Fantasy Football

SINCE shots on target are worth a point each in Dream Team this season, gaffers should be aware of which players lead the way in the key metric.One point may not seem like much in isolation but they really add up over the course of a season.
Plus, those keeping goalkeepers honest most often are also likely to be among the top goalscorers.

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A keen shooter to say the leastCredit: Dream Team
Let’s analyse the current top ten…
MOST SHOTS ON TARGET THIS SEASON (ALL COMPETITIONS):

53 – Erling Haaland (£7.3m)
49 – Darwin Nunez (£4.5m)
42 – Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) & Julian Alvarez (£4.4m)
38 – Phil Foden (£5.3m)
37 – Matheus Cunha (£4.3m)
36 – Ollie Watkins (£4.3m)
33 – Cole Palmer (£4.4m) & Joao Pedro (£4.3m)
31 – Jarrod Bowen (£4.8m)

Such is the threat posed by Manchester City’s target man, he tops this list despite the fact he recently missed eight fixtures with a foot injury.
To put Haaland’s half-century into perspective, he’s earned the same number of points through shots on target alone as Marc Cucurella (£2.7m) and Emerson Royal (£2.2m) have mustered overall.
21 of the Norwegian poacher’s shots on target have resulted in goals.
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A relentless threatCredit: AP
It’s no surprise to see Liverpool’s No9 close behind as he’s taken more total shots than any other player in the Premier League this season.
Of course, the thing about Nunez is that, for all his impressive attributes, his finishing can be erratic.
Still, 49 shots on target underlines the barrage he unleashes on his opponents and perhaps indicates that he’s not too far away from a truly prolific run of form in front of goal.
Some gaffers may consider that wishful thinking but his almost freakish record of hitting woodwork suggests only a minor improvement would reap huge rewards.
One can’t help but notice Man City and Liverpool dominate this statistic once Salah, Alvarez and Foden complete the top five.
Like Haaland, the Egyptian superstar is particularly notable here because he’s been unavailable for the Reds’ last eight games and yet still he holds a lofty ranking.
Salah’s return is imminentCredit: AFP
As for Foden, he’s worthy of a special mention because he leads the way among midfielders, a reflection of his magnificent form this campaign.
The England international has scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists already in 2023/24.
Wolves’ forward has been one of the surprise packages of the Dream Team season – only five assets in his position have racked up more points at this stage and those individuals all have the added benefit of European fixtures.
However, Cunha’s viability has been thrown into question since he was prematurely substituted against Brentford on Saturday with a suspected injury.
Approximately 2% of Dream Team bosses have benefited from the Brazilian’s superb form of late – including a 25-point haul via his hat-trick against Chelsea – but they may have to find a replacement ahead of Gameweek 24.

Dream Team’s most shot-happy midfielderCredit: Getty
As the second-ranked midfielder, Palmer is also worth flagging.
The 22-year-old has been Chelsea’s best player since he established himself as a regular starter and his tally of 12 goals and 11 assists speaks for itself.
Whether he plays as a centre-forward, No10 or from the right flank, Palmer rarely shies away from a shooting opportunity.
What’s clear (and hardly surprising) is that stocking up on City and Liverpool’s main goal threats is a strong, long-term strategy.
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And perhaps this list indicates that Haaland, Nunez and Salah is the optimum front three when the latter is fully fit?
Dream Team managers should keep track of shots on target as the season progresses – it’s a very useful stat.

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JARROD BOWEN’S (£4.8m) form is something of an elephant in the room for Dream Team managers at present.Like all his team-mates, West Ham’s No20 was a mere passenger against Arsenal on Sunday as the visitors waltzed to a 6-0 victory at the London Stadium.
A measly three-point return means Bowen has mustered just ten points across the last four Gameweeks – eight of which have come through minutes played.

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Bowen’s points are drying upCredit: Dream Team
The 27-year-old’s last notable haul came against Bristol City in the FA Cup when he bagged 14 points despite the Hammers’ draw against the Championship outfit.
He was spotted limping down the tunnel at the end of that game and was subsequently sidelined for the replay at Ashton Gate.
Bowen recovered quickly and was a surprise inclusion for David Moyes’ side at Bramall Lane in Gameweek 20 but he failed to take advantage of that favourable match-up against Sheffield United.
More broadly, the England international’s dip in form has coincided with West Ham’s poor run of results.
The East Londoners are yet to win a game in 2024 and heavy defeats to Manchester United and the Gunners have prompted complaints from previously content fans.
Bowen’s form is the major cause for concern in the world of Dream Team because he was has been among the game’s very best assets for most of 2023/24.
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Even now, he’s one of just seven players (and three midfielders) to have reached the 200-point mark at the time of writing.
Bowen was a must-have asset throughout the first half of the seasonCredit: GETTY
His tally of 14 goals and five assists speaks further to his pedigree but form is vital in Dream Team.
Bowen has registered just two shots on target in six outings since the turn of the year – a stark reflection of West Ham’s worrying downturn.
Optimists may be encouraged by his upcoming fixtures.
Nottingham Forest, Brentford, Everton and Burnley represents a relatively friendly run of games but the fact remains Moyes’ men are in the bottom three of the form table (last five league fixtures).

At £4.8m Bowen is an expensive asset (although his owners should anticipate another price drop) and with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool set for juicy double Gameweeks this month, it’s hard for his backers to justify keeping the faith.
Ahead of Gameweek 24, replacing Bowen with one of the following midfielders would surely pay dividends while also freeing up some extra budget to invest elsewhere: Martin Odegaard (£4.1m), Declan Rice (£3.4m), Luis Diaz (£3.7m), Gabriel Martinelli (£4m), Rodri (£3.6m).

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TOTTENHAM’S last-gasp winner against Brighton on Saturday elevated them back into the top four of the Premier League.Ange Postecoglou’s men are unbeaten in their last five league games at a time when Aston Villa’s results have tailed away.
Plus, only the current top three have scored more goals (51) – a byproduct of the Australian tactician’s front-foot approach.
On the surface, it appears like an opportune time for Dream Team managers to back Spurs to the hilt.

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Not so fast…Credit: Dream Team
In reality, that’s the absolute the last thing they should do.
The North Londoners may be in decent form but gaffers should always consider the schedule when weighing up any potential strategy.
And as it stands, Spurs only have one more fixture to fulfil this month!
This is because their league meeting with Chelsea in Gameweek 25 has been postponed due to the Blues’ meeting with Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
Factor in a lack of European commitments plus their absence from the FA Cup fifth round and the end result is an exceedingly relaxed schedule across the next few weeks.
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Son Heung-min has scored 12 goals and provided six assists in 22 games this seasonCredit: Reuters
This calendar quirk may actually help Spurs in their quest for Champions League qualification this season but it’s a severe hindrance in the world of Dream Team.
Fewer fixtures equals fewer point-scoring opportunities, massively limiting the viability of James Maddison (£4.1m), Richarlison (£3.5m), Son Heung-min (£4.8m), Pedro Porro (£3.7m) and co.
Dream Team bosses could conceivably hold their Spurs assets in Gameweek 24 for a home fixture against Wolves – most clubs only have one fixture to fulfil.
However, it would be wise to consider replacements from Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal as the three title contenders all have two games in the upcoming Gameweek.
This is a very busy period for Man CityCredit: PA

Looking further ahead, nine clubs will play three times across the next two Gameweeks in the same time Spurs play just once, while Liverpool and Man City will play FOUR times.
In fact, Pep Guardiola’s men are set to fulfil SIX fixtures in the time it takes Spurs to play twice across the next three Gameweeks.
Needless to say, that should be the deciding factor for gaffers weighing up Porro or Kyle Walker (£3.1m), Maddison or Rodri (£3.6m), Son or Julian Alvarez (£4.4m), etc.
Those keen on Spurs players should wait until the schedule evens out in Gameweek 28 – at which point they play Fulham, Luton, West Ham and Nottingham Forest in quick succession.

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IT was a case of normal service resumed at the Etihad on Saturday.Manchester City made it ten wins in a row in all competitions with a routine 2-0 victory over Everton and no prizes for guessing who made the headlines.
It was none other than Erling Haaland (£7.3m), in his first start at home since recovering from a foot injury, who scored both goals to send out another statement to the defending champions’ rivals.
The Norwegian poacher previously looked a tad rusty against Burnley and Brentford but the vast majority of Dream Team managers correctly anticipated a return to form as he was the most-popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 23.
Not only that, he was the most-selected captain across the last nine Gameweeks.
21 goals and counting this seasonCredit: Dream Team
Haaland slammed home the hosts’ opener in the 71st minute when the ball fell to him from a set-piece.
And the 23-year-old sealed the three points with a typically clinical finish in a one-on-one situation having brushed aside Jarrad Branthwaite (£2.7m).
When all was said and done, Haaland banked 14 points at the Toffees’ expense to reclaim top spot among Dream Team strikers.
He’s currently level with Joao Pedro (£4.3m) on 216 points – the Brighton forward was unavailable at the weekend.

The impressive haul boosted Haaland’s points-per-game average to 9.4 points in 2023/24 – once again putting him top of the key metric.
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At the time of writing, he’s the joint-fifth best performer of Gameweek 23 but he’s not done yet.
City’s No9 needs just four points against Copenhagen on Tuesday night to overtake Declan Rice (£3.4m) and Bukayo Saka (£5.5m), who banked 17 points each against West Ham.
With Pep Guardiola’s side heavy favourites to win in the Danish capital, it’s a likely outcome.
Haaland currently features in 73.6% of Dream TeamsCredit: AP
Haaland finishing as the top scorer of the Gameweek would be nothing more than confirmation of what most Dream Team bosses know already – he is a must-have asset when fit and the default captaincy option.
His latest brace moved him onto 21 goals for the season, the highest tally among all Premier League players.
He’s also the first player to register 50 shots on target – only three others have recorded more than 40.
These stats are even more ominous considering Haaland gave most of his rivals a chance to catch up while he was sidelined for the best part of seven Gameweeks.
A reminder that this is the first of FOUR consecutive double Gameweeks for Haaland and company…

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ARSENAL produced yet another statement victory on Sunday.Following on from their win over Liverpool, the Gunners thrashed West Ham 6-0 at the London Stadium to underline their title credentials.
One notable aspect of the visitors’ performance was their set-piece supremacy.
On the riseCredit: Dream Team
William Saliba (£3.1m) started the rout with a header from a corner which opened the floodgates.
Bukayo Saka (£5.5m) converted a penalty soon after before Gabriel (£3.7m) connected with a wide free-kick to head home from close range, making it three set-piece goals in a 12-minute blitz.
In what was a miserable day for the Hammers, David Moyes would have been particularly disappointed to see his side comprehensively outmatched at set-pieces – an aspect of the game his teams usually prioritise.
In recent years, Arsenal have been synonymous with nimble, technical, diminutive footballers who ensure a certain panache in open play but can be overpowered in certain situations.
This season, however, Mikel Arteta’s side are arguably the most solid and robust in the Premier League.
They’ve conceded the fewest goals and the underlying numbers (expected goals against) suggest they have been most effective at restricting their opponents.
Couple this with their strength at set-pieces and the Gunners now boast a strong backbone rather than a soft underbelly.
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Arteta’s side have returned from the winter break in fine formCredit: AFP
From a Dream Team perspective, this is best exhibited by the lofty statuses now held by their first-choice centre-backs.
Gabriel banked 15 points against West Ham while Saliba pocketed 14 – the pair are the best-performing defenders of Gameweek 23 right now.
More broadly, both are now among the top five assets in their position in terms of total season points.
DREAM TEAM’S TOP DEFENDERS 2023/24

Kieran Trippier – 191 pts
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 179 pts
Pedro Porro – 158 pts
Gabriel – 150 pts
William Saliba – 144 pts

The Brazilian centre-back has scored three goals this campaign – only Dan Burn (£3.5m) and Fabian Schar (£3.4m) have scored more among defenders at this stage.
Whereas Saliba is Dream Team’s leader in terms of clean sheets, having contributed to 12 in all competitions – Gabriel, Ben White (£3.3m) and James Tarkowski (£3.3m) are just behind the Frenchman on 11 each.
Gabriel is already among the most transferred-in players ahead of Gameweek 24Credit: EPA
Looking forward, it’s potentially the perfect time for Dream Team gaffers to back Arsenal’s most-productive defenders.
In Gameweek 24, Arteta’s troops travel to Turf Moor to face a Burnley outfit that have mustered just 13 points since promotion before facing Porto in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie.
It’s worth noting that while the Portuguese side scored plenty in the group stages of Europe’s premium competition, they’ve registered 33 goals from 20 league games this term – below par for one of the Primeira Liga’s big three.
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Given Arsenal’s defensive record, it would be reasonable for Dream Team managers to expect at least one clean sheet from Gabriel and Saliba – two would yield massive returns.
Arsenal are one of just five teams (Manchester City, Liverpool, Brentford and Luton being the other two) with two fixtures to fulfil in Gameweek 24 so their best performers are likely to be popular recruits this week.

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DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 23 in one easily digestible dose.Joao Pedro (£4m) was deemed fit enough to play against Crystal Palace last weekend but the Brazilian, who is currently Dream Team’s top striker, has been ruled out of Brighton’s trip to Tottenham on Saturday.
It’s not yet known when 22-year-old, who has scored 19 goals in all competitions this season, will be available for selection again.
Mikel Arteta told reporters that Bukayo Saka (£5.5m) “looks okay” following his substitution against Liverpool last weekend.
Arsenal’s No7 is the second-most popular player in Dream Team and is expected to start against West Ham on Sunday.
The Gunners’ coach kept his cards close to his chest in regards to the availability of Takehiro Tomiyasu (£2.7m), Oleksandr Zinchenko (£3.5m) and Gabriel Jesus (£4.8m) so all three have to be considered doubts at this stage.

Captaincy & Booster Strategies for Gameweek 23: Focus on Manchester stars for BIG points!

Saka should be fineCredit: PA
As for the Hammers, Michail Antonio (£2.5m) is back in training but this weekend comes too soon – Lucas Paqueta (£4.1m) also remains out.
Lucas Digne (£3.1m) has returned to training this week and has a chance of featuring for Aston Villa against Manchester United on Sunday.
Pau Torres (£3m) returned to the squad in midweek and is also in contention to start.
However, Dream Team favourite Ezri Konsa (£3.2m) has been ruled out for three to four weeks with a knee injury.
Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) won’t be involved as Liverpool host Burnley but the Egyptian superstar may return to training next week, giving him a chance of some minutes in Gameweek 24.
Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.9m) won’t feature either while Thiago Alcantara (£2.5m) has suffered another setback and is awaiting a full assessment.
Conor Bradley (£3m) is still on compassionate leave while Ibrahima Konate (£3.1m) is set to serve a one-match suspension.
Villa defenders have been dropping like flies recentlyCredit: Dream Team
Hwang Hee-chan (£3.3m) and Son Heung-min (£4.8m) have returned from South Korea duty are said to be available for Wolves and Spurs respectively.
The former scored 11 goals prior to his departure for the Asian Cup while the latter bagged 12 in the same time frame.
Anthony Gordon’s (£3.7m) injury isn’t as serious as first feared but Newcastle’s No10 hasn’t trained all week and will almost certainly not travel to Nottingham Forest.
The Magpies will be without Alexander Isak (£4.4m) once again but Eddie Howe told journalists the Swedish striker is “not too far away”.

Lisandro Martinez (£2.8m) is expected to be out for at least eight weeks following the knee injury he incurred last time out.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£2.6m) was scheduled to return but the Manchester United full-back pulled out of training on Thursday and therefore remains a major doubt.
Crystal Palace will be without key players Marc Guehi (£2.4m), Eberechi Eze (£3.9m) and Michael Olise (£4.1m) against Chelsea on Monday night.
Harvey Barnes is expected to replace GordonCredit: Getty
ARSENAL
Injuries: Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus (doubt), Oleksandr Zinchenko (doubt)
Suspensions: None
ASTON VILLA
Injuries: Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Lucas Digne (doubt), Jhon Duran, Ezri Konsa
Suspensions: None
BOURNEMOUTH
Injuries: Ryan Fredericks, Tyler Adams, James Hill, Max Aarons
Suspensions: Philip Billing
BRENTFORD
Injuries: Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, Bryan Mbeumo, Josh Dasilva
Suspensions: None
BRIGHTON
Injuries: Julio Enciso, Solly March, Joel Veltman, Joao Pedro, James Milner
Suspensions: None
BURNLEY
Injuries: Luka Koleosho, Jordan Beyer, Charlie Taylor (doubt), Hannes Delcroix (doubt), Nathan Redmond
Suspensions: None
CHELSEA
Injuries: Trevoh Chalobah (doubt), Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Lesley Ugochukwo, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez, Levi Colwill (doubt), Beniot Badashile (doubt)
Suspensions: None
CRYSTAL PALACE
Injuries: Cheick Doucoure, Joel Ward (doubt), Rob Holding, Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi
Suspensions: None
EVERTON
Injuries: Dele Alli, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Andre Gomes, Arnaut Danjuma, Amadou Onana (doubt)
Suspensions: None
FULHAM
Injuries: Adama Traore, Issa Diop, Harry Wilson, Raul Jimenez, Armando Broja (doubt)
Suspensions: None
LIVERPOOL
Injuries: Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Kostas Tsimikas, Joel Matip, Ben Doak, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah
Suspensions: Ibrahima Konate
LUTON
Injuries: Tom Lockyer, Marvelous Nakamba, Mads Juel Andersen, Teden Mengi (doubt)
Suspensions: None
MANCHESTER CITY
Injuries: None
Suspensions: None
MANCHESTER UNITED
Injuries: Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, Anthony Martial, Aaron Wan-Bissaka (doubt), Lisandro Martinez
Suspensions: None
NEWCASTLE
Injuries: Elliot Anderson, Matt Targett, Joe Willock, Nick Pope, Joelinton, Alexander Isak, Jamaal Lascelles (doubt), Anthony Gordon
Suspensions: Sandro Tonali
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Injuries: Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White (doubt), Gonzalo Montiel
Suspensions: None
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Injuries: Daniel Jebbison, John Egan, Chris Basham, George Baldock (doubt), Max Lowe (doubt), Ivo Grbic, Oli McBurnie (doubt)
Suspensions: None
TOTTENHAM
Injuries: Ryan Sessegnon, Alfie Whiteman, Manor Solomon
Suspensions: None
WEST HAM
Injuries: Lucas Paqueta, Michail Antonio
Suspensions: None
WOLVES
Injuries: None
Suspensions: None

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THE spotlight is firmly on Manchester City in the world of Dream Team right now.The defending champions are the only team with two fixtures to fulfil in Gameweek 23 and so gaffers should stock up on Pep Guardiola’s favourites.
Everton visit the Etihad on Saturday in the first Premier League game of the weekend before the treble winners travel to Copenhagen for the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie in midweek.
With that in mind, let’s talk captaincy options.

PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S PREMIER LEAGUE ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

An ominous figureCredit: Dream Team
Dream Team bosses have had to think carefully about which players to elect for double points in recent weeks while Erling Haaland (£7.6m) was sidelined with a foot injury but the prolific poacher’s return may simplify the conversation.
The Norwegian No9 was the default captain for the vast majority of switched-on gaffers throughout the first half of the campaign and with good reason.
Haaland averages 9.2 points-per-game in 2023/24 – a figure only matched by the injury-prone Michael Olise (£4.1m) – and no player was able to surpass his tally of 19 goals in all competitions while he was unavailable.
He’s looked a tad rusty in his last two outings but with City purring (nine straight wins in all competitions) it surely won’t be long before he’s back among the goals.
Some gaffers may be tempted to take Haaland on in regards to captaincy in Gameweek 23 by strapping the armband to the in-form Phil Foden (£5m).
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Statistically City’s most in-form Dream Team assetCredit: Reuters
The England international bagged a hat-trick against Brentford on Monday night to draw level with Bukayo Saka (£5.5m) at the top of the overall rankings.
With 13 goals and ten assists to his name this season, Foden is certainly an appealing option.
Any concerns that Haaland’s return would dampen the midfielder’s eye for goal were thoroughly dispatched at the Gtech Community Stadium and he looks well placed for a double-digit return this coming Gameweek.
Then there’s Kevin De Bruyne (£6m).
The Belgian’s return from injury has contributed to a feeling of inevitability about City’s form going forward.
He’s provided 27 points across the last three Gameweeks via a goal and four assists.
A class actCredit: PA
In terms of playmaking, De Bruyne is unrivalled but, if anything, his relentless chance creation only makes Haaland a more attractive captaincy option as it’s the latter who usually benefits.
It surely has to be one of City’s superstars for the armband in Gameweek 23 and, despite Foden’s impressive form, it’s hard to look past Haaland.
BOOSTER STRATEGIES
Many gaffers will be eyeing up City’s double header as an opportunity to reap the rewards of Park the Bus.
It’s a nice idea on paper but Guardiola’s rotation policy introduces a certain degree of risk.
Setting up an XI with Kyle Walker (£3.1m), Josko Gvardiol (£3.3m), Ruben Dias (£3.1m) and Nathan Ake (£3.2m) – plus either Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.5m) or Kieran Trippier (£4.8m) – has huge potential but it wouldn’t be all that surprising if significant minutes for John Stones (£3.3m), Manuel Akanji (£3.6m) and/or Rico Lewis (£2.9m) scuppered such a plan.
Plus, City have actually found clean sheets relatively hard to come this term.
Looking ahead, there are other double Gameweeks to come that look ripe for less risky Park the Bus combinations.
Unless you feel extremely confident you can strike the right balance of City defenders, it’s probably best to keep the strongest Booster in the holster.
All eyes on Man CityCredit: Alamy
12th Man is certainly a viable Booster to activate ahead of the deadline.
If your standard XI looks a little light on City players ahead of what should be a high-scoring Gameweek then simply play 12th Man and select one of the aforementioned superstars as your secret weapon.
Even those with Haaland, De Bruyne and Foden already in their team might think about electing Julian Alvarez (£4.3m) as 12th Man given the schedule.
Finally, if you’re helplessly undecided between the heavy hitters then activating Max Captain will guarantee the optimum choice.
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However, be warned that if you go down this route and Haaland (the default option) goes big then you may end up wasting one of your precious Boosters.
Lock in your strategy before Saturday’s 11:30am deadline!

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