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HERE at Dream Team HQ we try to avoid overly declarative statements.But we’re happy to brand Cole Palmer (£6.3m) a must-have player for the festive period.Dream Team’s most popular player!Credit: Dream TeamIt could be argued that Chelsea’s talisman has been essential since Gameweek 1 given he’s already racked up 174 points via 11 goals and seven assists this season.But there was one frustrating drawback that limited his viability throughout the first four months of the campaign — his comparatively relaxed workload.Enzo Maresca has opted to rotate his squad extensively in the additional competitions to keep his key players fresh for the Premier League.This strategy has worked superbly so far with the Blues now just two points behind league-leaders Liverpool, albeit having played an extra game.The likes of Palmer, Nicolas Jackson (£4.2m) and Moises Caicedo (£3.5m) have watched Chelsea’s Conference League adventures from the comfort of their sofas, keeping their overall minutes in check.Jackson has excelled in the leagueCredit: GettyWhile this has undoubtedly been beneficial in terms of warding off fatigue, it has meant the West Londoners’ star performers have not added points to their tally in midweek.Hence why Jackson is ranked just 11th among Dream Team strikers despite the fact he’s score nine goals in 15 league outings this term.In fact, the Senegal international averages 8.1 points-per-game, a rate bettered by only Mohamed Salah (£7.6m) and Erling Haaland (£8.4m) among players in his position, but he’s outside the top ten in terms of total points because he’s only played in the league.Most read in FootballMeanwhile, Kai Havertz (£4.7m), Cody Gakpo (£4.3m), Ollie Watkins (£5.5m) and others have all notched regular points in the Champions League, with Dominic Solanke (£4.2m) having banked 32 points in the Europa League so far.Palmer’s minutes have been managed this seasonCredit: RexIncredibly, Palmer is ranked second among midfielders and fourth overall despite the fact he has been limited to 16 league appearances.For comparison, Bukayo Saka (£6.9m), the game’s leading midfielder right now, has made 22 appearances in the same time frame.Chelsea’s No20 boasts the highest points-per-game average (10.9) among all players this season and so it’s logical to assert that he, not Salah, would be the top performer if every player fulfilled the same number of games.It’s crucial Dream Team bosses understand that this hypothetical level playing field is about to become a reality.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 NOWThe European competitions are about to be put on hold for the festive period, meaning all 20 top flight clubs have the same number of fixtures across the next two Gameweeks.Not only that, Chelsea’s schedule appears rather favourable with Everton, Fulham, Ipswich and Crystal Palace to play between now and January 4th – three of those four opponents are currently in the bottom six of the table.The first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals are due to take place in Gameweek 18 which will give four teams an additional fixture over Maresca’s side in early January but generally speaking it’s the perfect time to back Palmer now the only negative factor has been temporarily erased.And who knows, maybe the 22 year-old superstar will be added to Chelsea’s Conference League squad for the knockout phase?READ MORE SUN STORIESChelsea’s form players should be popular recruits this weekCredit: GettyWe wouldn’t be so bold to declare Jackson a must-have asset but he’s certainly a great option for the remainder of the year as well.At the time of writing, Palmer is the second-most recruited player ahead of Gameweek 16 and he’s now the most selected individual in the game with an ownership of 60.3%, marginally ahead of Haaland on 60%.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

AMAD DIALLO (£3.7m) is currently the most transferred-in player ahead of Gameweek 16.It’s early days as the deadline isn’t until Saturday morning with several fixtures still to come before the current Gameweek is complete but clearly the Manchester United youngster has made an impression on Dream Team managers.Man of the momentCredit: Dream TeamThe 22-year-old inspired the Red Devils to victory over Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday.First, he capitalised on an under-hit back pass from Matheus Nunes (£3.3m) and the Portuguese midfielder’s over eagerness to atone for his mistake to win a penalty, successful converted by Bruno Fernandes (£6.3m) for an 88th-minute equaliser.Two minutes later, Diallo latched onto a pass over the top to take the onrushing Ederson (£3.6m) out of the game before executing a smart finish from an acute angle to claim all three points for the visitors.When the dust had settled, Diallo banked 16 points as he also earned three bonus points outside of his dramatic goal contributions.A winner for the agesCredit: GettyThat the Ivory Coast international emerged as Man United’s hero against the defending champions would not have surprised a large portion of fans, who have witnessed his gallant efforts of late.Diallo has now scored or assisted in four of his last five appearances in all competitions.Widening the frame, he’s registered three goals and seven assists in his last seven outings – a fruitful spell that has yielded 87 points in six Gameweeks.Ruben Amorim has rotated his attacking assets during his first few weeks as Old Trafford boss with Diallo even playing some minutes as a wing-back in the former Sporting CP tactician’s preferred 3-4-3 formation.Most read in FootballBut with Marcus Rashford (£3.4m) and Alejandro Garnacho (£4m) controversially left out of the matchday squad altogether at the weekend, Diallo appears to have earned a high ranking in Amorim’s pecking order.Amorim has favoured Diallo lately, with good reasonCredit: GettyGiven his recent form, it’s understandable why a sizeable chunk of Dream Team bosses are looking to acquire the ex-Atalanta man’s services ahead of Gameweek 16.However, there’s a catch.Diallo is categorised as a forward in Dream Team, which is rather ungenerous.This means that gaffers who decide to back him will only have room for a maximum of two other strikers, no matter what formation they select.This is not a deal-breaker by any means but the forward slots are at a premium in the world Dream Team.Goals remain the game’s primary currency and so the idea of allocating a place in one’s front line to a player who might be deployed as a wing-back feels counterproductive.Diallo is among Dream Team’s most in-form playersCredit: GettyThat being said, the metric that matters most in Dream Team is points and Diallo has provided plenty in recent weeks. He could easily slot into an XI that contained enough goal threat from elsewhere, especially at the relatively affordable price of £3.7m.READ MORE SUN STORIESDiallo leads the way for tackles (32) in his position while only Jarrod Bowen (£5.9m) has earned more bonus points.Man United are due to play Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on Thursday night before taking on Bournemouth and Wolves in a Premier League double header in Gameweek 16.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

ONLY Chelsea have scored more Premier League goals than Tottenham this season.In fact, the Blues and league-leaders Liverpool are the only teams that boast a better goal difference than Spurs’ +17 right now.And yet Ange Postecoglou’s side are only tenth in table, level on points with Brentford and Newcastle in 11th and 12th respectively, such is their frustrating nature.It’s hard to get a read on Spurs this seasonCredit: GettySpurs are arguably the most curious team in the land at present, capable of outplaying any opponent on their day but also liable to inexplicable slip-ups.Their inconsistent nature causes headaches for Dream Team managers but the strength of their attack means there are plenty of points on offer most Gameweeks.Certainly that was the case on Sunday when the North Londoners waltzed to a 5-0 victory over Southampton at St Mary’s.Spurs could have inflicted more damage on Saints but opted to conserve energy in a goalless second half.James Maddison (£4.5m) and Son Heung-min (£5.2m) were the biggest beneficiaries as they banked 19 points each – both were directly involved in three of the five goals.The former has amassed 56 points in seven outings since the start of Gameweek 12 while the latter has gone one point better in the same time frame, despite not looking his best.Maddison enjoyed himself against Southampton on Sunday nightCredit: RexDejan Kulusevski (£3.6m) also took advantage of Southampton’s porous defence to score in his third consecutive game.Most read in FootballThe Sweden international now has five goals to go alongside his tally of eight assists in 2024/25 – he averages a goal involvement every 114.6 minutes in all competitions.However, one Spurs player was particularly notable for his lack of returns at the weekend, Brennan Johnson (£3.8m).The Wales international was named on the bench and mustered just one point after he replaced Son at half-time.The former Nottingham Forest man has registered just ten points from his last four outings at a time when several of his team-mates have cashed in.Johnson has been starved of points in the last two GameweeksCredit: APThis disparity is noteworthy because Johnson is the most popular Spurs asset in Dream Team.Not only that, an ownership of 27% makes him the sixth-most selected player in the whole game at the time of writing!On current evidence, it appears gaffers are backing the wrong the horse.On paper, there’s not much between Postecoglou’s main attacking threats.Johnson, Maddison and Son have all registered 14 goal involvements apiece with Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke (£4.2m) on 13 each.The former is the club’s top scorer this season with ten goals to his name in all competitions but it’s Maddison who leads the way in terms of points, the metric that matters most.MOST DREAM TEAM POINTS AMONG TOTTENHAM PLAYERS THIS SEASON:155pts – James Maddison141pts – Brennan Johnson136pts – Son Heung-min132pts – Dominic Solanke123pts – Dejan KulusevskiSon has notched his fair share of points despite not always looking at his bestCredit: RexFurthermore, Johnson owners may be concerned about his minutes lately.Prior to his benching at St Mary’s, he was hooked after 53 minutes against Chelsea and played just an hour at Ibrox in the Europa League.READ MORE SUN STORIESPreviously, Maddison’s playing time nosedived but the 28-year-old has seemingly clawed his way back up the pecking order with some encouraging performances while Kulusevski is arguably Spurs’ Player of the Season at this stage.Postecoglou’s troops are due to take on Manchester United in the Carabao Cup on Thursday night so gaffers will be afforded another glimpse before having to decide upon their strategy for Gameweek 16.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

DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 15 in one easily digestible dose.Mikel Arteta was characteristically vague when discussing player availability in his Friday press conference.Arsenal’s head coach said one defender has a “possibility” of featuring against Everton on Saturday having trained and when pushed with a follow-up question he confirmed Gabriel as the player.This weekend comes too soon for Riccardo Calafiori.Gabriel is a “possibility”Credit: AlamyOn the other side of North London, Tottenham are once again without first-choice centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.Plus, Yves Bissouma is suspended for the Lilywhites’ trip to Southampton.A late decision will be made on Ollie Watkins after the Aston Villa striker picked up a “small injury” in Leipzig last time out.Unai Emery and his team will assess the England international after Friday’s training session.Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa are in contention to feature for Liverpool in some capacity when Fulham visit Anfield on Saturday.Alisson returned against Girona in the Champions League, leaving only Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas and Conor Bradley on the injured list for certain.Most read in FootballWatkins was substituted at half-time in midweekCredit: Dream TeamChelsea have no fresh concerns as Wesley Fofana and Reece James remain injured while Mykhailo Mudryk may still be ill – Pedro Neto is suspended.Rico Lewis is suspended for Sunday’s Manchester derby having been shown two yellow cards last weekend.Manchester City will also be without defenders John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake, as well as long-term absentees Rodri and Oscar Bobb.Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic are expected to make the matchday squad having been named on the bench against Juventus in midweek.Bournemouth centre-back Marcos Senesi may be sidelined for as long as four months having undergone surgery to address a quadriceps injury.Cherries midfielder Marcus Tavernier is also expected to be out for the next few weeks.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWARSENALInjuries: Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel (doubt), Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko (doubt)Suspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Jacob Ramsey, Leon Bailey, Ollie Watkins (doubt)Suspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Luis Sinisterra, Alex Scott, Julian Araujo, Marcos Senesi, Marcus Tavernier, Suspensions: NoneBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Gustavo Nunes, Rico Henry, Kristoffer Ajer, Vitaly Janelt (doubt), Mathias Jensen (doubt)Suspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: Solly March (doubt), James Milner, Adam Webster, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jack Hinshelwood, Joel Veltman (doubt)Suspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Mykhailo Mudryk (doubt)Suspensions: Pedro NetoCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Matheus Franca, Chadi Riad (doubt), Adam Wharton (doubt)Suspensions: NoneEVERTONInjuries: Youssef Chermiti, Tim Iroegbunam, James GarnerSuspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Harrison Reed, Joachim Andersen, Reiss NelsonSuspensions: Tom Cairney, Calvin BasseyIPSWICHInjuries: George Hirst, Chiedozie Ogbene, Axel TuanzebeSuspensions: NoneLEICESTERInjuries: Jakub Stolarczyk, Ricardo Pereira, Abdul Fatawu, Harry Winks, Wilfred NdidiSuspensions: Boubakary SoumareLIVERPOOLInjuries: Ibrahima Konate, Conor Bradley, Kostas TsimikasSuspensions: Alexis Mac AllisterMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Oscar Bobb, Rodri, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Manuel AkanjiSuspensions: Rico LewisMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Luke ShawSuspensions: NoneNEWCASTLEInjuries: Jamaal Lascelles, Emil Krafth, Sven Botman, Nick Pope (doubt), Callum Wilson, Joe Willock (doubt)Suspensions: NoneNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Danilo, Ibrahim SangareSuspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Gavin Bazunu, Ross Stewart, Aaron Ramsdale, Adam Lallana, Will Smallbone, Juan LariosSuspensions: Jack StephensTOTTENHAMInjuries: Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Guglielmo Vicario, Mikey Moore, Ben DaviesSuspensions: Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves BissoumaWEST HAMInjuries: Michail AntonioSuspensions: EmersonWOLVESREAD MORE SUN STORIESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Boubacar Traore, Bastien Meupiyou (doubt), Yerson Mosquera, Pablo Sarabia (doubt), Jose Sa (doubt)Suspensions: Joao GomesBetMGM 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’S a later deadline than usual for Gameweek 15 with Dream Team managers having until 1:30pm to decide their approach.And gaffers may need those extra hours to select a captain as it’s a close debate this time around with strong cases to be made for both Mohamed Salah (£7.6m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.7m).Saka added 29 points to his total in Gameweek 14Credit: Dream TeamBoth Liverpool and Arsenal have an additional midweek fixture in the form of a Carabao Cup quarter-final, though it’s not all that easy to predict to what extent their respective star players will be involved.Salah has played just 50 minutes in the competition so far while Saka fulfilled 99 minutes across the Gunners’ two previous fixtures.However, with a place in the semi-finals at stake, it may be that Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta decide to start their big guns against Southampton and Crystal Palace respectively.Before then, Salah has a home league game against Fulham at the same time Saka welcomes Everton to the Emirates on Saturday.Marco Silva’s side are well organised and have lost just four of their 15 league games this campaign but a trip to Anfield is as daunting a prospect the Premier League offers right now – the Cottagers are also missing some first-choice defenders.The Reds’ Egyptian superstar is Dream Team’s outright top performer having registered 16 goals and 12 assists in 22 games this season.A popular captain for a reasonCredit: GETTYEven if Fulham prove to be stubborn opposition, as they were against Arsenal last time out, Salah could feast against Saints if given enough minutes on Wednesday night.However, Saka is coming off the back of an emphatic 29-point haul in Gameweek 14.Most read in FootballDream Team bosses who captained the England winger as a reaction to the Merseyside derby being postponed were handsomely rewarded and the temptation to keep the armband on him ahead of two home games against bottom-half opposition is very strong indeed.Salah v Saka is set to divide gaffers this Gameweek – both are entirely justified captains.We would probably edge it to the Arsenal man as he has the luxury of two home fixtures and has played more minutes in the Carabao Cup to date but it’s always scary going against Salah.Haaland isn’t a good captaincy choice for Gameweek 15 on paperCredit: GettyErling Haaland (£8.5m) has just one fixture in Gameweek 15, Sunday’s Manchester derby, and with Pep Guardiola’s side having won just one of their last ten games in all competitions, the Norwegian poacher is nowhere near Salah and Saka in terms of the captaincy conversation at this point in time.Elsewhere, Alexander Isak (£5.2m) is a tempting alternative.Newcastle’s No14 has scored six goals in his last eight games in a run that has yielded 68 points.The Magpies have a rare double Gameweek and a favourable one at that with Leicester and Brentford due at St James’ Park in the coming days – the Bees are far weaker away from home.Without European commitments to worry about, Eddie Howe is able to field a relatively strong side in the Carabao Cup in pursuit of a trophy and so Isak should get plenty of minutes in midweek – he scored against Chelsea in the last round of the competition.READ MORE SUN STORIESScore 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 NOWIsak has been among the goals latelyCredit: ReutersCole Palmer (£6m) won’t be involved against Shamrock Rovers on Thursday night but he deserves a mention in the captaincy debate because he boasts an incredible average of 11.1 points-per-game this season.Chelsea’s talisman took 25 points off Tottenham last weekend and will be unleashed upon Brentford on Sunday night.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

DREAM TEAM managers have until 1:30pm on Saturday to confirm their transfers for Gameweek 15.Nine teams are set to pull double duty thanks to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, with Chelsea being the odd side out on account of their Conference League meeting with Shamrock Rovers (expect heavy rotation).Transfer tips for Gameweek 15Credit: Dream TeamLIVERPOOL STARSThe decision to postpone an eagerly-anticipated Merseyside derby sent Dream Team bosses into meltdown on Saturday morning.As gaffers scrambled for alternative strategies, both Luis Diaz (£4.1m) and Mohamed Salah (£7.6m) ended up among the five most transferred-out players come the Gameweek 14 deadline.Those who ditched Liverpool players in a hurry should strongly consider bringing them back in ahead of a double header that will see the Reds play Fulham and Southampton.A reminder, as if it’s needed, that Anfield’s Egyptian hero is the game’s outright top performer having amassed 229 points in total.Alisson (£5.1m) returned from injury against Girona in midweek and marked his comeback with a ten-point haul – Caoimhin Kelleher’s (£2.8m) minutes are about to nosedive.Premium defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) and Virgil van Dijk (£5.5m) come at a cost but they’re the leading assets in their position.Joe Gomez (£3.3m) and Andy Robertson (£4.2m) are cheaper variations on a theme.Most read in FootballAlisson impressed upon his return from injuryCredit: GettyALEXANDER ISAK (£5.2m)Now that the European competitions have essentially been put on hold for the festive period, Dream Team managers have many more viable options to consider.Newcastle’s No14 is a prime example having scored six goals in his last eight outings.If he can stay fit, Isak is an excellent option from now until mid-January but Gameweek 15 is particularly appealing with the Magpies set to host both Leicester and Brentford at St James’ Park.That has to be regarded as a favourable double header given the Bees’ struggles on the road this season.Isak averages just shy of seven points-per-game this term and is therefore well placed to provide healthy returns this coming Gameweek – fingers crossed Eddie Howe doesn’t rotate too much in midweek.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWWILLIAM SALIBA (£5.2m)It may sound counterintuitive to target Arsenal clean sheets at a time when several defenders are sidelined with injury but Wednesday night’s 3-0 win over Monaco showed they can get the job done without Gabriel (£5.3m), Riccardo Calafiori (£3.7m), Ben White (£4.1m) and others.Saliba is still standing strong and a 17-point haul in Gameweek 14 has propelled him up to third in the rankings among assets in his position.The France international has even stepped up to replace Gabriel’s threat at set-pieces – he’s scored in each of his last two league games.Clean sheets, goals… Saliba is a dual threat right nowCredit: ReutersEven accounting for missing personnel, the Gunners have strong hopes of at least one clean sheet this coming Gameweek with Everton and Crystal Palace due to visit the Emirates.READ MORE SUN STORIESBoth the Toffees and the Eagles are among the lowest scorers in the Premier League this season and so it’s perfectly reasonable to expect Saliba to extend his fine form.There were question marks over Jurrien Timber’s (£4.3m) availability in the week but he came off the bench against Monaco and looked sprightly enough so he should be set for his fair share of minutes in Gameweek 15 too.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

NEED a little spending money this Christmas?Your football instincts could bank you £250 with Score Predictor this weekend.Play 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 you’ll claim the cash prize!Here we’ve collected some key stats and facts for each relevant fixture this Matchweek to help inform your decisions, as well as our own predictions.Nottingham Forest v Aston VillaA meeting of former European champions promises to be a competitive affair on Saturday afternoon.There was a huge gulf in class between these two sides last season when Forest finished 17th while Villa qualified for the Champions League but it’s a different story this time around.Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are currently fifth in the table, level with the Villains on 25 points.Forest have actually earned more points on the road this campaign but Murillo and company have conceded just six goals at the City Ground – only Liverpool have shipped fewer league goals at home.Most read in FootballOne important factor to consider here is that Unai Emery’s men have only won one of their five league games immediately after a Champions League fixture and that was back in September.With Villa having won an energy-sapping game against RB Leipzig in midweek, it feels all set up for Forest to claim another big scalp.Our Prediction: 2-1 to Nottingham ForestChris Wood has scored ten league goals this seasonCredit: EPABrighton v Crystal PalaceA heated rivalry not based on geography here.The Eagles haven’t claimed bragging rights in this fixture since 2021 although four of the six meetings since have finished 1-1.The Seagulls thoroughly enjoyed themselves in the corresponding game last season with a 4-1 win and Fabian Hurzeler’s side are one of just three top-flight teams still undefeated on home soil this campaign, which bodes well for this Sunday.That being said, Palace have solidified in recent weeks with their defeat to Fulham last month being their only loss in their last eight games in all competitions.43% of Score Predictor users have opted for a 2-1 home win at this stage and we’re inclined to agree.Our Prediction: 2-1 to BrightonBrighton are just three points off fourth after 15 league gamesCredit: GettyManchester City v Manchester UnitedA proper local derby stands out as the headline match-up this weekend.Pep Guardiola’s side used to be a guaranteed source of points for Score Predictor users and it was usually just a question of how many goals they would score but they’ve fallen off a cliff lately.A 2-0 defeat to Juventus in the Champions League means City’s 3-0 result against Forest remains the only win in their last ten games – an unprecedented rough patch for a side that have hoovered up trophies in recent years.Although it’s not as if the Red Devils are in the best shape to take advantage of their neighbours’ poor form.The Ruben Amorim era started with three games undefeated but losses to Arsenal and Forest have come as a reality check this month.Man United are due to face Viktoria Plzen in Czechia later today which will limit their preparation time for Sunday’s game at the Etihad.This one is massively dividing Score Predictor users.Our Prediction: 3-2 to Man CityScore 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 NOWCity’s slump continuesCredit: ReutersSouthampton v TottenhamIt’s hard to avoid repetition when discussing Spurs; they pack a punch going forward but a soft underbelly makes them far more vulnerable than Ange Postecoglou would like.The North Londoners are yet to win a game since they thrashed Man City 4-0 at the Etihad with recent defeats to Bournemouth and Chelsea prompting waves of criticism from the fans.But Son Heung-min and friends couldn’t have asked for a more favourable opponent this weekend as Saints are rooted to the bottom of the table with just five points to show for their efforts since promotion.Russell Martin’s side have conceded 31 league goals this term, the same number Spurs have scored.The visitors have serious defensive problems of their own with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies all sidelined with injury meaning we might see a centre-back partnership of Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin.Spurs have the small matter of a trip to Ibrox to negotiate first but surely they won’t slip up at St Mary’s.Our Prediction: 4-2 to SpursVan de Ven has been ruled out with another hamstring injuryCredit: ReutersBournemouth v West HamIt’s the Monday night slot again for the Hammers and while victory over Wolves last time out relieved the pressure on Julen Lopetegui to some degree, fans will need to see a spell of sustained improvement before they are convinced. The Spanish head coach will have his work out on the south coast as the Cherries are currently third in the form table having seen off Man City, Wolves, Spurs and Ipswich since the start of November.Only the current top four of Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and City have won more league games than Bournemouth this season – a superb effort.Arne Slot’s league leaders are the only team to have generated more xG than Andoni Iraola’s side while Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester are the only teams to have conceded more xG than West Ham.If Bournemouth bring their shooting boots it could get very messy for the visitors.READ MORE SUN STORIESOur Prediction: 3-1 to BournemouthProve you know better by entering your predictions now – there’s £250 up for grabs!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 should always be on the lookout for savvy differential options.The likes of Erling Haaland (£8.5m), Cole Palmer (£6m) and Mohamed Salah (£7.6m) are heavy hitters but their immense popularity means most gaffers also benefit from their substantial returns.Hence why it pays to search out the hidden gems.A man in formCredit: Dream TeamOne such player that fits the bill is Enzo Fernandez (£4.3m) given he features in just 1.3% of teams at the time of writing, despite his sharp upturn in form.The Chelsea midfielder has amassed a mammoth 64 points across his last six games, making him one of the most in-form players in the game right now!It wasn’t that long ago the World Cup winner appeared surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge with Romeo Lavia (£2.5m) and Moises Caicedo (£3.4m) gelling at the heart of midfield.However, Fernandez has worked his way back into Enzo Maresca’s plans with some talismanic performances.It all started when he assisted three of the Blues’ eight goals against Noah in the Conference League in Gameweek 10.That sparked a streak of three goals and six assists in the space of six outings – remarkable output for a player in his position.Very few Dream Team bosses have received Fernandez’s pointsCredit: AlamyIt’s unrealistic to expect Fernandez to maintain a rate of one goal involvement every 48.7 minutes (as he has done since the start of November) but a quick look at the fixture list suggests there’s a good chance of him providing enough points to satisfy Dream Team bosses keen on such a ploy.Most read in FootballCHELSEA FIXTURES FROM GAMEWEEK 15 TO GAMEWEEK 19:Brentford (h) – Premier LeagueShamrock Rovers (h) – Conference LeagueEverton (a) – Premier LeagueFulham (h) – Premier LeagueIpswich (a) – Premier LeagueCrystal Palace (a) – Premier LeagueMorecambe (h) – FA CupBournemouth (h) – Premier LeagueMaresca has opted to rotate virtually his whole team in the additional competitions so every Chelsea asset is a minutes risk to some degree but Fernandez should see his fair share of action given his current form.Maresca’s rotation policy is sensible but it’s caused Dream Team bosses headachesCredit: 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 NOWThe West Londoners look much improved this season and currently find themselves second in the Premier League, four points shy of Liverpool – albeit the Reds have a game in hand.Considering their next six opponents all reside either in mid-table or the bottom half, Chelsea seem well set for a prosperous festive period, one heavy in Dream Team points.It should go without saying that Palmer is best placed to capitalise as he averages 11.1 points-per-game this season but it may be that there’s room for a second Chelsea midfielder in the next month or so, with Fernandez seemingly the leading candidate at this stage.Nicolas Jackson (£4.4m) is a viable option up front too having registered eight goals and four assists in 14 league games this term.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