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      Which players are out-performing their team-mates the most in Dream Team this season?

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      THE Dream Team Stats Centre tells many stories.One interesting aspect to study is the gap between a team’s best performer and their closest team-mate.Leaving their team-mates in the dustCredit: Dream TeamThese are the seven most significant gaps in total points at this stage of the season, in reverse order.7th: NewcastleAlexander Isak (£6.3m) is 68 points ahead of Anthony Gordon (£5.1m) after the weekend’s FA Cup action, when the former scored his 22nd goal of the season while the latter was sent off for violent conduct.That indiscretion aside, the England winger has enjoyed another prosperous campaign to date and his overall tally of 202 points puts him joint-11th among midfielders.Lewis Hall (£4.2m) and Bruno Guimaraes (£4.5m) have also done well this season, it’s just that the Magpies’ Swedish striker has reached a sky-high level.Among forwards, only Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) and Erling Haaland (£8.1m) average more points-per-game than Isak’s 8.7.22 goals and countingCredit: Reuters6th: BrentfordYoane Wissa (£3.2m) and Mikkel Damsgaard (£3.7m) have performed admirably but the Bees’ main man is undoubtedly Bryan Mbeumo (£4.8m).The Cameroon international is 70 points clear of his next-best team-mate having scored 15 goals and registered six assists.Despite the fact Brentford have not had European commitments to bolster their schedule, only two midfielders have amassed more points than Mbeumo (248 pts).Most read in FootballThe four players with more Premier League goals this term are all categorised as forwards in Dream Team.No midfielder has scored more goals this seasonCredit: Rex5th: Manchester UnitedNo prizes for guessing which Old Trafford resident is carrying the team on his back.The Red Devils have endured a miserable season but Bruno Fernandes (£6.4m) has gone from strength to strength in Dream Team, to the point he’s now the outright best asset in his position.The Portuguese playmaker needs another 14 points to bring up a triple century, something only two other players have achieved at the time of writing.Amad Diallo (£4m) ticked past 200 points just before his season-ending injury (78 points difference) but Man United’s third-best performer, Alejandro Garnacho (£2.8m), is a full 98 points shy of Fernandes.Where would Man United be without their captain?Credit: Getty4th: WolvesMatheus Cunha (£5.2m) has a lead of 94 points over Rayan Ait-Nouri (£3.9m) and the difference would be even greater were it not for his disciplinary issues.Wolves have certainly looked like a one-man team at times this season as the Brazilian takes on numerous responsibilities – he ranks in the top three forwards for shots on target, big chances created, tackles and bonus points.Vitor Pereira’s side are 17th in the table with just 22 points from 27 league games and so it’s not a stretch to say they would be in serious danger of relegation had Cunha not dug deep.The 25-year-old’s lead among the squad will diminish in the coming weeks while he’s suspended but he’s still nailed on to finish as Wolves’ top points scorer.It would be interesting to see what he could achieve at a top-half club…One-man armyCredit: Reuters3rd: ChelseaHe may have gone off the boil a tad in recent weeks but the fact Cole Palmer (£5.8m) remains the Blues’ top star by a whopping 96 points is testament to his efforts across the entire season.The England international is both his side’s top scorer (14 goals) and chief playmaker (nine assists).No midfielder averages more points-per-game than Palmer (9.3) this season.Other Chelsea players have provided healthy returns in patches – Nicolas Jackson (£3.7m), Christopher Nkunku (£3.4m) and Enzo Fernandez (£4m) most notably – but consistency has been a problem.It’s telling that while Palmer is the second-most selected player in the game with an ownership of 56.1%, no other Chelsea asset appears in more than 6% of teams right now.Chelsea are hugely dependent on PalmerCredit: Getty2nd: Manchester CityDream Team managers have become accustomed to seeing several of Pep Guardiola’s favourites hover around the top of the rankings but that’s not the case this season.The likes of Bernardo Silva (£3.9m), Ilkay Gundogan (£3m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£5.2m) have not supplied their usual returns and even Phil Foden (£6.1m) took a long time to get going this campaign.Hence why 28-goal Haaland is a full 115 points ahead of his closest team-mate.The Norwegian No9 has amassed 80 shots on target this season while only one other player has notched more than 42. Shot happyCredit: Getty1st: LiverpoolOf the 27 Dream Team players on 200+ points at this stage, five of them are Liverpool representatives.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) ranks first among defenders with Virgil van Dijk (£4.7m) not far behind in fourth while Luis Diaz (£3.5m) and Cody Gakpo (£4.6m) are ninth and sixth in their respective positions.And yet the Reds’ are the team with the biggest gap between their top performer and the chasing pack because Salah has gone supersonic.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Egyptian superstar has scored 30 goals and provided 22 assists on his way to a total of 433 – 175 points more than Alexander-Arnold.In fact, he’s in a league of his own among all players, 101 points ahead of Haaland.Ballon d’Or loadingCredit: GettyScore PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More

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      Aston Villa differentials justify popularity surge but blank Gameweek looms large this month

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      ASTON VILLA are very much in the Dream Team spotlight right now.Bruno Fernandes (£6.4m) was the most popular recruit prior to the Gameweek 26 deadline but the next four players in the list were all Villa Park residents: Ollie Watkins (£5.2m), Marcus Rashford (£3.5m), Morgan Rogers (£3.9m) and Youri Tielemans (£4m).Smart loan movesCredit: Dream TeamGenerally speaking, the Villains have already justified their recent popularity surge as several players cashed in against Cardiff on Friday night.None more so than Marco Asensio (£3.5m), who also experienced an ownership increase before the favourable FA Cup match-up against Championship opposition.The Spanish loanee bagged a brace, his second in three games, to land a 17-point haul – only Kevin De Bruyne (£5.2m) earned more points among all assets over the weekend.Asensio has scored four goals in his last 194 minutes on the pitchCredit: PASimilarly, Ian Maatsen (£2.6m) is the second-best performer among defenders this Gameweek at present having banked 11 points on Friday night.While Rashford leads the way among forwards with 11 points following his fourth assist in his last five outings – he also registered three shots on target, two big chances created and a bonus point.Watkins also provided an assist on the night and notched eight points for his efforts.With a Champions League round of 16 away day to Club Brugge still to come on Tuesday night, gaffers who stocked up on Villa assets for Gameweek 26 are likely to be immensely satisfied.Watkins is almost guaranteed to start in Belgium on Tuesday nightCredit: GettyUnai Emery’s side are one of just two teams with two fixtures this Gameweek, with Manchester United being the other.Most read in FootballWatkins and company will also pull double duty in Gameweek 27: Brentford (a) and Club Brugge (h).However, Dream Team bosses should be aware that Villa will BLANK in Gameweek 28, as will Crystal Palace, these being the teams originally due to face Carabao Cup finalists Liverpool and Newcastle.This means managers currently heavy on Villa players will need an exit strategy.A failure to plan ahead puts on at risk of being lumbered with multiple non-active players in Gameweek 28, which could undo the good work of Asensio, Rashford, etc.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 NOW More

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      Injuries & suspensions update ahead of Gameweek 26: Latest on Alexander Isak ahead of FA Cup weekend

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      DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news for Gameweek 26 in one convenient location.Eddie Howe was characteristically vague when discussing Alexander Isak’s availability.Newcastle’s top scorer, who is the fifth-most popular player in the game at present, was absent from the squad at Anfield on Wednesday night because of a groin issue.Speaking in his Friday press conference, Howe said: “We’ll see today. I haven’t seen him since the [Liverpool] game, so we’ll have a discussion with him. We don’t think it’s a long-term problem. We’ll see how he is today.”Isak is a doubt having missed Newcastle’s trip to LiverpoolCredit: Dream TeamBoth Joelinton and Sven Botman “have a chance” of featuring against Brighton in the FA Cup on Sunday but a final decision will be made after today’s training session.The Seagulls are expected to have the same squad available from their win over Bournemouth on Tuesday night.Unai Emery named Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings, Emi Martinez, Boubacar Kamara and Donyell Malen as doubts for tonight’s meeting with Cardiff.Ross Barkley and Pau Torres are definitely out.Morgan Rogers shook off his niggle and started against Crystal Palace in the week.There were some concerns about Alejandro Garnacho’s fitness after he headed straight down the tunnel after being substituted against Ipswich in midweek but Ruben Amorim has said there is “not an issue”.Most read in FootballThe Argentina winger did pick up a knock but will be involved in some capacity against Fulham.Patrick Dorgu starts a three-game domestic ban following his red card against the Tractor Boys.Dorgu was dismissed against IpswichCredit: GettyRyan Christie has played through a groin injury of late but the Bournemouth midfielder may have to sit out against Wolves on Saturday.Oliver Glasner reported no new injuries ahead of Millwall’s visit to Selhurst Park on Saturday, alleviating concerns about Marc Guehi, who underwent treatment last time out.Adam Wharton’s workload may be managed following his first start of the calendar year.Wharton impressed against VillaCredit: GettyARSENALInjuries: Takehiro Tomiyasu, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai HavertzSuspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Pau Torres, Ross Barkley, Donyell Malen (doubt), Boubacar Kamara (doubt), Tyrone Mings (doubt), Emi Martinez (doubt), Matty Cash (doubt), Amadou Onana (doubt)Suspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Julian Araujo, Marcos Senesi, Adam Smith, Evanilson, Enes Unal, Ryan Christie (doubt)Suspensions: Illia ZabarnyiBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Gustavo Nunes, Igor Thiago, Rico Henry, Sepp van den Berg, Mathias Jensen, Christian NorgaardSuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: James Milner, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jason Steele, Igor Julio, Lewis Dunk, Joel VeltmanSuspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu, Noni Madueke, Trevoh ChalobahSuspensions: Mykhailo MudrykCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Cheick Doucoure, Joel Ward, Chadi RiadSuspensions: NoneEVERTONInjuries: Dwight McNeil, Armando Broja, Seamus Coleman, Orel Mangala, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman NdiayeSuspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Kenny Tete, Reiss Nelson, Harry Wilson, Emile Smith Rowe (doubt)Suspensions: Sasa LukicIPSWICHInjuries: Chiedozie Ogbene, Conor Chaplin (doubt), Christian Walton, Wes Burns, Julio Enciso, Kalvin PhillipsSuspensions: NoneLEICESTERInjuries: Ricardo Pereira, Abdul FatawuSuspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Joe Gomez, Conor BradleySuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Oscar Bobb, Rodri, Manuel Akanji, John StonesSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Altay Bayindir, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez, Tom Collyer, Kobbie Mainoo, Amad DialloSuspensions: Patrick DorguNEWCASTLEInjuries: Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman (doubt), Joelinton (doubt), Alexander Isak (doubt)Suspensions: NoneNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Carlos MiguelSuspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Ross Stewart, Ryan Fraser, Juan Larios, Adam Lallana, Jan Bednarek, Kyle Walker-Peters (doubt), James BreeSuspensions: NoneTOTTENHAMInjuries: Cristian Romero, Dominic Solanke, Radu Dragusin, Richarlison, Micky van de Ven, Ben Davies (doubt)Suspensions: NoneWEST HAMInjuries: Michail Antonio, Vladimir Coufal, Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville, Lucas PaquetaSuspensions: NoneWOLVESREAD MORE SUN STORIESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Yerson Mosquera, Leon Chiwone, Hwang Hee-chan, Sam Johnstone (doubt), Rodrigo Gomes, Emmanuel AgbadouSuspensions: None More

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      Captaincy options for Gameweek 26: Jean-Philippe Mateta among alternatives to popular choice Mohamed Salah

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      DREAM TEAM managers haven’t had to think all that hard about captaincy in recent weeks.Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) is by far and away the game’s top performer having racked up 433 points at an average of 11.1 per game.The popular choice for a reasonCredit: PAOpting to double the returns of Liverpool’s top scorer has essentially been the only logical choice for the majority of the campaign.But ahead of Gameweek 26, gaffers should at least entertain some other possibilities.Staying loyal to Salah will be the most popular decision but the Reds’ only fixture is a tricky one in the form of PSG away in the Champions League round of 16.Luis Enrique’s side have won 14 of their last 15 games and smashed Brest 10-0 on aggregate in the play-off round of Europe’s most prestigious competition.Such is Salah’s form, he could easily run amok in the French capital but Dream Team bosses who prioritise fixtures above all else when deciding their strategy may be hesitant to captain the 32-year-old on this occasion.Lone rangerCredit: ReutersGaffers brave enough to bet against Salah in Gameweek 26 will be tempted to bestow the armband on Bruno Fernandes (£6.2m).Manchester United’s captain top scored in Gameweek 25 when he earned a combined total of 27 points from outings against Everton and Ipswich.The Red Devils are almost totally reliant on the Portugal international and so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he started against Fulham (FA Cup) and Real Sociedad (Europa League) in the coming days.Most read in FootballIf this is the case then he may end up playing twice as many minutes as Salah in Gameweek 26.Fernades averages 7.1 points-per-game this season and so it’s reasonable to expect a healthy double-digit haul from him, making him a appealing captaincy option.Corner flags bewareCredit: GettyAlternatively, Dream Team managers might want to target an FA Cup mismatch.Crystal Palace are in fine form right now and Oliver Glasner tends to name strong starting line-ups in the domestic cups.Jean-Philippe Mateta (£4.7m) could feast against Millwall on Saturday if unleashed from the off at Selhurst Park.The Frenchman has scored eight goals in nine games since the turn of the year.Captaining a defender would be a very bold move indeed but Daniel Munoz (£5.1m) is worthy of a mention on current form.The Eagles’ Colombian wing-back has contributed to six clean sheets in nine outings – he’s also provided two goals and three assists in the same time frame.Should Guardiola prioritise the FA Cup for the remainder of the season?Credit: GettyElsewhere, Manchester City’s meeting with Plymouth leaps out of the schedule.Pep Guardiola’s side are not at the peak of their powers by any means but a home game against a team in the relegation zone of the Championship is bursting with potential.The FA Cup is the last remaining route to a trophy for City in 2024/25 (not including the post-season Club World Cup) and so a relatively strong starting XI is to be expected.Whether that includes Erling Haaland (£8.1m) remains to be seen – the big No9 only returned from injury in midweek.But with no European fixture in midweek, there’s no real need for Guardiola to take it easy on Saturday.The Pilgrims did upset Liverpool in the last round but a capitulation at the Etihad seems more likely that lightning striking twice.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere’s almost certainly a worthy captain in City’s ranks in Gameweek 26, he’s just not all that easy to pick out of the crowd.Whatever you decide, make sure to select your captain before 6:30pm today! More

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      Transfer recommendations ahead of Gameweek 26: European specialists and FA Cup wildcards

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      DREAM TEAM managers have until 6:30pm on Friday to confirm their transfers for Gameweek 26.As usual, we’ve trawled the Stats Centre and analysed the schedule to come up with some informed recommendations.Forget Man United’s performances and focus on their skipper’s individual outputCredit: Dream TeamBruno Fernandes (£6.2m)Manchester United’s captain is an excellent option for a number of reasons.Firstly, his rescue jobs against Everton and Ipswich produced more points (27) than any other player managed in Gameweek 25.Secondly, the Red Devils are one of just two teams set to play two fixtures this coming Gameweek: Fulham (h) and Real Sociedad (a).More broadly, Man United will play FIVE times before the March international break – some teams will be in action just twice in the same time frame.And thirdly, Fernandes has risen to third in the overall rankings and first among midfielders!Ollie Watkins (£5.2m)A popular recruit this weekCredit: PAAston Villa are the other club set to pull double duty this coming Gameweek.The Villains will host Cardiff on Friday night before flying to Belgium to take on Club Brugge in the Champions League round of 16.There’s no guarantee Watkins will be unleashed upon Championship opposition as Unai Emery may opt to rotate his squad but the England striker will almost certainly start in Bruges and is therefore a good selection either way.Most read in FootballAlternatively, you might want to target Villa’s FA Cup game and view the European away day as a bonus.Might Marcus Rashford (£3.4m) start against Cardiff and then come off the bench in midweek?Marco Asensio (£3.2m) bagged 17 points in Gameweek 25 and should get his fair share of minutes across the two games.And of course, Morgan Rogers (£3.8m) remains a strong option having recovered from a minor injury and scored against Crystal Palace.Dominik Szoboszlai (£4.3m)Hungary for moreCredit: RexLiverpool have just one fixture in Gameweek 26 and a tricky one at that; PSG in the French capital on Wednesday night.Gone are the days of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe but Luis Enrique’s side are a dangerous prospect at present having won 14 of their last 15 games in all competitions.Ousmane Dembele and company racked up an aggregate score of 10-0 over Brest in the play-offs to reach the Champions League last 16.All that being said, Arne Slot’s side finished top of the league phase in Europe’s premier competition and are cruising towards Premier League glory.Mohamed Salah (£8.3m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) and Virgil van Dijk (£4.6m) are the bankers but Dream Team bosses searching for a potential difference-maker among Liverpool’s squad should consider Szoboszlai.The Hungarian No8 has amassed 52 points in his last six games and currently features in just 6.8% of teams.Daniel Munoz (£5.1m) and/or Jean-Philippe Mateta (£4.7m)Firmly back among the goalsCredit: ReutersGaffers hoping to target an FA Cup mismatch should look to Selhurst Park.Oliver Glasner tends to name strong sides in the domestic cups and so it would be no surprise if Munoz and Mateta, two of the game’s most in-form players right now, started at home to Millwall on Saturday.The Lions are currently 12th in the Championship and should be no match for a Palace outfit that have improved immeasurably since the first quarter of the campaign.READ MORE SUN STORIESMunoz ranks joint-third among Dream Team defenders – he took 15 points off Doncaster in the FA Cup fourth round – while only Salah has earned more points than Mateta from his last three outings among forwards.These don’t need to be one-week punts either as the Eagles are due to face relegation-threatened Ipswich in Gameweek 27. More

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      Which teams have the most favourable fixtures until the March international break?

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      FEBRUARY is almost at an end which means the March international break is coming into view.Dream Team will pause for World Cup qualifiers at the end of March but managers have three Gameweeks to navigate before then and they should take note of which teams have the most favourable fixtures in this time.Target additional European fixtures in MarchCredit: Dream TeamThe first thing to note is that Crystal Palace, West Ham, Everton, Southampton, Brentford and Leicester have just two fixtures each across the next three Gameweeks – a light workload.The Eagles’ two games are relatively favourable – Millwall and Ipswich – but backers of Daniel Munoz (£5.1m), Eberechi Eze (£4.5m) and friends should be wary of their blank in Gameweek 28.Now let’s take a closer look at the teams with three fixtures to fulfil until the international break.MANCHESTER CITY: Plymouth (h), Nottingham Forest (a), Brighton (h) NEWCASTLE: Brighton (h), West Ham (a), Liverpool (n)NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Ipswich (h), Manchester City (a), Ipswich (h)BOURNEMOUTH: Wolves (h), Tottenham (a), Brentford (h)WOLVES: Bournemouth (a), Everton (h), Southampton (a) FULHAM: Manchester United (a), Brighton (a), Tottenham (h)BRIGHTON: Newcastle (a), Fulham (h), Manchester City (a)IPSWICH: Nottingham Forest (a), Crystal Palace (h), Nottingham Forest (a)In previous seasons, Pep Guardiola’s side have nearly always been on the right side of any fixture imbalances but their elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid means the likes of Erling Haaland (£8.1m), Josko Gvardiol (£4.3m) and Phil Foden (£6.3m) won’t have as many point-scoring opportunities as usual.This will never be more apparent than in Gameweek 27 when six English clubs will have a European round of 16 second leg as an additional midweek fixture while Man City’s stars twiddle their thumbs.Man City will not be involved in the Champions League round of 16Credit: GettyA quick glance at those match-ups suggests there could be more points to come from in-form players such as Chris Wood (£4.2m), Alexander Isak (£6m) and Matheus Cunha (£5.2m) but gaffers shouldn’t accommodate too many players with just three games in the diary from now until the end of Gameweek 28.The focus should be on individuals with a busy schedule, which brings us neatly onto the clubs with FOUR fixtures…Most read in FootballLIVERPOOL: PSG (a), Southampton (h), PSG (h), Newcastle (n)ARSENAL: PSV (a), Manchester United (a), PSV (h), Chelsea (h)ASTON VILLA: Cardiff (h), Club Brugge (a), Brentford (a), Club Brugge (h)TOTTENHAM: AZ Alkmaar (a), Bournemouth (h), AZ Alkmaar (h), Fulham (a)CHELSEA: Copenhagen (a), Leicester (h), Copenhagen (h), Arsenal (a)The Reds’ double header at Anfield in Gameweek 27 against Saints and PSG looks particularly appealing – Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) could go stratospheric – and it will be interesting to see what Cole Palmer (£5.8m) can achieve in the Conference League now he’s been added to Chelsea’s squad for the knockout stage.Gaffers keen on Morgan Rogers (£3.8m), Ollie Watkins (£5.2m) and other Villa assets should bear in mind that Unai Emery’s troops will blank in Gameweek 28 – their four games are crammed into Gameweeks 26 and 27.Rogers and Watkins have two double headers then a blank across the next three GameweeksCredit: GettySpurs remain 13th in the Premier League but several of their players have excelled in Dream Team this season.Son Heung-min (£4.8m), Dejan Kulusevski (£4.4m), Pedro Porro (£4.8m), James Maddison (£4.3m) and Brennan Johnson (£3.5m) are all among the elite group of 26 assets on 200+ points at this stage of the campaign.An emphatic performance over two legs against Eredivisie opposition in the Europa League last 16 would be very useful indeed.Last but by no means least, it’s Manchester United, the only team with FIVE fixtures across the next three Gameweeks.MANCHESTER UNITED: Fulham (h), Real Sociedad (a), Arsenal (h), Real Sociedad (h), Leicester (a)This quirk in the schedule would usually encourage Dream Team managers to stock up on Red Devils but such a strategy feels counterintuitive given the unconvincing nature of their performances.By far and away Man United’s top performer in Dream TeamCredit: GettyBruno Fernandes (£6.2m) is the blindingly obvious exception.The Portuguese playmaker is a one-man army who has amassed 271 points to date, a tally only bettered by Salah and Haaland.READ MORE SUN STORIESFernandes’ form combined with his fixtures essentially makes him a must-have lock for March.Among available players, Alejandro Garnacho (£3.1m), Noussair Mazraoui (£3.1m) and Diogo Dalot (£2.7m) are Man United’s next best performers in terms of total points but many gaffers will be understandably hesitant to put their trust in any Old Trafford resident other than Fernandes. More

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      Cole Palmer has gone off the boil but appealing fixtures encourage Dream Team bosses to hold their nerve

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      FOR the first time in his career, Cole Palmer (£5.8m) has gone off the boil.After an uncharacteristically wasteful performance against Southampton on Tuesday night, Chelsea’s talisman took to Instagram to tell fans: “Don’t worry I will be back.”Palmer wasn’t his usual self against SouthamptonCredit: Dream TeamPalmer has now gone seven games without a goal, which isn’t a catastrophe for a midfielder by any means but it represents a significant downturn from the immensely high standards he has set for himself since his move to Stamford Bridge.A home game against bottom-of-the-league Saints seemed like the perfect opportunity for the 22-year-old to end his drought but he squandered several chances, failing to exhibit the composure he has become known for in the last year.Christopher Nkunku (£3.2m), Pedro Neto (£2.8m), Levi Colwill (£2.7m) and Marc Cucurella (£3.6m) all got on the scoresheet in what was a much-needed win for the Blues but Palmer’s dipping form remains a concern for Enzo Maresca.And it’s giving plenty of Dream Team managers headaches too.Stick or twist?Credit: GettyWith 260 points to his name, Palmer’s overall record remains hugely impressive.Even now, only runaway leader Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) boasts a superior points-per-game average.Alongside his 14 goals and nine assists, Palmer ranks third among all assets for shots on target, joint-fourth for big chances created, and joint-ninth for bonus points.The fact the 56.8%-owned midfielder has so many avenues to points has proved useful in recent weeks when goals have deserted him.Most read in FootballSince his last goal, Palmer has ticked over with 39 points at an average of 5.6 points-per-game, which is not to be sniffed at in the slightest.Such is the England star’s level that his returns have remained healthy enough during his ‘bad spell’.Maresca has added Palmer to his Conference League squadCredit: ReutersBut his owners have every right to feel frustrated as more than a few points have gone begging in the last month or so.What’s telling is that, at this moment in time, Palmer is among the most transferred-out players ahead of Gameweek 26.Having been eliminated from the FA Cup by Brighton, Chelsea’s only fixture this coming Gameweek is against Copenhagen in the Conference League round of 16.Dream Team managers should be aware that Palmer has been added to the club’s European squad and is therefore eligible to play in Denmark next Thursday.He wasn’t included in the squad for the league phase in an effort to manage his workload but with the West Londoners heavy favourites to lift the trophy come May, Maresca has called up his star player.Palmer might feature against CopenhagenCredit: PAIt’s still difficult to predict Palmer’s minutes against Copenhagen but the prospect of him playing in Europe’s tertiary competition is an appealing one.Looking slightly further ahead, Gameweek 27 appears mightily favourable for Chelsea on paper.READ MORE SUN STORIES19th-placed Leicester are due in the capital four days before Copenhagen fly over for the second leg.Palmer may not be at his best but gaffers prepared to go without him for that double header will surely be worried about extensive damage. More

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      Most transferred-out player this week a strong option for Gameweek 26 — transfers can be reversed!

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      CONSIDER this a timely reminder that Dream Team managers can reverse their transfers any time before the deadline.Morgan Rogers (£3.8m) is currently the most transferred-out player this week despite the fact he appears to be a strong option for Gameweek 26.Rogers is not injured, far from it…Credit: Dream TeamThe Aston Villa midfielder picked up a minor injury against Chelsea last weekend and was considered a doubt for his side’s trip to Crystal Palace on Tuesday night.However, not only was Rogers named in the starting line-up at Selhurst Park, he scored a classy goal as part of a 10-point return.It was a sobering night for the Villains as they succumbed to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Oliver Glasner’s side but a 12th goal of the season for their skilful No27 should prompt thousands of overzealous Dream Team bosses to rethink their strategy for the upcoming Gameweek.There’s no doubt Rogers’ availability question mark was a significant factor in his popularity drop but Tuesday night’s events have changed the outlook dramatically.Rogers is in line to start against Club BruggeCredit: GettyFar from a player to ditch ahead of Gameweek 26, the 22-year-old appears to be an easy hold.Unai Emery’s side are one of only two teams (Manchester United being the other) set to play twice this coming Gameweek, although rotation is to be expected against Cardiff in Friday night’s FA Cup fifth round fixture.Even if Rogers doesn’t feature at all against the Bluebirds, he is virtually guaranteed to start against Club Brugge in the Champions League on Tuesday night.And given five teams will blank in Gameweek 26 around some unpredictable fixtures in the FA Cup, keeping hold of Dream Team’s sixth-best midfielder seems sensible.Most read in FootballLooking further ahead, Villa are one of just six teams with two fixtures in Gameweek 27: Brentford (a) and Club Brugge (h).Villa have two fixtures to fulfil in Gameweek 26Credit: RexHaving been a bit-part player in the second half of 2023/24 following his arrival from Middlesbrough, Rogers has become one of Emery’s most trusted regulars this season.Among outfield players, only Youri Tielemans (£4m) has played more minutes for Villa in the Premier League at this stage of the campaign.Rogers has amassed 215 points via 19 goal involvements.He’s also registered more successful dribbles (83) than any other player in the game, his main source of bonus points.His disciplinary record is a worry as only Crystal Palace’s Will Hughes (£3m) has received more yellow cards this season but his strengths far outweigh his weaknesses.Rogers shouldn’t even be among the top five most transferred-out players for Gameweek 26, let alone number one. More