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      Transfers recommendations ahead of Gameweek 18: Antonee Robinson and Anthony Gordon among short-term options

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      WHAT better way to mark the beginning of 2025 than with a shed-load of Dream Team points?The festive season may be at an end but football shows no sign of slowing down with Gameweek 18 set to incorporate three competitions.After a full round of Premier League fixtures, Arsenal, Newcastle, Tottenham and Liverpool will compete in the Carabao Cup semi-finals in midweek while Everton and Fulham will play in the early FA Cup third round games on Thursday night.And that brings us onto our first transfer recommendation for Gameweek 18…USA! USA! USA!Credit: Dream TeamAntonee Robinson (£4m)The Cottagers’ left-back has arguably been the Premier League’s best player in his position this season and there’s rarely been a better time to back him in the world of Dream Team.Robinson averages 5.9 points-per-game in 2024/25 and leads the way for assists among defenders with seven.Not only that, no other asset in his position has earned more bonus points than the USA international (24) at this stage.Fulham are due to host both Ipswich and Watford in Gameweek 18, a favourable double header on paper.Marco Silva may choose to rest one of his key players against Championship opposition in the FA Cup but Robinson is still a strong option if he’s only deployed against the Tractor Boys on Sunday.Most read in FootballThe 27-year-old may not be a long-term selection as he’ll fall behind in fixtures when the European competitions resume in Gameweek 20 but he’s a smart one-week punt.Anthony Gordon (£4.8m)Newcastle are flyingCredit: RexNewcastle’s No10 is among the most in-form midfielders right now having amassed 64 points since the start of Gameweek 13 at an average of eight per outing.The Magpies are due to visit North London twice this coming Gameweek; a league visit to Spurs and a Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Arsenal.Difficult match-ups on paper but given the defensive injury crisis currently nagging Ange Postecoglou coupled with the Magpies’ impressive form, Gordon has to be considered a decent option.Alexander Isak (£5.8m) remains Newcastle’s top asset but it may be worth doubling up for the next two Gameweeks.Gordon ranks fifth for bonus points among all players.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 NOWLuis Diaz (£4.1m)Gaffers can’t make up their minds about Luis DiazCredit: GettyFew players have experienced such dramatic fluctuations in popularity as the Liverpool winger this season.Diaz has been among the five most transferred-in players ahead of eight Gameweeks and among the most transferred-out five times!The Colombia international is very much back in favour having scored his 12th goal of the campaign last time out.Arne Slot’s side will play Manchester United at Anfield this Sunday before travelling to Spurs on Wednesday night.Without context, this double header would be a tricky prospect but on current form the Reds will feel confident of getting the job done on both fronts.Diaz’s minutes are difficult to predict but he’ll get a good run out with two fixtures scheduled.It should go without saying that Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) and Mohamed Salah (£7.8m) are the first ports of call in regards to Liverpool points.Ollie Watkins (£4.9m)Watkins will have to step up in the absence of Jhon Duran and Morgan RogersCredit: ReutersAston Villa aren’t among the six teams with two fixtures to fulfil in Gameweek 18 but their one game, a home match-up against Leicester, could yield plentiful returns.The Foxes conceded 115 shots in six games throughout December.Any team allowing their opponents almost 20 shots over the course of 90 minutes is likely to give up a lot of points.With Morgan Rogers (£3.2m) and Jhon Duran (£2.9m) both suspended, Watkins is likely to be the main beneficiary at Villa Park on Saturday.Only Salah banked more points among forwards than the England international in Gameweek 17.He scored one goal and assisted another against Brighton for a 15-point haul.READ MORE SUN STORIESDream Team managers can back Watkins in Gameweek 18 and then revert to the affordable Rogers later this month.Confirm your transfers for Gameweek 18 before Saturday’s 11am deadline.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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      Enter our new Last Man Standing prize league – pick a team and compete for the £2,000 jackpot!

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      DREAM Team HQ is pleased to announce that the fourth Last Man Standing prize league of the season is now open!The overall winner will claim a cool £2,000. Once again it’s free to play so, honestly, why wouldn’t you enter?!Manchester City used to be a ‘banker’ in Last Man Standing – not any more!Credit: RexLast Man Standing is quick-to-play and easy to understand.Ahead of each Matchweek (MW), you simply have to select one Premier League team to win their upcoming weekend fixture.PLAY LAST MAN STANDING NOW AHEAD OF LATEST PRIZE LEAGUE – £2,000 CASH UP FOR GRABS!If your chosen team wins, you progress to the next Matchweek and take another step towards the cash prize.However, if your team draws or loses, you are eliminated.But here’s the thing, you can only select each team ONCE.Will Arteta’s Arsenal be reliable now Bukayo Saka is out injured?Credit: PASo if you back Arsenal to win at Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, for example, you’ll progress to the next Matchweek but you will no longer be able to select the Gunners as your designated team.This is where it gets strategic.Most read in Dream TeamIf you use up the big teams early on then you risk being light on reliable options when the stakes ramp up later on.Conversely, if you decide to save the strongest teams for crunch time, you risk being eliminated early if one of the mid-table outfits lets you down.As the name Last Man Standing suggests, the last remaining competitor will be crowned champion of the Prize League – an accolade that comes with cash winnings!The deadline for this latest prize league is 12.30pm this Saturday (4 January), with the following fixtures due to played over that weekend:Aston Villa v Leicester CityBournemouth v EvertonBrighton v ArsenalCrystal Palace v ChelseaFulham v Ipswich TownLiverpool v Manchester UtdManchester City v West HamSouthampton v BrentfordTottenham v Newcastle UnitedWolverhampton Wanderers v Nott’m ForestPick a winner from that bunch and you’ll advance to the next Matchweek, one step closer to the £2,000 prize.Just a heads up that, after the first week, it you forget to select a team before the Matchweek deadline you’ll be randomly allocated one from those available.If you’re savvy enough to make it close to the end of the Prize League and all remaining players fail to select a winning team, all players active in the previous Matchweek will progress – think of it as an extra life.For more information on Last Man Standing please read the Game Rules.Incredibly, our first prize league – which began way back in MW1 – still has three players remaining going into MW18.Our second prize league (MW6) was won by C. Townrow (subject to usual checks by our competition team). He beat a whopping 31,620 other players. READ MORE SUN STORIESAt the time of writing, our third prize league (MW12) has 247 competitors left.The fourth? Well that could be you. Get involved right here!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 16: Jarrod Bowen among tempting short-term punts

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      ALL 20 Premier League teams are set to play twice in Gameweek 16.As a result, it’s bound to a high-scoring affair and so it’s imperative all Dream Team managers confirm some smart transfers before Saturday’s 11am deadline – it might be a good idea to activate a Booster as well.As usual, we won’t insult your intelligence by recommending Bukayo Saka (£6.9m), Mohamed Salah (£7.6m) and other obvious players but allow us to present some alternative transfer suggestions.An underrated gemCredit: Dream TeamJarrod Bowen (£5.9m)Let’s start with an immensely tempting one-week punt.West Ham’s No20 averages 7.5 points-per-game this season and leads the way among forwards for bonus points.More recently, Bowen has produced 86 points since the start of Gameweek 7 at an average of 8.6 per outing – an outstanding effort given what most of his team-mates have produced.Those numbers suggest it’s reasonable to expect a healthy haul from the England international in Gameweek 16 with the Hammers set to take on Brighton and Southampton.Saints conceded five goals in one half in their last league game so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Bowen cleaned up on Boxing Day.Gabriel (£5.3m)Most read in FootballGuess who?Credit: AlamyWilliam Saliba (£5.3m) did an excellent job filling in as Arsenal’s primary set-piece threat but the main man is back now.Gabriel marked his return from injury with a nine-point return against Everton last weekend and the Gunners will be hopeful of at least one clean sheet in Gameweek 16 up against Crystal Palace and Ipswich – two of the lowest scorers in the top flight this season.The Brazilian centre-back features in 10.1% of teams and is currently ranked fourth among assets in his position with 120 points to his name.No defender has scored more goals (four) than Gabriel this season.Lewis Hall (£3.6m)A man in formCredit: GettyNewcastle’s left-back is technically Dream Team’s most in-form defender right now.Hall is coming off the back of a massive 27-point haul in Gameweek 15 having provided two assists in the Magpies’ 4-0 thrashing of Leicester last weekend.Kyle Walker-Peters (£3.1m) and Pedro Porro (£4.4m) are the only defenders who have earned more bonus points than the former Chelsea man this campaign.Eddie Howe’s side travel to Ipswich this weekend before hosting Aston Villa on Boxing Day.On a similar theme, we tipped Alexander Isak (£5.4m) last week and he’s worth repeating after a 19-point haul in Gameweek 15.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 NOWAmad Diallo (£3.7m)Mr PopularCredit: PAManchester United’s derby day hero is currently the most popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 16 and with good reason.Diallo has registered three goals and seven assists in his last seven outings – a fruitful spell that has yielded 87 points in six Gameweeks.The 22 year-old is ungenerously categorised as a forward in Dream Team but that’s not really a problem while he’s among the goal involvements.The Red Devils host Bournemouth this weekend before a trip to 19th-placed Wolves, who have the worst defensive record in the Premier League in 2024/25.Cole Palmer (£6.3m) and/or Nicolas Jackson (£4.2m)A prolific partnershipCredit: GettyA quick note to finish because we wrote an entire article about Chelsea’s top performers earlier in the week.READ MORE SUN STORIESWithout wanting to repeat ourselves, Palmer and Jackson are more viable now than ever before because the European competitions are on hold for the festive period.The England star is essential as a midfielder who has racked up 174 points from just 16 appearances this season.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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      Captaincy options for Gameweek 16: Alexander Isak to edge out familiar favourites?

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      THE captaincy conversation has been far more interesting this season.In 2023/24, Dream Team managers who kept the armband on Erling Haaland (£8.4m) every week without fail were justified in doing so but those who have employed the same strategy this campaign have probably fallen behind gaffers who prefer to target specific fixtures.Haaland captainers have been punished in recent weeksCredit: GettyAhead of Gameweek 15, we put our reputation on the line by hailing Bukayo Saka (£6.9m) a better captaincy option than Mohamed Salah (£7.6m) on account of him being more likely to play in the Carabao Cup.And so it proved to be as Arsenal’s No7 came off the bench in midweek to register an assist while Liverpool’s main man was rested for his side’s trip to Southampton.Saka notched 13 points to Salah’s six when all was said and done, a decent swing for Dream Team bosses who opted to double the former’s points.We also recommended Alexander Isak (£5.4m) as a strong captaincy option outside of the familiar favourites with a view to targeting his home fixture against Leicester.The Sweden international repaid our faith with a 17-point haul against the Foxes via a goal and an assist – he only added two points against Brentford in midweek but the damage was done.Isak’s form is impossible to ignoreCredit: ReutersLooking ahead to Gameweek 16, it’s essentially a mirror repeat with Saka, Salah and Isak the leading captaincy candidates in our mind.The Gunners are due to face Crystal Palace and Ipswich while Arne Slot’s side will take on Tottenham and Leicester.All 20 teams will fulfil a Premier League double header this coming Gameweek and so Saka and Salah should start both fixtures.Most read in FootballAs for Newcastle, they travel to Portman Road on Saturday before hosting Aston Villa on Boxing Day.Given that Isak has scored six goals and provided three assists in his last eight league outings, he has to be considered an extremely tempting captain.Elsewhere, Bruno Fernandes’ (£6.3m) backers will be hopeful of healthy returns with Manchester United set to take on Bournemouth and Wolves – the latter have the worst defensive record in the top flight this season.Forgetting someone?Credit: GettyBut hang on, how could we forget Cole Palmer (£6.3m)?Chelsea’s talisman has a rare double Gameweek in the form of Everton and Fulham.The Blues are the Premier League’s form side at present and Palmer boasts the highest points-per-game average (10.9) among all players in 2024/25.That’s a rather compelling case.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 NOWSaka v Salah v Isak v Palmer is a head-scratcher this Gameweek and gaffers who still have their Max Captain Booster must be tempted to guarantee a points-laden Christmas.Remember to select your captain (and vice captain) before Saturday’s 11am deadline.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 now ahead of Matchweek 16 – win an early Christmas present of £250 cash!

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      HOW does an early Christmas present of £250 sound?That’s exactly how much dosh we’ll give away to the winner of Score Predictor Matchweek 16.Play now ahead of the weekend’s actionCredit: 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!Allow us to present some key stats and facts for each relevant fixture this Matchweek to help inform your decisions.Crystal Palace v ArsenalThe Eagles have lost just one of their last nine games in all competitions and would have been particularly delighted with a 3-1 victory over rivals Brighton last time out.After a tough start to the season, Oliver Glasner’s side have become much harder to beat lately but the Gunners have prospered in this match-up in recent years.Mikel Arteta’s men have won the last four meetings with Palace, scoring 12 goals and conceding just two in that time.Arsenal were frustrated by Everton last weekend and they will have to be more inventive from open play at Selhurst Park as Palace generally defend corners well – only Brentford have conceded fewer league set-piece goals this season.Most read in FootballThat being said, it’s difficult to ignore the significant gap between these two sides in the league table.Our Prediction: 1-0 to ArsenalArsenal sit third in the table currentlyCredit: GettyEverton v ChelseaThe fixtures don’t get any easier for the Toffees following their rearguard at the Emirates.Cole Palmer and friends are flying at the top of the form table having won every game so far this month.The Blues have also earned more points on the road than any other top-flight team this term.Meanwhile, Everton have mustered just nine points from seven league games at Goodison Park.It’s hard to look past Enzo Maresca’s troops, especially as the last meeting between these sides finished 6-0 to the Londoners – Palmer scored four goals that day.Our Prediction: 2-0 to ChelseaPalmer enjoyed himself against Everton last seasonCredit: RexFulham v SouthamptonMarco Silva’s side remain unbeaten this month despite a tough run of fixtures.They drew to Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool either side of a 3-1 win over Brighton – the Seagulls’ first defeat at home in 2024/25.As for Saints, they shipped five goals in one half to Spurs last weekend which proved to be the end of Russell Martin’s tenure at St Mary’s.Southampton have cobbled together just five points since promotion and only one of those has come away from home.Strange things can happen in the wake of a manager’s dismissal but this should be comfortable Sunday afternoon for Fulham.Our Prediction: 3-1 to FulhamMarco Silva is doing an excellent job at FulhamCredit: AFPManchester United v BournemouthLike Fulham, the Cherries are a well-organised outfit making waves in the top half this season – they’re up to sixth after Monday night’s draw with West Ham.Andoni Iraola’s side have knocked off Manchester City, Arsenal and Spurs at home but their away record isn’t bad either – they rank seventh for points won on the road.As for the Red Devils, it’s difficult to gauge where they’re at while Ruben Amorim beds in but a late turnaround in the Manchester derby has kept spirits high.Historically speaking, Bournemouth would be massive underdogs at Old Trafford but these two sides have never been closer in terms of their current prospects and the South Coasters did win 3-0 in the corresponding fixture just over a year ago.At this stage, the most common selection among Score Predictor users is a 2-1 home win but we’re inclined to give the visitors more credit.Our Prediction: 2-2 drawAmad Diallo inspired his side to victory at the EtihadCredit: PATottenham v LiverpoolSunday’s 4:30pm kick-off promises much excitement as it pits the league’s second-top scorers against the leaders.Ange Postecoglou is not one to turtle up against strong opponents while Liverpool are missing key personnel in defence so this could be a high-scoring affair.Spurs beat the Reds 2-1 at home last season but that game was overshadowed by a VAR howler that disallowed a perfectly fine Luis Diaz goal.Liverpool got their revenge with a 4-2 win at Anfield back in May and it’s tempting to back a similar scoreline this time around.READ MORE SUN STORIESOur Prediction: 4-2 to LiverpoolProve you know better by submitting your predictions for Matchweek 16 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. 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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      Dream Team’s Second Shot League starts January 4th – start fresh and compete for £5,000 prize pot

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      HAS the first half of your Dream Team season not gone to plan?Maybe you’ve suffered rotten luck with injuries or made one too many ill-judged transfers.Or perhaps you’re interested in playing Dream Team for the first time and don’t want to wait until the 2025/26 campaign.Whatever your situation, our Second Shot League offers you a chance to start fresh in the new year and compete for a prize pot of £5,000!Struggling Dream Team bosses have the chance to start fresh in Gameweek 18Credit: Dream TeamOur Second Shot League allows new gaffers to compete against existing ones on a level playing field throughout the second half of the season.Think of it as a clean slate, although of course the overall leaderboard from Gameweek 1 will continue as normal.Scoring starts on January 4th with Tottenham v Newcastle due to get Gameweek 18 underway at 12:30pm – the deadline for submitting a new team or tweaking an existing one will be 11am the same day.To clarify, the Second Shot League will only take into account points scored between Saturday January 4th and the end of the season.SECOND SHOT PRIZE MONEY1st: £3,5002nd: £1,5003rd: £500Need a reset in 2025? You’re not the only one…Credit: APPerhaps you’ve heard about Dream Team’s market-leading scoring system, flexible transfer process, and our game-changing Boosters?If so, now is the perfect time to get involved as the Second Shot League will give you a fair, competitive framework to measure yourself against rivals old and new.Managers new and old will automatically be entered into the Second Shot League come January 4th so if you’re happy with your progress so far, keep going, this is another route to cash winnings if you excel throughout the second half of the season.New to Dream Team? Check out the Game Rules here.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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      Clarification on Dream Team Gameweeks over festive period – don’t get caught out by schedule quirks

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      DREAM TEAM managers need to be aware of the schedule throughout the festive period.Gameweeks typically run from Friday night or Saturday morning until Thursday evening but there are some quirks to be aware of in the coming weeks.Dream Team bosses should be aware of the scheduling quirks around ChristmasCredit: Dream TeamGameweek 16 contains a full round of Premier League fixtures to be played over the weekend followed by eight games on Boxing Day (Thursday 26th December) as well as two more the day after (Friday 27th December).Usually, those Friday night games would kickstart the following Gameweek but to simplify things, the two fixtures due to take place on 27th December — Brighton v Brentford and Arsenal v Ipswich – will be included in Gameweek 16.Simply put, all 20 teams will play twice in Gameweek 16 and just once in Gameweek 17 – this is the most important point for gaffers to bear in mind.Arsenal v Ipswich on Friday December 27th is included in Gameweek 16Credit: APLooking ahead to January, Gameweek 18 is also little unusual because of a quirk in the FA Cup scheduling.The majority of the FA Cup third round games will take place in Gameweek 19 but three fixtures have been scheduled for the preceding Thursday and will therefore be part of Gameweek 18.Sheffield United v Cardiff is irrelevant in the context of Dream Team since it’s a meeting between two Championship sides but points will be scored during Everton v Peterborough and Fulham v Watford.This means the Toffees and the Cottagers are set to pull double duty in Gameweek 18.And they won’t be alone since the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals are scheduled for Gameweek 18 — four of the following teams will be involved: Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Southampton, Manchester United, Tottenham, Newcastle, Brentford.Most read in FootballAll teams except Everton and Fulham will then double up in Gameweek 19 when a full round of Premier League games follows in midweek after the bulk of the cup action.Fulham and Everton have two fixtures to fulfil in Gameweek 18Credit: GettyIf that all seemed like a word scramble, here’s a concise summary.DREAM TEAM FESTIVE SCHEDULE:GAMEWEEK 16: All 20 teams play twiceGAMEWEEK 17: All 20 teams play onceGAMEWEEK 18: Everton, Fulham and Carabao Cup semi-finalists play twice, 14 other clubs play onceGAMEWEEK 19: All clubs except Everton and Fulham play twiceScore 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 NOWUPCOMING GAMEWEEK DEADLINES:GAMEWEEK 16: 11am Saturday 21st DecemberGAMEWEEK 17: 1pm Sunday 29th DecemberGAMEWEEK 18: 11am Saturday 4th JanuaryGAMEWEEK 19: 6:30pm Friday 10th JanuaryThe schedule is subject to change, as Dream Team bosses recently discovered when the Merseyside derby was postponed on the morning of the game, but you can always check consult the Match Centre if in doubt.You’ll have other things on your mind in the coming weeks but remember to stay on top of all things Dream Team as there will be plenty of points on offer.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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      Cole Palmer a must-have asset now his only drawback has been negated by the schedule

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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