Fantasy Football

ANTHONY ELANGA (£3.4m) is overdue his flowers.The 22-year-old has been instrumental in Nottingham Forest’s unexpected push for Champions League qualification this season.Elanga is among Dream Team’s most in-form midfielders right nowCredit: Dream TeamNuno Espirito Santo’s side have been solid defensively but it would be foolish to overlook the attacking unit’s contribution.Chris Wood’s (£3.8m) clinical finishing has been a decisive factor but the big New Zealander’s support cast of Elanga, Callum Hudson-Odoi (£3.8m) and Morgan Gibbs-White (£4.2m) also deserve plenty of credit.The Sweden international has been particularly effective lately, as best evidenced by his Dream Team returns.Elanga has collected 53 points from his last seven appearances at an average of 7.6.His average of ten points-per-game over his last three outings is only bettered by two midfielders at present: Bruno Fernandes (£6.7m) and Ismaila Sarr (£3.7m).Elanga provided three assists the last time he faced BrightonCredit: GettyThis fruitful run peaked just prior to the international break when he took Ipswich for 17 points via a brace for his best haul of the season.Elanga has scored two goals and provided four assists in his last seven games and this upturn in tangible output may have come at a good time from a Dream Team perspective.Forest are one of just seven teams set to fulfil two fixtures in Gameweek 29.Most read in FootballThis Saturday, they’re due to face Brighton in the FA Cup quarter-finals before hosting Manchester United in the Premier League the following Tuesday.Forest are in a strong position to qualify for the Champions LeagueCredit: GettyThe Seagulls are in fine form but Dream Team managers will remember they lost 7-0 to Forest last month.Elanga registered three assists that day on his way to a 15-point return.A repeat of that mauling is unlikely but Forest will head to the south coast fully confident in their ability to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.Elanga didn’t play against Exeter in the fourth round of the competition but he was deployed against the Tractor Boys in the fifth round, when he banked ten points via an assist and three bonus points.At this stage of the campaign, Nuno has a realistic chance of lifting the famous trophy and so the first-team regulars should get plenty of minutes across both fixtures in Gameweek 29, Elanga included.Wood is considered a doubt for this weekendCredit: RexIt’s worth noting that Wood is currently considered an injury doubt having limped off while on international duty but gaffers should get an update on the striker’s availability closer to the deadline.Dream Team bosses tempted to back Elanga (1.9% ownership) at this juncture should be aware that he’s probably a short-term option.READ MORE SUN STORIESIn Gameweeks 30 and 31, the focus will be on Arsenal, Man United, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Chelsea due to the additional midweek fixtures created by the European quarter-finals.But as far as one-week punts go, Elanga is very much in the conversation.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 international break rumbles on but thoughts turn to Dream Team’s return this coming weekend.Managers have until 10:45am this Saturday to make their transfers and one player worthy of consideration before the Gameweek 29 deadline is Ismaila Sarr (£3.7m).Sarr has been among the points latelyCredit: Dream TeamThe Crystal Palace midfielder is currently the second most in-form player in Dream Team as only Bruno Fernandes (£6.7m) has taken more points from his last three outings.Just prior to the break, Sarr scored the Eagles’ winner against Ipswich amid an 11-point haul.An FA Cup win over Millwall yielded just two points but before that the Senegal international notched 18 points via a brace in an impressive victory over Aston Villa.A return of 31 points from his last three games put him above the likes of Alexander Isak (£6.1m), Joao Pedro (£4m), Marco Asensio (£4.1m) and other notable form players.Sarr starred against Aston Villa in Gameweek 25Credit: GettyThat being said, Sarr’s points have had little impact on Dream Team since he features in so few teams.At the time of writing, his ownership is just 0.4%.Looking ahead to Gameweek 29, Sarr has to be considered a viable differential option.Oliver Glasner’s side are due to face Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday before travelling to Southampton the following Wednesday.Most read in FootballNot only are Palace one of just seven teams set to fulfil two fixtures this coming Gameweek, they arguably have the most appealing double header of the lot.Palace’s Gameweek 29 fixtures look appealing on paperCredit: GettyA trip to St Mary’s Stadium is statistically the most favourable match-up the Premier League has to offer this season as Saints have mustered just four points on home soil since their return to the top flight.And given only Liverpool and Arsenal average more points on the road than Palace, this upcoming fixture could yield plentiful returns for the visitors.Sarr has the hot hand right now and gaffers in need of a difference-maker might feel it’s time to roll the dice.The same logic applies to Glasner’s other favourites.Munoz has proven himself to be a top-tier Dream Team defenderCredit: PADaniel Munoz (£5.4m) is a fantastic option for Gameweek 29 as Dream Team’s second-best defender on 230 points.And with Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) currently sidelined with injury, it’s not unthinkable the Colombian wing-back will become the top-ranked asset in his position in the coming weeks.Munoz has five goals, six assists and 12 clean sheets to his name.Alternatively, Eberechi Eze (£4.5m) hasn’t provided as many points as Sarr recently but he’s 50 ahead in terms of the campaign as a whole.Mateta should return this weekendCredit: ReutersJean-Philippe Mateta (£4.5m) is expected to be available in Gameweek 29 following his ear injury.The French forward has scored eight goals in ten appearances since the turn of the year.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe would certainly fancy his chances of exploiting Southampton’s vulnerable defence if given the opportunity.Dream Team bosses should get an update on Mateta’s availability in advance of the deadline.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

THOMAS TUCHEL is set to take charge of his first game as England head coach this evening.Fans across the land are eagerly anticipating the German tactician’s line-up to face Albania for the Three Lions’ first 2026 World Cup qualifier, the dawn of a new era.No pressure, Thomas!Credit: GettyEvery man and his dog has an opinion about the national team and just to throw another perspective into the mix, allow us to present the best possible England XI as determined by this season’s Dream Team points.A quick note before we dive in, both Jude Bellingham (22 goals involvements for Real Madrid) and Harry Kane (43 goal involvements for Bayern Munich) would be among the first names included but they’re currently operating outside of Dream Team’s jurisdiction and have therefore been omitted – it’s just a bit of fun anyway.GOALKEEPERJordan Pickford – 141 ptsA conventional start to this exercise as England’s long-term No1 keeps his place.It was a close contest though as Dean Henderson is just two points behind Pickford in the rankings with both keepers having kept ten clean sheets this season.The Everton stopper edges it by virtue of a superior save count, 93 to 89.Pickford edges out Henderson between the sticksCredit: GettyDEFENDERSTrent Alexander-Arnold – 277 ptsLewis Hall – 189 ptsMarc Guehi – 172 ptsThe beautiful thing about Dream Team is that while only certain formations are permitted, gaffers don’t have to worry about real-world balance.Most read in FootballIn reality, this back three would be overly ambitious in the extreme but there may be a hint of truth to it.Alexander-Arnold and Hall may well have been first-choice full-backs/wing-backs during this international break had they not been sidelined with injuries.The former is Dream Team’s outright best defender having contributed to 18 clean sheets, scored three goals and provided eight assists.Newcastle’s inexhaustible left-back registered seven assists before his ill-timed foot injury.Fans will have to wait to see how Tuchel deploys Alexander-ArnoldCredit: GettyAs for Guehi, he may be top of the pecking order in the centre-back department these days given John Stones continues to be dogged by fitness issues.The 24-year-old has zoomed up the rankings lately as Crystal Palace have kept seven clean sheets in their last 11 games in all competitions.If we were to discount injured players, Tyrick Mitchell (166 pts) and Ezri Konsa (145 pts) would make the cut.MIDFIELDERSCole Palmer – 268 ptsMorgan Rogers – 231 ptsJames Maddison – 229 ptsBukayo Saka – 224 ptsPhil Foden – 221 ptsOnce again, the balance is off but it’s a fun combination on paper.Palmer may have gone off the boil in recent weeks but his tally of 14 goals and nine assists remains hugely impressive.England are spoiled for choice when it comes to attacking midfieldersCredit: GettyInterestingly, this exercise suggests Rogers is worthy of place in Tuchel’s starting XI.The Aston Villa midfielder has come of age this season, as evidenced by the fact he ranks fifth among players in his position.Maddison has not been included in the official squad and it’s curious a player of considerable talent has played just 374 minutes for England to date.Ange Postecoglou isn’t shy of dropping the creative playmaker either but his output of 21 goal involvements at a rate of one every 106.6 minutes speaks for itself.Amazingly, Saka still ranks eighth among Dream Team midfielders despite the fact he hasn’t played since before Christmas!As for Foden, he’s been unable to replicate the form he displayed last season but it’s a measure of his pedigree that he’s still mustered a double century of points via ten goals and seven assists.If we were to adjust for availability, Declan Rice (216 pts) and Eberechi Eze (205 pts) would replace Palmer and Saka.Maddison continues to be overlooked at international levelCredit: APSTRIKERSOllie Watkins – 250 ptsDominic Solanke – 204 ptsWith Kane out of the picture we end up with a strike partnership that would probably work well in reality.Watkins and Solanke have 26 goals and 23 assists between them this season – they rank fifth and 11th respectively among all strikers in terms of total points.Aston Villa’s main man is resting his troublesome knee this international break and so Jarrod Bowen (195 pts) is next in line among available forwards.READ MORE SUN STORIESWest Ham’s talisman averages a goal or assist every 147.4 minutes this season – an excellent effort given the Hammers are languishing in 16th in the Premier League table.Solanke may be used as an impact sub under TuchelCredit: AFPGive us a call if you want to discuss things further, Thomas!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 Gameweek 29 deadline is still nine days away but it’s never too early for Dream Team managers to mull over their options.One player worth due consideration is Dominic Solanke (£4m).Is Solanke being unfairly overlooked by Dream Team bosses?Credit: Dream TeamThe Tottenham striker currently features in just 5.3% of teams, making him a potential differential for gaffers who might need to think outside the box as the season enters the business end.Granted, Gameweek 29 might be too soon to recruit the England international as Spurs are not among the seven teams with two fixtures to fulfil.Plus, their lone commitment comes in the form of a trip to Stamford Bridge.Chelsea haven’t been at their best lately but they remain fourth in the Premier League table, ten places higher than Ange Postecoglou’s side.It would therefore be a stretch to deem Solanke’s Gameweek 29 as favourable.But Dream Team bosses could describe the following Gameweeks in such terms.Postecoglou may be helped by favourable league fixtures preceding the Europa League quarter-final legsCredit: AlamyIn Gameweek 30, Spurs will host relegation-bound Southampton in the league before welcoming Frankfurt to North London in the Europa League.Then in Gameweek 31, they travel to 17th-placed Wolves before flying to Germany for the second leg of their European quarter-final.Most read in FootballAs it stands, Spurs are one of just five clubs with four fixtures across Gameweeks 30 and 31.And favourable league opponents should make their top performers extremely viable for the bulk of April.Solanke is an intriguing prospect as he is first-choice striker for the team that, for all their issues, remain second top scorers in the Premier League this season.Solanke has 21 goal involvements in 33 games for Spurs this seasonCredit: EPAThe 27-year-old has racked up 204 points via 11 goals and ten assists in 2024/25.This breaks down further to one goal involvement every 120.8 minutes in all competitions.Furthermore, Solanke averages 6.2 points-per-game since his transfer from Bournemouth; only Son Heung-min (£4.7m) boasts a superior rate among his team-mates.This is all to say that Solanke is seemingly well placed to capitalise on Spurs’ favourable schedule, although Frankfurt are not to be underestimated.Kulusevski is expected to return after the international breakCredit: GettyDespite far too many disappointing performances as a collective, Spurs players have generally done well in Dream Team this season.Pedro Porro (£4.5m) ranks fourth among defenders at present while Dejan Kulusevski (£4.4m), James Maddison (£4.2m) and Brennan Johnson (£3.3m) are all among the top 15 midfielders.The Swedish playmaker will be an excellent option for Gameweeks 30 and 31 if he recovers from injury in time, as expected.Captain Son actually leads the way with 260 points to his name, putting him fourth among all forwards.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe South Korean superstar hasn’t always passed the eye test in recent months but his tangible output of 11 goals and 14 assists speaks for itself.However, it’s worth noting that his minutes have not been guaranteed of late whereas Solanke has completed 90 minutes in three consecutive outings.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

AS a valued Dream Team manager, your views are really important to us as we strive to provide the best game possible.While Dream Team is essentially on pause for the international break, we’re using the time to look ahead to the 2025/26 season and we’re really keen to get your thoughts on what that might look like.Take our survey and you could win a £100 Amazon voucherCredit: Dream TeamIt’s not too late to fill in our survey and provide feedback on a number of issues.As an incentive, you will be able to enter a prize draw for the chance to win a £100 Amazon gift voucher if you complete the survey.Have your say 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

PREPARE to have your mind blown.Or more realistically, prepare to be mildly intrigued by seven surprising Dream Team stats from the season so far.Nothing but factsCredit: Dream TeamDoku’s DribblesJeremy Doku leads the way for successful dribbles with 99 in all competitions.His closest rival is Morgan Rogers on 85 but the Aston Villa midfielder has played more than twice as many minutes.The Belgian winger completed a whopping 15 dribbles against Brighton last time out, helping him claim five bonus points.For comparison, Phil Foden has registered 24 successful dribbles all season.Shoot On SightAmazingly, only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have registered more shots on target than Alejandro Garnacho this season.The Manchester United has notched 45 in all competitions, the same tally as Ollie Watkins, one more than Cole Palmer, and two more than Alexander Isak.However, while Watkins and Palmer have scored 14 goals each and Isak has plundered 23, Garnacho has scored just eight goals in 44 outings.Shooting practice needed for the Argentine?Most read in FootballShot happyCredit: RexInstant ImpactMarco Asensio has scored seven goals in eight games since his loan switch to Aston Villa in January at a strike rate of one every 54.7 minutes.As a result, he’s averaging 8.3 points-per-game.Only Bukayo Saka (9.3) and Cole Palmer (8.6) boast better averages among midfielders this season and those two are flagged as unavailable right now.The Villains are the only team with SIX fixtures to fulfil across the next three Gameweeks, making Asensio extremely viable for the next month or so.Runaway LeaderMohamed Salah’s quality is hardly a secret but nobody would have predicted the extent of his success this season.At the time of writing, Liverpool’s main man is 111 points ahead of his closest rival, Bruno Fernandes.The Egyptian superstar leads the way for goals (32), assists (22) and big chances created (27).Following the Reds’ elimination from the FA Cup and Champions League, Salah has just nine league games remaining.Even so, he’s established such an emphatic lead that it’s highly unlikely anyone will catch up, even with additional fixtures.Catch him if you canCredit: AlamyKeeping Referees BusyBruno Guimaraes was by far and away the most fouled player in Dream Team last season and he’s on course to retain his title in 2024/25.Newcastle’s all-action midfielder has won 115 free-kicks to date.Only one other player, James Maddison (77), has been fouled more than 66 times this campaign.Guimaraes’ streetwise style is a big reason he ranks joint-seventh in his position for bonus points.Set-Piece Specialist As previously mentioned, Salah has created more big chances than anyone else but it may surprise Dream Team bosses to learn that Declan Rice is second in the list.Arsenal’s No41 has created 23 big chances (as defined by Opta) for his team-mates in all competitions.The main reason he is outperforming more creative talents such as Palmer and Fernandes in this metric is his set-piece expertise.The Gunners have posed a massive threat from corners this season and the quality of Rice’s delivery has been a crucial factor in his side’s success.Interestingly, Saka still ranks third for big chances created (22) despite the fact he hasn’t played since before Christmas!One of Arsenal’s primary weaponsCredit: GettyPicking Them OutHere’s the raw truth: no Dream Team goalkeeper has conceded more goals than Andre Onana this season.The Cameroon international has picked the ball out of his net 52 times in all competitions.Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale has done the same from fewer appearances but the numbers paint a stark picture of Manchester United’s recent fortunes.READ MORE SUN STORIESDespite shipping loads of goals, Onana ranks third in his position for total points.Only two keepers have made more saves at this stage.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

THIS international break gives Dream Team managers time to reflect upon the season so far.One aspect to consider is the players who have flown under the radar.Here we’ve assembled the best possible XI, based on total points, made up of available individuals who currently feature in less than 10% of teams.Surprised?Credit: GettyGOALKEEPERAndre Onana (7.4% ownership) – 156 ptsMany Dream Team bosses will be surprised to learn that only David Raya (£4.4m) and Emi Martinez (£3.9m) have more points than Manchester United’s last line of defence.No goalkeeper has conceded more goals than Onana in all competitions after 28 Gameweeks but he ranks third for saves with 107.Factor in nine clean sheets and the Cameroonian keeper has somehow cobbled together a respectable points tally, despite the Red Devils’ problems this season.Overlooked by too manyCredit: GettyDEFENDERSDaniel Munoz (5.5%) – 230 ptsJurrien Timber (5.9%) – 191 ptsMarc Guehi (9.2%) – 172 ptsThe presence of two Crystal Palace regulars suggests too many gaffers have overlooked the Eagles this campaign.That is certainly true of Munoz, who ranks second among all assets in his position having contributed five goals and six assists on top of 12 clean sheets.Most read in FootballThe Colombian wing-back also ranks third among all players for tackles – he does it all!Palace are due to face Fulham and Southampton in Gameweek 29 – Munoz surely deserves a popularity spike before the next deadline.Timber’s relatively low ownership is down to the fact most gaffers will opt for Gabriel (£4.6m) or William Saliba (£4.5m) when they’re keen on an Arsenal defender, understandably so.But the Dutchman is a perfectly viable option too as he’s now just four points shy of his French team-mate and 13 short of the Brazilian.Timber makes more tackles than the Gunners’ first-choice centre-backs and earns more bonus points.Bonus ballCredit: GettyMIDFIELDERSYouri Tielemans (6.4%) – 221 ptsDeclan Rice (7.6%) – 216 ptsBrennan Johnson (8.4%) – 208 ptsEberechi Eze (8.7%) – 205 ptsAlexis Mac Allister (5.2%) – 204 ptsMorgan Rogers (£3.9m) has justifiably been one of Dream Team’s most popular midfielders this season but it’s interesting that Tielemans’ ownership has never reached double figures when he ranks joint-ninth in his position, just a shade below his widely-owned team-mate.The Belgium international leads the way among all players for bonus points with 48 – only one other player, Ryan Gravenberch (£3.2m), has more than 40 at this juncture.Generally speaking, attack-minded midfielders tend to perform better than their more defensive counterparts, which probably explains Rice’s relatively low ownership.However, Arsenal’s No41 has registered 13 goal contributions, thanks in no small part to his set-pieces.In fact, Rice’s well-directed corners have helped him create 23 big chances in 2024/25 – only Mohamed Salah (£8m) is above him in this metric.Set-piece specialistCredit: ReutersJohnson remains Tottenham’s top scorer this term and he was previously among the most selected players in the game.His ownership plummeted when he suffered an injury in January and is yet to recover.Eze is the third Palace representative in this XI, underlining the South Londoners’ success since their upsurge in form a few months ago.The England international averages 6.8 points-per-game.His dribbling skill and ability to draw fouls has helped him gain 37 bonus points, a tally only bettered by five players.Dream Team bosses have called upon Luis Diaz (£3.5m) and Dominik Szoboszlai (£4.3m) when in need of a Liverpool midfielder but those who have taken a punt on Mac Allister have been duly rewarded.The World Cup winner ranks first for tackles among his team-mates and joint-second for bonus points, not to mention his 11 goal involvements.A formidable asset even at half capacityCredit: AFPSTRIKERSSon Heung-min (9.7%) – 260 ptsCody Gakpo (6.2%) – 239 ptsThe Spurs captain is the man with the most points who features in less than 10% of teams across all positions.Son has not always been at his best this season but it’s a measure of his pedigree that he ranks seventh overall having scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists in all competitions.The South Korean superstar might be an excellent option in April, when Ange Postecoglou’s side will face Southampton and Wolves around two Europa League quarter-final legs against Frankfurt.Last but not least, it’s Gakpo, who boasted a much higher ownership before his ill-timed injury at the end of February.Salah has been an essential asset from the get-go but there have been times when doubling up on Liverpool forwards has yielded plentiful returns.Gakpo has scored 16 goals this season, a tally only bettered by four players.The Dutchman came off the bench against PSG and Newcastle and is therefore in contention to start against Everton after the international break.However, Liverpool assets are not as viable as they were following their elimination from the FA Cup and Champions League.Here’s the team in full…Andre OnanaDaniel MunozJurrien TimberMarc GuehiREAD MORE SUN STORIESYouri TielemansDeclan RiceBrennan JohnsonEberechi EzeAlexis Mac AllisterSon Heung-minCody GakpoScore 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