Fantasy Football

IN his own special way, Luis Diaz (£3.7m) has been Dream Team’s main character this season.The Liverpool winger has amassed 173 points at an average of six per game so far, a total that puts him joint-eighth among midfielders.Many gaffers have gone back and forth with Diaz since the start of the seasonCredit: Dream TeamWith 12 goals and four assists to his name in all competitions, Diaz has been a very useful asset for the majority of the campaign.And yet Dream Team managers can’t make up their minds about him.Incredibly, the Colombia international has been among the top five most transferred-out players for seven of the 21 Gameweeks.Conversely, he’s also been among the five most popular recruits NINE times.THE LUIS DIAZ HOKEY COKEYGW2: n/aGW3: n/aGW4: 1st most transferred IN GW5: 4th most transferred INGW6: 1st most transferred INGW7: n/aGW8: 4th most transferred OUTGW9: 3rd most transferred OUTGW10: 5th most transferred INGW11: 2nd most transferred INGW12: 3rd most transferred INGW13: 3rd most transferred OUTGW14: 2nd most transferred OUTGW15: n/aGW16: 5th most transferred OUTGW17: 3rd most transferred INGW18: 1st most transferred INGW19: 3rd most transferred OUTGW20: 3rd most transferred OUTGW21: 4th most transferred IN (currently)Diaz is often a central figure one way or the otherCredit: ReutersDiaz’s current ownership of 40.5% makes him the fourth most selected player in the game, second among players in his position.But it’s extraordinary how his popularity has fluctuated throughout the season.Most read in Dream TeamOne reason for this is that Mohamed Salah (£8m) is the only guaranteed starter among Liverpool’s attacking assets.Elsewhere in the forward line, Diaz faces competition from Cody Gakpo (£4.8m), Darwin Nunez (£4.3m), Diogo Jota (£4.4m) and Federico Chiesa (£4.2m).As a result, the 28-year-old has completed 90 minutes just seven times out of his 29 appearances.Furthermore, he’s sat out four games entirely and played less than an hour on eight occasions.Gakpo has 12 more points than Diaz ahead of Gameweek 21Credit: ReutersThere are plenty of other midfielders in the same bracket who are more assured of playing time, hence why Diaz has frequently featured among the most transferred-out players.On the plus side, he’s generally made the most of his time on the pitch, averaging a goal involvement every 115.4 minutes – a very healthy rate for someone in his position.At the time of writing, Diaz is once again among the most popular recruits ahead of the Reds’ double header against Ipswich and PSV in Gameweek 21.Arne Slot’s side need just one point against the Eredivisie outfit to ensure they finish top of the Champions League (league phase) table.Liverpool have plenty of fixtures to fulfil in the coming weeksCredit: GettyIn fact, it’s generally a good time to stock up on Liverpool players as they are the only team with SIX fixtures to fulfil across the next three Gameweeks at present.READ MORE SUN STORIESThat being said, it could be argued that Gakpo is now the best accomplice for Salah for gaffers keen on a double up in attack.All together now: you put Diaz in, Diaz out, in, out, in, out, shake it all about…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

JUSTIN KLUIVERT (£3.3m) is currently the second-most popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 21.This may seem logical given the Dutchman is the most in-form player in Dream Team right now but are the gaffers in question making a rookie mistake?Chasing points is often a futile endeavourKluivert produced a sensational performance at St James’ Park on Saturday.The Bournemouth midfielder bagged a hat-trick and provided an assist as the Cherries registered one of their most impressive away victories in the top flight.Come the final whistle, with Newcastle vanquished 4-1, Kluivert left the scene with the match ball under his arm and 25 Dream Team points richer.At the time of writing, he is Gameweek 20’s top performer.More broadly, he’s plundered 49 points across his last three outings having also scored against West Brom and Chelsea.Hat-trick heroCredit: GettyIt’s also worth noting his masterclass against the Magpies was his second hat-trick of the campaign – he converted three penalties against Wolves back in November.Kluivert’s tally of 11 goals is only bettered by four other midfielders at this stage of the season.The 25-year-old deserves plenty of praise for his efforts but Dream Team bosses rushing to recruit him this week are probably chasing lost points.Most read in FootballTransferring him into your XI ahead of Gameweek 19 would have been a masterstroke of sheer genius but what’s done is done.If you use a transfer to enlist Kluivert this week then you’re backing him to provide plentiful points throughout the upcoming Gameweeks.And while he certainly has form on his side, the schedule paints a more pessimistic picture.Bournemouth face tough opponents in their next two outingsCredit: RexBournemouth are due to host high-flying Nottingham Forest in Gameweek 21 before they welcome league-leaders Liverpool to the Vitality Stadium in Gameweek 22.Andoni Iraola’s side have proved themselves capable of stunning upsets but recruiting a player just before they face two of the Premier League’s top three is likely to be counterproductive.Not only will Kluivert be up against two parsimonious defences in the next two Gameweeks, he’ll be on the wrong side of a fixture deficit as well.Come the end of Gameweek 22, Bournemouth would have played twice in the same time Manchester City, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Manchester United would have fulfilled three fixtures; while Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham would have played FOUR times.Kluivert’s best returns may be behind himCredit: GettySimply put, Kluivert will have to produce something extraordinary to satisfy the gaffers recruiting him this week – it’s a low-percentage strategy.For those keen on the second-generation star, he might be a smart differential option ahead of Gameweek 24, when the Cherries travel to lowly Southampton, before Gameweek 25 brings a rare double header against Wolves and Brighton.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

TOTTENHAM are 15th in the Premier League table.Given the club’s resources, this season is heading towards disaster, if it isn’t already there.A strange campaignCredit: Dream TeamAnd yet, the Dream Team Stats Centre tells a different story.Antonin Kinsky (£2.8m) is the second-most in-form goalkeeper at the time of writing having notched 27 points since the start of Gameweek 18.Pedro Porro (£4.2m), Dominic Solanke (£4.3m) and Son Heung-min (£4.8m) are ranked fourth, fifth and seventh in their respective positions.While Dejan Kulusevski (£4.3m), Brennan Johnson (£3.8m) and James Maddison (£4.1m) are all inside the top seven midfielders.If somebody had not seen one second of football this season and had to estimate Spurs’ prospects based on Dream Team points alone, they would probably place them in the title race, rather than on the precipice of a relegation dogfight.Kulusevski has racked up 188 points this seasonCredit: RexThere are several reasons for this disconnect.Firstly, individual excellence is possible within dysfunctional teams.For example, Kulusevski has produced a highly impressive campaign thus far (nine goals and nine assists) and the fact Spurs haven’t benefited more from his efforts isn’t all that relevant for Dream Team managers.Most read in FootballSecondly, Ange Postecoglou’s side have endured a strange, contradictory season when the details are examined.Spurs have lost 12 of their 22 league games to date but only leaders Liverpool have score more goals – hence why Son, Solanke, Maddison and Johnson have earned their fair share of points.Porro averages 5.3 points-per-game despite a lack of clean sheetsCredit: GettyThirdly, this case study is a timely reminder that Dream Team extends far beyond the Premier League.Spurs have one foot in the Carabao Cup final having beaten Liverpool 1-0 in the semi-final first leg and remain active in the FA Cup following their (unconvincing) win over non-league Tamworth in the third round.More relevantly, they have fulfilled six Europa League fixtures with two more imminent before the knockout ties are determined.When Postecoglou’s troops have been found lacking in the top flight, they have compensated with points in the additional competitions.It’s particularly important for Dream Team bosses to remind themselves what’s important (points) amid this Spurs crisis.Postecoglou is under pressure but Dream Team bosses don’t need to overreactCredit: GettyGameweek 20 is not done yet with a trip to struggling Hoffenheim this Thursday.Looking further ahead, Spurs are one of just three teams with four fixtures to fulfil across Gameweeks 21 and 22, with Arsenal and Liverpool being the others.READ MORE SUN STORIESSolanke needs to be replaced because he’s injured, as are many of his team-mates, but gaffers should probably remain patient with the likes of Porro, Kulusevski and Maddison for the rest of the month at least.There may well be a critical implosion at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season but for now, they remain heavy hitters in the world of Dream Team… somehow.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

MOST Dream Team managers would flinch at the mere suggestion of relying on an Everton player for points.The Toffees have endured a largely joyless campaign thus far having won just four of their 21 Premier League games to this point.At the time of writing, only the three promoted teams and Wolves are below Everton in the table with relegation-bound Southampton being the only side to have scored fewer goals.Despite all this, Iliman Ndiaye (£3.9m) might be an effective secret weapon for gaffers in the near future.Hear us out…Credit: Dream TeamThe 24 year-old winger features in just 0.3% of teams right now, due to the aforementioned negatives, but he boasts an impressive average of 5.9 points-per-game.For context, Dejan Kulusevski (£4.3m), Morgan Rogers (£3.7m), Kevin De Bruyne (£5.7m) and many other notable midfielders rank below Ndiaye in the same metric.The Senegal international has scored six goals this season and supplements his returns with plenty of bonus points, 31 to be exact.MOST BONUS POINTS THIS SEASON:35 – Ryan Gravenberch34 – James Maddison32 – Youri Tielemans31 – Iliman Ndiaye30 – Eberechi Eze30 – Declan Rice29 – Anthony Gordon29 – Antonee Robinson29 – Savinho27 – Bruno GuimaraesThe Goodison Park faithful won’t be surprised to learn that their No10’s dribbling ability is the main reason he ranks so highly for bonus points.Most read in FootballNdiaye has already completed 60 successful dribbles in 2024/25.Only Morgan Rogers (£3.7m) has registered more at this stage and that’s mainly because the Aston Villa midfielder has played four more games.Ndiaye shined bright against SpursCredit: GettyNdiaye earned three well deserved bonus points to go alongside his goal against Tottenham on Sunday for a return of 13 points – his best haul of the campaign to date.It’s all well and good being a rare shining light in an otherwise struggling team but it takes more than a few mazy dribbles to convince Dream Team bosses a player is worthy of a place in a competitive XI.Aside from their poor form, one of the things limiting Everton’s viability in Dream Team is their comparatively restricted schedule (no European or Carabao Cup commitments).However, there appears to be a short window in which the balance shifts favour of the Merseyside outfit.New manager bounce?Credit: PADavid Moyes’ side are due to face hapless Leicester in Gameweek 22 before a rare double header against Bournemouth and Liverpool in Gameweek 23.The rearranged Merseyside derby means Everton have three fixtures to fulfil across two Gameweeks when 15 other top flight clubs will play twice (or just once in the case of West Ham and Brentford).This means Ndiaye will be on the right side of a fixture imbalance for once, with a favourable match-up against the Foxes sweetening the deal.It should go without saying that Liverpool assets are the top priority for Gameweeks 22 and 23, when Arne Slot’s troops will be action FOUR times.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut Ndiaye is a tempting option to accompany Mohamed Salah (£8m) and friends for gaffers planning to target the imminent scheduling quirk.There’s no need to make a rash decision this week as Everton are due to face Brighton away in Gameweek 21 when six other clubs have double headers (because of Champions League and Europa League commitments) but there’s no harm in mapping out a strategy for the next few weeks.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

LOYALTY is an admirable trait but Dream Team managers need to be ruthless from time to time.If a player isn’t pulling their weight then sticking by them often compounds the problem.Points are all that matterCredit: Dream TeamHere we’ve identified some popular assets who simply haven’t provided enough points lately.Andy Robertson (£3.8m)Liverpool’s long-serving left-back has plenty of credit in the bank with the Anfield faithful but there’s no denying his standards have slipped this season.Arne Slot has been increasingly willing to split the Scotland captain’s minutes with Kostas Tsimikas (£3.2m) as the campaign has progressed.As a result, Robertson has registered four fewer clean sheets than Virgil van Dijk (£4.9m).In attack, the 30-year-old has provided just one assist compared to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s (£5.8m) tally of seven.Robertson has notched just 15 points since the start of Gameweek 15 – the Reds have played ten games in that time.Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk are ranked first and second respectively among defenders while Robertson is outside the top 15.Most read in FootballRobertson’s form has dropped this seasonCredit: GettyNoni Madueke (£2.5m)The Chelsea winger emerged as an excellent value-for-money option earlier in the season but points have dried up in recent weeks.Madueke raced to four goals and one assist by his sixth appearance of the season and looked mightily effective in combination with Cole Palmer (£6.3m).However, his strike against Southampton in Gameweek 13 is his only goal in all competitions since the October international break.That the England international still appears in 8.9% of teams is remarkable.On a similar theme, Nicolas Jackson’s (£4m) form has tailed off over the last six weeks.Madueke started brightly but has faded sinceCredit: RexRico Lewis (£3.1m)Like Madueke, Manchester City’s adaptable youngster was an affordable gem in the early stages of the season.At one point he was among the most selected assets in the game.However, the defending champions’ form slump hit Lewis hard.Starting with defeat to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup round of 16, the 20 year-old defender has mustered 33 points from his last 15 outings at an average of just 2.2 per appearance.In an attempt to sure things up, Pep Guardiola has opted for more experienced defenders with Lewis once again viewed as a rotation option.Despite his lean run of returns, Lewis remains the ninth-most popular asset in his position.Lewis has played fewer minutes latelyCredit: GettyWilliam Saliba (£4.7m)Sacrilege! The Arsenal centre-back is a class act who has returned more than his fair share of points since he became one of Mikel Arteta’s favourites.But it’s simply true that his usual high standards have slipped a fraction since the festive period.Saliba has scraped together 22 points from his last eight fixtures during a spell when the Gunners have struggled for clean sheets.The Frenchman missed Saturday’s game against Aston Villa with a hamstring injury and while the issue isn’t thought to be serious, this might give gaffers the push they need to seek a replacement.READ MORE SUN STORIESSaliba’s ownership of 23.5% makes him the third most selected defender in the game at the time of writing.As expected, he’s currently among the most transferred-out players ahead of Gameweek 21.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 20 in one convenient location.Cole Palmer is considered a doubt for Chelsea’s game against Wolves on Monday.Enzo Maresca revealed to journalists that Dream Team’s most popular player wasn’t able to train on Friday because of an ankle issue.Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia are also doubtful for the Blues having missed the same session.Dream Team’s most selected player has been labelled a doubtLuis Diaz skipped Liverpool training on Thursday due to illness but was expected to participate in Friday’s session.The 40.7%-owned winger is a minor doubt but should pull through for the Reds’ trip to Brentford.Diogo Jota is a stronger concern as the injury-prone Portugal international is yet to train since his super sub cameo at Nottingham Forest.Riccardo Calafiori remains a doubt for Arsenal and is due for a late assessment.The Italian defender played no part against Manchester United or Tottenham in Gameweek 19.Gabriel Jesus faces several months on the sidelines having undergone surgery on his ACL.Jesus suffered an ACL injury against Man UnitedCredit: PAOliver Glasner admitted Ismaila Sarr is a “small question mark” for Crystal Palace ahead of their meeting with West Ham on Saturday.Eagles midfielder Jefferson Lerma is unavailable due to illness.As for the Hammers, a late decision will be made on Crysencio Summerville’s availability following an assessment.Tottenham’s defensive crisis may ease slightly as Ben Davies is expected to return to the matchday squad this weekend.However, Brennan Johnson and Yves Bissouma are new concerns for Ange Postecoglou as he prepares to visit Goodison Park.The Wales international is the fourth-most selected midfielder in Dream Team at the time of writing with an ownership of 21.8%.Timo Werner is expected to miss the next month with a hamstring issue.Johnson has a calf complaintCredit: GettyRuben Dias and Oscar Bobb returned to Manchester City training this week but it’s unclear if they will involved in any capacity at Portman Road on Sunday.Additionally, Pep Guardiola offered a vague response when asked about Erling Haaland’s fitness in his Friday morning press conference, saying: “Some players finish with some problems, like every game… we’ll see.”The Norwegian No9 is not considered a doubt at this stage.Eddie Howe cited Fabian Schar as “not 100%” but otherwise declared he will be able to call upon “pretty the same squad” that beat Wolves last time out.Alexander Isak skipped Newcastle’s FA Cup tie with Bromley with a minor hamstring niggle but the Swedish striker looked unhindered at St James’ Park when he notched two goals and an assist in midweek.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, Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori (doubt)Suspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Pau Torres, Diego Carlos, John McGinn, Ross BarkleySuspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Luis Sinisterra, Alex Scott, Julian Araujo, Marcos Senesi, Marcus Tavernier, Adam Smith, Evanilson, Enes Unal, James Hill (doubt)Suspensions: NoneBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Gustavo Nunes, Kristoffer Ajer, Ethan Pinnock, Igor Thiago, Ryan TrevittSuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: James Milner, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jack Hinshelwood (doubt), Evan Ferguson (doubt), Mats Wieffer (doubt), Igor JulioSuspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Wesley Fofana, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Benoit Badiashile, Cole Palmer (doubt), Enzo Fernandez (doubt), Romeo Lavia (doubt), Levi Colwill (doubt)Suspensions: Mykhailo MudrykCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Matheus Franca, Franco Umeh-Chibueze, Adam Wharton, Jefferson Lerma, Ismaila Sarr (doubt)Suspensions: NoneEVERTONInjuries: Tim Iroegbunam, James Garner (doubt), Dwight McNeil, Youssef Chermiti, Armando BrojaSuspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Kenny Tete, Reiss NelsonSuspensions: NoneIPSWICHInjuries: Chiedozie Ogbene, Axel Tuanzebe, Conor Chaplin, Sammie SzmodicsSuspensions: NoneLEICESTERInjuries: Ricardo Pereira, Abdul Fatawu, Mads Hermansen, Wilfred NdidiSuspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Joe Gomez, Diogo Jota (doubt), Luis Diaz (doubt)Suspensions: NoneMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Oscar Bobb (doubt), Rodri, John Stones, Ruben Dias (doubt)Suspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof, Mason Mount, Jonny EvansSuspensions: NoneNEWCASTLEInjuries: Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar (doubt), Nick Pope, Callum Wilson, Harvey BarnesSuspensions: NoneNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Ibrahim SangareSuspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Gavin Bazunu (doubt), Ross Stewart, Juan Larios, Jack Stephens, Tyler Dibling (doubt)Suspensions: NoneTOTTENHAMInjuries: Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Wilson Odobert, Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies (doubt), Destiny Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur, Timo Werner, Brennan Johnson (doubt), Yves Bissouma (doubt)Suspensions: NoneWEST HAMInjuries: Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen, Alphonse Areola (doubt), Jean-Clair Todibo (doubt), Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville (doubt)Suspensions: NoneWOLVESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Boubacar Traore (doubt), Yerson Mosquera, Toti Gomes (doubt), Toti Gomes, Matheus Cunha (doubt)Suspensions: None More