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DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 17 in one easily digestible dose.As always, Eddie Howe kept his cards close to his chest in regards to Newcastle’s availability doubts.
A late decision is to be made on Joelinton (£3.7m), Fabian Schar (£3.9m) and Anthony Gordon (£4m).
Speaking about the latter, the Magpies’ boss said: “Anthony was sore. It was a horrible challenge on him, I am really disappointed with the tackle – we will see how he is today.”
Alexander Isak (£4.1m) is deemed “50/50” for Newcastle’s trip to Luton on Saturday.

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Dream Team bosses once again have a decision to make on GordonCredit: Reuters
This weekend comes too soon for Thomas Partey (£2.6m) who is “still finalising his rehab” and Arsenal are generally light in midfield with Mohamed Elneny (£1.3m) and Fabio Vieira (£2.4m) also sidelined – Jorginho (£2.1m) is a doubt too.
Seamus Coleman (£2.1m) is “touch and go” for Everton’s trip to Tottenham this weekend but Sean Dyche confirmed that Vitaliy Mykolenko (£3.4m) is in contention having returned to training this week.
Abdoulaye Doucoure (£3.2m) won’t feature for the Toffees on Saturday but his injury is a minor one and the club are hopeful of a quick return.
As for Spurs, Yves Bissouma (£2.6m) and Destiny Udogie (£2.5m) are both suspended, though the latter will be available in midweek.
James Ward-Prowse (£4.4m) and Lucas Paqueta (£4.1m) were named on West Ham’s bench in midweek but David Moyes expressed the need for rotation – both midfielders are likely to start at home to Manchester United.
Villa will be without their in-form centre-back tonightCredit: Dream Team
Unai Emery revealed to reporters that he’ll be without both Youri Tielemans (£2.7m) and Pau Torres (£3.1m) this evening.
Boubacar Kamara (£2.2m) is also suspended for Sheffield United’s visit to Villa Park following his red card last time out but both Douglas Luiz (£3.7m) and Lucas Digne (£3m) are available again.
The Villains’ tactician suggested Clement Lenglet (£2.3m) would play at centre-back in Torres’ absence.
Pedro Neto (£3.2m) may be included in Wolves’ Christmas Eve squad for the first time since pulling up with a hamstring injury.
The Portuguese winger has participated in full training all week with the rest of the squad.
Reece James (£3.5m) is set to undergo surgery in Finland and is expected to be sidelined until at least March.
Kaoru Mitoma (£3.5m) was seen leaving Selhurst Park on crutches on Thursday night – he is therefore a doubt to face Spurs later in Gameweek 17.

ARSENAL
Injuries: Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, Fabio Vieira, Mohamed Elneny, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jorginho (doubt)
Suspensions: None
ASTON VILLA
Injuries: Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Bertrand Traore, Robin Olsen, Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans
Suspensions: Boubacar Kamara
BOURNEMOUTH
Injuries: Ryan Fredericks, Emiliano Marcondes, Tyler Adams, Max Aarons, Lloyd Kelly, Hamed Traore, Antoine Semenyo (doubt), Milos Kerkez
Suspensions: None
BRENTFORD
Injuries: Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, Nathan Collins, Mathias Jensen, Bryan Mbeumo, Kristoffer Ajer,
Suspensions: Ivan Toney, Frank Onyeka, Ben Mee
BRIGHTON
Injuries: Julio Enciso, Pervis Estupinan, Solly March, Tariq Lamptey, Adam Webster, Ansu Fati, Joel Veltman, Kaoru Mitoma (doubt)
Suspensions: None
BURNLEY
Injuries: Jack Cork (doubt), Luka Koleosho, Aaron Ramsey (doubt), Johan Berg Gudmundsson (doubt)
Suspensions: None
CHELSEA
Injuries: Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Romeo Lavia (doubt), Noni Madueke (doubt), Ben Chilwell, Lesley Ugochukwo, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez, Enzo Fernandez (doubt)
Suspensions: None
CRYSTAL PALACE
Injuries: Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Cheick Doucoure, Joel Ward, Rob Holding, Sam Johnstone, Odsonne Edouard
Suspensions: None
EVERTON
Injuries: Dele Alli, Andre Gomes, Seamus Coleman (doubt), Ashley Young (doubt), Abdoulaye Doucoure
Suspensions: None
FULHAM
Injuries: Adama Traore, Tim Ream
Suspensions: Raul Jimenez
LIVERPOOL
Injuries: Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Andy Robertson, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch (doubt)
Suspensions: None
LUTON
Injuries: Dan Potts, Reece Burke, Cauley Woodrow (doubt), Tom Lockyer
Suspensions: Marvelous Nakamba
MANCHESTER CITY
Injuries: Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku (doubt), Erling Haaland (doubt)
Suspensions: None
MANCHESTER UNITED
Injuries: Amad Diallo, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen (doubt), Mason Mount, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Anthony Martial (doubt)
Suspensions: Diogo Dalot
NEWCASTLE
Injuries: Javier Manquillo, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy, Elliot Anderson, Matt Targett, Joe Willock, Nick Pope, Anthony Gordon (doubt), Joelinton (doubt), Fabian Schar (doubt), Alexander Isak (doubt), Emil Krafth (doubt)
Suspensions: Sandro Tonali
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Injuries: Taiwo Awoniyi, Felipe (doubt), Serge Aurier (doubt), Ibrahim Sangare (doubt)
Suspensions: None
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Injuries: Rhys Norrington-Davies, Daniel Jebbison, John Egan, Chris Basham, Tom Davies, Rhian Brewster
Suspensions: None
TOTTENHAM
Injuries: Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Alfie Whiteman, Manor Solomon, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur
Suspensions: Yves Bissouma, Destiny Udogie
WEST HAM
Injuries: Maxwel Cornet (doubt), Michail Antonio, Nayef Aguerd (doubt)
Suspensions: None
WOLVES
Injuries: Joe Hodge, Nelson Semedo (doubt), Pedro Neto (doubt)
Suspensions: None

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MAKE sure you confirm your Dream Team transfers before Friday’s 7pm deadline to make the most of the festive period.With almost daily Premier League action from now until the new year, it’s imperative your XI is set up to capture as many points as possible.
Let’s start with transfer suggestions for Gameweek 17, though we’ll spare you the usual names who go without saying: Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m), Son Heung-min (£4.6m), Bukayo Saka (£6.6m), etc.

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Dream Team ownership of 5.7%Credit: Dream Team
Ezri Konsa (£3.3m)
Dream Team bosses should target the first fixture of Gameweek 17 as it’s a big mismatch.
Aston Villa boast the best home record in the Premier League this season (averaging three goals per game) and this Friday they’ll host Sheffield United, the side currently propping up the league table in 20th.
The Blades have conceded the most goals and scored the fewest – it really should be one-way traffic in the hosts’ favour.
Ollie Watkins (£4.6m) is first in line to benefit but he’s in that obvious category.
Backing multiple Villa assets certainly wouldn’t be overkill and Konsa is among those worthy of serious consideration.
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The 26-year-old is one of just seven defenders to have reached 100 points this season and the main reason for that is his ability to earn bonus points.
Villa’s No4 has 29 bonus points to his name, putting him at the top of the podium among defender, just above Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) and Kieran Trippier (£5.2m).
Friday’s fixture is Konsa’s best chance of a substantial haul but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he added a few more to his tally at Old Trafford on Boxing Day – Manchester United have scored fewer league goals than Bournemouth, Wolves and Everton this term.
Bruno Guimaraes (£3.7m)
Bonus ball!Credit: AFP
Newcastle face Luton and Nottingham Forest in Gameweek 17 – that screams points.
The problem is that there are question marks over usual suspects Kieran Trippier (£5.2m) and Anthony Gordon (£4m).
The former’s form has fallen off a cliff this month while the latter is once again a doubt having taken a “nasty knock” in midweek.
Perhaps Guimaraes is the man for the task?
The Brazil international has earned the most bonus points among all assets this season and he gets through plenty of tackles.
Granted, he’s only scored one goal in all competitions this campaign but he’s amassed 116 points and that’s what ultimately matters.
The main takeaway from this suggestion should be that somewhere in the Magpies’ squad there is a player who will do very, very well against Luton and Forest – it’s just a matter of finding him.

Cole Palmer (£3.2m)
Palmer has hit the ground runningCredit: EPA
Chelsea are not a team to be relied upon this season but four of their players have passed the 100-point mark – the same number as Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
Palmer is among that crop having pocketed 17 points in Gameweek 16.
The 21-year-old has quickly become a key player for the Blues with six goals and six assists in his first 17 appearances for the club.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side play Wolves on Christmas Eve before hosting Crystal Palace three days later.
Nottingham Forest are the only side below the Eagles in the form table right now so Chelsea’s double header has to be considered favourable, despite the fact they’re only tenth in the league themselves.
Palmer is the man in form but it may be wise to opt for a defensive asset instead, given Wolves and Palace’s respective struggles in front of goal lately.
Levi Colwill (£2.5m), Thiago Silva (£2.9m) and Axel Disasi (£2.9m) are all coming off double-digit hauls in Gameweek 16 and are very affordable.
Dominic Solanke (£3.6m)
Punching above his weightCredit: EPA
Bournemouth’s No9 appeared to have notched his tenth goal of the season last weekend before the fixture against Luton was rightfully abandoned because of Tom Lockyer’s medical emergency.
Given that only six Dream Team players have reached double figures for goals in all competitions at this stage of the season, Solanke deserves to be thought of as strong option.
The Cherries have been in fine form of late, in stark contrast to Saturday’s opponents, Forest, who were forced to part with Steve Cooper after a dismal run of results.
Barring a sizeable New Manager Bounce, Andoni Iraola’s men should make most of the running this weekend and the stats suggest Solanke is most likely to benefit.
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Bournemouth then host Fulham on Boxing Day, a tougher proposition on paper but hardly a match-up to swerve.
With many gaffers ditching Erling Haaland (£7.9m) and Julian Alvarez (£4.2m) this week, Solanke should be considered a potentially smart option, at least in the short term.

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MANCHESTER CITY, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Brentford are the only teams that won’t fulfil two fixtures in Gameweek 18.With the vast majority of teams set to pull double duty, Dream Team managers should be hopeful of a massive score.
Erling Haaland (£7.9m) may well start against Everton on December 27th but it’s almost certainly a better idea to captain a player with two bites at the cherry this coming Gameweek.
Let’s run through the best options…

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Only Salah and Haaland have scored more league goals than Son this seasonCredit: Dream Team
CAPTAINCY OPTIONS
Son Heung-min (£4.6m) has scored ten goals in 17 league appearances this season at a rate of one every 142.9 minutes.
Tottenham host Everton on Saturday before a trip to Brighton next Thursday and while those two opponents don’t necessarily make for the most favourable match-ups, the attacking verve of Ange Postecoglou’s side is the prevailing factor.
Spurs have scored in every game this season and their captain has either scored or assisted 40% of their league goals.
Son averages nine points-per-game across his last three outings.
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Alternatively, Ollie Watkins (£4.6m) may fit the bill.
Any Dream Team gaffer worth their salt is aware of Aston Villa’s imperious home record this year and their top scorer is expected to could feast against Sheffield United at Villa Park on Friday night.
The England international has raced to 20 goal involvements this season and a meeting with the Blades is the most favourable top-flight fixture an asset could ask for right now.
Unai Emery’s side will then travel to Old Trafford on Boxing Day hopeful of a statement win on the road against a Manchester United outfit blighted by injuries and other issues.
Given Villa are four places and ten points ahead of the Red Devils in the table, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if Watkins came to the fore again.
A likely scorer at home to Sheffield United on FridayCredit: Getty
Mohamed Salah (£6.6m) will be most Dream Team bosses’ default captain when Haaland is not viable and with good reason.
Liverpool’s No11 is joint-second in the rankings having plundered 13 points in Gameweek 16 – he now has 15 goals and eight assists to his name this campaign.
However, while the Reds’ trip to Turf Moor on Boxing Day appears ripe for plentiful points, this Saturday’s meeting with Arsenal is a tough match-up on paper.
The Gunners have conceded just 15 league goals so far and their xGA (expected goals allowed) of 12.7 is comfortably the best in the top flight.
Jurgen Klopp’s men usually run riot at Anfield but last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Man United will have given Arsenal hope of a rearguard that may limit Salah’s returns.
The Egyptian superstar remains a strong option, of course, he’s amassed 181 points in total.
Elsewhere, Newcastle have excellent fixtures on paper in the form of Luton (a) and Nottingham Forest (h) in Gameweek 17.
In theory, there must be a smart captaincy choice among their squad somewhere but there are a few factors confusing the matter.

Kieran Trippier (£5.2m) would have been a no-brainer a few weeks ago but his form has fallen off a cliff this month.
Anthony Gordon (£4m) is Dream Team’s fourth-best midfielder but he’s an availability doubt having taken what Eddie Howe described as a “nasty knock” in midweek.
More broadly, the Magpies are in the midst of an elongated injury crisis with a number of key players sidelined or uncertain ahead of the festive period.
Strangely, Bruno Guimaraes (£3.7m) may be the Toon’s best captaincy candidate as he hoards bonus points like nobody else in the game but it would be a bold move given he’s scored just one goal this season.
BOOSTER STRATEGIES
Alexander-Arnold has been in great form of lateCredit: Reuters
The captaincy dilemma could be solved in an instant by activating the Max Captain Booster.
This will ensure whichever one of your players scores the most points in Gameweek 17 will have their score doubled.
With Haaland among the very few players with just one fixture at his disposal (not to mention an injury concern) and Salah facing a tough fixture this weekend, Max Captain is very much on the cards for those who still have access.
Many gaffers will be tempted to play Park the Bus.
The most-powerful Booster in the game doubles the points of all your defenders so you’re best of switching to a formation with five at the back, at least for one Gameweek only.
Combining Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m), Ezri Konsa (£3.3m) and Pedro Porro (£3.4m) with a couple of Newcastle defenders would look good on paper but again, the form and availability question marks over some of the Magpies’ main men has the potential to scupper the best-laid plans.
There’s certainly an effective Park the Bus team to be found in Gameweek 17 but it’s not all that easy to see at this stage.
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If your team is chock full of Man City stars then Gameweek 17 is a good time to activate the 12th Man Booster so you can temporarily recruit a player with two fixtures, compensating for the quirk in the schedule created by the Club World Cup.
Make sure you’ve confirmed all the crucial decisions before Friday’s 7pm deadline.

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THE first milestone for a Dream Team player each season is the 100-point mark.At this stage of the campaign, the individuals into three figures make up a who’s who of top performers.
But which club boasts the most centurions? Let’s break it down…

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The Gunners are in a strong positionCredit: Getty
ARSENAL

Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) – 181 points
Martin Odegaard (£5m) – 125 points
William Saliba (£3.8m) – 113 points
Declan Rice (£3.9m) – 109 points
Gabriel Martinelli (£4.5m) – 105 points
Ben White (£4m) – 104 points
Gabriel Jesus (£5.4m) – 103 points
Gabriel (£4.1m) – 101 points

The Gunners have a whopping eight centurions, comfortably the most among the 20 Premier League teams.
Mikel Arteta’s side have registered the most clean sheets in all competitions this season, with Saliba, White and Gabriel all among the top six defenders.
Saka is Dream Team’s second top performer this season having scored eight goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions.
If Dream Team performance is anything to go by, Arsenal should be considered serious title contenders this season with strength from back to front.
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NEWCASTLE

Anthony Gordon (£4m) – 135 points
Kieran Trippier (£5.2m) – 134 points
Miguel Almiron (£3.7m) – 117 points
Bruno Guimaraes (£3.7m) – 116 points
Nick Pope (£4.1m) – 100 points

Elimination from the Champions League and Carabao Cup may limit the Magpies’ viability going forward but they’ve produced heaps of points to date.
Pope is one of just two goalkeepers on 100+ points at this stage which is even more impressive considering he’s missed the last five games through injury.
Guimaraes has earned 34 bonus points, the highest tally among all assets at the time of writing.
Trippier’s form may have nosedived this month but it would foolish to overlook his immense performances throughout the first third of the season – he remains the second-best player in his position.
Over 20% of Dream Team managers will be sweating over Gordon’s availability ahead of Gameweek 17 after he was forced off prematurely at Stamford Bridge in midweek.
Newcastle’s No10 has scored six goals and provided six assists – he’s currently the fourth-best midfielder in Dream Team.
Paqueta and Kulusevski have recently joined the 100 ClubCredit: Dream Team
WEST HAM

Jarrod Bowen (£5.3m) – 152 points
James Ward-Prowse (£4.4m) – 134 points
Lucas Paqueta (£4.1m) – 131 points
Mohammed Kudus (£4.5m) – 126 points
Tomas Soucek (£3.6m) – 103 points

In a truly remarkable turn of events, the Hammers have FIVE midfielders on 100+ points before Christmas!
This quintet have combined for 34 goals already with Bowen leading the way with 11, only two players have more to their name among all assets.
A successful Europa League group campaign has played a huge role but it’s still remarkable that a team currently eighth in the domestic table could be so dominant in such an important position.
Selecting two or even three West Ham midfielders has proven to be a legitimately strong strategy – who would have predicted that before the season got underway!
ASTON VILLA

Ollie Watkins (£4.6m) – 139 points
John McGinn (£3.9m) – 125 points
Douglas Luiz (£3.7m) – 113 points
Ezri Konsa (£3.3m) – 100 points

Matty Cash (£3.1m) is just two points shy of a century and would have already celebrated the landmark had he not fallen out of favour recently.
Konsa leads the way among defenders for bonus points (29) but Watkins has been the Villains’ hero again with 11 goals and nine assists in rapid time.
The England striker is on course for 40+ goal involvements in 2023/24.
Watkins has gone to another level under Unai EmeryCredit: Getty
LIVERPOOL

Mohamed Salah (£6.6m) – 174 points
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) – 135 points
Darwin Nunez (£4.1m) – 118 points
Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.8m) – 104 points

It’s taken for granted that Salah and Alexander-Arnold will be among the elite Dream Team assets these days.
The Egyptian superstar is second in the rankings among forwards while the England international has made good use of his time in midfield to overtake Trippier and claim top spot among defenders.
Nunez remains a frustrating character at times but there’s undoubtedly an effective player within, as evidenced by his tally of seven goals and nine assists this term.
The Uruguayan striker is also ranked joint-third for shots on target among all assets.

MANCHESTER CITY

Erling Haaland (£7.9m) – 195 points
Phil Foden (£5.2m) – 155 points
Julian Alvarez (£4.2m) – 134 points
Jeremy Doku (£4.1m) – 100 points

Pep Guardiola’s side have so often provided the most centurions in the world of Dream Team.
It’s perhaps a sign of the fact they’ve been unable to unlock their full capacity this season that just four Etihad residents make the cut at this juncture.
That being said, Haaland is top dog, Foden is ranked fourth, and Alvarez is joint-ninth so their very best assets remain potent threats with the highest ceilings.
Are Dream Team bosses underestimating Chelsea?Credit: Getty
CHELSEA

Raheem Sterling (£3.6m) – 112 points
Cole Palmer (£3.2m) – 105 points
Conor Gallagher (£3.1m) – 101 points
Nicolas Jackson (£3m) – 100 points

It comes as something of a shock that the Blues are level with Liverpool, City and Villa on four centurions given Mauricio Pochettino’s men are currently tenth in the league and without European commitments.
Gallagher ranks highly for tackles, assists and bonus points but he’s yet to score this season – if he were to add goals to his game he would become a top-tier option.
Palmer has to be considered an excellent value-for-money asset too given how quickly he’s rushed to a century of points – he didn’t start a league game until Gameweek 7.
The youngster’s status as first-choice penalty-taker is notable boon too.
TOTTENHAM

Son Heung-min (£4.6m) – 130 points
Pedro Porro (£3.4m) – 103 points
Dejan Kulusevski (£3.2m) – 102 points

The overwhelming majority of Spurs’ points have come in the Premier League, where Son has scored ten goals – his imminent departure to the Asian Cup may disrupt Ange Postecoglou’s troops.
Only Trippier and Alexander-Arnold have created more big chances and provided more assists than Porro among defenders.
Kulusevski has been in particularly good form of late having racked up 36 points in his last four outings.
Dream Team top keeperCredit: Alamy
BRIGHTON, MANCHESTER UNITED, EVERTON

Joao Pedro (£3.4m) – 128 points
Pascal Gross (£4.1m) – 114 points

Bruno Fernandes (£5.4m) – 125 points
Andre Onana (£3.8m) – 108 points

James Garner (£2.4m) – 106 points
Abdoulaye Doucoure (£3.2m) – 102 points

Pedro has earned more points in European competition than any other Dream Team player this season – six of the Brazilian’s 11 goals have come in the Europa League.
Despite valid criticism of his form, Onana is Dream Team’s top goalkeeper.
The 27-year-old has contributed to eight clean sheets.
Garner is unquestionably one of the season’s surprise packages.
The Toffees’ midfielder ranks third for tackles among all assets – he’s earned 26 points for his efforts in this regard.
BOURNEMOUTH, WOLVES, BRENTFORD

Dominic Solanke (£3.6m) – 106 points

Matheus Cunha (£3.3m) – 107 points

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Bryan Mbeumo (£3.8m) – 104 points

Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Luton, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United are the only clubs without a centurion in their ranks.

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CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU (£4m) made his long-awaited Chelsea debut last night.The Frenchman came off the bench in the 69th minute as the Blues edged out Newcastle on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Given he’s spent over four months on the sidelines with an injured knee, a little ring rust was to be expected but Nkunku looked comfortable enough in the game’s closing stages and, most encouragingly, he emphatically converted his spot-kick in the shootout.

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“Like a new signing”Credit: Dream Team
Naturally, the Stamford Bridge faithful were over the moon to see their £52million forward in action.
Chelsea are currently tenth in the Premier League having blown hot and cold so far this season and many fans will be hoping Nkunku’s return to fitness will act as a positive turning point.
The 26-year-old is a natural talent and so many Dream Team managers will be wondering if he’s a potential game-changer at this crucial stage of the campaign.
At £4million he’s reasonably priced, cheaper than the likes of Alexander Isak (£4.1m), Darwin Nunez (£4.1m) and Julian Alvarez (£4.2m) at present, but there are several other factors to consider.
Nkunku was one of the Bundesliga’s very best players prior to his transfer to West London but while some individuals have transitioned seamlessly from Germany to English soil, many others have either required time to adapt or diminished entirely.
For example, Kai Havertz (£3.4m) was highly-admired in his homeland (he still is) but he never truly settled at Chelsea and it’s only in the last month he’s begun to win over Arsenal supporters.
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Havertz has impressed in spells but underwhelmed at other times since his arrival from GermanyCredit: Alamy
Nkunku scored 58 goals across his last two seasons at his former club and his success was not contained to the German top flight – he produced several eye-catching performances in the Champions League, including a hat-trick against Manchester City.
The 2022/23 Bundesliga top scorer is not an out-and-out striker in the mould of an Erling Haaland (£7.9m), Ivan Toney (£5m) or Callum Wilson (£4.4m) but he is a goalscorer.
Dream Team gaffers should not be put off by the fact he’ll occupy deeper positions at times, it’s his ultimate output in the final third that matters.
It’s interesting to note that the France international ranked just 17th for shots on target in the Bundesliga last season given nobody scored more league goals than him.
Throughout the first two months of the season, Chelsea’s primary problem was their inability to convert chances.
A fully-fit Nkunku should address that issue.

Chelsea fans were happy to see Nkunku in action on Tuesday nightCredit: Getty
On paper, Mauricio Pochettino’s men have a favourable double header in Gameweek 17: Wolves (a) followed by Crystal Palace (h).
However, a flurry of Dream Team gaffers using transfers to recruit Nkunku this week would be exceedingly bold.
Having suffered a relatively serious knee injury, his return is likely to be managed in the coming weeks in regards to minutes on the pitch.
It’s probably best to scout him during this festive period with a view to making a firmer decision on his viability in the new year.
Read more on The Sun
If he regains match sharpness and settles into Chelsea’s set-up smoothly, he may well prove to be a smart differential.
Good luck to the 0.7% of Dream Team bosses who are set to back Nkunku in Gameweek 17!

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DREAM TEAM managers only have to look at the players who have earned the most bonus points this season to understand it’s a worthy measure of talent.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m), Jeremy Doku (£4.1m), Kieran Trippier (£5.2m), Phil Foden (£5.2m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) all rank highly but a new name jumped to the top of the tree at the weekend, Bruno Guimaraes (£3.7m).

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Christmas Bonus!Credit: Dream Team
The Newcastle midfielder produced an exceptional performance at home to Fulham on Saturday.
He provided the assist for Lewis Miley’s (£2.4m) opening goal, created two big chances, had a shot on target, and, most importantly, earned FIVE bonus points, the maximum available for a single game.
All in all, Guimaraes banked 12 points at the Cottagers’ expense to extend what has been a prosperous run of late – he’s earned 45 points across the last four Gameweeks.
The Brazil international makes a lot of tackles and has chipped in with four goal involvements but the headline story is his unrivalled ability to earn bonus points.
So how does he do it?
Guimaraes keeps Newcastle ticking overCredit: Getty
A well-rounded midfielder, Guimaraes is a key player for the Magpies both in possession and defensively.
He ranks highly in his position for successful dribbles, fouls won, blocks and interceptions.
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Consequently, he’s racked up 33 bonus points already this season – that accounts for 29.2% of his overall tally of 113 points.
That total puts Guimaraes joint-12th among midfielders at the time of writing but he seems to have a reasonable chance of improving his rank in Gameweek 17.
Eddie Howe’s side arguably have the most favourable double header in the form of Luton and Nottingham Forest.
Assuming the 26-year-old isn’t rested – the only game he’s sat out this season was because of suspension – he looks well placed to post a double-digit return in Gameweek 17.
Howe’s troops will be popular this weekCredit: AFP

Of course, Guimaraes is far from the only viable Newcastle asset ahead of what appears to be a friendly pair of fixtures.
Anthony Gordon (£4m) is joint-fourth among Dream Team midfielders at this stage of the campaign having amassed 134 points.
The aforementioned Trippier is likely to return against Luton having served his suspension at the weekend.
The England international looked unusually rusty earlier this month but his overall pedigree can’t be denied – only Alexander-Arnold has more points among defenders.

And Martin Dubravka (£1.6m) represents a potentially savvy bargain for Dream Team bosses who believe Newcastle will keep at least one clean sheet in Gameweek 17 – the Slovak notched nine points against Fulham.
Whatever the details, backing multiple Newcastle assets could yield huge returns in Gameweek 17 if everything clicks for Howe’s men, though it’s worth noting they remain dogged by injuries.

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THIS is not the first time we’ve addressed the success of West Ham’s midfielders in Dream Team this season.But it’s worth repeating because one of the season’s most prominent themes has grabbed the spotlight once again in Gameweek 16.
At the time of writing, Jarrod Bowen (£5.3), James Ward-Prowse (£4.4m), Lucas Paqueta (£4.1m) and Mohammed Kudus (£4.5m) are all among the top seven assets in their position!

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Made for the Premier LeagueCredit: Dream Team
For the purposes of this article, the focus is on the latter after his eye-catching brace against Wolves on Sunday.
The Ghana international benefited from two smart Paqueta passes to give the Hammers a comfortable 2-0 lead by the 32nd minute.
Having been eased in initially, Kudus now looks a vital component for David Moyes’ side, as evidenced by the fact he’s now statistically Dream Team’s most in-form player.
The 23-year-old has plundered 32 points across his last three outings, more than any other player in the same time frame.
More broadly, he’s been rising sharply up the rankings ever since Gameweek 10 – he’s banked 88 points in 11 outings in that time!
Bowen remains the Dream Team midfielder with the most goals to his name having notched his 11th to seal the 3-0 victory over Wolves at the weekend but Kudus is now joint second having drawn level with Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) on eight goals (all competitions).
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West Ham midfielders are thriving in Dream Team this seasonCredit: Getty
It should also be noted that the ex-Ajax talent earned five bonus points against Gary O’Neil’s side, the maximum available for a single game.
When all was said and done, Kudus took 20 points from the fixture, making him Gameweek 16’s top performer at the time of writing.
He may even be in action again with West Ham set to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday night.
The numbers are undeniable but the fact is very few Dream Team gaffers have benefited from Kudus’ immense form.
His ownership currently sits at a modest 2.4%, although it wouldn’t be a surprise if he ended up among the most-popular recruits ahead of Gameweek 17, not that the Irons have particularly appealing fixtures – Manchester United (h), Arsenal (a).

Moyes admits Kudus will be a big loss during AFCONCredit: Getty
It may be that Kudus’ ownership is yet to reflect his quality because Dream Team bosses are so spoiled for choice when browsing West Ham midfielders but he’s comfortably outscored Ward-Prowse of late and the latter features in 19.8% of teams.
The set-piece specialist, who has nine assists to his name already, has been fantastic this season (hence his overall tally of 134 points) but Kudus is unquestionably the man of the moment.
That being said, the Africa Cup of Nations looms large with the international tournament scheduled to get underway in January.
Still, with two weekly transfers available, Dream Team managers could back Kudus for some short-term gains over the festive period.

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