Fantasy Football

DREAM TEAM managers who opted to recruit Cody Gakpo (£4.7m) ahead of Gameweek 21 have already been handsomely rewarded.The Liverpool scored two goals and assisted another in 68 minutes against Ipswich on Saturday for a 21-point haul, his best single-game return of the season.Gakpo capitalised against Ipswich on SaturdayCredit: Dream TeamGakpo got the ball rolling with a deep cross to the back cross that was converted by Mohamed Salah (£8m).Nine minutes later, he popped up in the right place at the right time to tap home a rebound from close range to give the Reds a 3-0 lead at half time.Midway through the second half, the Dutchman latched onto a trademark Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m) cross to head home his second for a pleasing brace.Only Bournemouth’s hat-trick hero Dango Ouattara (£3.4m) banked more points than Gakpo among all Dream Team assets over the weekend.There’s every chance the Liverpool forward will finish as Gameweek 21’s top performer if he gets substantial minutes against former club PSV on Wednesday night.206 Dream Team points and countingCredit: GettyAt the risk of blowing our own trumpet, Gakpo headlined our transfer recommendations article last Thursday and gaffers who acted on that recommendation will have been immensely satisfied with Saturday’s outcome – any returns in Eindhoven will be a nice bonus.Gakpo isn’t just a short-term punt either, he appears to be a smart selection for Gameweeks 22 and 23 as well.Arne Slot’s side are due to face Bournemouth and Tottenham next Gameweek and are currently one of just two teams set for a double header in Gameweek 23 in the form of Plymouth and Everton – although the schedule may change depending on this week’s European results.Most read in FootballThe point being, Gakpo has more point-scoring opportunities than most over the next three weeks or so.Liverpool have four fixtures to fulfil across the next two GameweeksCredit: GettyThe 25-year-old has completed 90 minutes six times from 32 appearances this season so his owners will have to make their peace with regular substitutions.But the numbers are looking good in the metrics that really matter.Gakpo is one of just four forwards on 200+ points this stage, alongside Salah, Erling Haaland (£7.9m) and Alexander Isak (£6.1m).He ranks third for big chances created, sixth for shots on target, fifth for bonus points, and seventh for tackles among players in his position.At the top line, he’s scored 14 goals and provided five assists.The Salah-Gakpo double up is a viable strategyCredit: GettyA few weeks back we asked whether Gakpo had surpassed Luis Diaz (£3.7m) to become Liverpool’s next-best attacking option in the world of Dream Team, with Salah being the clear number one.Given he’s outscored his Colombian team-mate by 25 points since the start of Gameweek 18, the answer to that question has to be a resounding YES!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 NOW More

DREAM TEAM managers should ensure at least one of their defenders provides a certain degree of threat going forward.Clean sheets are important but comparatively rare and so gaffers should make use of individuals who also chip in with their fair share of goal involvements.More than just defendersCredit: Dream TeamAt the time of writing, just eight players have reached double figures for clean sheets in Dream Team this season.Whereas 21 players have notched at least ten goals with two standout stars, Erling Haaland (£7.9m) and Mohamed Salah (£8m), on 20+ in all competitions.Defenders who have multiple avenues to points are worth their weight in gold.With that in mind, let’s analyse which individuals have provided the greatest attacking threat from the back so far this season.MOST GOALS AMONG DEFENDERS THIS SEASON:5 – Gabriel5 – Josko Gvardiol4 – Toisin Adarabioyo4 – Rayan Ait-Nouri4 – Fabian Schar4 – James JustinArsenal’s Brazilian centre-back is a top-tier defender because not only is he ranked joint-fourth for clean sheets, he doubles up as a potent threat from set pieces.The Gunners have honed their corner routine to devastating effect this season and Gabriel is generally the primary target, hence his handy return of five goals to date.Most read in FootballManchester City have struggled in defence this season but Gvardiol remains a top ten defender in terms of total points because he persistently takes up advanced positions from left-back.The Croatia international has banked 152 points while only one other City defender (Rico Lewis) has more than 81 to his name.Gabriel’s aerial threat is a huge boostCredit: GettyMOST SHOTS ON TARGET AMONG DEFENDERS THIS SEASON:13 – Pedro Porro11 – Josko Gvardiol11 – Daniel Munoz9 – Trent Alexander-Arnold9 – Rayan Ait-Nouri9 – James JustinTottenham’s right-back is encouraged to influence play in the final third by Ange Postecoglou and he’s certainly not shy when it comes to testing the opposition goalkeeper.Some Spurs fans might say Porro is overly shot-happy but from a Dream Team perspective, his unwavering desire to contribute in attack is a huge plus.The Spaniard has registered just six clean sheets in 2024/25, fewer than Ashley Young (£2.9m) and Tino Livramento (£2.8m), but he’s currently second among defenders overall with 171 points to his name, such is the value of his offensive play – he’s also a bonus point magnet.Crystal Palace’s Munoz averages a mightily impressive 6.2 points-per-game this season – the third highest rate among players in his position.The Colombian wing-back gets through mountains of defensive work – only Noussair Mazraoui (£2.7m) has made more tackles – but his role in the Eagles’ set-up means he often occupies shooting areas.A dual threatCredit: GettyMOST ASSISTS AMONG DEFENDERS THIS SEASON:9 – Antonee Robinson 8 – Trent Alexander-Arnold8 – Pedro Porro5 – Rayan Ait-Nouri5 – Nathan Collins5 – Lewis HallFulham’s left-back leads the way in this metric; a hugely impressive feat without additional European fixtures to bolster his schedule.The USA international also comes out on top for bonus points (29) in his position.Robinson deserves plenty of praise but he’ll have to produce something special to keep Liverpool’s No66 at bay in the final third of the campaign…Robinson has played superbly this season but has perhaps been a tad lucky in regards to his assist tallyCredit: GettyMOST BIG CHANCES CREATED AMONG DEFENDERS THIS SEASON: 15 – Trent Alexander-Arnold13 – Lucas Digne10 – Leif Davis8 – Tyrick Mitchell7 – Andy Robertson7 – Kostas Tsimikas7 – Yukinari SugawaraAlexander-Arnold has long rubbed shoulders with Dream Team’s best playmakers in the creative department and so it’s no surprise to see him leading the way here.He remains Liverpool’s best passer and crosser of a ball in Liverpool’s ranks.Robinson’s absence from his list suggests he’s been rather fortunate to amass nine assists – his team-mates have been clinical from his service.Aston Villa should have made more of Digne’s service this season and the Frenchman’s backers probably deserve a flurry of assists at some point in the coming months.Ipswich’s forward-thinking left-back produced a shed-load of assists in the Championship and he’s doing his best to carve out opportunities in the top flight but the Tractor Boys’ defensive vulnerabilities means Davis isn’t truly a viable option for Dream Team bosses.A playmaking giant from right-backCredit: GettyMOST GOAL INVOLVEMENTS (GOALS + ASSISTS) AMONG DEFENDERS THIS SEASON:10 – Trent Alexander-Arnold10 – Pedro Porro9 – Antonee Robinson9 – Rayan Ait-Nouri7 – Gabriel7 – Nathan CollinsAit-Nouri features in all but one of the above lists but much like Davis, his attacking contributions are negated by his team’s broader problems in defence.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt would be interesting to see what the 23-year-old could do as a regular starter for one of the league’s stronger teams.Combining goals and assists probably gives the fairest reflection of attacking threat as Alexander-Arnold and Porro have been the standout defenders in this regard, hence why they are ranked first and second in the position for total points right now.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 NOW More

THE Dream Team gods can be so cruel.James Maddison (£4.2m) was the most popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 21 but the best laid plans of almost 20% of managers were left in tatters when the midfielder was missing from Tottenham’s matchday squad against Leicester on Sunday.A maddening weekend for many Dream Team bossesCredit: Dream TeamRumours of a disagreement between Maddison and Ange Postecoglou started to circle social media after the team was announced but the Australian tactician explained that the playmaker was merely a fitness concern following Thursday night’s win over Hoffenheim, the latest availability headache in a long list for Spurs this season.”He’s still a bit sore from the other night,” Postecoglou revealed prior to kick-off. “It took a fair bit out of the group and he just wasn’t 100%.”It’s up to the 59-year-old coach to reveal or conceal availability news as he sees fit but Dream Team bosses certainly would have appreciated a word or two on Maddison’s condition prior to the Gameweek 21 deadline.Postecoglou gave no indication that the England international was a doubt in his Friday press conference.Postecoglou was without Maddison as he watched his side lose 2-1 to the FoxesCredit: PAWith Spurs due to face Leicester and Elfsborg in Gameweek 21, it’s easy to see why Maddison was such a popular option when he was assumed fully fit.The 28 year-old playmaker scored one goal and assisted another in Germany last Thursday to help boost his side’s chances of automatic qualification for the Europa League round of 16.A 14-point haul took Maddison’s overall total to 197 for the season, a tally only bettered by four midfielders at the time of writing.He’s scored nine goals, registered nine assists, and his total of 35 bonus points is second only to Youri Tielemans (£3.8m).Most read in FootballSpurs have desperately struggled in the league this term but Maddison has thrived in Dream Team, as have several of his team-mates.On paper, he was a strong option for Gameweek 21, which makes his unexpected absence even more painful.Postecoglou said Maddison should return “next week”Credit: GettyIt’s all eyes on Thursday night when Spurs host Elfsborg in their final league phase fixture of this Europa League campaign.If Maddison is fit enough to play against the Swedish outfit then he may be able to offset his weekend blank to some degree.Looking further ahead, Spurs also have two fixtures in Gameweek 22 but it’s a comparatively difficult double header in the form of back-to-back away days to Brentford (Premier League) and Liverpool (Carabao Cup).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 NOW More

DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news for Gameweek 21 in one convenient location.Pep Guardiola has confirmed that January signings Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov will all be included in Manchester City’s squad this weekend.However, Ruben Dias and Jeremy Doku will not feature against Chelsea on Saturday.As for the Blues, Enzo Fernandez and Levi Colwill could return but Romeo Lavia will be unavailable for a little while longer.Cole Palmer is said to be feeling “better” after playing through ankle pain against Wolves on Monday night.Marmoush is in line to make his debut for Man City this weekendCredit: GettyNoussair Mazraoui skipped Manchester United’s Europa League game against Rangers as a precaution after picking up a knock against Brighton last weekend.The Morocco international is the eighth-most popular defender in Dream Team at the time of writing – it’s not clear whether he’ll be involved against Fulham on Sunday night.Red Devils’ centre-backs Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt will also be assessed having been forced off on Thursday night.Rodrigo Bentancur returned for Tottenham against Hoffenheim in midway but striker Dominic Solanke will be sidelined for approximately six weeks.Pape Matar Sarr, Djed Spence, Yves Bissouma are all considered doubts at this stage as Spurs’ injury crisis continues but Ange Postecoglou said the latter “should be right” for Leicester’s visit to North London.Most read in FootballMikel Arteta told journalists he is confident William Saliba and Myles Lewis-Skelly will be available for Arsenal’s clash with Man City on February 2nd, the assumption being this weekend comes too soon for the pair.Mazraoui is a popular selection in Dream TeamCredit: GettyCurtis Jones won’t be involved when Liverpool welcome Ipswich to Anfield on Saturday but the midfielder may travel to PSV in midweek.Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez remain sidelined for the Reds.Both Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen have a chance of making West Ham’s squad at Villa Park on Sunday but remain doubts at this stage.David Moyes explained to reporters that Dwight McNeil will see a specialist regarding his troublesome knee injury and may even require surgery.Callum Hudson-Odoi is due to be assessed before a final decision is made ahead of Nottingham Forest’s trip to Bournemouth on Saturday – the winger has a groin issue.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, Ben White, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Myles Lewis-Skelley (doubt), William SalibaSuspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Pau Torres, Amadou Onana, John McGinn (doubt), Ross BarkleySuspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Luis Sinisterra, Alex Scott, Julian Araujo, Marcos Senesi, Marcus Tavernier, Adam Smith, Evanilson, Enes Unal, James HillSuspensions: NoneBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Gustavo Nunes, Ethan Pinnock, Igor ThiagoSuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: James Milner, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jason Steele, Jack Hinshelwood (doubt), Evan Ferguson (doubt), Mats Wieffer, Igor Julio, Matt O’Riley (doubt), Lewis Dunk (doubt)Suspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernandez (doubt), Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill (doubt)Suspensions: Mykhailo MudrykCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Matheus Franca, Cheick Doucoure, Adam Wharton, Jefferson Lerma, Chadi RiadSuspensions: NoneEVERTONInjuries: Tim Iroegbunam, James Garner (doubt), Dwight McNeil, Youssef Chermiti, Armando Broja, Seamus ColemanSuspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Kenny Tete, Reiss NelsonSuspensions: NoneIPSWICHInjuries: Chiedozie Ogbene, Conor Chaplin, Sammie SzmodicsSuspensions: NoneLEICESTERInjuries: Ricardo Pereira, Abdul Fatawu, Mads Hermansen, Wilfred NdidiSuspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Joe Gomez, Diogo Jota, Curtis JonesSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Oscar Bobb, Rodri, Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Jeremy DokuSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof (doubt), Mason Mount, Jonny Evans, Noussair Mazraoui (doubt), Matthijs de Ligt (doubt), Leny Yoro (doubt)Suspensions: NoneNEWCASTLEInjuries: Jamaal Lascelles, Nick Pope, (doubt), Callum Wilson, Harvey BarnesSuspensions: NoneNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Ibrahim Sangare, Callum Hudson-Odoi (doubt)Suspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Ross Stewart, Juan Larios, Jack Stephens, Tyler Dibling, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Aaron Ramsdale (doubt)Suspensions: NoneTOTTENHAMInjuries: Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Wilson Odobert, Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Timo Werner, Yves Bissouma (doubt), Dominic Solanke, Djed Spence (doubt), Brennan Johnson, Pape Matar Sarr (doubt)Suspensions: NoneWEST HAMInjuries: Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen (doubt), Jean-Clair Todibo, Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville (doubt)Suspensions: Konstantinos MavropanosWOLVESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Boubacar Traore (doubt), Yerson Mosquera, Toti Gomes (doubt), Mario LeminaREAD MORE SUN STORIESSuspensions: None More

DREAM TEAM are once again putting up £250 in cash for Score Predictor Matchweek 20.As usual, it’s completely free to play and, if you opt for sheer gut instinct, it takes mere seconds to submit your entry.Play now!Credit: Dream TeamSimply enter 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 you’ll claim the weekly cash prize!Allow us to present some key stats and facts for each relevant fixture to help inform your decisions.Liverpool v IpswichThe Tractor Boys were battered 6-0 by Manchester City last weekend and won’t be relishing a trip to the lair of the league leaders this Saturday.Kieran McKenna’s side have looked better than fellow promoted teams Southampton and Leicester but the brutal truth is that they’ve mustered just 16 points upon their return to the top flight.Only Saints and Everton have scored fewer goals than Ipswich at this stage.In contrast, Arne Slot’s troops are the league’s top scorers having reached a half century of goals away to Brentford last weekend.It might be a long afternoon for Ipswich…Most read in FootballOur Prediction: 4-0 to LiverpoolSalah and company could run riot against IpswichCredit: GettyManchester City v ChelseaPep Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in ten against the Blues, having won eight of those contests.However, they have suffered late capitulations against Brentford and PSG this month and still don’t look back to their best.City have recruited reinforcements during the transfer window and it will be interesting to see if new forward Omar Marmoush, one of Europe’s most in-form players, is thrown straight into the action on Saturday.As for Chelsea, they are in the midst of a downturn in form, even accounting for their win over Wolves on Monday night.Enzo Maresca’s side sit 13th in the form table, just below West Ham, but remain fourth in the table that matters most.Cole Palmer will be hopeful of haunting his old team given City’s problems in deep midfield and defence of late but whether the visitors have enough resolve to resist Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland is another conversation entirely.Our Prediction: 2-2 drawCity’s new weapon in attackCredit: GettyCrystal Palace v BrentfordBryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa gave the Bees victory over the Eagles in the reverse fixture but the recent history of this match-up has been littered with draws, five in the last seven meetings to be precise.Palace have enjoyed an upturn of late and only five teams have earned more points from their last ten league outings.Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta have reestablished their profitable connection in recent weeks as Oliver Glasner’s side have moved away from the relegation scrap and into the safety of mid-table.Just one point separates these two teams but the hosts will feel this is an excellent opportunity to leapfrog their London rivals – Brentford’s only win in their last nine games came against Southampton.Thomas Frank’s injury-blighted side have scraped just five points on the road this season.Our Prediction: 2-1 to Crystal PalacePalace have looked much better in recent weeksCredit: PAAston Villa v West HamGraham Potter is still in the embryonic stage of his tenure as Hammers boss and will be fully aware of the size of the task after defeat to Palace last time out.The East Londoners failed to register a single shot on target against the Eagles last weekend.The Villains lost to Monaco in midweek and have struggled in the league after Champions League excursions this season but a recent win over West Ham in the FA Cup will give them hope of a positive result this time around.Unai Emery’s side boast the fourth best home record in the top flight and will start as favourites on Sunday, especially as the visitors have several injuries to key attackers.Our Prediction: 2-0 to Aston VillaPotter has a big job on his handsCredit: AFPFulham v Manchester UnitedThe Cottagers are seven points ahead of the Red Devils in the table and head into Sunday’s game having had a full week to prepare, whereas Ruben Amorim’s men faced Rangers on Thursday night.Man United have mustered just ten points from ten away days in the league this term having scored ten goals on the road – only Everton and Southampton have scored fewer goals away from home.A Joshua Zirkzee winner ensured his side took three points off Fulham at Old Trafford back in August but 40% of Score Predictor users have opted for a 2-1 win for the hosts at Craven Cottage as it stands.READ MORE SUN STORIESOur Prediction: 1-0 to FulhamShow us how it’s really done by entering your predictions for Matchweek 20 now!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 NOW More

MANCHESTER CITY have confirmed the signing of Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt.The acquisition of the highly-rated Egypt forward represents a significant reaction from the defending champions following a downturn in results.Marmoush is officially a Manchester City playerCredit: Dream TeamPep Guardiola’s side are fifth in the Premier League table and 25th in the Champions League, needing a win next week to scrape a spot in the play-offs.Marmoush’s transfer will satisfy calls for fresh blood in attack and the 25-year-old arrives at the Etihad in sparkling form having scored 20 goals (plus 14 assists) from 26 appearances in all competitions this season.That works out at a goal involvement every 60.9 minutes!15 of Marmoush’s goals have come in the Bundesliga, hence why Frankfurt are flying high in third right now.Only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane has scored more goals in the German top flight in 2024/25.One of Europe’s best players this seasonCredit: GettyMarmoush generally plays as a centre forward but he’s not an out-and-out poacher in the same mould as Erling Haaland (£7.9m).He likes to drop into deeper positions and has occasionally operated as a second striker or left winger.It wouldn’t be incorrect to think of him as a replacement for Julian Alvarez.Most read in FootballThat’s all well and good but what does this mean for Dream Team?Marmoush is averaging a goal or assist every hour this seasonCredit: GettyMan City have reportedly forked out £59million to acquire Marmoush’s services but Dream Team managers can add him to their XI in exchange for £4.5m of their budget.This puts him level with Kai Havertz, a tad cheaper than Matheus Cunha (£4.7m) and marginally more expensive than Diogo Jota (£4.4m).Whether this proves to be good value remains to be seen.Gaffers would probably be wise to wait and see how Guardiola deploys his new forward before making a firm decision on his viability.Will he be integrated slowly or thrown straight in at the deep end?Guardiola must be tempted to give Marmoush substantial minutes from the get-goCredit: AlamyMarmoush is available for selection in Dream Team right now.Man City have previously confirmed the signings of defenders Abdukodir Khusanov (£3.5m) and Vitor Reis (£2.5m) from Lens and Palmeiras respectively.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 NOW More