away from Stamford Bridge this term but only Liverpool and Spurs are above them in the form table at the time of writing.Arsenal swaggered to a 5-0 win against Chelsea back in April but that was at the Emirates and under Mauricio Pochettino’s watch, a lot has changed since then.Chelsea haven’t beaten Arsenal at home since 2018 but their fans may feel it’s an opportune time to take three points off their London rivals.Even so, we’re going to sit on the fence…READ MORE SUN STORIESOur Prediction: 1-1 drawENTER YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR MATCHWEEK 11 AND SHOW US HOW IT’S DONE!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. 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DREAM TEAM managers desperately looking for an affordable route into Liverpool’s starting line-up may have been presented with the perfect gift in the form of Kostas Tsimikas (£2.9m).At the time of writing, the Greece international is the top-performing defender in Gameweek 10 having taken 19 points off Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen.BARGAIN ALERTCredit: Dream TeamDespite Ferdi Kadioglu’s (£3m) goal at Anfield, Tsimikas banked nine points against the Seagulls through seven tackles, two big chances created, one shot on target and a bonus point.He then earned ten points against the reigning Bundesliga champions via a clean sheet and three bonus points on Tuesday night.Arne Slot has seemingly promoted the 28-year-old to first-choice left-back, which renders his current price of £2.9m very cheap indeed.Andy Robertson (£4.1m) has long been the Reds’ starting left-back but the Scotsman struggled against Noni Madueke (£3.1m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.7m) in high-profile league games last month.The long-serving defender has been a great servant for Liverpool since his transfer from Hull in 2017 but it’s perfectly reasonable for a head coach to drop a player who has fallen out of form.Robertson was dropped in Gameweek 10Credit: PARobertson may earn his place back at some stage but for now it appears Tsimikas is above him in the pecking order.The latter currently features in just 0.7% of teams but his ownership will surely increase considerably in the wake of his 19-point haul.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 NOWSlot couldn’t have asked for a better start to life on Merseyside with his side currently on top of both the Premier League table and Champions League table.Most read in FootballIt’s no wonder Dream Team bosses are keen to back Liverpool to the hilt.One downside is that the most viable players come at a significant cost.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m), Virgil van Dijk (£5.5m) and Ibrahima Konate (£4.7m) are ranked first, second and fifth respectively among Dream Team defenders but all three are also among the most expensive assets in their position.Given that Tsimikas is available for less than half the price of Alexander-Arnold right now, he has to be considered a potentially smart selection.Of course, this strategy would backfire if Robertson was chosen to start against Aston Villa this coming Saturday but Slot’s team selections against Brighton and Leverkusen (two competitive match-ups on paper) were rather revealing.Liverpool are flying high this seasonCredit: GettyTsimikas was far from the only Liverpool player to enhance his reputation in Gameweek 10.Luis Diaz (£4.4m) bagged a hat-trick on Tuesday night to leapfrog Cole Palmer (£6.3m) and become Dream Team’s second-best midfielder of 2024/25 – Saka holds top spot.While Mohamed Salah (£7.3m) jumped to the very top of the mountain with a 22-point return, leaving Erling Haaland (£8.9m) in his wake.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere were also double-digit hauls for Cody Gakpo (£4.3m), Curtis Jones (£3m), Caoimhin Kelleher (£2.1m) and Ryan Gravenberch (£3.4m), as well as the aforementioned duo of Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk.It remains to be seen whether Liverpool can maintain their high standards but Dream Team bosses should make hay while the sun shines.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

TOTTENHAM’S victory over Aston Villa on Sunday was their ninth win in their last eleven games in all competitions.Much was made of the slip-ups against Brighton and Crystal Palace but there’s no denying the broader picture is an increasingly optimistic one for Ange Postecoglou’s side.Decisions, decisions…Credit: Dream TeamFurthermore, Spurs are currently the top scorers in the Premier League, a fact that Dream Team managers should not take lightly.At the time of writing, the North Londoners are the only club with three representatives inside the top 15 midfielders in terms of overall points.Brennan Johnson (£3.8m) and James Maddison (£4.6m) are ranked sixth and seventh in their position respectively with Dejan Kulusevski (£3.1m) nestled in 13th.Some Dream Team bosses will be more than happy to select a couple of Spurs midfielders but many will see that as overkill and so it begs the question: which of the three is the best option?If goals are the priority then Johnson is the main manCredit: AlamyJohnson has earned the most points (95) so far but Maddison is just two behind him at this stage.The Wales international has been the most prominent goal threat; his close-range finish against Villa was his seventh of the season in all competitions.Only Bryan Mbeumo (£4.6m) has scored more goals among midfield assets – Brentford’s talisman has eight to his name.Maddison’s picture-perfect free-kick against Unai Emery’s mob was just his third goal of the campaign but he’s hot on Johnson’s heels because he’s a bonus point magnet.Most read in Dream TeamSpurs’ No10 has earned 21 bonus points already – only Savinho (£4.1m) boasts a higher tally (22) – while Johnson is yet to muster a single one!Maddison has also registered five assists to Johnson’s two.Plenty of quality but Maddison’s minutes are a concernCredit: ReutersHowever, gaffers who own the ex-Leicester playmaker will be concerned about minutes going forward.Maddison was hooked at half time against West Ham in Gameweek 8, replaced after an hour against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 9, and given just eight minutes against Villa at the weekend.From a Dream Team perspective, his owners have largely escaped punishment as the 27-year-old has pocketed enough points from his limited minutes to satisfy but whether he’s able to maintain such a rate remains to be seen.Maddison will probably start against Galatasaray in the Europa League on Thursday night but Postecoglou is leaning towards a more conservative midfield balance in league fixtures.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 NOWMaddison is also the most expensive Spurs midfielder by a relatively wide margin.In contrast, Kulusevski is currently available for just £3.1m and has to be considered one of the best value-for-money selections in Dream Team this season.The Sweden international is 20 points behind Maddison (and 22 shy of Johnson) but many Spurs fans will tell you he’s been the best of the lot.Previously a right winger, the ex-Juventus man has been reinvented as a No10 where his creative powers have come to the fore.Kulusevski has provided six assists – only Bukayo Saka (£6.7m) has more among midfielders – and he’s created twice as many big chances as Maddison.In fact, Kulusevski’s quality in central areas has contributed to Maddison’s declining minutes.Kulusevski has rediscovered his best form this seasonCredit: GettyIn conclusion, Johnson is the best option for gaffers who simply want the biggest goal threat but Kulusevski is the smart, value-for-money option.The latter is also the most in-form of the trio having taken more points from the last three games.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd Maddison, for all his quality, has to be considered a potential trap door given his high price and dwindling playing time.18th-placed Ipswich are set to visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday so it’s a good time for gaffers to make sure they’re backing the right Spurs assets.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More