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    Captaincy options for Gameweek 11: Dominic Solanke leads alternatives to familiar favourites

    IT’S Friday which means it’s time for Dream Team managers to pick a captain for the Gameweek ahead.Gameweek 11 consists of a full round of Premier League fixtures set to take place over Saturday and Sunday – nice and simple.Haaland captainers were punished in Gameweek 10Credit: GettyErling Haaland (£8.9m) is currently the most selected captain, as always, but gaffers who backed him in Gameweek 10 were largely punished.Manchester City’s No9 mustered just six points against Bournemouth and Sporting CP while Mohamed Salah (£7.3m) banked 22 at the expense of Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen.Liverpool are due to host Aston Villa this weekend which isn’t a favourable match-up on paper given the Villains’ upturn under Unai Emery but the Egyptian superstar has to be considered a strong captaincy choice once again.Villa are without a win in their last four games and shipped four goals to Tottenham last Sunday whereas Arne Slot’s side extended their unbeaten streak to 12 with an emphatic 4-0 victory over the Bundesliga champions in midweek.Salah has nine goals and nine assists to his name from 16 outings this season and recently usurped Haaland at the top of the overall rankings.InevitableCredit: GettyWriting off the Norwegian poacher is fraught with danger but a trip to Brighton (undefeated at home this season) is no easy task for Pep Guardiola’s men coming off the back of three consecutive losses.At the risk of oversimplifying things, Liverpool are flying right now and Salah remains the main man.Elsewhere, many Dream Team bosses will be tempted to select Dominic Solanke (£4m) as skipper ahead of this weekend’s action.Most read in FootballTottenham’s first-choice striker racked up 29 points in Gameweek 10.The England international ended his mini drought with a brace against Villa and then scored against Galatasaray on Thursday night after coming off the bench in the second half.Back among the goalsCredit: ReutersChasing lost points is a futile endeavour but Solanke looks well placed to cash in again this coming Gameweek.Spurs are the league’s top scorers at present and on Sunday they welcome Ipswich to North London – the Tractor Boys have the second-worst defensive record this season.It should be one-way traffic in favour of the hosts and Solanke may be the chief beneficiary having rediscovered his scoring boots.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 NOWBruno Fernandes (£5.9m) is another player in the captaincy conversation.The Portuguese midfielder has amassed 54 points across the last three Gameweeks in a spree containing three goals and two assists.In Gameweek 9, he banked 18 points against Leicester in the Carabao Cup and the Foxes are due to visit Old Trafford again this weekend.You have until 1:30pm on Saturday to confirm your captain for Gameweek 11 – choose wisely!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

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    Transfer recommendations for Gameweek 11: target Tottenham and Manchester United’s favourable fixtures for BIG points

    DREAM TEAM managers have some extra time to decide upon their transfers for Gameweek 11 as the deadline isn’t until 1:30pm on Saturday.The upcoming Gameweek simply consists of a full round of Premier League fixtures to take place over Saturday and Sunday before the international break takes centre stage.As usual, we’ve assembled some transfer recommendations for your perusal…Transfer timeCredit: Dream TeamTottenham playersSpurs v Ipswich leaps out of the schedule as a mismatch to target.Ange Postecoglou’s side are the Premier League’s top scorers this season while only Wolves have conceded more goals than the Tractor Boys.Dominic Solanke (£4m) is the most popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 11 following his 21-point mega haul against Aston Villa last Sunday.But truth be told, gaffers are spoiled for choice.Son Heung-min (£5.3m) boasts the highest points-per-game average among his team-mates but Brennan Johnson (£3.8m) is the club’s top goalscorer in 2024/25.James Maddison (£4.6m) has flourished (he’s a bonus point magnet) but his minutes are becoming harder to predict.Most read in FootballLast but not least, assist specialist Dejan Kulusevski (£3.1m) offers excellent value for money and has been at the heart of Spurs’ best attacking moves in recent weeks.Solanke was back on target last weekendCredit: ReutersBruno Fernandes (£5.9m)Manchester United’s captain is the most in-form player in Dream Team at the time of writing having taken 37 points from his last three outings.That may change later when the Red Devils take on PAOK but the point is that Fernandes is a very strong option right now.Ruud van Nistelrooy’s final game as interim head coach comes in the form of a home game against Leicester, which is handy for the Dutchman as he oversaw a 5-2 win against the Foxes in the Carabao Cup in Gameweek 9.Fernandes banked 18 points that night and while Steve Cooper is likely to name a stronger side this time around, the Portuguese playmaker will fancy his chances of another successful outing.See also: Alejando Garnacho (£4.2m)Fernandes being on penalties is another useful factor to considerCredit: GettyKostas Tsimikas (£2.9m)Liverpool are flying right now.You don’t need us to explain the benefits of selecting the likes of Mohamed Salah (£7.3m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m) but the Reds’ Greek left-back is worth flagging.Tsimikas currently features in just 0.9% of teams but he’s seemingly leapfrogged Andy Robertson (£4.1m) in the pecking order.He started against both Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen in Gameweek 10 and returned 19 for his efforts.Recruiting Tsimikas ahead of Gameweek 11 comes with risk as Aston Villa are relatively difficult opponents on paper and it wouldn’t be a total surprise if Robertson was given the nod by Arne Slot.However, the prospect of an in-form defender starting for the league leaders at just £2.9m is hugely appealing.A potential bargainCredit: GettyRayan Ait-Nouri (£3.6m) and/or Matheus Cunha (£4.4m)A couple of one-week punts to finish.Wolves are yet to win a league game this season but their most talented players have the ability to bank plenty of points against Southampton at Molineux on Saturday.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 NOWAit-Nouri leads the way for goal involvements (three goals, two assists) among Dream Team defenders this season.The Algeria international is a left-back in the loosest possible sense; he takes up some extremely advanced positions.Cunha is a class act and a man in form having taken 24 points from his last three games.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Brazilian forward ranks highly in his position for bonus points and big chances created.Gaffers who like to seek out differential options for short-terms gains should look to Wolves this weekend.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

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    Play Score Predictor ahead of this weekend’s action – key stats and facts

    THIS weekend’s Score Predictor fixtures feature every member of the so-called ‘big six’.If you can decipher the intriguingly poised match-ups then you will bank the £250 weekly prize – that would get you through the international break, wouldn’t it?Play Score Predictor now!Credit: Dream TeamSimply submit 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 – cha ching – you’ll pocket the cash!Allow us to present some key stats and facts for each relevant fixture this Matchweek.Brighton v Manchester CityThe defending champions’ shock defeat to Bournemouth last weekend was a major blow to the majority of Score Predictor users.Add in losses to Tottenham (Carabao Cup) and Sporting CP (Champions League) and it’s three defeats in a row for Pep Guardiola’s side in all competitions.Fabian Hurzeler will privately believe it’s a pretty good time to play the usually imperious Man City, especially given the latter’s injury list.That being said, the Seagulls have avoided defeat just twice in the last 15 meetings between these two teams.Most read in FootballPhil Foden inspired City to a 4-0 victory at the Amex back in April but they are unlikely to find life as easy on the south coast this Saturday – Brighton are one of just four top-flight teams yet to lose a league game at home this season.Our Prediction: 2-2 drawMan City rarely lose three games in a rowCredit: GettyScore 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 NOWLiverpool v Aston VillaOn paper, a match-up between the teams that finished third and fourth last season should be an ultra competitive affair.However, it’s almost impossible to look past Arne Slot’s side on current form.The Reds are unbeaten in 12 with their latest victory coming in the form of a thumping 4-0 win over Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.In contrast, the Villains are without a win in four games after their disappointing 1-0 loss to Club Brugge on Wednesday night – they also folded in the second half against Spurs last weekend.Villa beat Liverpool 7-2 in a crazy game typical of the lockdown era but but they’ve lost six and drawn two in the eight meetings since.Our Prediction: 3-1 to LiverpoolLiverpool are flying high this seasonCredit: GettyManchester United v LeicesterThis fixture is a replay of the Carabao Cup last 16 game that took place just over a week ago which ended 5-2 to the Red Devils.Granted, the Foxes named a much-changed side that day but the hosts will be hopeful of another positive result.Leicester are actually above Man United in the form table but that’s mainly because they took four points off Southampton and Ipswich – their upcoming fixtures are less favourable.The underlying stats are concerning for Steve Cooper’s troops; they rank in the bottom three for xG generated and top three for xG conceded.Man United have desperately struggled for league goals this season, only Crystal Palace and Ipswich have scored fewer, but we reckon they’ll break the shackles this weekend.Our Prediction: 3-1 to Man UnitedRuud van Nistelrooy oversaw a 5-2 win over Leicester in late OctoberCredit: GettyTottenham v IpswichThe Tractor Boys and Wolves are the only teams yet to win in the top flight this season.And fans of the East Anglian club won’t be all that hopeful of ending their drought in North London on Sunday with Spurs having seen off Man City and Villa in their two most recent home games.Ange Postecoglou’s dynamic side are top scorers in the Premier League at present while Ipswich have the second-worst defence – it’s serious mismatch on paper. Our Prediction: 4-0 to SpursSpurs are strong at homeCredit: ReutersChelsea v ArsenalThe Gunners have already dropped eight points on the road in 2024/25 and consecutive defeats to Newcastle and Inter have given Mikel Arteta much to consider.Chelsea’s draw at Old Trafford last Sunday saw them jump above Arsenal in the table, if only on goal difference.The Blues have actually earned more points away from Stamford Bridge this term but only Liverpool and Spurs are above them in the form table at the time of writing.Arsenal swaggered to a 5-0 win against Chelsea back in April but that was at the Emirates and under Mauricio Pochettino’s watch, a lot has changed since then.Chelsea haven’t beaten Arsenal at home since 2018 but their fans may feel it’s an opportune time to take three points off their London rivals.Even so, we’re going to sit on the fence…READ MORE SUN STORIESOur Prediction: 1-1 drawENTER YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR MATCHWEEK 11 AND SHOW US HOW IT’S DONE!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. 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    Kostas Tsimikas emerges as bargain route into Liverpool’s points-laden defence

    DREAM TEAM managers desperately looking for an affordable route into Liverpool’s starting line-up may have been presented with the perfect gift in the form of Kostas Tsimikas (£2.9m).At the time of writing, the Greece international is the top-performing defender in Gameweek 10 having taken 19 points off Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen.BARGAIN ALERTCredit: Dream TeamDespite Ferdi Kadioglu’s (£3m) goal at Anfield, Tsimikas banked nine points against the Seagulls through seven tackles, two big chances created, one shot on target and a bonus point.He then earned ten points against the reigning Bundesliga champions via a clean sheet and three bonus points on Tuesday night.Arne Slot has seemingly promoted the 28-year-old to first-choice left-back, which renders his current price of £2.9m very cheap indeed.Andy Robertson (£4.1m) has long been the Reds’ starting left-back but the Scotsman struggled against Noni Madueke (£3.1m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.7m) in high-profile league games last month.The long-serving defender has been a great servant for Liverpool since his transfer from Hull in 2017 but it’s perfectly reasonable for a head coach to drop a player who has fallen out of form.Robertson was dropped in Gameweek 10Credit: PARobertson may earn his place back at some stage but for now it appears Tsimikas is above him in the pecking order.The latter currently features in just 0.7% of teams but his ownership will surely increase considerably in the wake of his 19-point haul.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 NOWSlot couldn’t have asked for a better start to life on Merseyside with his side currently on top of both the Premier League table and Champions League table.Most read in FootballIt’s no wonder Dream Team bosses are keen to back Liverpool to the hilt.One downside is that the most viable players come at a significant cost.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m), Virgil van Dijk (£5.5m) and Ibrahima Konate (£4.7m) are ranked first, second and fifth respectively among Dream Team defenders but all three are also among the most expensive assets in their position.Given that Tsimikas is available for less than half the price of Alexander-Arnold right now, he has to be considered a potentially smart selection.Of course, this strategy would backfire if Robertson was chosen to start against Aston Villa this coming Saturday but Slot’s team selections against Brighton and Leverkusen (two competitive match-ups on paper) were rather revealing.Liverpool are flying high this seasonCredit: GettyTsimikas was far from the only Liverpool player to enhance his reputation in Gameweek 10.Luis Diaz (£4.4m) bagged a hat-trick on Tuesday night to leapfrog Cole Palmer (£6.3m) and become Dream Team’s second-best midfielder of 2024/25 – Saka holds top spot.While Mohamed Salah (£7.3m) jumped to the very top of the mountain with a 22-point return, leaving Erling Haaland (£8.9m) in his wake.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere were also double-digit hauls for Cody Gakpo (£4.3m), Curtis Jones (£3m), Caoimhin Kelleher (£2.1m) and Ryan Gravenberch (£3.4m), as well as the aforementioned duo of Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk.It remains to be seen whether Liverpool can maintain their high standards but Dream Team bosses should make hay while the sun shines.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

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    Should Dream Team bosses be concerned about Manchester City’s creaking form?

    HOW quickly things can change in the world of Dream Team.Prior to Gameweek 10, Manchester City were imperious Premier League leaders and undefeated in the Champions League.Suddenly, after consecutive defeats to Tottenham, Bournemouth and Sporting CP, they’re in crisis.Panic stations?Credit: Dream TeamPep Guardiola’s side aren’t truly in crisis of course; their 2-1 loss to the Cherries ended the fourth-longest unbeaten streak in Premier League history and the decorated tactician will still feel confident of a place in the Champions League knockout stage in the new year.But everything is relative to the standards expected of the club in question and the nature of City’s Gameweek 10 disappointments will have unnerved more than a few Dream Team managers.For starters, Erling Haaland (£8.9m) has been usurped at the top of the rankings by Mohamed Salah (£7.3m).The Norwegian No9’s tally of 150 points remains hugely impressive and he’s still comfortably the top goalscorer in all competitions (14) but gaffers who captained him in Gameweek 10 have been left unsatisfied.Haaland failed to convert any of his chances in Gameweek 10Credit: PAHaaland let fly with plenty of shots against Bournemouth and Sporting but failed to find the net with any of them, including a missed penalty in the Portuguese capital on Tuesday night.As a result, he notched just six points from the two outings while Liverpool’s Egyptian hero banked 22 points at the expense of Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen to claim top spot.Those who captained Salah over Haaland have benefited from a huge swing this week!Most read in FootballElsewhere, Gameweek 10 was also a nightmare for Rico Lewis (£4m).The talented teenager has been one of the best value-for-money assets in the game throughout the first quarter of the season but, with City having conceded six goals, he mustered just a single point across his two most recent outings.Dream Team’s new points leader!Credit: GettyLewis remains fourth in the defensive rankings on 86 points but it’s interesting that he’s currently among the five most transferred-out players ahead of Gameweek 11 – a significant chunk of gaffers have quickly lost faith.Josko Gvardiol (£4.8m) avoided a similarly damaging Gameweek as it was the Croatia left-back who scored City’s only goal at the Vitality Stadium.Generally speaking, it was a dismal Gameweek for the defending champions but Phil Foden (£6m) managed to earn 16 points amid the chaos via a goal and four bonus points – his resurgence is a minor point of optimism at least.Foden provided healthy returns despite Man City’s defeatsCredit: GettyDream Team bosses would be more inclined to remain loyal to their Man City assets if it wasn’t for a spate of troublesome injuries.Guardiola half-prepared fans for these results when he told reporters that he had just 13 players available after his side’s defeat to Spurs in the Carabao Cup in Gameweek 9.While that turned out to be an exaggeration, there’s no doubt the Citizens are feeling the impact of their absentees at present.It’s a well established trend by now that City’s results dip when Ballon d’Or winner Rodri (£4m) is unavailable.On the plus side, Kevin De Bruyne (£6.3m) managed six minutes at the end against the Portuguese champions and may therefore play a more prominent role at Brighton this Saturday.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 NOWBut hopes of a clean sheet in Gameweek 11 appear relatively low after 19-year-old centre-back Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was given a baptism of fire by Sporting’s hat-trick hero Viktor Gyokeres.The Seagulls will be quietly confident of their chances on home soil having seen Guardiola’s men give up a string of big chances in recent outings.Guardiola rarely suffers three consecutive defeatsCredit: RexIt’s too soon to earnestly discuss whether Haaland still warrants a place in a competitive Dream Team XI as he took Sparta Prague and Southampton for a combined 31 points as recently as late October but another blank this weekend would set a cat among the pigeons.READ MORE SUN STORIESDream Team managers have rarely had to worry about the viability of Man City players in relation to the club’s form in recent years but three defeats on the spin has set tongues wagging.It will be interesting to see to what extent gaffers abandon the likes of Haaland, Lewis and Gvardiol during the international break if Gameweek 11 also ends badly.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. 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    Which Tottenham midfielder is the best option for Dream Team managers this season?

    TOTTENHAM’S victory over Aston Villa on Sunday was their ninth win in their last eleven games in all competitions.Much was made of the slip-ups against Brighton and Crystal Palace but there’s no denying the broader picture is an increasingly optimistic one for Ange Postecoglou’s side.Decisions, decisions…Credit: Dream TeamFurthermore, Spurs are currently the top scorers in the Premier League, a fact that Dream Team managers should not take lightly.At the time of writing, the North Londoners are the only club with three representatives inside the top 15 midfielders in terms of overall points.Brennan Johnson (£3.8m) and James Maddison (£4.6m) are ranked sixth and seventh in their position respectively with Dejan Kulusevski (£3.1m) nestled in 13th.Some Dream Team bosses will be more than happy to select a couple of Spurs midfielders but many will see that as overkill and so it begs the question: which of the three is the best option?If goals are the priority then Johnson is the main manCredit: AlamyJohnson has earned the most points (95) so far but Maddison is just two behind him at this stage.The Wales international has been the most prominent goal threat; his close-range finish against Villa was his seventh of the season in all competitions.Only Bryan Mbeumo (£4.6m) has scored more goals among midfield assets – Brentford’s talisman has eight to his name.Maddison’s picture-perfect free-kick against Unai Emery’s mob was just his third goal of the campaign but he’s hot on Johnson’s heels because he’s a bonus point magnet.Most read in Dream TeamSpurs’ No10 has earned 21 bonus points already – only Savinho (£4.1m) boasts a higher tally (22) – while Johnson is yet to muster a single one!Maddison has also registered five assists to Johnson’s two.Plenty of quality but Maddison’s minutes are a concernCredit: ReutersHowever, gaffers who own the ex-Leicester playmaker will be concerned about minutes going forward.Maddison was hooked at half time against West Ham in Gameweek 8, replaced after an hour against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 9, and given just eight minutes against Villa at the weekend.From a Dream Team perspective, his owners have largely escaped punishment as the 27-year-old has pocketed enough points from his limited minutes to satisfy but whether he’s able to maintain such a rate remains to be seen.Maddison will probably start against Galatasaray in the Europa League on Thursday night but Postecoglou is leaning towards a more conservative midfield balance in league fixtures.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 NOWMaddison is also the most expensive Spurs midfielder by a relatively wide margin.In contrast, Kulusevski is currently available for just £3.1m and has to be considered one of the best value-for-money selections in Dream Team this season.The Sweden international is 20 points behind Maddison (and 22 shy of Johnson) but many Spurs fans will tell you he’s been the best of the lot.Previously a right winger, the ex-Juventus man has been reinvented as a No10 where his creative powers have come to the fore.Kulusevski has provided six assists – only Bukayo Saka (£6.7m) has more among midfielders – and he’s created twice as many big chances as Maddison.In fact, Kulusevski’s quality in central areas has contributed to Maddison’s declining minutes.Kulusevski has rediscovered his best form this seasonCredit: GettyIn conclusion, Johnson is the best option for gaffers who simply want the biggest goal threat but Kulusevski is the smart, value-for-money option.The latter is also the most in-form of the trio having taken more points from the last three games.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd Maddison, for all his quality, has to be considered a potential trap door given his high price and dwindling playing time.18th-placed Ipswich are set to visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday so it’s a good time for gaffers to make sure they’re backing the right Spurs assets.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

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    Why Chelsea’s rotation policy is a significant problem for Dream Team gaffers

    CHELSEA are sitting pretty in fourth after ten Premier League games.Only Tottenham and Manchester City have scored more league goals than the Blues in what has generally been viewed as an encouraging start to Enzo Maresca’s reign at Stamford Bridge.Solid startCredit: Dream TeamIt’s only natural that Dream Team managers would be drawn to one of the league’s strongest teams but Chelsea’s bloated squad has caused an unusual problem for gaffers.Much has been made of the excessive strength and depth of the player list caused by Todd Boehly’s recruitment strategy.As a result, Maresca has consolidated a core group of regulars for the Premier League while making extensive use of rotation for the Conference League and the Carabao Cup.This is not totally unique to Chelsea but the extent to which the line-up changes from league fixtures to European outings is noticeably more pronounced when compared to the Champions League clubs.This is partly because the Conference League is not as prestigious (or competitive) as the Champions League and so the ex-Leicester manager feels comfortable resting his top stars.Jackson tends to make way for Nkunku in the Conference LeagueCredit: GettyThe problem is that Dream Team bosses don’t want the likes of Cole Palmer (£6.3m), Nicolas Jackson (£4.4m) and Noni Madueke (£3.1m) to be rotated.More appearances equal more opportunities to score points and so it’s painful for gaffers to see their Chelsea assets miss out against favourable Conference League opposition.Palmer wasn’t even included in the squad for the league phase of the continental competition, with Maresca keen to manage his talisman’s workload.Most read in FootballThe 22-year-old, who features in 61.8% of teams, averages 10.7 points-per-game this season compared to Mohamed Salah’s (£7.3m) average of 9.6.However, while Palmer rests in midweek, Liverpool’s main man has banked 26 points from three European outings to date, hence why the latter is ahead in the rankings despite his inferior average.Palmer boasts an incredible points-per-game average but misses out on midweek fixturesCredit: GettySimilarly, Jackson has scored six goals and provided three assists in just ten league outings but he hasn’t played a single minute outside the top flight – Christopher Nkunku (£4.2m) has led the line in the additional competitions.The Senegal international averages an impressive 7.9 points-per-game, a rate only bettered by four forwards, but his overall tally of 79 points put him just 11th among assets in his position.The fact he sits out on Thursday nights is a huge blow to his viability.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 NOWLast season, Dream Team managers were able to target the Conference League match-ups because many of Aston Villa’s regulars in the competition were also starters in the league.That simply isn’t the case with Chelsea this time around and so gaffers would almost be better off treating the West Londoners as a non-European team.Maresca might see things differently if his side qualify for the knockout stage, which they are well on course to do as current league leaders, but that’s a while away yet.READ MORE SUN STORIESPalmer is the second-most popular player in Dream TeamCredit: GettySuch is Palmer’s quality, his comparatively relaxed schedule hasn’t been an issue so far as he’s racked up 107 points from ten outings via seven goals and five assists – Bukayo Saka (£6.7m) is the only midfielder above him in the rankings.But his backers must be somewhat frustrated he won’t be unleashed upon the likes of FC Noah, Heidenheim, Astana and Shamrock Rovers between now and Christmas.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

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    Dominic Solanke repays his backers’ loyalty with 21-point splurge – time for doubters to backtrack?

    DOMINIC SOLANKE (£4m) was the weekend’s biggest winner from a Dream Team perspective.The Tottenham striker scored two goals in the space of four minutes on his way to a massive 21-point haul against Aston Villa on Sunday.On targetCredit: Dream TeamSolanke was also credited with a ‘fantasy assist’ by stats providers Opta as he won the free-kick that was expertly converted by James Maddison (£4.6m) in stoppage time.Gameweek 10 is not done yet but at this stage the 27-year-old is the top performer.This points splurge couldn’t have come at a better time for Solanke’s backers as their patience has been tested in recent weeks.He mustered just 16 points from six outings prior to his brace against the Villains and, for all his neat link-up play and tireless running, his lack of threat in the penalty area was a notable issue.In fact, Solanke didn’t register a single shot on target in the six games leading into Sunday’s performance.Solanke produced a composed finish to end his goal droughtCredit: RexAlmost 10% of Dream Team managers will be hoping his latest showing will kickstart a fruitful spell in front of goal – he bagged 21 in all competitions for Bournemouth last season.Gaffers who replaced Solanke prior to Gameweek 10 will obviously be kicking themselves but it was a perfectly logical decision to move away from a striker without a single shot on target in his last six games.The Dream Team gods can be kind but they can also be cruel.Most read in FootballThe question now is worthy it’s a sensible move to bring the England striker back into the fold?Spurs are due to host 18th-placed Ipswich in Gameweek 11, one of just two top flight sides without a league win in 2024/25.Only Wolves have conceded more goals than the Tractor Boys at the time of writing and so it has to be considered an immensely favourable fixture for Solanke and company next weekend.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 NOWGameweek 12 brings a tougher test in the form of Manchester City and Roma but there’s an international break to endure before then.It’s amazing how quickly things can change in Dream Team; Spurs’ No19 looked to be a sensible sell just a few days ago but now has to be considered a strong option for the upcoming Gameweek.It’s early days but Solanke is currently the most transferred-in player for Gameweek 11.Spurs have won nine of their last 11 gamesCredit: PAMore broadly, Spurs are now top scorers in the Premier League this season.This combined with a perfect start of three wins in three Europa League games indicates there’s certainly value to be had among Ange Postecoglou’s squad.READ MORE SUN STORIESBrennan Johnson (£3.8m), James Maddison (£4.6m) and Dejan Kulusevski (£3.1m) are all among the top 13 Dream Team midfielders while Solanke is up to fourth among strikers.Plus, Son Heung-min (£5.3m) averages eight points-per-game so far this campaign.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More