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    Trent Alexander-Arnold most transferred-out player ahead of GW21 but Liverpool star set for early return from injury

    THOUSANDS of Dream Team managers are on the brink of a clanging error.At the time of writing, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) is the most transferred-out player ahead of Gameweek 21.

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    Dream Team’s reigning king of defendersCredit: Dream Team
    This is a delayed reaction to the Liverpool star’s injury, which resulted in him being the most-ditched asset prior to the Gameweek 20.
    However, Pep Lijnders, assistant manager to Jurgen Klopp, has revealed that the 25-year-old is in contention to play against Norwich in the FA Cup fourth round this coming Sunday.
    As published on the club’s official website, the Dutchman said: “Trent is progressing well through his rehab, working hard. He will back in the end of the week for team training, so hopefully he will be available for the FA Cup.”
    The visit of the Canaries to Anfield is the first of two fixtures in Gameweek 21 for the Reds.
    Chelsea are also due in Merseyside on Wednesday night as arguably the standout match-up of the midweek Premier League action.
    Safely assuming Lijnders is well informed on the matter, it seems likely that Alexander-Arnold will return in some capacity this coming Gameweek.
    Surely plenty of gaffers will need to reverse their most recent transfers and think again.
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    11 assists and counting this seasonCredit: Getty
    Having to stick by Liverpool’s No66 throughout Gameweek 20 while he was sidelined only to then transfer him out just before his comeback would a bitter pill to swallow.
    And this is Dream Team’s outright top defender we’re discussing.
    Alexander-Arnold has 169 points to his name, seven more than his closest rival, Kieran Trippier (£5m).
    He plundered 48 points across four Gameweeks prior to his injury and was fast becoming a must-have asset, if he wasn’t already.
    The England international has been playing a hybrid role for the better part of the last year, part full-back, part deep-lying playmaker.
    This freedom, combined with his natural creative talents, have resulted in 11 assists this season (all comps) – the highest tally among defenders by a comfortable margin.
    He’s also created 14 big chances, again the most among players in his position.
    And of course Alexander-Arnold benefits from any clean sheets kept by Jurgen Klopp’s table-toppers, so long as he contributes 60+ minutes.
    He’s registered nine clean sheets this campaign so far, only four defenders boast a greater tally: William Saliba (£3.4m), Gabriel (£3.9m), Ben White (£3.5m) and James Tarkowski (£3m).
    Alexander-Arnold is pretty much a ‘must-have’ when on songCredit: AP

    It’s likely there will soon be a scramble among Dream Team’s top gaffers to get Alexander-Arnold back into the mix as soon as possible.
    Those who suffered through Gameweek 20 with him in their XI have the chance to gain some compensation by retaining him now, saving a transfer that those who replaced him may have to use now he’s seemingly available again.
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    Needless to say, that compensation goes up in smoke if he’s replaced ahead of Friday’s deadline only to then swagger about Anfield against Norwich on Sunday.
    Dream Team bosses may be offered a further update on his condition closer to the Gameweek 21 deadline – we’ll endeavour to include it in Friday’s Injures & Suspensions article if that’s the case.

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    Brighton stars to shine in Gameweek 21 ahead of favourable fixtures – only Kevin De Bruyne more popular than Joao Pedro

    DREAM TEAM gaffers should seriously be considering Brighton assets ahead of Gameweek 21.Evidence suggests many are doing just that as Joao Pedro (£3.8m) is currently the second-most popular recruit ahead of the deadline, behind only Kevin De Bruyne (£6.4m).
    The Seagulls are due to face Sheffield United in the FA Cup before Tuesday night’s Premier League meeting with Luton.
    Their 22-year-old Brazilian warmed up for this juicy double header with a seven-point return against Wolves on Monday night despite the fact Roberto De Zerbi’s side were unable to find the net.

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    How it feels to be among Dream Team’s most-popular transfersCredit: AP
    The 0-0 result at the Amex was thoroughly unexpected as Brighton had previously only kept one domestic clean sheet in 2023/24 – they had also scored in every single home fixture.
    While the lack of goals came as a surprise, fans are all too familiar with draws as De Zerbi’s side have registered eight stalemates in the top flight alone – only two other teams have drawn more than five times this term.
    Pedro earned three bonus points and notched two shots on target to satisfy his backers and his haul will only increase his popularity further.
    The ex-Watford forward is currently the third-best performer in his position, behind only Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) and Erling Haaland (£7.9m).
    He’s racked up 176 points in total, putting him just above the likes of Julian Alvarez (£4.3m), Darwin Nunez (£4.2m), Son Heung-min (£4.8m) and Ollie Watkins (£4.2m) in the rankings.
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    Pedro has scored 15 goals in all competitions, a tally built on foundation of converted penalties, and he ranks third among strikers for bonus points.
    One of Dream Team’s most in-form defendersCredit: Dream Team
    But Pedro isn’t the only Brighton asset to evaluate ahead of Gameweek 21.
    Pervis Estupinan (£3.2m) has returned from injury in fine form.
    The Ecuador international has produced 36 points in four outings since his comeback with ten of those coming at Wolves’ expense last time out.
    Naturally, he has benefited from some rare clean sheets but no Dream Team gaffer picks Estupinan for defensive returns, it’s his attacking contributions that make him such an appealing prospect.
    Since the start of Gameweek 17, he’s scored twice and earned six bonus points.
    Estupinan is the joint-top goalscorer among Dream Team defenders and he ranks in the top five in his position for shots in target and big chances created.
    This is particularly impressive given he was sidelined for 15 fixtures with injury.
    Brighton’s fixtures are set fair until mid-MarchCredit: PA

    Pascal Gross (£4.2m) is also worth a mention.
    The experienced German averages 5.8 points-per-game this season, a better rate than Martin Odegaard (£4.6m), Anthony Gordon (£3.8m), Bruno Fernandes (£4.9m) and several other popular midfielders.
    Brighton players aren’t just viable for Gameweek 21 either, their fixtures appear favourable for the next few weeks.
    After Sheffield United and Luton, they face an out-of-form Crystal Palace before a harder test away to Tottenham.
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    Their next four league games after that read: Sheffield United, Everton, Fulham, Nottingham Forest.
    They may also have additional FA Cup fixtures if they progress past the fourth round and it won’t be long before they resume their Europe League campaign having topped a tricky group on paper.

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    Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez combine for 33 points against Bournemouth with former owned by just 7% of Dream Team gaffers

    WHO needs Mohamed Salah (£6.7m)?It took a long while for Liverpool to stamp their authority on Gameweek 20 but it was worth the wait.
    Dream Team managers everywhere were dealt a timely reminder that the Reds are so much more than a one-man team as Diogo Jota (£3.9m) and Darwin Nunez (£4.2m) inspired them to a 4-0 win away to Bournemouth.
    Jota flourished on the south coastCredit: Dream Team
    In the absence of the Egyptian superstar, who remains Dream Team’s overall top scorer, two of Jurgen Klopp’s other forwards stepped up with a brace each.
    The Portugal international was the star of the show, as evidenced by his 18-point return.
    Jota played through the middle and from the right during the course of his 89 minutes on the pitch and gave the Cherries all manner of problems.
    The 27-year-old scored twice, provided an assist (which was also a big chance created) and chipped in with three tackles to claim his biggest haul of the campaign.
    Nunez was at his best at the weekendCredit: AFP
    Nunez’s ownership has increased steadily across the last fortnight and he was a relatively popular captain for this Gameweek too.
    Liverpool’s No9 satisfied his backers with a 15-point return free of the frustrating misses that often undermine his efforts.
    Prior to his departure to the Africa Cup of Nations, Salah appeared in most competitive Dream Teams but Jota currently features in just 7.2% of teams.
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    Nunez is considerably more popular but his ownership of 24.3% is still less than half of Salah’s pre-AFCON peak.
    Klopp’s side remain a fantastic team for gaffers to back despite their top scorer’s absence and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s (£5.7m) injury setback.
    There’s still time for their assets to build upon their Gameweek 20 tallies thanks to Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Fulham.
    Liverpool assets are providing plentiful points this seasonCredit: PA
    Looking forward, Gameweek 21 looks appealing as well.
    Liverpool host Norwich in the FA Cup fourth round before welcoming Chelsea to Merseyside for a midweek Premier League encounter.
    A double header at Anfield has to be considered a favourable prospect given the Reds’ record this season – they’ve won all but two games (both draws) on home soil in all competitions.
    And they average 2.94 goals per home game in 2023/24.
    As for the specific forwards, Jota averages a goal or assist every 84 minutes this season while Nunez lags behind only a fraction behind with a goal involvement every 88 minutes.
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    All signs point toward further returns for Jota and Nunez but how many Dream Team bosses will feel comfortable donating two thirds of their forward line to assets who may only be short-term punts.
    The landscape will change when both Salah and Erling Haaland (£7.9m) are available for selection again.

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    Dream Team gaffers to target additional FA Cup fixtures in Gameweek 21 – just six teams without double duty

    GAMEWEEK 20 rumbles on with four fixtures left to fulfil but it’s certainly not too early for Dream Team managers to start thinking about Gameweek 21.As always, gaffers should give the schedule due consideration when when formulating their plans.
    Gameweek 21 will feature nine relevant FA Cup fourth round games before a full allotment of Premier League fixtures in midweek.
    It may be the case that some managers opt to rotate their starting line-ups between competitions but Dream Team bosses should still be able to identify plenty of players set to play at least 120 minutes this upcoming Gameweek.
    Bukayo Saka and Jarrod Bowen are among the popular players without two fixtures in GW21Credit: Dream Team
    GAMEWEEK 21 – FA CUP FOURTH ROUND FIXTURES

    Bristol City v Nottingham Forest
    Chelsea v Aston Villa
    Tottenham v Manchester City
    Everton v Luton
    Sheffield United v Brighton
    Fulham v Newcastle
    West Brom v Wolves
    Liverpool v Norwich
    Newport v Manchester United

    GAMEWEEK 21 – PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

    Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
    Fulham v Everton
    Luton v Brighton
    Crystal Palace v Sheffield United
    Aston Villa v Newcastle
    Manchester City v Burnley
    Tottenham v Brentford
    Liverpool v Chelsea
    West Ham v Bournemouth
    Wolves v Manchester United

    It’s worth noting that Bournemouth’s FA Cup fourth round meeting with Swansea falls within the current Gameweek due to a scheduling quirk.
    All this means 14 of the 20 top flight clubs are set to pull double duty in Gameweek 21.
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    The six clubs with just one fixture at their disposal are as follows:

    Arsenal
    Brentford
    West Ham
    Burnley
    Crystal Palace
    Bournemouth

    Naturally, the Gunners stand out from that list as Bukayo Saka (£5.9m), William Saliba (£3.4m) and Martin Odegaard (£4.6m) are among the top ten most-popular players in the game with the former topping the tree outright.
    Arsenal have been eliminated from both domestic cupsCredit: Getty
    James Ward-Prowse (£3.9m) and Jarrod Bowen (£5.6m) are both widely-selected as well.
    This does not mean Dream Team managers should necessarily rush to ditch the aforementioned stars.
    Mikel Arteta’s side host Nottingham Forest in Gameweek 21 having addressed their recent form with an emphatic 5-0 win over the Eagles, while the Hammers welcome the Cherries to East London.
    However, gaffers would be wise to ensure they have suitable representation in the FA Cup fourth round if they are to bank a competitive points total this coming Gameweek.
    In terms of which teams to potentially target, Liverpool’s double header of Norwich and Chelsea looks favourable as both games will be held at Anfield – the Reds boast an imperious home record this season.
    Brighton players will be popular recruits this week too with the Seagulls due to face Sheffield United then Luton.
    Even accounting for consecutive away days, the likes of Joao Pedro (£3.8m), Pascal Gross (£4.2m) and Pervis Estupinan (£3.2m) are expected to provide healthy returns.
    A popular man in Dream Team this weekCredit: AP
    Vitaliy Mykolenko (£3.5m), James Tarkowski (£3m) and company will fancy their chances of adding to their extensive clean sheet collection with Luton and Fulham to come in Gameweek 21.
    And of course, Manchester City assets are once again in the spotlight with Kevin De Bruyne (£6.4m) by far and away the most-popular recruit ahead of the deadline as it stands.
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    Pep Guardiola’s troops travel to Spurs on Friday night in what has been something of a bogey fixture for the decorated tactician in recent years but that’s offset with a favourable league game against Burnley at the Etihad five days later.
    The deadline for Gameweek 21 is 6:45pm this Friday.

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    How to select the perfect Dream Team CAPTAIN every single Gameweek

    HERE’S the scenario.You’ve locked in your transfers ahead of the upcoming Gameweek and your Dream Team is looking good.
    There’s just one final decision to make: which of your players to captain?
    It’s not a matter to take lightly either as too many wrong selections could conceivably cost you well over a hundred points over the course of a season.
    In the spirit of generosity, we’ve created a handy guide to follow when choosing your skipper.
    Dream Team captains earn double pointsCredit: Dream Team
    Availability
    First things first, it’s always best to ensure you’re clued up on all your players’ availability as possible.
    At the most basic level, we’re talking about injuries and suspensions (Dream Team publish an article containing all the latest news prior to each Gameweek deadline) but there are other aspects to consider.
    It may be that a manager hints at the need to rest one of his top stars with a view to ensuring their availability for tougher tests to follow.
    Opting to double this player’s points would be sub-optimal to say the least.
    Generally speaking, your captain should be someone who is almost completely immune to rotation – at least in the context of the relevant Gameweek.
    Sometimes it’s worth rolling the dice on an availability risk as captain; if Erling Haaland is only a minor doubt ahead of a juicy home fixture against weakened opposition then the potential rewards may be sufficient to justify such a gamble.
    However, most the time you’ll want to guarantee your skipper’s minutes before considering anything else.
    Captaining a player who doesn’t even make it onto the pitch can be a real hammer blow – avoid this misfortune at all costs.
    A popular captain and with good reasonCredit: Getty
    Fixtures
    Next up, check how many fixtures your potential captains are set to fulfil that Gameweek.
    A good player with two games at his disposal will often outscore a great player with just one fixture.
    One particularly useful statistic to check in this regard is points-per-game average – displayed in the Stats Centre at all times.
    For example, say you’re debating between Bukayo Saka (7.5 points-per-game average) and Pascal Gross (5.5 points-per-game average).
    On a level playing field, Arsenal’s No7 is surely the superior option but if the Gunners had just one fixture in the same time Brighton had two, the German midfielder would deliver more points if the pair both performed in line with expectations.
    This logic isn’t foolproof by any means as there are several other factors to consider.
    In our hypothetical scenario, if Saka scored a hat-trick and Gross produced a below-par performance in their respective league games, the latter would have to pull something truly special out of the bag in his second fixture of the Gameweek to justify his status as captain.
    Weighing up such probabilities is all part of the game but it pays to remember that Dream Team is often a numbers game – more fixtures usually equals more points.
    Saka is usually among the most-popular captain optionsCredit: Getty
    It’s not just the number of fixtures you need to consider when dishing out the armband, the difficulty of your candidates’ match-ups should also be examined.
    It goes without saying that a player set to face Sheffield United is more likely to bag a double-digit haul than a player of similar quality who faces a daunting trip to Anfield.
    But there are levels to such analysis.
    For example, say you’ve narrowed it down to Son Heung-min and Jarrod Bowen for captaincy.
    Tottenham are set to host Bournemouth while West Ham are due to face Arsenal at the Emirates – surely an easy decision in favour of the South Korean forward, right?
    But hang on, what if the Cherries were on a run of five games undefeated at the same time the Gunners were suffering a dip in form?
    What if Bournemouth had kept three consecutive clean sheets on the road and Spurs actually boasted a better record away from North London?
    What if Arsenal’s three best defenders were injured for the Hammers’ visit?
    Suddenly Bowen’s match-up looks more favourable than Son’s and so perhaps the former would be more worthy of the armband.

    We also advise you judge each team on their own merit.
    It’s easy to group all bottom-half teams into one under the general umbrella of “favourable opponents” but dig a little deeper and the outlook changes.
    Some teams are struggling because they have trouble scoring goals but such sides may boast a relatively tight defence.
    Other bottom-half clubs might be conceding loads of goals but scoring a fair few of their own as well.
    You may feel it’s a no-brainer to captain one of your superstar forwards when they’re up against the team 16th in the table but what if that team had the fourth-best defensive record in the league at the time?
    Furthermore, some match-ups have interesting recent histories.
    It’s not that uncommon for a brilliant player to have a bogey team that they consistently struggle against for whatever reason.
    Applying this level of fixture analysis will lead to more captaincy points over the course of a season.
    Keep an eye on players’ points-per-game averagesCredit: Alamy
    Form
    It sounds obvious but many Dream Team bosses fail to fully consider form when selecting their captain.
    The Stats Centre is your friend again here as it helpfully displays each player’s average point-per-game across their three most recent outings.
    This will give you a strong idea of which individuals have been thriving of late without having to trawl through each player profile.
    Say a fully-fit Phil Foden was about to face an relegation-threatened team with a leaky defence.
    That ticks a lot of boxes in regards availability and fixture difficulty but if the Manchester City starlet had mustered just nine points from his previous four appearances that might suggest he’s not adequately prepared to take advantage of the friendly match-up.
    Conversely, Foden might be on a hot scoring streak having impressed against several supposedly difficult opponents.
    In this case, form should probably take preference over his fixture(s) and he would therefore make an excellent captain regards of his upcoming schedule.
    Some players are capable of tapping into a degree of form that means there’s essentially no such thing as “bad fixtures” – Haaland being a prime example.
    Another popular captain among gaffersCredit: AFP
    Conclusion
    We understand that you may not have the time to research form guides and underlying statistics – we try to do as much of that for you as we can on a weekly basis.
    Plus, there are always exceptions and freak outcomes that bamboozle even the most prepared gaffers.
    If you’ve got a strong gut feeling when it comes to captaincy selection then by all means go for it – it’s just a bit of fun after all.
    And the truth is it’s impossible to select the best possible captain every single Gameweek – if football was that predictable it would be boring – but hopefully you’ve picked up something useful from this guide that will increase your returns in the long run.

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    Vitaliy Mykolenko and four other Dream Team stars who should be far more popular this season

    HERE at Dream Team HQ it’s our duty to highlight players who are unfairly overlooked.We’ve assembled a list of five brilliant assets who should be far more popular they than are right now.

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    Overlooked by 97.8% of Dream Team gaffersCredit: Dream Team
    Vitaliy Mykolenko (£3.5m)

    130 points
    2.2% ownership

    Everton’s defence has been genuinely excellent this season.
    Only the current top four of Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Arsenal have conceded fewer league goals than Sean Dyche’s troops.
    The Toffees’ intense left-back has been the main beneficiary, as evidenced by back-to-back clean sheets in Gameweek 20.
    Mykolenko is now the fourth-best defender in the game, behind only Pedro Porro (£3.7m), Kieran Trippier (£5m) and top dog Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m).
    The Ukraine international has contributed to nine clean sheets this season and he racks up plenty of tackles.
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    See also: James Tarkowski (£3m), 122 points and 2% ownership.
    A Dream Team darling of lateCredit: Reuters
    Matheus Cunha (£3.6m)

    149 points
    2.1% ownership

    We pushed the Wolves forward hard ahead of Gameweek 20 and he repaid our faith with a goal and an assist against Brentford in the FA Cup – fingers crossed for more returns against Brighton on Monday night.
    The Brazilian’s tally of seven goals in all competitions may seem modest but he’s a well-rounded forward who dictates a lot of his side’s build-up play as well as letting off his fair share of shots.
    Cunha has provided six assists and his impressive dribbling stats have helped him claim 22 bonus points – the joint-most among assets in his position.
    The former Atletico Madrid man averages 6.5 points-per-game in 2023/24, only Julian Alvarez (£4.3m) boasts a better rate among forwards currently available for selection.
    England’s No1Credit: Getty
    Jordan Pickford (£3m)

    100 points
    4.6% ownership

    This one links back to Everton’s parsimonious defence but it’s worth repeating as their No1 recently became just the third goalkeeper to reach three figures in terms of total season points.
    In an unexpected reversal, Pickford is now underrated having historically been a Dream Team asset with a bloated ownership – usually as a knock-on effect of him being England’s regular between the sticks.
    Andre Onana (£3.6m) is the only keeper with more points at the time of writing and he’s currently away on Cameroon duty.
    Pickford has made 68 saves in total, the seventh-highest tally, which works out at 2.72 per game.
    He’s earned 29 points through saves to date.

    A criminally underrated footballerCredit: Reuters
    Pascal Gross (£4.2m)

    146 points
    2.3% ownership

    The 32-year-old is never going to be among the most trendy Premier League players but it would be a mistake to underestimate him.
    Now a full Germany international, his adaptability and technical skills have made him a key cog in Roberto De Zerbi’s machine at Brighton.
    Whether he’s playing as a deep midfielder, more advanced, or even as a full-back, Gross contributes both in and out of possession, hence his tally of 25 bonus points.
    Only Bukayo Saka (£5.9m) and James Ward-Prowse (£3.9m) have registered more assists than Gross’ nine this term.
    The Seagulls’ midfielders is currently eighth in his position, just ahead of Cole Palmer (£3.9m) who features in 21.1% of teams.
    Goals are finally flowing for Richarlison at SpursCredit: PA
    Richarlison (£3.1m)

    102 points
    2.4% ownership

    This final suggestion is all about form.
    Just over a hundred points is nothing more than respectable for a striker at this stage of the campaign but over half of them have come from his last seven games – that’s the rub.
    The Brazil international has scored six goals in his last six league games and has the luxury of spearheading one of the most attacking sides in the top flight right now.
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    After a disastrous first season at Tottenham, Richarlison now has seven goals and three assists to his name in 18 league outings in 2023/24.
    Dig deeper and that works out at a goal involvement every 101 minutes!

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    Top tips ahead of Score Predictor Matchweek 23 – Somebody must win £500 Amazon gift card!

    SCORE PREDICTOR is nice and easy this Matchweek as there are only five Premier League fixtures taking place from Saturday lunchtime to Monday night.Once again, we’re giving away a £500 Amazon gift card to whomever can get closest to predicting the five results – why not you?

    PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN £500 AMAZON VOUCHER!

    Get involved now!Credit: Dream Team
    Remember, you don’t have to get all five predictions bang on to win the top prize, you just have to earn more points (based on accuracy) than anyone else.
    Score Predictor remains free to play and, if you opt for sheer gut instinct, it takes just seconds to enter your predictions and put yourself in contention for the £500 Amazon gift card.
    Check out our top tips for Matchweek 23 below…
    Arsenal v Crystal Palace
    The Gunners wobbled before their mini break but we’re backing them to come back refreshed.
    And we’re inclined to predict a clean sheet for the hosts because a) only Liverpool have conceded fewer league goals this season, and b) only Sheffield United and Burnley have scored fewer goals than the Eagles.
    Roy Hodgson’s side are even less likely to pose a threat without Michael Olise in their ranks – the stylish winger is expected to be sidelined with injury a little while longer.
    Palace have won just one of their last 11 games in all competitions – a victory over a desperately out-of-form Brentford – and the fans have been vocal in their discontent of late.
    It feels like a routine home win for the stronger team, despite Arsenal’s disappointing results since Christmas.
    Our Prediction: 2-0 to Arsenal
    A turning point for Brentford?Credit: Alamy
    Brentford v Nottingham Forest
    These two sides are separated by just point as it stands but there’s daylight between them in the form table.
    Forest are benefiting from Nuno Espirito Santo’s New Manager Bounce having beaten Newcastle and Manchester United in their last two league games.
    Conversely, the Bees are without a win since December 2nd and consequently find themselves bottom of the form table.
    However, Thomas Frank will be able to play his trump card this Saturday in the form of Ivan Toney, who is available again having served his lengthy suspension.
    Brentford have won only three of their ten home games in the top flight this term while Forest have won just twice on the road.
    Our Prediction: 2-2 draw
    Will Bowen play?Credit: AFP
    Sheffield United v West Ham
    On the surface, this is a meeting between a side destined for relegation against a team currently in the top six.
    However, the Hammers’ strength in depth is being tested with Mohammed Kudus at AFCON and Lucas Paqueta sidelined with injury.
    The final member of their impressive front three, Jarrod Bowen, is nursing an ankle problem but it’s said he may recover in time to play some part against the Blades.
    David Moyes’ side drew 0-0 with Brighton last time out in the league and have since fallen to Bristol City in the FA Cup.
    That being said, it’s hard to ignore the fact Sheffield United have mustered just nine points since promotion and currently have a goal difference of -34!
    Our Prediction: 2-1 to West Ham
    Liverpool are sitting pretty at the top of the tableCredit: Getty
    Bournemouth v Liverpool
    The Reds beat the Cherries 9-0 last season but that was at Anfield and a lot has changed since then.
    At present, both are among the Premier League’s most in-form sides with Andoni Iraola’s troops having won four in a row before they lost to Tottenham in their most recent league outing.
    Jurgen Klopp’s men have scored 17 league goals away from home compared to 26 at Anfield and they will be without key players Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold on Sunday.
    And yet, an away win still feels most likely as the visitors will still be able to field a starting line-up full of firepower.
    Our Prediction: 2-1 to Liverpool
    Entertainment guaranteedCredit: Getty
    Brighton v Wolves
    Monday night’s match-up could be a fun one.
    The Seagulls have only registered one clean sheet in domestic football this season but they average over two goals a game on home soil while Wolves come in undefeated in five (all comps) having won their last three consecutive league games.
    In fact, only Liverpool, Man City and Bournemouth have taken more points from their last five top-flight fixtures than Gary O’Neil’s side.
    And given Brighton have been involved in more draws than any other team in the league this season…
    Our Prediction: 2-2 draw

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    Mohamed Salah & three Manchester City stars feature in Dream Team’s best XI of the season so far

    THE elongated nature of Gameweek 20 allows us time to reflect upon the Dream Team season so far.What better way than the construction of the best XI of the campaign?

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    Stars of the showCredit: Dream Team
    GOALKEEPER: Andre Onana (£3.6m)
    The Cameroon international has led the way in his position for a while now but it still comes as something of a surprise when viewing the Stats Centre.
    Onana’s form has been shaky at best since his transfer to Manchester United, more so during the Red Devils’ failed Champions League group campaign.
    However, Erik ten Hag’s side haven’t actually conceded that many goals on the domestic front and Onana’ s nine clean sheets (all comps) is the highest tally among Dream Team goalkeepers.
    The 27-year-old has also made the most saves (98) which is a concern for the Old Trafford faithful but a profitable source of points for Dream Team gaffers.
    Onana is currently 22 points clear of his closest rivals at the top of the rankings among keepers with 122 overall.
    Look at the stats, not his performances…Credit: Rex
    DEFENDERS
    Most read in Dream Team

    Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) – 169 pts
    Kieran Trippier (£5m) – 162 pts
    Pedro Porro (£3.7m) – 148 pts

    The perfect illustration of the need for attacking impotence in your back line.
    This trio have combined for 27 assists already in 2023/24 with Liverpool’s homegrown hero the pick of the bunch with 11.
    Obviously clean sheets have played a role too – Alexander-Arnold has contributed to nine this term – but it’s no coincidence these three defenders make up the podium for big chances created among assets in their position.
    They’re all among the top five defenders for bonus points as well with Trippier having delivered a whopping 67 accurate crosses, the most among all players.
    If you didn’t already know the benefit of selecting defenders who contribute in the final third, now you do!
    Just as important to Newcastle’s attack as their defenceCredit: Reuters
    MIDFIELDERS

    Bukayo Saka (£5.9m) – 204 pts
    Phil Foden (£5.3m) – 198 pts
    Jarrod Bowen (£5.6m) – 193 pts
    Anthony Gordon (£3.8m) – 161 pts

    An all-English midfield – it’s coming home!
    Arsenal’s resident ‘star boy’ has become the most-popular player in the game during Erling Haaland’s (£7.9m) injury and it’s a measure of his pedigree as a Dream Team asset that he’s continued to tick over nicely despite looking in need of a rest in recent weeks.
    Saka is one of just two players to have celebrated his double century at this stage of the season, he’s scored nine goals and registered 12 assists.
    But Manchester City’s own academy success story has been hunting down his international team-mate at a rapid rate of late.
    Foden has racked up 49 points across his last five outings and is therefore one of the game’s most in-form players – only Bruno Guimaraes (£3.8m) has earned more bonus points this season.
    The 23-year-old has bagged ten goals but he’s not the top-scoring midfielder, that honour belongs to Bowen.

    Granted, West Ham’s No20 has played plenty of minutes as a centre-forward this term, which has undoubtedly help him score 14 goals.
    There are rumours the Hammers’ main man will recover in time to face Sheffield United on Sunday – potentially life-saving news for the 13.8% of Dream Team bosses who didn’t transfer him out ahead of Gameweek 20.
    Gordon completes the quartet having bagged nine points against Manchester City on Saturday.
    The Newcastle winger averages 5.4 points-per-game this season and he’s supplemented his 15 goal involvements with 48 tackles.
    14 goals and countingCredit: PA
    FORWARDS

    Mohamed Salah (£6.7m) – 212 pts
    Erling Haaland (£7.9m) – 195 pts
    Julian Alvarez (£4.3m) – 172 pts

    Liverpool’s Egyptian hero remains Dream Team’s outright leader at the time of writing although his time away at the Africa Cup of Nations presents his rivals with an opportunity to catch up.
    A modern Dream Team legend, Salah has raced to 18 goals and nine assists – it could be argued he deserves more of the latter given he’s created 18 big chances, the highest tally among all players.
    The 31-year-old is on course for another 40+ goal involvement season despite his mid-season departure to AFCON – what a player.
    Haaland’s stint on the sidelines has seen him drop down to fourth in the rankings but the stat to focus on is his points-per-game average of 9.8, the highest in the game.
    Needless to say, the Norwegian poacher’s return from injury will be the next major turning point in the Dream Team campaign.
    Plenty of firepowerCredit: AP
    Last but not least, it’s Haaland’s understudy.
    Alvarez started the season as a No10 but has spent the last few weeks as Manchester City’s centre-forward, a luxurious role to fulfil.
    The Argentina international was a bit-part player in 2022/23 but he’s been a central figure this time around, as evidenced by his tally of 11 goals and ten assists.
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    Whether his playing time will suffer once Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne (£6.4m) resume normal service as regular starters remains to be seen but Alvarez’s efforts throughout the first half of the season deserve proper recognition.
    Joao Pedro (£3.8m) narrowly misses out having plundered 169 points for Brighton.
    Now that’s a Dream Team!Credit: Dream Team
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