Fantasy Football

THIS week’s Score Predictor fixtures are as tricky as they are enticing.As usual, we’re putting up £250 for the weekly prize – a handy return on a free-to-play game.Simply submit predictions for five selected Premier League games and earn points for accuracy – most points banks the cash.Play Score Predictor now!Credit: Dream TeamRemember, you don’t have to get all five scores exactly correct – that’s very rare – you just have to outperform everyone else.Check out our predictions below…Aston Villa v WolvesWe kick things off with a midlands derby.Wolves have a good record in this match-up in recent years with Villa having won just one of the last seven meetings.However, Gary O’Neil’s side aren’t in the best place right now with just one point to show for their efforts in the league so far this season.Plus, only bottom-of-the-table Everton have conceded more league goals at this stage.Most read in FootballUnai Emery’s side beat the Toffees last weekend and marked their long-awaited return to the Champions League with a comfortable victory over Young Boys in midweek.Obviously, Jhon Duran will score his obligatory goal off the bench…Our Prediction: 3-1 to Aston VillaSuper sub!Credit: RexLiverpool v BournemouthNottingham Forest’s win at Anfield last weekend scuppered many Score Predictor users but surely lightning won’t strike twice?The Cherries are a well-organised side but it’s hard to look past the hosts, especially after the Reds outclassed Milan at the San Siro.Liverpool have won ten of their last eleven meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions and only once have they ever failed to win at home (a 2-2 draw in 2017).Our Prediction: 2-0 to LiverpoolScore 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 NOWCrystal Palace v Manchester UnitedThe Eagles thrashed the Red Devils 4-0 at Selhurst Park back in May, although the chief architect of that performance, Michael Olise, has since joined Bayern Munich.Palace are without a league win in 2024/25 as they’ve found goals hard to come by in the top flight – only Ipswich and Southampton have scored fewer.In contrast, Erik ten Hag’s side are fully among the goals after 3-0 and 7-0 wins over Saints and Barnsley in their last two outings.However, Man United are an unpredictable entity and they may have one eye on their first Europa League game of the campaign in midweek.Our Prediction: 1-1 drawMan United scored ten unanswered goals in the space of four daysCredit: APBrighton v Nottingham ForestBoth these teams remain undefeated in the league this season with two wins and two draws each.Forest’s win at Anfield is arguably the standout result of the campaign to date and Nuno Espirito Santo deserves plenty of credit for the tactical nous he’s exhibited.As for the Seagulls, their bright start was tempered by a 0-0 draw at home to Ipswich but the overall outlook remains positive – a 3-2 win over Wolves in the Carabao Cup went some way to addressing the stalemate with the Tractor Boys.Without wanting to jinx it, this match-up should offer an abundance of entertainment as Brighton have registered the most shots in the top flight while Forest rank joint-sixth in the same metric.We have no legitimate reason to doubt the visitors but it’s often the case that historic underdog victories are followed by reality checks.Our Prediction: 3-2 to BrightonForest have been brilliant this season but Brighton away is another tough testCredit: GettyManchester City v ArsenalThe main event.Naturally, interest is high heading into a clash between the two best teams in the country but it’s worth remembering that last season’s meeting at the Etihad was essentially a non-event.Erling Haaland has raced to nine league goals in the blink of an eye but in William Saliba and Gabriel he will be up against arguably the best centre-back partnership in world football right now.Pep Guardiola’s side will have extra time to prepare as the Gunners face Atalanta away on Thursday night but that might just push Mikel Arteta even closer to a shut-up-shop rearguard.We’d love to be proved wrong…READ MORE SUN STORIESOur Prediction: 0-0 drawEnter your predictions for Matchweek 5 before Saturday’s 3pm deadline.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

THE unpredictable nature of football makes Dream Team’s fantasy game a tricky one to negotiate at times.Here at Dream Team HQ, we endeavour to help you as much as possible.We have added several new features to the game that will help you navigate the 2024/25 season.Dream Team’s fantasy game is better than ever this seasonCredit: Dream TeamFixture CalendarWe’re constantly advising you to look at the upcoming fixtures as a whole when making transfers.Short-term gains are all well and good but the best gaffers target long-term returns and it’s easier to achieve this with a wider view of the schedule.Simply head to the Stats Centre and switch from the Stats tab to the Fixtures tab for a clear breakdown of upcoming games on a Gameweek-by-Gameweek basis.You can even filter the calendar to compare certain teams directly.For example, here’s a look at Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City’s fixtures from Gameweeks 4 to 10.Transfer HistoryClick on your team name to see a record of your completed transfers throughout the season.Your transfer history will also show how many points your transfers gained or lost for each Gameweek.Don’t be disheartened if your transfers yielded negative returns initially – your changes may still work out in the long run.Rank HistorySwitch the tab from Transfer History to Rank History to get an overarching view of your performance in the overall leaderboard.View your progression over the last month, three months, or entire season.Booster IconsAs you should know by now, every Dream Team manager is able to activate three Boosters throughout the season: Goal Bonus, 12th Man and Max Captain.Each Booster can only be played once and each special effect will only last the duration of one Gameweek.When viewing the overall Gameweek leaderboard, an icon (displaying a lightning bolt) will show next to the gaffers who have activated a Booster.A reminder that Dream Team bosses who play a Booster are not eligible to win the weekly cash prize.League HistoryWhen viewing any Mini League, a drop-down enables you to see final standings for the 23/24 season and our latest Euros fantasy offering (if relevant).This is a particularly useful feature for those who like to bask in past glories from time to time.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

ONLY Erling Haaland (£9.1m) has scored more goals than Jean-Philippe Mateta (£3.3m) this season.Manchester City’s No9 is in a league of his own having raced to NINE in the blink of an eye but the Crystal Palace striker leads the chasing pack with four.Picking up where he left off last seasonCredit: Dream TeamGranted, two of the Frenchman’s goals came against Norwich in the Carabao Cup second round but Dream Team famously encompasses all competitions and such match-ups are there to be exploited.Mateta bagged a brace against Leicester on Saturday to help the Eagles come from 2-0 down to rescue a point.His first poacher’s effort was initially flagged offside but proved to be valid by VAR.He then sealed a draw with a stoppage-time penalty, which came as a surprise as Eberechi Eze (£4.7m) was considered the club’s first-choice spot-kick taker prior to kick-off.Ultimately, Mateta banked 16 points to catapult him up the rankings.At the time of writing, only the aforementioned Haaland and Mohamed Salah (£7.6m) have more points to their name among Dream Team forwards.On the podiumCredit: RexTOP DREAM TEAM STRIKERSErling Haaland – 77 ptsMohamed Salah – 49 ptsJean-Philippe Mateta – 41 ptsJarrod Bowen – 38 ptsYoane Wissa – 33 ptsMost read in FootballIt’s been feast-or-famine for Mateta so far this season as he mustered just five points collectively from his games against Brentford, West Ham and Chelsea.In contrast, he took Norwich and Leicester for a combined 36 points.Incredibly, the 27-year-old has scored with all of his shots on target so far in 2024/25.Mateta’s bright start to the new campaign is a continuation of the form he has shown ever since Oliver Glasner took charge at Selhurst Park.He’s now scored 18 club goals in all competitions since the start of February.And he may get the chance to build on his impressive tally if selected against QPR this evening.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 NOWGlasner picked a strong team in the Carabao Cup last time outCredit: ReutersLooking further ahead, it may be difficult for Mateta to keep pace with the most-prosperous forwards as Palace don’t have European commitments to pad out their schedule.Progression to the next round of the Carabao Cup would go some way to levelling the playing field but Dream Team bosses really should be prioritising the European competitions in the coming weeks.Palace are due to face Manchester United, Everton and Liverpool in the league before the next international break.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

FILE this under classic Dream Team.Ahead of Gameweek 4, Ollie Watkins (£5.6m) was among the most transferred-out players in the game.In fact, Alexander Isak (£5.1m) was the only available asset (not injured or suspended) who was ditched from more teams prior to the deadline.But whereas Newcastle’s star forward mustered just one point at the weekend, Aston Villa’s No11 punished gaffers who lost patience in him with a decisive brace against Everton on Saturday.Watkins has quickly made up for his slow startCredit: Dream TeamWatkins inspired the Villains to a comeback victory over hapless Everton and banked 18 points in the process.At the time of writing, he’s the joint-top performer in Gameweek 4 alongside the imperious Erling Haaland (£9.1m), who scored a brace of his own against Brentford.Villa’s main man failed to score in three outings before the international break and was substituted just after the hour-mark each time.An assist against Leicester in Gameweek 3 hinted at an upturn but Watkins’ removal from the England squad prompted many Dream Team bosses to seek a replacement.However, with two goals under his belt and another fixture to come this Gameweek in the form of a Champions League away day to Young Boys, it’s inevitable he will be among the most-recruited players ahead of Gameweek 5.Watkins currently features in 15.5% of teamsCredit: GettyAt the end of August we published an article detailing the conundrum facing Watkins owners after his slow start to the campaign.Most read in FootballAt the time, we highlighted the favourable nature of Villa’s fixtures until the start of October, not to mention the fact they are one of just six teams set to fulfil three consecutive double Gameweeks.The first of those double Gameweeks has got off to a roaring start and gaffers who remained patient will be congratulating themselves after Watkins’ mega haul at the Toffees’ expense.Unai Emery’s side will face Wolves and Wycombe in Gameweek 5 before taking on Ipswich and Bayern Munich in Gameweek 6.Last season proved that an in-form Watkins can rack up huge numbers when he’s got additional midweek fixtures to supplement his schedule.Villa get their Champions League campaign underway this weekCredit: GettyThe 28-year-old’s 18-point return was well-timed for another reason.Jhon Duran (£2.9m) couldn’t be doing more to push for a place in the starting line-up.The Colombia international has scored three goals from just 103 minutes playing time in 2024/25, with his latest strike (the winner against Everton) being a Goal of the Season contender.In fact, since the start of the last season he averages a goal every 70.6 minutes in the top flight.READ MORE SUN STORIESScore 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 NOWDuran has developed into an incredibly effective super sub but questions are now being asked about whether he deserves a more prominent role.Watkins’ brace will have solidified his spot as starting striker but it will be interesting to see if Emery is more inclined to pair him with Duran going forward or if the duo will rotate. 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

AGAINST all odds, Dwight McNeil (£3.5m) has become Dream Team’s top-performing midfielder.Everton’s No7 opened the scoring against Aston Villa on Saturday with a pinpoint finish and it was his inviting cross that Dominic Calvert Lewin (£3.2m) nodded home to double the visitors’ lead in the midlands; a contribution that earned him 15 points in one fell swoop.46 points and countingCredit: Dream TeamUnfortunately, the Toffees once again came away with nothing as Ollie Watkins (£5.6m) and Jhon Duran (£2.9m) inspired the Villains to a comeback victory.If anything, the fact Sean Dyche’s mob are yet to earn a single point this season makes it even more impressive that McNeil now tops the midfield rankings, above the likes of Bukayo Saka (£6.4m), Eberechi Eze (£4.7m) and Luis Diaz (£5m).The 24-year-old has amassed 46 points from five outings this campaign.Only Mohamed Salah (£7.6m) and runaway leader Erling Haaland (£9.1m) have more points to their name among all assets at the time of writing.Everton have lost all four of their league games this seasonCredit: RexMcNeil started relatively slowly with nine points after his first two games but he’s plundered 37 points across his last three appearances against Doncaster, Bournemouth and Villa.He’s scored two goals and provided two assists overall, plus eight bonus points.Additonally, the former Burnley man, who currently features in 2.2% of teams, is the only player to have created five big chances for his team-mates at this stage of the season.McNeil has delivered a whopping 20 accurate crosses; Fulham’s Andreas Pereira (£2.6m) is the only other player to have registered more than ten.Most read in FootballScore 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 NOWMcNeil is trying his best to reverse Everton’s fortunesCredit: GettyEverton fans have endured a truly miserable start to the season.Before the international break, the Toffees conspired to lose to Bournemouth after being 2-0 up in the 87th minute and so Saturday’s repeat (though not quite as farcical) has only worsened the sour mood at Goodison Park.McNeil’s Dream Team excellence will come as little consolation to the fans but the midfielder’s efforts should be recognised – he’s doing everything he can to drag his side out of the mire.In truth, McNeil’s reign as the game’s outright best midfielder may be short lived as it will be immensely difficult for him to keep pace with his main rivals once the European fixtures start coming thick and fast.That being said, Everton are due to face Southampton in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night and passage to the next round would bolster McNeil’s schedule, improving his viability further.Dream Team’s top midfielder… for nowCredit: RexDyche’s side have a relatively favourable run of league games from Gameweek 5 until mid-November: Leicester, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Ipswich, Fulham, Southampton, West Ham, Brentford.Although of course Everton themselves will be considered a favourable opponent by others given their joyless start to the campaign.Whether McNeil is able to maintain his market-leading form going forward is another matter but all Dream Team managers should be aware of what he’s achieved to date. ‘I’d expect a foul’ – Paul Merson claims Arsenal’s winner at Tottenham shouldn’t have stood as VAR fails to interveneBetMGM 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 brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 4 in one easily digestible dose.Arsenal will head into Sunday’s highly-anticipated North London derby without Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and Declan Rice – arguably the Gunners’ first-choice midfield.The latter is set to serve a suspension after his much-discussed dismissal against Brighton but will return in midweek for Champions League action.According to reports in his homeland, Arsenal’s Norwegian playmaker is expected to miss approximately three weeks having injured his ankle against Austria – Riccardo Calafiori is also a doubt.Odegaard still features in 13.3% of teams at the time of writing.Odegaard limped off against Austria earlier this weekCredit: Dream TeamAs for Tottenham, both Micky van de Ven and Dominic Solanke have progressed well.Ange Postecoglou said of the key pair: “We still have two days to go with those guys so hopefully they get through training okay and are available.”Elsewhere, Nathan Ake left the pitch on a stretcher during Netherlands’ draw with Germany on Tuesday night.The Manchester City defender went down with nobody near him and is thought to be out until at least the next international break with what Ronald Koeman simply called a “muscle injury”.Pep Guardiola set a few nerves jangling during his Friday press conference when talking about Erling Haaland, following a bereavement.”We will see tomorrow if he is able mentally, physically to play,” the decorated tactician told reporters. Rodri, Phil Foden and Savinho all trained during the international break.Guardiola has cast some doubt over Haaland’s availability this weekendCredit: GettyUnai Emery has confirmed that both Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins are available for selection and will be among Aston Villa’s squad tomorrow.Speaking about the latter, the Villains’ head coach said: “He is progressing, getting better, feeling better and is in the squad. For tomorrow, he will be available to play.”Eddie Howe told reporters Newcastle have no new concerns following the international break, alleviating worries about Bruno Guimaraes after the midfielder was seen limping while on duty with Brazil.However, the Magpies boss also said that Callum Wilson is “behind where we wanted to be” with the striker not yet ready to return to action.Harvey Elliott is expected to miss several weeks having fractured his foot with England Under-21s earlier this week.Other than that, Liverpool have no new absentees ahead of their clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday – Federico Chiesa will be assessed today and may make his debut if deemed fit.Both Willy Boly and Ibrahima Sangare pulled out of the Ivory Coast’s squad without playing a single and therefore considered doubts for Forest’s trip to Anfield.Elliott has suffered a fractured footCredit: GettyJoao Pedro is the second-most popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 4 and should be able to start for Brighton against Ipswich despite being limited to just one training session since flying home from international commitments in South America.Speaking about the 22-year-old Brazilian, Fabian Hurzeler said: “I think we have a great medical department who will do everything for the regeneration of the players. Also the players themselves, they are professional enough to know what they have to do to be fully recovered for Saturday.”Joel Veltman and new recruit Ferdi Kadioglu are available for selection.As for the Tractor Boys, Omari Hutchinson withdrew from England Under-21s but is expected to be available for Kieran McKenna this weekend.Wes Burns and George Hirst have both returned to training, bolstering Ipswich’s options.Thomas Frank revealed that Brentford’s new signing Gustavo Nunes suffered a minor stress fracture to his back and will be sidelined until the October international break.Mathias Jensen is also facing “a couple of weeks” on the sidelines with a calf injury.Fullkrug is considered a major doubt for Gameweek 4Credit: GettyA late call will be made on Niclas Fullkrug following an evaluation on what Julen Lopetegui described as a “little problem” ahead of West Ham’s game at Fulham.Alphonse Areola has “recovered well” during the break after being substituted in Gameweek 3 and is expected to start between the sticks.Manuel Ugarte is available to make his debut for Manchester United but Saturday’s early kick-off comes too soon for Rasmus Hojlund and Luke Shaw – Leny Yoro, Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof and Tyrell Malacia also remain sidelined.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: Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney, Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori (doubt), Martin OdegaardSuspensions: Declan RiceASTON VILLAInjuries: Robin Olsen, Tyrone Mings, Boubacar Kamara, Matty Cash, Diego Carlos, Leon Bailey (doubt), Jaden Philogene (doubt)Suspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Enes Unal (doubt), Tyler Adams, David Brooks (doubt), Dango OuattaraSuspensions: NoneBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Josh Dasilva, Igor Thiago, Mathias Jensen, Gustavo NunesSuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: Solly March, Matt O’Riley, Mats Wieffer (doubt), Brajan Gruda (doubt), James MilnerSuspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Romeo Lavia, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Filip Jorgensen (doubt)Suspensions: NoneCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Matheus Franca, Chadi Riad, Rob Holding, Trevoh ChalobahSuspensions: EVERTONInjuries: Nathan Patterson, Jarrad Branthwaite, Youssef Chermiti, Dele Alli, Seamus Coleman (doubt), Armando BrojaSuspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Carlos Vinicius Suspensions: NoneIPSWICHInjuries: Nathan Broadhead, Harry Clarke, George Hirst (doubt), Janoi DonacienSuspensions: NoneLEICESTERInjuries: Patson Daka, Jakub Stolarczyk, Bobby De Cordova-Reid (doubt)Suspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa (doubt)Suspensions: NoneMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Nathan Ake, Oscar BobbSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, Tyrell Malacia, Rasmus Hojlund, Mason MountSuspensions: NoneNEWCASTLEInjuries: Callum Wilson, Lewis Miley, Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman, Joe Willock, Emil Krafth (doubt)Suspensions: NoneNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Danilo, Willy Boly (doubt), Ibrahim SangareSuspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Gavin Bazunu, Ross Stewart (doubt), Kamaldeen SulemanaSuspensions: NoneTOTTENHAMInjuries: Richarlison, Yves BissoumaSuspensions: NoneWEST HAMInjuries: Aaron Cresswell, Niclas Fullkrug (doubt)Suspensions: NoneWOLVESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Boubacar Traore (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. 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