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      Dream Team bosses need to recognise Liverpool’s current striker hierarchy – Darwin Nunez’s struggles continue

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      REMEMBER a few weeks ago when everyone even remotely involved in football spent some time comparing Erling Haaland (£8.7m) and Darwin Nunez (£4.8m)?It felt natural at the time given the pair were the brand-new centre-forwards for Manchester City and Liverpool respectively, the two standout Premier League teams in recent times.
      At this current juncture though, such a comparison feels cruel to the Uruguayan striker given Pep Guardiola’s new No9 has embarked on a record-breaking flying start to the 2022/23 campaign.
      Nunez has mustered one goal in all competitions to Haaland’s 17, a deficit formed in part because of the former’s three-game suspension for violent conduct.
      The gulf between the two is most apparent when browsing the Dream Team rankings.
      The Norway international has a frankly obscene 153 points after seven and a half Game Weeks while Liverpool’s No27 has scrimped just ten.
      The goals aren’t coming for Nunez just yetCredit: getty
      In Nunez’s defence, everyone’s numbers look pathetic next to Haaland’s but the more pressing point for Dream Team managers to consider concerns the hierarchy of forwards at Anfield right now.
      Mohamed Salah (£7.7m) has earned his untouchable status and while he hasn’t been at his fluent best this term, it’s a measure of his pedigree that he’s registered four goals and three assists in ten outings so far.
      The prolific Egyptian has 46 points to his name at this stage, a tally bettered by just six other assets in his position.
      So while Salah is not leading the way as he did this time last year, he’s providing healthy returns for the 31.4% of gaffers backing him.
      The big surprise is that Roberto Firmino (£3.4m) has rolled back the years in recent weeks.
      Having fulfilled a more subsidiary role last term, the technically-sound Brazilian has stepped up with five goals and three assists in 420 minutes of Premier League action this campaign.
      His brace against Brighton at the weekend helped the Reds claim a point from a game in which they were on the back foot for sustained periods.
      If Jurgen Klopp is to pick his starting line-up on form for his side’s visit to Arsenal on Sunday then Firmino will be the man to lead the line.
      Firmino is in great form this seasonCredit: getty
      Nunez started against Rangers in the Champions League on Tuesday night and while his movement caused plenty of problems, the goalscoring touch still evades him.
      Diogo Jota (£4.4m) is also in the mix of course but the Portugal international has been limited to just 26 minutes of league action this season, his Dream Team viability is on the floor currently.
      What’s really interesting is the contrast between Firmino and Nunez’s cost and ownership relative to their respective points.
      The former has 45 points, costs just £3.4m, and currently features in 2.9% of teams while the latter is 35 points behind, costs £4.8m, and has an ownership of 13%.
      The fact is, after eight Game Weeks, Firmino has been one of the best value-for-money assets in his position while Nunez has desperately disappointed.

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      Bargain option Pascal Struijk outscoring Reece James, Virgil van Dijk and Kyle Walker in Dream Team

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      THE last phrase reasonably-minded Premier League observers would use to describe Leeds is: defensively soild.Marcelo Bielsa’s adrenaline-fuelled play style may no longer be witnessed at Elland Road but Jesse Marsch still believes in the importance of energy, intensity and high pressing.
      While this approach has worked at times this season, most notably at home to Chelsea, it does tend to leave them vulnerable to quick transitions if press-resistant opponents are able to weather the initial storm.
      Ten goals conceded after seven league games is plenty respectable and a figure that aligns with the Whites’ current mid-table position.
      However, those who frequently watch Leeds games will have noted that while the likes of Jack Harrison (£3.5m), Luis Sinisterra (£3.3m) and Rodrigo (£2.4m) are capable of providing plenty of threat, it would be a stretch to describe the side as tight and organised in defence.
      Hear us out…Credit: getty
      Certainly Leeds are not the porous pushovers they were at the end of El Loco’s reign with the additions of Tyler Adams (£1.9m) and Marc Roca (£1.7m) forming a midfield double pivot that has provided increased protection for the back four.
      Marsch’s troops did well to hold out for a draw against Aston Villa on Sunday despite Sinisterra’s red card early in the second half for their second clean sheet of the campaign, the first being that impressive 3-0 win over Chelsea.
      Half the league goals they have conceded this season came in one game, a capitulation away to Brentford masterminded by hat-trick hero Ivan Toney (£4.9m).
      Despite that notable setback, Pascal Struijk (£1.4m) has managed to accumulate 23 Dream Team points, putting him just outside the top ten assets in his position.
      This is notable because the Dutch defender is right at the cheapest end of the price range and, at the time of writing, he’s outscoring the likes of Reece James (£5.3m), Virgil van Dijk (£5m), Kyle Walker (£4m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.6m) and plenty of other individuals who take up a sizeable chunk of a gaffer’s budget.
      23 points is a very respectable return at this stageCredit: getty
      Struijk has been playing slightly out of position this term, filling in at left-back while Junior Firpo (£1.5m) and utility man Stuart Dallas have been sidelined with injury.
      While the 23-year-old is limited going forward, he’s put his natural defensive instincts to good use.
      Struijk ranks highly for several relevant metrics such as tackles, successful pressure percentage, blocks, etc.
      And it’s these stats that have ensured he’s ticked over with occasional 7+ ratings even when Leeds haven’t been able to keep a clean sheet.
      Add in an assist and a Star Man award and we’ve solved the mystery of how a £1.4m defender has been able to punch above his weight.
      3.8% of Dream Team gaffers have enjoyed Struijk’s value-for-money points
      Whether Struijk is an asset to target going forward is a separate issue as generally you want all your defenders representing teams that are more defensively resolute than Leeds but his bargain price is appealing.
      If recruiting him allows you afford a dream front line of Erling Haaland (£8.7m), Harry Kane (£7.5m) and Gabriel Jesus (£5.7m) then it may be a worthwhile pursuit.
      However, be aware that Firpo came off the bench against Villa at the weekend and since Struijk is a centre-back by trade, his spot in the starting line-up isn’t necessarily assured.
      Still, how often do you see a £1.4m above Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk in the rankings?

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      Dream Team’s October monthly competition gets underway this weekend – winners bags a PlayStation 5!

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      DREAM TEAM’S October monthly competition gets underway this coming weekend and we can confirm the prize is once again a brand new PlayStation 5!The gaffer who racks up the most points between October 7th and November 4th will take home the in-demand games console worth £449 RRP.
      September’s monthly competition concludes this Game Week and Man City fan Chris Mason is the current frontrunner having amassed 295 points in the relevant period but it’s tight at the top and with a full allocation of European fixtures still to fulfil, dozens of managers are in contention to claim the top prize.
      Remember, you can check the monthly leaderboard anytime HERE.
      October’s winner will take home a PlayStation 5!
      If your XI is struggling in the classic Season game, fear not, a fruitful few weeks could land you a PS5 as only points gained during the given period are taken into account for our monthly competitions.
      With that in mind, you could tailor your team specifically to October’s fixtures once transfers are refreshed, ignoring long-term viability, with a view to scooping the monthly prize.
      Alternatively, you can create a new team and fill it full of players with favourable fixtures for the month in question – each Dream Team gaffer is allowed a maximum of ten teams per season.
      And of course, if your happy with your progress in the classic Season game and believe your best XI is also likely to rack up plentiful points in the coming weeks then you don’t need to alter your strategy at all.
      You can even get involved if you didn’t sign-up for Dream Team at the start of the season.
      Simply create an XI ahead of this weekend’s fixtures and if your team achieves the most points between October 7th and November 4th then the PS5 will be yours.
      August’s winner David Bradbury with his prize and grandsons
      West Brom supporter David Bradbury won August’s monthly competition and was ‘over the moon’ when his victory was confirmed.
      “My grandsons will be even more pleased when I pass the PS5 onto them!” he told us. “The final game between Leicester and Man United seemed to go on forever.
      “I always try to pick players that do not get rotated and manage to stay injury free. I have been doing Dream Team since it started and this shows that perseverance pays off in the end.
      “I am very grateful for your generosity. I will be trying my hardest to stay in contention for the rest of the season.”
      October is a particularly busy month for teams with European commitments so gaffers hoping to replicate David’s success would do well to consider packing their XI full of players with the most fixtures to fulfil – more fixtures means more point-scoring opportunities.

      Please be aware that the monthly competition will run in accordance with the Game Weeks.
      See the above schedule for the relevant scoring periods from our terms and conditions.
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      James Maddison’s Dream Team returns suggest England need him at the World Cup but Gareth Southgate will ignore him

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      REALISTICALLY, Gareth Southgate is not going to include James Maddison (£4.9m) in England’s squad for the upcoming World Cup.Leicester’s No10 has not been involved with the Three Lions since 2019 when he played 34 minutes during a 7-0 win over Montenegro in Euro 2020 qualifying.
      Given that England’s next fixture is their first group game in Qatar against Iran, it would be highly unusual for a coach who has remained loyal to a core group of players to suddenly pivot in a new direction on the eve of a major tournament.
      Whether or not Southgate is right to have discarded Maddison for so long is another matter entirely.
      Maddison put Nottingham Forest to the swordCredit: getty
      There can be no doubt over the 25-year-old’s talent and form.
      His Star Man display at home to Nottingham Forest on Monday night featured two goals and an assist, including a trademark free-kick.
      That makes it five goals and two assists in seven league outings this season, an impressive tally achieved despite the Foxes’ dismal results – a comprehensive win over their East Midlands rivals only lifts them to 19th in the table.
      And this is not a brief purple patch for Maddison as he enjoyed the best season of his career from an individual perspective last term when he scored 18 goals and provided 12 assists across five competitions.
      A compelling case can be made that the Coventry-born midfielder has been the most in-form player in his position among his compatriots for over a year now.
      This success is reflected in the Dream Team rankings where Maddison currently sits third among midfielders having moved onto 43 points – Kevin De Bruyne (£7.5m) and Phil Foden (£5.7m) are 13 and 19 points ahead respectively.
      Maddison has been in great form personally despite Leicester’s poor results
      The Foxes’ talisman is accustomed to this spot on the podium as he collected the bronze medal among midfielders at the end of 2021/22.
      His total of 228 points was the highest achieved among English midfielders last season, yet further evidence that Southgate has perhaps unfairly overlooked him.
      The Three Lions coach is not ignorant, he will be fully aware of Maddison’s impressive statistics and the frequency with which he has exhibited his best attributes in the recent months – so why the constant omissions?
      One possible answer is that there is simply no place for a player of Maddison’s profile in Southgate’s desired squad structure.
      England have frequently played with three at the back and wing-backs alongside an industrious midfield duo – usually Declan Rice (£2.4m) and Kalvin Phillips (£1.8m) or Jude Bellingham.
      It’s clear Maddison, as a genuine No10, does not fit the required mould in this formation unless he were to play in the front three but Southgate prefers quick runners such Raheem Sterling (£5m) and Bukayo Saka (£4.1m) either side of Harry Kane (£7.5m).
      It’s relevant that Foden, who is more similar to Maddison in terms of skill-set, has generally been unable to impact games in the same manner he does for Manchester City when tasked with playing out wide at international level.
      A rare sighting of Maddison in an England shirtCredit: getty
      Where Maddison could theoretically slot in is as the most advanced midfielder in the 4-3-3 formation also frequently used by Southgate, generally against weaker opposition.
      This role has been locked down by Mason Mount (£4.4m) in recent times but in terms of current form it’s chalk and cheese between Chelsea’s homegrown playmaker and Maddison – the former is yet to register a goal or assist for the Blues this season.
      In fairness, Mount produced the goods last campaign and finished as one of only three players to reach double figures for goals and assists in the Premier League.
      Plus, one of the main reasons Southgate is such a fan of Chelsea’s No19 is because of his work rate out of possession, a discipline in which he eclipses Maddison.
      However, isn’t there a case to be made that while some games require the dual purpose of Mount others may be more suited to the superior attacking flourishes of Maddison?
      World Cup spoiler: Iran will sit deep against England in that first group and so perhaps Maddison’s mound of goal involvements is a more relevant factor than Mount’s final third pressures?
      Foden could also play as the most advanced midfielder in England’s 4-3-3 but it’s notable that Pep Guardiola, who knows a thing or two, has got the best out of the youngster by deploying him predominantly in the front three.
      Decisions, decisions…Credit: getty
      Southgate will put faith in his preparations for this World Cup and probably sees Maddison’s sparkling form as annoying ammunition for his detractors rather than an opportunity to improve the squad at the last minute.
      This is the challenge presented to a coach: when should you compromise your established approach to accommodate a potentially useful asset?
      One thing is certain, if Maddison continues to stack up goals and assists from now until late November, there will be considerable frustration among fans if England find it difficult to break down Iran, USA and Wales in Qatar without him.

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      Hat-trick hero Leandro Trossard currently has a Dream Team ownership of just 0.3%

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      THIS weekend was all about a quality player who scored a superb hat-trick.No, not Erling Haaland (£8.7m), Leandro Trossard (£3.6m) of course!
      Brighton’s No11 scored all of his side’s goals at Anfield as Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge on English shores ended in a 3-3 draw.
      Much of the focus was on Liverpool’s continued problems in defence and while it’s true that Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.6m) and company looked vulnerable and uncertain once again, credit has to go to Trossard and his team-mates for their part in an absorbing contest.
      Hat-trick heroCredit: getty
      The brilliant Belgian exhibited his impressive technique and his new-found confidence in front of goal to ensure the Seagulls came away from Merseyside with a point despite a significant rally from the hosts that saw them score three unanswered goals.
      In fact, Brighton may feel they should have been out of sight given their supremacy in the first 25 minutes.
      Naturally, Trossard claimed the Star Man award when all was said and done to bank 28 points and boost his overall total for the season to 47.
      This influx propelled the 27-year-old up the rankings to sixth among forwards.
      And this is significant because he currently features in just 0.3% of teams, making him by far the least-selected asset in the overall top 15 performers.
      Players more popular than Trossard right now include Diego Llorente (£1.4m), James Milner (£1.3m) and Yves Bissouma (£1.5m).
      Hardly any Dream Team bosses have benefited from Trossard’s great efforts so farCredit: getty
      Perhaps the Belgium international would be considerably more popular if he was categorised as a midfielder instead of a forward but with five goals and an assist in 585 minutes of league action, he’s forcing himself into the conversation among Dream Team bosses.
      There is the possibility that Brighton may suffer from the departure of Graham Potter, who did such a great job on the south coast, but a 3-3 draw at Anfield is a decent start to the De Zerbi era.
      October’s fixtures aren’t particularly kind, the Seagulls face Spurs, Man City and Chelsea in the coming weeks but no team will fancy taking on a team that have lost just one of their eight fixtures this term.
      If you’re a Dream Team manager who is partial to a lowly-owned differential option then Trossard’s returns are worth monitoring at the very least.

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      How likely is it Erling Haaland will break Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time Dream Team points record?

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      IT’S the day after Manchester City played at home in the Premier League so of course we’ve got an Erling Haaland (£8.7m) hat-trick to discuss.The prolific Norwegian bagged three goals for his third consecutive league game at the Etihad as Pep Guardiola’s side swaggered to a 6-3 win over neighbours Man United.
      Anthony Martial (£3.1m) clawed back some dignity for the visitors with a late brace but the real story of the derby was the ease with which the hosts cut down their rivals, particularly in the first half.
      Phil Foden (£5.7m) grabbed a hat-trick of his own with a magnificent display that would have been enough to earn him a Star Man award in virtually any other fixture but when you’re a team-mate of Haaland, the standard is set ridiculously high.
      The 22-year-old assisted two of Foden’s goals to finish with five direct goal involvements, an effort worth a whopping 32 points.
      Haaland is etching his name into the Premier League history booksCredit: getty
      We’re just seven and half Game Weeks into the season and Haaland has 153 points to his name – a tally bettered by only eight forwards last season come the end of the campaign.
      He’s averaging 15.3 points-per-game and already has a 91-point lead at the top of the rankings.
      Haaland has scored 17 goals and provided three assists in just 825 minutes of action – that’s a goal involvement every 41.3 minutes!
      After eight fixtures, his tally of 14 Premier League goals is just nine shy of the total achieved by last term’s joint Golden Boot winners, Mohamed Salah’s (£7.7m) and Son Heung-min (£5.8m).
      Naturally, eight games is the quickest time a player has ever scored three hat-tricks in Premier League history with the previous record being 48 appearances, held by Michael Owen.
      Haaland’s current numbers are obscene but how likely is he to overhaul Cristiano Ronaldo’s (£5.5m) all-time record for most Dream Team points in a single season?
      Ronaldo’s record is under threatCredit: getty
      The Portuguese superstar amassed 477 points in the 2007/08 campaign by virtue of 42 goals, eight assists, and more Star Man awards than you could shake a Ballon d’Or at.
      It’s a measure of the record held by Man United’s legendary No7 that no other player has ever recorded more than 400 points in a single campaign but the milestone is under serious threat because of Haaland’s incredible start to 2022/23.
      City’s No9 needs another 324 points to match Ronaldo’s best-ever tally which, while extremely difficult, is feasible given there are 30 league fixtures still to fulfil plus European and domestic cup commitments.
      Certainly, the 247 points required to become the second-ever quadruple centurion looks very achievable.
      Haaland’s ability to plunder the necessary points is not in doubt but will his body hold up under the strain?
      At the time the 6ft 3in forward looks more cyborg than man but the truth is he has rarely completed a full campaign in his professional career without suffering notable injury setbacks.
      An image that sums up Sunday’s Manchester derbyCredit: getty
      The uniqueness of this season, with the impending break for the World Cup, may help Haaland as he will have the luxury of a five-week break since Norway did not qualify for the prestigious tournament in Qatar.
      However, history suggests City will have contend with a sidelining of their top scorer at some stage this term.
      But with Haaland averaging over 15 points-per-game, he could afford to miss a few games and still Ronaldo’s record would be under serious threat.
      In fact, if he were to maintain his current rate (admittedly an almost impossible task) he would surpass the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s unmatched tally in 22 games’ time.
      Watch your back, Cristiano, he’s coming for you.

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      Injuries and suspensions update ahead of Dream Team Game Week 8 – Stones sidelined

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      DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and selection updates ahead of Game Week 8 in one easily digestible dose.John Stones’ (£5.2m) owners would have feared the worst when the centre-back limped off against Germany while on England duty in midweek and those worries were justified.
      Pep Guardiola confirmed to reporters that the 28-year-old suffered a hamstring injury and will be sidelined for an unspecified period of time, meaning of course that he’ll miss this weekend’s Manchester derby.
      As for Manchester United, Harry Maguire (£2.6m) will play no part at the Etihad on Sunday as he has a hamstring injury of his own, though he’s been a substitute in recent weeks anyway.
      A late decision will be made on Marcus Rashford (£4m) and Anthony Martial (£3.1m) with the pair having returned to training this week.
      Stones injured his hamstring during the international breakCredit: getty
      Mikel Arteta vaguely told journalists that Oleksandar Zinchenko (£3.7m), Thomas Partey (£2.2m) and Kieran Tierney (£3.2m) are all ‘part of the team’ when asked about the trio’s availability ahead of the north London derby.
      Emile Smith Rowe (£2.6m) is expected to be out until December having undergone surgery this past week.
      Antonio Conte admitted that Dejan Kulusevski (£3.5m) has a ‘problem’ and so Spurs may be without the Swedish midfielder at the Emirates on Saturday.
      Hugo Lloris (£3.5m) is also said to have returned from the international break with a minor issue but it’s unclear whether he will participate in one of the most-anticipated fixtures of the season so far.
      Andy Robertson (£4.6m) remains unavailable for selection so Kostas Tsimikas (£3.3m) is likely to start at left-back for Liverpool against Brighton on Saturday.
      Game Week 8 also comes too soon for midfielders Naby Keita (£2m), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (£2.5m) and Curtis Jones (£2m).
      Spurs may be without Kulusevski and Lloris on SaturdayCredit: getty
      Roberto De Zerbi may be able to call upon Tariq Lamptey (£2.1m) and Adam Lallana (£1.5m) for his first game in charge of Seagulls but will be without Enock Mwepu (£1.5m) and Jakub Moder.
      Both Rodrigo (£2.4m) and Patrick Bamford (£2.7m) are available to Jesse Marsch for Aston Villa’s visit to Elland Road on Sunday – the former racked up 28 points in his first outings of the season.
      The visitors will be without both their first-choice full-backs, Matt Cash (£2.4m) and Lucas Digne (£2.9m), this weekend with the Frenchman facing ‘a few weeks’ on the sidelines.
      Marc Cucurella (£3m) fell ill over the international break and won’t be involved as Chelsea take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park – it’s unclear whether he will recover in time to play Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
      Rodrigo has recovered from his shoulder injury
      ARSENAL
      Injuries: Reiss Nelson, Mohamed Elneny, Emile Smith Rowe, Oleksandr Zinchenko (doubt), Thomas Partey (doubt), Kieran Tierney (doubt), Cedric Soares (doubt)
      Suspensions: None
      ASTON VILLA
      Injuries: Diego Carlos, Lucas Digne, Matt Cash, Boubacar Kamara
      Suspensions: None
      BOURNEMOUTH
      Injuries: David Brooks, Joe Rothwell, Lloyd Kelly, Ben Pearson, Ryan Fredericks
      Suspensions: None
      BRENTFORD
      Injuries: Ethan Pinnock (doubt), Keane Lewis-Potter, Christian Norgaard
      Suspensions: None
      BRIGHTON
      Injuries: Jakub Moder, Enock Mwepu
      Suspensions: None
      CHELSEA
      Injuries: N’Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Marc Cucurella
      Suspensions: None
      CRYSTAL PALACE
      Injuries: Jack Butland, Nathan Ferguson, James McArthur
      Suspensions: None
      EVERTON
      Injuries: Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina, Dominic Calvert-Lewin (doubt), Andros Townsend, Mason Holgate, Nathan Patterson
      Suspensions: None
      FULHAM
      Injuries: Harry Wilson, Manor Solomon, Antonee Robinson (doubt)
      Suspensions: Joao Palhinha
      LEEDS
      Injuries: Stuart Dallas, Adam Forshaw, Archie Gray
      Suspensions: None
      LEICESTER
      Injuries: Ryan Bertrand, Ricardo Pereira, Patson Daka (doubt), Wilfred Ndidi (doubt)
      Suspensions: None
      LIVERPOOL
      Injuries: Ibrahima Konate (doubt), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andy Robertson, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones
      Suspensions: None
      MAN CITY
      Injuries: Aymeric Laporte, Kalvin Phillips, John Stones
      Suspensions: None
      MAN UNITED
      Injuries: Anthony Martial (doubt), Marcus Rashford (doubt), Harry Maguire
      Suspensions: None
      NEWCASTLE
      Injuries: Emil Krath, Jonjo Shelvey, Allan Saint-Maximin (doubt), Alexander Isak, Chris Wood (doubt)
      Suspensions: None
      NOTTINGHAM FOREST
      Injuries: Omar Richards, Moussa Niakhate, Orel Mangala, Morgan Gibbs-White (doubt), Emmanuel Dennis (Doubt), Scott McKenna (doubt)
      Suspensions: None
      SOUTHAMPTON
      Injuries: Tino Livramento, Romeo Lavia
      Suspensions: None
      SPURS
      Injuries: Lucas Moura, Dejan Kulusevski (doubt), Hugo Lloris (doubt), Ben Davies (doubt)
      Suspensions: None
      WEST HAM
      Injuries: Nayef Aguerd, Ben Johnson
      WOLVES
      Injuries: Chiquinho, Diego Costa (doubt), Raul Jimenez, Sasa, Kalajdzic
      Suspensions: Nathan Collins
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      3 Dream Team players who could achieve double-digit hauls in Game Week 8

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      THE Premier League season will resume with a bang this weekend thanks to mouthwatering fixtures such as Arsenal v Tottenham and the Manchester derby.They’ll hardly be any time to catch breath however as there’s a full allotment of European fixtures to take place in midweek.
      In fact, because of Leicester v Nottingham Forest (another derby) on Monday night, there will be Dream Team eligible fixtures for six consecutive days in Game Week 8.
      With action aplenty, which players are best placed to rack up double-digit hauls? We’ve picked out three assets who seem to fit the bill…
      Luis Diaz (£5.3m)
      Diaz has already scored four goals this seasonCredit: getty
      As the kids say, the Colombian winger ‘has that dog in him’ and it’s his blend of tenacity and technique that has allowed him to tick along nicely despite Liverpool’s hot-and-cold form at the start of 2022/23.
      Diaz has scored four goals in eight appearances so far and this week he’ll be unleashed upon Brighton and Rangers.
      The Reds won 2-0 at the Amex back in March and, wouldn’t you know it, Diaz scored a brave header that day so recent history is on his side in this fixture.
      Plus, the Seagulls may be weakened by the departure of Graham Potter, who did an excellent job on the south coast.
      As for Rangers, last season’s Europa League finalists appear to have dropped a level from last term and were comprehensively beaten by Celtic, Ajax and Napoli prior to the international break – a trip to Anfield looks a daunting task for the Glasgow club.
      Points have been hard to come by for Liverpool’s defenders this campaign but Diaz and company still pack a punch going forward and if selected to start both fixtures this week, it would be something of a surprise if the 25-year-old didn’t register at least one goal involvement.
      Bukayo Saka (£4.1m)
      England’s game-changer against Germany
      The north London derby will be fiercely contested as always but the Gunners will feel confident of getting one over their rivals on home soil.
      Arsenal’s No7 made a huge difference to England’s attack when he came off the bench against Germany, playing a significant role in the 12-minute blitz that that resulted in three goals for the hosts at Wembley.
      Truth be told, Saka has not been at his absolute best at the start of this season and yet it’s a measure of his talent that he has a goal and four assists to his name from seven league outings.
      Spurs are third in the table currently but Antonio Conte will be concerned by how many shots they’ve allowed so far, suggesting they’re more vulnerable than their lofty position indicates.
      Harry Kane (£7.5m) and company could do some damage at the other end of the pitch but it will be a tough ask for the visitors to keep a clean sheet at the Emirates on Saturday and Saka will be at the heart of many an attack.
      Mikel Arteta’s side then face Bodo/Glimt on at home on Thursday night and while the Norwegian club have punched above their weight in recent seasons, Arsenal will be heavy favourites.
      Of course, Saka may be rested but even a quick dart off the bench could prove profitable.
      Kevin De Bruyne (£7.5m)
      Dream Team’s best-performing midfielder so far this seasonCredit: getty
      A blindingly obvious nomination? Admittedly, yes.
      But we reckon Manchester City’s brilliant Belgian will outscore Erling Haaland (£8.7m) in Game Week 8 – now that’s a bold call given the Norwegian striker has 121 points to his name at this stage.
      Pep Guardiola’s men face Man United on Sunday and Copenhagen with both fixtures taking place at the Etihad.
      Bearing in mind De Bruyne is averaging a goal or assist every 78.7 minutes this season it seems reasonable to expect more plentiful returns this coming week.
      And we reckon he’ll edge out Haaland thanks to a Star Man award (or two?) seeing as his play style tickles WhoScored’s stats-based algorithm so seductively even when he doesn’t find the net himself.
      Cue a pair of Haaland hat-tricks…

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