Fantasy Football

MANY Dream Team managers are making use of their unlimited transfer allotment to experiment with various line-ups during pre-season.Gameweek 1 gets underway at 8pm on Friday August 16th, when Manchester United v Fulham kicks offs at Old Trafford, and so there’s plenty of time for tinkering yet.However, now is a good time to examine the state of play.PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!Play Dream Team now!Credit: Dream TeamWe’ve identified three players who are perhaps being overhyped ahead of the new season and three underrated players who probably deserve to be more popular.OVERHYPED PLAYERSKobbie Mainoo (£3m) is a natural talent coming off the back of an impressive European Championship campaign in England colours but his ownership of 17.9% is rather curious.At the time of writing, only five midfielders are more popular in the world of Dream Team and the list of players below the Manchester United youngster in the metric features Eberechi Eze (£4m), Bruno Fernandes (£6m), Kevin De Bruyne (£6.5m), Mohammed Kudus (£5m) and other assets who racked up plentiful points last season.Mainoo mustered 135 points in 2023/24 at an average of 4.2 per game.Granted, he’s affordable at £3m and likely to improve this campaign but gaffers would be wise to consider more attack-minded alternatives.Most read in Dream TeamGaffers evidently remember the FA Cup final clearlyCredit: GettyMicky van de Ven (£3.5m) is currently the sixth-most selected defender in the game with an ownership of 12.1%.This doesn’t align with his average of 3.8 points-per-game last season.The Dutchman started the campaign in imperious form and his recovery speed is truly remarkable but it’s simply a fact that Tottenham conceded 61 league goals last season, more than twice as many as Arsenal.Ange Postecoglou will hope to tighten up at the back this coming season and a fully-fit Van de Ven should help but Dream Team bosses might be better off waiting for signs of defensive improvement before piling in.The rapid 23-year-old passes the eye test but at the end of the day, the points column is what really matters.England’s Euros players have carried their popularity into the new season gameCredit: Dream TeamMarc Guehi (£3.5m) was arguably England’s best player this summer and Crystal Palace’s impressive upturn under Oliver Glasner is certainly a positive factor.However, with Joachim Andersen (£3m), Daniel Munoz (£3m) and Tyrick Mitchell (£3m) all more affordable, there are cheaper routes into the Eagles’ defence for gaffers that way inclined.William Saliba (£5m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.5m) and Josko Gvardiol (£4.5m) are the only defenders who feature in more teams than Palace’s No6 at present – those three are all top-tier options.To be clear, we’re not saying that Mainoo, Van de Ven or Guehi are bad selections by any means, it’s just that their popularity doesn’t seem to match their point-scoring ability in our humble opinion.Dream Team’s Fantasy Football GamePLAY DREAM TEAM AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON!Free to play£50,000 jackpot for overall winner plus weekly prizesPlayers score points in Premier League games, European competitions and both domestic cupsPlay in Mini Leagues against your mates£5,000 prize for Gameweek 1Play via Dream Team’s app or website today!UNDERRATED PLAYERSOn the flip side, we think the following assets are being unfairly overlooked by too many managers.Take Bruno Guimaraes (£4.5m) for example.Newcastle’s all-action midfielder was one of just six players in his position who achieved 300+ points last season, thanks in no small part to his unmatched tally of 83 bonus points.And a flurry of attacking returns at the back end of the campaign saw the Brazil international finish with 18 goal involvements in all competitions.Guimaraes is a solid pick and his ownership should be higher than 5.2% – Anthony Gordon (£4.5m) features in 27% of teams for comparison.Bowen has scored 51 goals across the last three seasonsCredit: RexJarrod Bowen (£5m) has been categorised as a forward for the 2024/25 and that change has seemingly perturbed many gaffers as he currently appears in just 3.4% of teams.West Ham’s talisman finished on exactly 300 points last season via 20 goals and 11 assists.For comparison, Ollie Watkins (£6m), Mohamed Salah (£7m) and Erling Haaland (£8.5m) were the only strikers who notched triple centuries last term.Granted, Bowen won’t have European fixtures to pad out his schedule this season but he’s been a consistent performer since 2021.Gross misconductCredit: GETTYPascal Gross (£4m) is destined to be underrated in the world of Dream Team for eternity.Only two midfielders collected more bonus points than the Brighton stalwart last season and only five provided more assists.The experienced German is a set-piece threat and makes plenty of tackles too.READ MORE SUN STORIESGross amassed 260 points in 2023/24 and the Seagulls fixtures look relatively favourable until mid-September (barring a trip to Arsenal) and yet only 1.2% of gaffers are taking a punt on him at this stage.Pick your Dream Team XI today! 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DREAM TEAM’S hugely popular fantasy football offering is just one of several games available to users this season.Score Predictor has returned ahead of the new campaign and we’re offering up plenty of cash for those with the sharpest foresight.The overall season winner will bank £3,500, with £1,000 for the runner-up and £500 for third.But that’s not all, we’re giving away £250 to every Matchweek winner – so there’s every reason to keep playing throughout the season.PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR NOW – £5,000 SEASON PRIZE POT PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!Score Predictor has returned ahead of the new Premier League seasonCredit: DREAM TEAMSCORE PREDICTOR: HOW TO PLAYEach Matchweek, users are asked to submit their score predictions for five selected Premier League fixtures.Users earn points based on the accuracy of their predictions as follows:Correct Outcome +4 ptsCorrect Score Bonus +3 ptsCorrect Home Team Goals +1 ptCorrect Away Team Goals +1 ptCorrect Score Difference +1 ptA perfectly correct prediction ticks every box and therefore scores TEN points.Most read in FootballFor clarity, outcome refers to the result of the match in terms of home win, draw or away win.Score difference essentially refers to goal difference within the context of the game.For example, if you predicted a 4-3 home win and the hosts ended up winning 2-1, you would earn the point for correct score difference as you accurately predicted that the home team would win by one goal.Chelsea v Manchester City is the standout fixture in Matchweek 1Credit: RexThe user who earns the most points in any given Matchweek banks £250 with the aforementioned bigger cash prizes for those who finish in the top three over the course of the whole campaign.You can change your predictions as many times as you like before the chosen fixtures get underway so why not submit yours for the first Matchweek now?These are selected fixtures:Arsenal v WolvesWest Ham v Aston VillaBrentford v Crystal PalaceChelsea v Manchester CityLeicester v TottenhamDream Team’s Fantasy Football GamePLAY DREAM TEAM AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON!Free to play£50,000 jackpot for overall winner plus weekly prizesPlayers score points in Premier League games, European competitions and both domestic cupsPlay in Mini Leagues against your mates£5,000 prize for Gameweek 1Play via Dream Team’s app or website today!It’s an intriguing set of games but the eye is naturally drawn to the defending champions’ trip to Stamford Bridge – the corresponding fixture ended 4-4 last season!READ MORE SUN STORIESJust like Dream Team’s fantasy game, you can play Score Predictor is Mini Leagues against your mates, colleagues, family members, etc.Play today!Watch Kobbie Mainoo’s incredible skill as Man Utd star enjoys kickabout with Love Island star brother and kids in LA More

NEW Dream Team managers should be aware that players earn one point for every big chance they create for their team-mates.All our stats are determined by Opta and the stats boffins define a ‘big chance’ as “a situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score, usually in a one-on-one scenario or from very close range when the ball has a clear path to goal and there is low to moderate pressure on the shooter.”PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!Fernandes created more big chances than any other Premier League player last seasonCredit: Dream TeamBig chances created directly result in points but, as one would expect, they also correlate with assists.In 2023/24, each assist was worth two points but they’re worth three points each this coming season.All gaffers should have therefore have one eye on the game’s top creators.With that in mind, here’s reminder of which Premier League players created the most big chances created last season.MOST BIG CHANCES CREATED IN 2023/24:Bruno Fernandes – 31Mohamed Salah – 28Kevin De Bruyne – 25Cole Palmer – 24Son Heung-min – 20Trent Alexander-Arnold – 19Morgan Gibbs-White – 19Kieran Trippier – 19Bukayo Saka – 19Dwight McNeil – 18Martin Odegaard – 18James Ward-Prowse – 18It’s fair to say that Manchester United didn’t make the most of their Portuguese playmaker’s creative output last term.Most read in FootballFernandes finished with 14 assists, certainly not to be sniffed at, but he deserved a few more based on his huge volume of big chances created.If the Red Devils can improve their efficiency in front of goal this campaign, the 29-year-old should reap the rewards.A modern Dream Team legendCredit: PASalah has occasionally been labelled a greedy player by pundits and fans alike but the fact is he provides plenty of golden opportunities for his team-mates as well as firing off many shots of his own – he’s an absolute menace in the final third.Dream Team bosses will be eagerly anticipating a proper look at Liverpool in a post-Klopp world but 20.8% are willing to take a punt on the Egyptian superstar from the get-go at this stage.De Bruyne’s position on the podium is an astonishing feat given he was sidelined through injury for approximately half the season.Had the Belgium international played the whole campaign, he surely would have been in a league of his own.The quality of Manchester City’s No17 is undeniable but he has been strongly linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League in recent months.However, while on pre-season tour in the USA, Pep Guardiola told reporters that De Bruyne “is not going” and so gaffers will be able to select the expensive midfielder (£6.5m) for Gameweek 1 if they wish.De Bruyne is now expected to stay at Man City for another seasonCredit: Getty ImagesElsewhere in this list, Alexander-Arnold and Trippier should be highlighted as the only defenders present.The former has long rubbed shoulders with attacking midfielders in relation to the key playmaking statistics and it will be interesting to see how he is deployed by Arne Slot – will he play predominantly as a right-back or a deep-lying midfielder?Whatever the case, Anfield’s homegrown hero is categorised as a defender in the realm of Dream Team but he comes at an eye-watering cost of £5.5m.Dream Team’s Fantasy Football GamePLAY DREAM TEAM AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON!Free to play£50,000 jackpot for overall winner plus weekly prizesPlayers score points in Premier League games, European competitions and both domestic cupsPlay in Mini Leagues against your mates£5,000 prize for Gameweek 1Play via Dream Team’s app or website today!Newcastle’s experienced right-back has excelled in Dream Team ever since his return to English shores but, like De Bruyne, he too has been linked with a transfer to Saudi Arabia.READ MORE SUN STORIESGibbs-White and McNeil also deserve special mentions for their tallies given both Nottingham Forest and Everton finished in the bottom six last season.The former could be considered a potentially smart differential option for the start of 2024/25 with Forest having relatively favourable fixtures across the first three Gameweeks.Ryan Reynolds tells Liverpool star Mo Salah to ‘think about’ stunning Wrexham transfer in brilliant video More

DREAM TEAM managers would do well to remember that Phil Foden is the reigning king of Dream Team.Manchester City’s No47 racked up 392 points last season via 26 goals and 13 assists to top the rankings when all was said and done.PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!If you come for the king, you best not missCredit: Dream TeamHis efforts propelled Pep Guardiola’s side to their fourth consecutive Premier League title and he claimed the FWA Footballer of the Year award as well as the Premier League Player of the Season gong – two of the big three individual awards on these shores.Consequently, Foden has been slapped with a hefty price tag of £6.5m ahead of the new Dream Team campaign to reflect his lofty status.Only superstar forwards Erling Haaland (£8.5m) and Mohamed Salah (£7m) cost more than Foden (once again categorised as a midfielder) among all assets.Despite his high starting value, the 24-year-old currently appears in 29.8% of teams created, making him the sixth-most selected player in the game.However, it’s notable that he’s less than half as popular as Cole Palmer (£6m), who boasts a massive ownership of 60.5% at the time of writing.Foden often appeared frustrated on England duty this summerCredit: AFPThis may be a knock-on effect from Euro 2024.Foden didn’t register a single goal or assist in England colours this summer and his role in the team was the subject of much debate among fans and pundits alike.Most read in FootballWhereas Palmer impressed despite his limited minutes in Germany, notably providing the assist for Ollie Watkins’ (£6m) semi-final winner against Netherlands before scoring the Three Lions’ only goal in the final.Plus, the Chelsea hero amassed 368 points in Dream Team last term, a gargantuan effort without European fixtures to bolster his schedule.Still, it’s somewhat curious that he is twice as popular as Foden given the latter’s numbers in 2023/24 – both he and Palmer averaged eight points-per-game.Some gaffers will have selected both players in their midfield but many will only have the budget for one and this head-to-head is amplified by the fact Chelsea are set to host Man City in Gameweek 1.Saka, Foden and Palmer all achieved 350+ points last seasonCredit: Richard Pelham / The SunElsewhere, Bukayo Saka (£6m) falls into the same category as his international team-mates.Arsenal’s No7 is the same price as Palmer, a fraction cheaper than Foden, having banked 363 points last season.Combining all three heavy-hitting midfielders would require an investment of £18.5m, 37% of the £50million starting budget – it’s possible but not certainly not comfortable.As the new campaign approaches, almost every gaffer will have to make a big decision in regards to Foden, Palmer and Saka – which is the best option/combination?Phil Foden was named FWA Footballer of the YearCredit: PANo doubt the former will be relishing the prospect of club football having looked considerably less effective in Gareth Southgate’s set-up.As well as his mountainous tally of goal involvements, Foden ranked in Dream Team’s top five for shots on target and bonus points in 2023/24.READ MORE SUN STORIESSimpy put, he was a must-have asset for most of last season but, as it stands, 70% of Dream Team bosses are prepared to go without him in Gameweek 1.It will be interesting to see Foden’s ownership come August 16th.Three reasons why Phil Foden is world-class More

DREAM TEAM managers will once again have three Boosters at their disposal in the 2024/25 season.Each Booster has a special effect which will result in plentiful points if played at the opportune moment.But remember, each Booster can only be played ONCE throughout the course of the campaign and each one lasts the duration of just one Gameweek – it’s generally a good idea to wait for juicy double Gameweeks to maximise your chances of a big haul.It’s also important to note that Boosters can only be played one at a time, never in combination with one another.PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!The new Goal Bonus Booster should suit Mr HaalandCredit: Dream TeamGOAL BONUSThis Booster is new for the 2024/25 season, replacing Park the Bus.Goal Bonus increases the value of each goal scored by your players by three points.This means each goal is worth NINE points when Goal Bonus is activated!It goes without saying that this Booster should be played when your team is stacked with in-form goal threats.Most read in Dream TeamErling Haaland (£8.5m) scored 38 goals in all competitions last season and Manchester City’s No9 will surely be a must-have asset for gaffers when playing Goal Bonus.12th MANThis Booster allows you to select an additional player to score points for your team for one Gameweek only.You can select a player from any position to be your 12th Man, regardless of your formation.For example, if your team is set up in a 3-4-3 formation, you could activate 12th Man and select a fourth striker – a tempting strategy.And don’t worry about budget, your 12th Man comes for free!Gaffers should wait for double Gameweeks when activating their BoostersCredit: GettyMAX CAPTAINThis Booster ensures that the player who scores the most points in your team ends up with the captain’s armband and therefore has their score doubled.Say Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.5m) scores eight points for you in the first fixture of the Gameweek, he will have his score doubled to 16 by Max Captain.If Ollie Watkins (£6m) then banks 12 points for you in the 3pm kick-offs, he will automatically be selected as skipper and his scored will be doubled to 24 – in this instance, Alexander-Arnold’s score would return to eight as he would no longer be your top performer.And this process would continue until the end of the Gameweek, guaranteeing you the best possible captaincy selection.READ MORE SUN STORIESGenerally, Max Captain is best deployed when there are several appealing captaincy options, each with two fixtures to fulfil in the same Gameweek.Dream Team will be on hand throughout the season to highlight certain Gameweeks that appear well suited to Boosters.Dan Burn wears glove on hand missing a finger leaving Newcastle team-mates in stitches More

GAMEWEEKS and transfers are two huge aspects of Dream Team’s season fantasy game.Here’s everything you need to know about both subjects ahead of the 2024/25 season.PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW AHEAD OF THE 2024/25 SEASON – £50,000 TOP PRIZE PLUS WEEKLY CASH WINNERS!Revision timeCredit: Dream TeamGAMEWEEKSGameweeks make up the framework of the campaign with each one acting as a scoring period.You will need to make sure your team is set up for the upcoming Gameweek prior to the deadline, which typically falls 90 minutes before the first fixture (usually Friday night or Saturday lunchtime).However, please be aware that the first deadline of the season is 8pm on August 16th, when Manchester United v Fulham kicks off to get the new Premier League campaign underway.Prior to each deadline, you will need to confirm any transfers you wish to make, select your captain (and vice captain), and activate any Boosters you want to play.Any changes made after the deadline won’t go through until the following Gameweek.It will often be the case that some teams have more fixtures to fulfil than others in a given Gameweek.Most read in FootballFor example, 13 top-flight clubs will feature in the second round of the Carabao Cup during midweek in Gameweek 2 – all these clubs will therefore have two games in GW2 while Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea will only play once.Soon after, the European competitions will get underway, ensuring plenty of double Gameweeks for the top clubs.More fixtures equals more point-scoring opportunities and so it’s generally wise to tailor your team to the schedule and target these double Gameweeks.The upcoming Gameweek deadline is displayed in app and on site and the fixtures for each Gameweek can be viewed in the Match Centre.Aston Villa will have Champions League fixtures this coming campaignCredit: ReutersTRANSFERSOnce the season is underway, you will need to make transfers to react to the unfolding drama.Whether’s it’s ditching injured/suspended players or replacing under-performing flops with in-form gems, transfers should help keep your team in tip-top condition.Prior to the start of the season, you can make as many transfers as you like as you experiment with various combinations, formations, etc.Once the action begins, you will have two transfers available per Gameweek.If you decide not to make a transfer (which can be a wise decision) then one transfer will rollover to the following Gameweek.After that, you can rollover another transfer but four is the maximum.Please be aware that rollover only occurs if you don’t make any transfers at all – for example, if you have two available transfers and only use one, you will have a total of two transfers available the following Gameweek, not three.You can reverse transfers any time before the deadline.Say you replace Alexander Isak (£5m) with Ollie Watkins (£6m) on Wednesday night but later find out the Aston Villa forward is a major doubt for the weekend, you can reverse the transfer on Friday afternoon and either stick by the Newcastle man or seek an alternative replacement prior.READ MORE SUN STORIESWe’ll be on hand every week with transfer suggestions as well as other tips and stats that should inform your strategy throughout the season.For more information of Gameweeks and transfers, please see the Game Rules.Manchester United’s top transfer targets More

EVERY Dream Team manager needs to know how points are scored as our fantastic fantasy football game returns for the 2024/25 season.Here’s a full breakdown of how players are able to earn (and lose) points:PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE NOW – CASH PRIZES, GREAT FUN!A new season awaits!Credit: Dream TeamALL PLAYERSGoal +6 pointsAssist +3 pointsAppearance (0-59 minutes) +1 pointAppearance (60+ minutes) +1 pointShot on target +1 pointBig chance created +1 pointTackles +1 point per twoYellow card -1 pointRed card -3 pointsPenalty miss -3 pointsOwn goal -2 pointsGOALKEEPERS & DEFENDERS ONLYClean sheet (minimum 60 minutes played) +5 pointsEach goal conceded over one goal -1 pointGOALKEEPERS ONLYSaves +1 point per twoPenalty save +3 pointsIt’s important to note the increased value of goals and assists compared to last season’s game – make sure you’ve got plenty of firepower at all times!Most of the actions listed above should be self-explanatory but the full definitions can be found in the ‘Scoring’ section of the Game Rules.Phil Foden scored the most points in 2023/24Credit: GettyBONUS POINTSIn addition to the core points detailed above, players are also able to earn bonus points; zero, one, three or five per fixture.Most read in FootballBonus points are determined by a combination of the following stats that contribute to player performance marks (PPM): completed crosses, successful dribbles, pass completion rate, interceptions, blocks, fouls won and goals scored from outside the area.Offsides, fouls conceded and errors leading to goals will negatively impact a player’s PPM.Goalkeepers can also earn player performance marks through successful claims, keeper sweeps and successful punches.5-7 PPM = 1 bonus point8-11 PPM = 3 bonus points12+ PPM = 5 bonus pointsThe reason goals and assists (and shots on target, big chances created, etc) don’t impact bonus points is because players are already rewarded with suitable returns for such actions.Essentially, bonus points recognise positive contributions not already covered by core points, ensuring a fairer reflection of each player’s overall performance.For reference, these are the players who earned the most bonus points last season:Bruno Guimaraes – 83 ptsMohammed Kudus – 70 ptsPascal Gross – 58 ptsJeremy Doku – 57 ptsPhil Foden – 55 ptsEzri Konsa – 54 ptsJames Ward-Prowse – 54 ptsBukayo Saka – 52 ptsConor Gallagher – 52 ptsEberechi Eze – 48 ptsBruno Guimaraes racked up bonus points for fun last seasonCredit: GettyAll the relevant stats are provided by Opta, who review their data after the conclusion of each game.READ MORE SUN STORIESThis occasionally results in post-match changes in points awarded to players but rest assured any alterations are made to more accurately reflect each individual’s performance.The cut-off for any changes (except to address technical issues or missing data) is 12 hours from the final whistle of the relevant fixture. We live next to a Premier League training ground – players are constantly swearing, blast out music & parking is CHAOS More