Fantasy Football

THE latest episode of the Cole Palmer (£6m) show was one of the best yet.Chelsea’s talisman banked 25 points against Tottenham on Sunday to underline his Dream Team pedigree in emphatic style.Who needs European fixtures when you’re this good?Credit: Dream TeamGranted, he was helped out by brainless fouls from Spurs midfielders Yves Bissouma (£2.5m) and Pape Matar Sarr (£3m) that gifted the visitors two penalties at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.But Palmer’s spot-kicks, the second of which was an audacious Panenka, only told half the story of his performance.The 22-year-old was credited with a ‘fantasy assist’ by stats providers Opta for his decisive hand in Enzo Fernandez’s (£4.3m) goal, which put the Blues into the lead in the second half.As if three goal involvements weren’t enough, Palmer also earned five bonus points, the maximum available for a single game, via four successful dribbles, four fouls won, three accurate crosses, one interception and a pass completion rate of 79%.When all was said and done, Palmer finished the weekend as the top performer of Gameweek 14 by a wide margin of ten points – Bryan Mbeumo (£4m) is his closest rival at this stage on 15 points.A touch of classCredit: EPAMore broadly, the former Manchester City youngster now averages 11.1 points-per-game this season, the highest average among all players.Palmer is evidently a special talent and so the question has to be asked, should Dream Team managers break one of the game’s golden rules to accommodate him?Generally speaking, every gaffer should endeavour to target as many fixtures as possible in search of plentiful points.Most read in FootballThis being one of Dream Team’s most prominent commandments for the simple reason that more games equals more point-scoring opportunities.Palmer has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists this seasonCredit: GettyIf Player A averages 8.5 points-per-game and Player B averages 6.2 points-per-game then the former is probably the better option in a single game shootout.However, if Player A is due to fulfil three fixtures across the next three Gameweeks while Player B is scheduled to play five times then the latter is likely to produce more points over the given time period.It doesn’t always work out like this because there are other factors to consider but the logic is clear.Prior the start of this season, it appeared as if Palmer would be an essential asset as the prospect of him supplementing his league returns with Thursday night points courtesy of Conference League mismatches was hugely appealing.However, Enzo Maresca has opted to manage his star player’s workload.Palmer wasn’t even included in Chelsea’s European squad for the league phase and he didn’t feature in the Carabao Cup prior the club’s exit at the hands of Newcastle.This approach has pay dividends as the league regulars have stayed fresh while the second-string players have enjoyed themselves in the Conference League.Nkunku has fun in the Conference League while the likes of Palmer and Nicolas Jackson rest upWhile Maresca’s rotation policy has set the West Londoners on course for a successful season, Dream Team bosses have been left to fantasise about what could have been had Palmer also been strutting his stuff in the additional competitions.He boasts the highest points-per-game average but since he’s played just 15 games, he’s currently behind Mohamed Salah (£7.6m), Erling Haaland (£8.5m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.7m) in terms of overall points because those three stars have all featured in at least 20 games this campaign.However, the fact Palmer is fourth overall despite having only been active in the league is truly remarkable.Many of the elite Dream Team gaffers tend to ignore such players entirely because of their limited schedules but Palmer breaks the mould and this Gameweek is a perfect example.There are seven relevant European fixtures happening in midweek but how many of the players involved will match Palmer’s score of 25 from the weekend?Son Heung-min (£5.2m) is the closest player in which a chance but he’ll have to bank 13 points away to Rangers on Thursday night just to draw level with Palmer.READ MORE SUN STORIESMaresca is managing Palmer’s workload this seasonCredit: GettyGaffers should continue to target the additional competitions but if there was ever a player to break a golden rule for it’s Chelsea’s main man.And it goes without saying that Palmer will be a must-have asset from Gameweek 16 when the focus will be purely on the Premier League over Christmas and New Year.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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DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 14 in one easily digestible dose.Phil Foden and Nathan Ake have been ruled out of Manchester City’s trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday.This weekend also comes too soon for John Stones and Mateo Kovacic while Manuel Akanji is considered a doubt.Foden still appears in 8.9% of teamsCredit: Dream TeamAs for the Eagles, Adam Wharton and Chadi Riad have returned to training but Oliver Glasner played down their chances of competitive action.Arne Slot told reporters that Alisson will be “ready very soon” but Caoimhin Kelleher will start Saturday’s Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.Alexis Mac Allister is suspended having picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign in midweek.In regards to the Toffees, Sean Dyche simply said “a couple of knocks but nothing serious” when asked for availability updates.Mikel Arteta revealed that both Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori have a chance of making Arsenal’s squad at Craven Cottage but Spanish tactician will wait to see how the defenders react to Saturday’s training session.Gabriel is still a doubt ahead of Gameweek 14Credit: GettyNo major availability concerns for Chelsea ahead of their meeting with Tottenham on Sunday but Enzo Maresca confirmed that Robert Sanchez will reclaim his place between the sticks after Filip Jorgensen was given a chance against Southampton.Ben Davies has joined Vicario, Richarlison, Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur, Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore among Spurs’ absentees after injuring his hamstring during his side’s defeat to Bournemouth.Most read in Dream TeamCristian Romero is due to train before the weekend’s fixture but it’s unclear whether he’ll return to the starting line-up at this stage.Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali are minor doubts having incurred niggles against Liverpool but Eddie Howe said the Newcastle pair “should be okay”.A late decision will be made on Kieran Trippier’s availability while long-term absentee Sven Botman has taken a step closer to a comeback but is still a few weeks off yet.Jackson is one yellow card away from a suspensionCredit: GettyKobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez are back from one-match suspensions but Luke Shaw has suffered a setback and will miss out when Nottingham Forest visit Old Trafford.Elsewhere, Danny Welbeck has trained for Brighton after missing out in midweek but Fabian Hurzeler couldn’t guarantee a return for the in-form forward.Joel Veltman is likely to return for the Seagulls with Jack Hinshelwood and Ferdi Kadioglu sidelined.Dream Team bosses should be aware that 38 players are one yellow card away from a domestic suspension, including Nicolas Jackson, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Bernardo Silva.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, Gabriel (doubt), Riccardo Calafiori (doubt), Myles Lewis-Skelly (doubt)Suspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Amadou Onana (doubt), Jacob RamseySuspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Luis Sinisterra, Alex Scott, Julian Araujo, Marcos SenesiSuspensions: NoneBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Gustavo Nunes, Rico Henry, Kristoffer Ajer, Christian Norgaard (doubt), Mathias JensenSuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: Solly March, James Milner, Adam Webster, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jack Hinshelwood, Danny Welbeck (doubt)Suspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Reece James, Wesley FofanaSuspensions: NoneCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Matheus Franca, Chadi Riad, Adam WhartonSuspensions: NoneEVERTONInjuries: Youssef Chermiti, Tim Iroegbunam, James Garner, Michael Keane (doubt)Suspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Harrison Reed, Joachim AndersenSuspensions: Tom CairneyIPSWICHInjuries: George Hirst, Chiedozie Ogbene, Kalvin Phillips (doubt), Ben Johnson (doubt), Axel TuanzebeSuspensions: NoneLEICESTERInjuries: Jakub Stolarczyk, Ricardo Pereira, Abdul Fatawu, Harry WinksSuspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Federico Chiesa (doubt), Alisson, Diogo Jota, Ibrahima Konate (doubt), Conor Bradley, Kostas TsimikasSuspensions: Alexis Mac AllisterMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Oscar Bobb, Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, John Stones, Phil Foden, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji (doubt)Suspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans, Luke ShawSuspensions: NoneNEWCASTLEInjuries: Jamaal Lascelles, Emil Krafth, Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier (doubt)Suspensions: NoneNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Danilo, Ibrahim SangareSuspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Gavin Bazunu, Ross Stewart, Aaron Ramsdale, Adam Lallana, Paul Onuachu (doubt), Will Smallbone, Juan LariosSuspensions: Jack StephensTOTTENHAMInjuries: Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero (doubt), Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Guglielmo Vicario, Mikey Moore, Ben DaviesSuspensions: Rodrigo BentancurWEST HAMInjuries: Danny Ings (doubt), Jean-Clair Todibo (doubt)Suspensions: NoneWOLVESREAD MORE SUN STORIESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Boubacar Traore, Bastien Meupiyou (doubt), Yerson Mosquera, Pablo Sarabia (doubt)Suspensions: NoneBetMGM 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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DREAM TEAM managers should keep abreast of which players are earning the most bonus points throughout the season.Goal involvements and clean sheets remain the game’s primary currencies but every point counts come the end of the season.We understand not every gaffer wants to spend time studying the Stats Centre and so allow us to present the top bonus point collectors after 13 Gameweeks of the campaign.Tielemans ticks a lot of boxesCredit: Dream TeamMOST BONUS POINTS EARNED THIS SEASON:30 pts – Youri Tielemans (£3.9m)30 pts – Ryan Gravenberch (£3.8m)29 pts – James Maddison (£4.7m)24 pts – Savinho (£4.1m)22 pts – Bruno Guimaraes (£4.3m)22 pts – Dwight McNeil (£3.8m)22 pts – Iliman Ndiaye (£3.8m)19 pts – Eberechi Eze (£5m)19 pts – Kyle Walker-Peters (£3m)18 pts – Anthony Gordon (£4.3m)18 pts – Pedro Porro (£4.7m)18 pts – Declan Rice (£4.2m)Aston Villa’s No8 is actually a viable option for the upcoming Gameweek.Unai Emery’s side are set to take on 20th-placed Southampton this weekend before travelling to RB Leipzig on Tuesday but it’s a good time to play the Bundesliga outfit as they’ve lost five of the last seven games in all competitions.Tielemans earned the maximum of five bonus points in his most recent outing as part of an eight-point haul against Brentford.The Belgium international ranks highly in his position for accurate crosses, interceptions, blocks and fouls won – his pass completion rate of 86% is handy too.Gravenberch has been transformed this seasonCredit: ReutersAs for Gravenberch, he’s been a revelation since Arne Slot took charge at Anfield.Most read in FootballThe Dutchman has made 41 interceptions this season, eight more than anyone else and 13 more than the next-best midfielder.His ability to pick off loose balls, drive through the middle third and retain possession has been a key feature in Liverpool’s strong start to the campaign – his impressive bonus point tally reflects this.However, Gravenberch is yet to score this season and has contributed just one assist.He’s doing a great job for his team but his penchant for bonus points is not quite enough to justify his selection in a truly competitive Dream Team XI.Whereas Maddison ticks plenty of boxes as a player who also registers lots of shots on target and big chances created.Maddison has returned plentiful points despite Spurs’ inconsistenciesCredit: GettyTottenham’s No10 has ten goal contributions to his name but his bonus point collection mean he’s currently above the likes of Alejandro Garnacho (£4.3m) and Luis Diaz (£4.2m) in the overall rankings, despite the Manchester United and Liverpool wingers having been involved in more goals (12 each).Not that many gaffers have much faith in Spurs at present.Guimaraes is an interesting inclusion as he possesses an almost freakish ability to win free-kicks.Newcastle’s combative midfielder has won 60 fouls this season when only one other player (the aforementioned Maddison) has registered more than 35!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 NOWWalker-Peters leads the way among defenders but his useful habit of picking up bonus points is completely negated by Southampton’s defensive concerns.Porro has been undermined by Spurs’ frailties too – he’s contributed to just three clean sheets – but his overall total of 102 points puts him sixth among assets in his position.READ MORE SUN STORIESWithout a healthy return of bonus points the Spaniard would be far less appealing.Dream Team bosses shouldn’t centre their strategy on bonus points but it would be a mistake to disregard them entirely – they soon add up.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

PREMIER LEAGUE games are flowing thick and fast at the minute.Hot on the heels of a full round of midweek fixtures comes Score Predictor Matchweek 14 and another chance for you to win £250 without having to cough up a single penny from your own pocket.Play Score Predictor ahead of this weekend’s actionCredit: Dream TeamSimply submit your predictions for the five selected games and earn points for the accuracy of your forecast as the action unfolds.If you amass the most points then you’ll claim the cash prize!We’ve rustled up some key stats and facts for each relevant fixture this Matchweek to help inform your decisions, along with our own predictions.Crystal Palace v Manchester CityPep Guardiola’s side stopped the rot with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in midweek, restoring normal order to some degree.The Eagles also nabbed a much-needed three points last time out in the form of a 1-0 win over Ipswich.The South Londoners have been something of a bogey team for Man City in recent years having taken points off the eight-time Premier League champions in three of the last six meetings.However, with just 12 points to show for their efforts so far, Oliver Glasner’s men aren’t in the best position to upset Erling Haaland and company, even accounting for recent tribulations at the Etihad.Most read in FootballOur Prediction: 2-1 to Man CityKevin De Bruyne helped Man City back to winning ways against ForestCredit: ReutersManchester United v Nottingham ForestSome fans of the Red Devils were dealt a reality check on Wednesday night when they watched their side lose 2-0 to Arsenal, reminding them of the work Ruben Amorim still has to do to reinstate the club as a top-bracket side in the Premier League.But the Portuguese tactician has overseen two wins from two at Old Trafford so far, albeit against relatively favourable opposition – the hosts played some attractive football against Everton last weekend.As for Forest, their flying start has been checked by three defeats in their last four games, to Newcastle, Arsenal and Man City.Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are still flying high in sixth at the time of writing but they’re gradually being pulled back towards the mid-table shuffle.Forest’s underlying defensive numbers remain pretty good in the context of the whole season while Man United have struggled for goals, a combination which suggests a low-scoring affair could be on the cards.However, Erik ten Hag’s departure has led to increased returns in attack with Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo all enjoying an upturn.A difficult one to predict so we’re inclined to follow the crowd – 34% of users are predicting 2-1 home win at this stage.Our Prediction: 2-1 to Man UnitedIt’s still early days for Amorim at Old TraffordCredit: REUTERSFulham v ArsenalThe Cottagers are in action against Brighton this evening and so you may want to wait for that result before submitting your prediction for Sunday’s fixture.At this stage, it’s difficult to look past a re-energised Arsenal outfit that extended their winning streak to four with that 2-0 win over Man United in midweek.The Gunners are prolific from set-pieces but Martin Odegaard’s return from injury has given them an added edge from open play too – hence their impressive return of 15 goals from their last four outings.Marco Silva’s side are well organised and rarely get comprehensively outplayed (barring a freak loss to Wolves last month) and they more than held their own at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Sunday.Fulham beat Mikel Arteta’s troops in the corresponding fixture last December but that was their first win over Arsenal since 2012.Our Prediction: 2-0 to ArsenalArsenal’s set-piece success has been a prominent theme this seasonCredit: 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 NOWTottenham v ChelseaThe standout match-up of Matchweek 14 and one that usually features plenty of needle.Following Liverpool’s draw at St James’ Park, the Blues are top of the form table having taken 14 points from their last six games with a goal difference of plus nine.Cole Palmer remains the centrepiece but Chelsea are far from the one-man team they were for long stretches last season – Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku and Enzo Fernandez are all among the goal involvements at present.As for Spurs, they’re a nightmare for Score Predictor users this season due to their inconsistency – their record reads six wins, two draws and five losses in the league having knocked off some big teams and slipped up against underdogs.Ange Postecoglou’s side have home advantage on Sunday but it’s worth noting that Chelsea have earned more points on the road this season than Spurs have won at home…Our Prediction: 3-2 to ChelseaChelsea look more and more like title contenders every weekCredit: ReutersWest Ham v WolvesMonday night’s game at the London Stadium feels like the last-chance saloon for both Julen Lopetegui and Gary O’Neil, if they even get that far.The Hammers folded against Arsenal then somehow contrived to lose 3-1 away to Leicester despite letting fly with 31 shots to the Foxes’ eight.Wolves lost 4-2 to Bournemouth in a crazy game that featured Justin Kluivert scoring a hat-trick of penalties before a truly dismal 4-0 defeat to Everton – the Toffees hadn’t scored a goal since October before Wednesday night’s game.Matheus Cunha and friends pack a punch in attack but Wolves are simply conceding far too many goals, 36 to be precise, six more than the next-worst defence, 20th-placed Southampton.Given how things have gone for both clubs this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Monday night ended with a draw that angered both sets of fans – and perhaps a rare double sacking.READ MORE SUN STORIESOur Prediction: 2-2 drawProve you know better by playing Score Predictor now!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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DREAM TEAM managers have wasted no time in jumping aboard the Ruben Amorim train.Marcus Rashford (£3.4m) is currently the most transferred-in player ahead of Gameweek 14 after Manchester United’s emphatic win over Everton at the weekend.Rashford has scored three goals since Amorim took chargeCredit: Dream TeamThe former Sporting CP gaffer oversaw an unconvincing 1-1 draw with Ipswich in his first game as the Red Devils’ head coach but has since watched his side beat Bodo/Glimt and the Toffees at Old Trafford.The hosts were helped out by some catastrophic defending from Sean Dyche’s beleaguered troops but Bruno Fernandes (£6.2m), Joshua Zirkzee (£2.3m), Amad Diallo (£3.5m) and Rashford did look incisive in attack.Whether the latter deserves such a pronounced popularity spike is up for debate.Man United’s No10 bagged a brace on Sunday for a return of 16 points, which is enough to make him Gameweek 13’s top-performing forward at this stage.But Rashford and company face a sterner test this evening when they meet Arsenal at the Emirates.Man United eased past Everton last weekendCredit: RexThe Gunners are the first of four domestic opponents currently in the top seven of the Premier League table, with Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Tottenham to come before the end of Gameweek 15.Man United are also due to play Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League in that time, which is a more favourable match-up on paper, but Rashford’s minutes are far from guaranteed on Thursday nights.The 27-year-old played just 31 minutes in Europe last time out for a return of just one point.Most read in FootballIt was Rasmus Hojlund (£4.1m) who cashed in that night with an assist and two goals as part of a 21-point haul.Amorim has got a tune out of all his forwards in quick timeCredit: PAAmorim has given several forwards a fair chance to impress so far and all have stepped up to some degree.Zirkzee also banked 16 points against Everton and is therefore level with Rashford as the top striker for this Gameweek.Dream Team bosses will get another indication of Amorim’s pecking order when they see Man United’s starting line-up tonight.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 NOWA popular recruit this weekCredit: GettyRashford has scored three goals in two starts under his new gaffer and will surely get plenty of minutes across the busy festive period but the risk of rotation combined with some tricky fixtures limits his viability.A double header against Bournemouth and Wolves in Gameweek 16 provides some respite but Man United then face Newcastle, Liverpool and Arsenal (FA Cup) in their next three – it doesn’t exactly scream points.Of course, the outlook will change if Rashford and friends produce something special against Arsenal.Amorim may well be the real deal but it seems a few too many Dream Team managers have overreacted to wins over the Norwegian champions (whose entire wage bill costs less than 10% of Antony’s transfer fee) and an Everton side that haven’t scored a goal since October 26th.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

IT would overly simplistic to suggest Arsenal’s upturn in form is solely down to Martin Odegaard’s (£5.2m) return from injury.But there’s no doubt the Norwegian midfielder’s comeback has been a significant factor.Arsenal’s results have improved significantly since Odegaard’s comebackThe Gunners recently went four league games without a win (around a 1-0 loss to Inter in the Champions League) but they’ve responded with three consecutive victories since the November international break, in emphatic style too.Mikel Arteta’s troops have scored 13 goals in three wins over Nottingham Forest, Sporting CP and West Ham, with Odegaard at the heart of several incisive attacks.The 25-year-old played one minute against the Serie A champions prior to the break but that hardly constitutes a comeback.Against Chelsea in Gameweek 11, he started a club game for the first time since August and found Gabriel Martinelli (£4.5m) at the back post for the visitors’ only goal at Stamford Bridge.Odegaard followed that up with assists against Forest and the Portuguese champions to underline his creative powers.Arteta is grateful for his captain’s return to fitnessCredit: GettyHe didn’t contribute an assist at the London Stadium on Saturday but his playmaking was undeniably a factor in the Hammers’ unravelling.Besides, he got his reward elsewhere in the form of a penalty for his first goal of the season.It was fitting that first-choice taker Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) allowed his captain to take the spot-kick because the England winger has hugely benefited from Odegaard’s return.Most read in FootballThe pair have a great understanding on the pitch and it’s no coincidence Saka has plundered a whopping 50 Dream Team points since being reunited with his chief collaborator.Saka shares a great understanding with OdegaardCredit: GettyOdegaard, who features in 7.8% of teams, has banked 34 points in four outings since returning to the starting XI and gaffers may be tempted to back him in the coming weeks.Saka remains the outright best option among his team-mates but a quick look at the schedule suggests doubling up on Arsenal midfielders is a viable strategy throughout the festive period.Arteta’s side are one of just five teams set to fulfil four fixtures across the next two Gameweeks and they’re about to embark on a relatively favourable run.ARSENAL FIXTURES FROM GAMEWEEK 14 TO GAMEWEEK 17:Fulham (a)Monaco (h)Everton (h)Crystal Palace (h)Crystal Palace (a)Ipswich (h)Brentford (a)Given that Everton, Palace and Ipswich are all currently in the bottom six, this has to considered a friendly spell for the Gunners – the Carabao Cup draw conspired to give them a double header against the Eagles.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 NOWDream Team bosses are spoiled for choice in midfield but the prospect of pairing Saka with Odegaard for the month ahead is very appealing on paper.Although such a ploy would require a hefty chunk of budget as both players are among the most expensive options in their position.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

ARNE SLOT could not have wished for a better start to life as Liverpool head coach.With Christmas fast approaching, the Reds have a nine-point cushion at the top of the Premier League table; they’re also the only team to have won all their Champions League fixtures this season.Dream Team managers should back Liverpool to the hiltCredit: Dream TeamNaturally, this emphatic start to the campaign has translated to Dream Team success.Here are seven stats that underline Liverpool’s domination so far.1. Mohamed Salah, Double CenturionThe Egyptian superstar has taken on a new lease of life under Slot and is arguably playing his best football since his debut season at Anfield.After a 13-point haul against Man City on Sunday, Salah has become the first player to reach the 200-point mark in 2024/25.The 32-year-old has scored 13 goals and registered 11 assists across the first 12 and a half Gameweeks of the campaign.He also ranks in the top three for shots on target and big chances created.Salah’s double century of points is put into perspective by the fact just two other players, Erling Haaland (£8.6m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.6m), have passed 150.Most read in Dream TeamDream Team’s leading manCredit: AFP2. First The Worst, Second The Best?It’s easy to forget that Caoimhin Kelleher (£2.8m) is only Liverpool’s second-choice goalkeeper.The Irishman has deputised for the injured Alisson (£5.1m) with aplomb of late, evidenced best by his penalty saves against Southampton and Real Madrid in Gameweek 12.In fact, Kelleher is currently the most in-form asset in his position.He’s up to fifth in the keeper rankings, a remarkable achievement given he’s played just 11 of 20 available games.With the Brazilian No1 reportedly close to a return, Kelleher’s run of returns may be at an end but his backers couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome in recent weeks.Kelleher has excelled in recent weeksCredit: PA3. Christmas BonusThe reinvention of Ryan Gravenberch (£3.8m) has been a defining feature of Slot’s reign to date.Previously a bit-part player without a speciality, the Netherlands international has bossed the middle of the park third this term.As a consequence of his magnificent all-round performances, the former Bayern Munich midfielder has amassed 29 bonus points, three more than his closest rival in the metric, James Maddison (£4.7m).Gravenberch has made more interceptions than any other player this season.Midfield maestroCredit: EPA4. Go DutchVirgil van Dijk (£5.5m) has been a man mountain at centre-back and that’s reflected in the fact he’s contributed to 11 clean sheets – no other player has reached double figures.Add in two goals plus an assist and the imperious Dutchman has 120 points in total, putting him top of the defensive rankings.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 NOW5. You Shall Not PassVan Dijk’s supremacy only tells part of the story about Liverpool’s back line.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) is joint-second among players in his position on 110 points while Ibrahima Konate (£4.8m) is joint-fifth with 100.The latter will slip down the rankings while sidelined with injury but the point is that there are ample points to be had backing the defenders.Joe Gomez (£3.1m) banked seven points from his meeting with Haaland and surely has to be considered a hugely tempting bargain option for upcoming Gameweeks while Konate recovers.Clean sheet collectorCredit: Reuters6. The 100 ClubSix Liverpool players have accumulated 100+ points at this stage, meaning they have more representatives in the exclusive 100 Club than any other team.The aforementioned Salah, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Konate are joined by Luis Diaz (£4.2m) and Cody Gakpo (£4.5m).For comparison, only one Man City player (Haaland) is into triple figures.Liverpool have at least one player among the top five performers in every position.Luis Diaz has raced to nine goals this seasonCredit: Getty7. Goals From EverywhereSo many of the headlines focus on Salah, understandably so, but it would be a mistake to view him as the be-all-and-end-all of Liverpool’s attack.Diaz has scored nine goals in all competitions at an average of one every 129 minutes while Gakpo has bagged eight at a rate of one every 123.6 minutes.In fact, Haaland, Salah and Brennan Johnson (£3.9m) are the only players who have scored more goals than the Colombia winger this season.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt’s telling that Liverpool haven’t missed Diogo Jota (£4.5m), who started the season in fine form before his injury.Dream Team bosses can expect more points to flow in Gameweek 14 when Liverpool face Everton and Girona.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. 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