Fantasy Football

CHANGES to Dream Team’s scoring system have made defensive midfielders more viable than ever this season.However, gaffers should always be aware of which midfielders are leading the way in terms of goal involvements.
Bonus points, tackles and the like should certainly be considered but goals and assists remain the game’s primary currency.

PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN AN XBOX SERIES X!

Away day specialistCredit: Dream Team
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the midfield assets who have notched the most goal involvements so far this campaign.
MIDFIELDERS WITH MOST GOAL INVOLVEMENTS THIS SEASON:

Bukayo Saka (£6.3m) – 12 (five goals, seven assists)
Jarrow Bowen (£5m) – 11 (eight goals, three assists)
Bryan Mbeumo (£3.9m) – 9 (six goals, three assists)
Phil Foden (£4.5m) – 9 (five goals, four assists)
Jeremy Doku (£3.9m) – 9 (three goals, six assists)
James Maddison (£4.4m) – 9 – (three goals, six assists)
Pedro Neto (£3.2m) – 9 – (one goal, eight assists)

Arsenal’s No7 leads the way with a dozen goal involvements but West Ham’s top scorer edges out his international team-mate in pure goals.
Fittingly, the pair are the top two points-scorers among midfielders in Dream Team right now with Saka (109) one point ahead of Bowen (108) – further evidence of the unmatched importance of attacking returns.
The Gunners’ homegrown star tops the pile despite being hampered by persistent injury niggles – imagine the numbers he’ll rack up when he eventually gets back to 100%.
Most read in Football
A Dream Team favourite for a reasonCredit: Getty
Mbeumo’s presence in this list is mightily impressive given the Cameroon international doesn’t have midweek European fixtures to bolster his schedule.
All nine of his goal involvements have come in 11 league outings.
Many fans expected the 24-year-old to step up for Brentford during Ivan Toney’s suspension and he’s done just that throughout the first quarter of the season.
Foden is still a young man but he’s already carved out a reputation as a consistent Dream Team midfielder who delivers year upon year.
The talented playmaker has largely been immune to Pep Guardiola’s dreaded rotation policy this term – he came off the bench to score against Bournemouth at the weekend to prove he doesn’t need to play every minute of every game to tick along nicely.
And the same can be said of Doku to an even greater extent.
The skilful Belgian has played fewer than half the available minutes so far in 2023/24 and yet only Saka and Bowen have provided more goal involvements among midfielders.
In fact, Doku averages a goal or assist every 73.9 minutes for City – a stat that owes plenty to his recent exhibition against the Cherries.
An effective combinationCredit: Reuters
Looking forward, the rapid winger may be the biggest threat to Saka and Bowen’s respective statuses, if Guardiola gives in to the clamour for increased playing time for arguably the most exciting talent in the Premier League right now.
Like Mbeumo, all Maddison’s contributions have come in the Premier League and these stats only tell half the story of the positive impact provided by Tottenham’s No10.
Barring the unique nature of their defeat to Chelsea on Monday night, Ange Postecoglou’s side have impressed and their playmaker-in-chief has been at the heart of a swashbuckling attacking unit.
On top of his goals and assists, Maddison has racked up 21 bonus points – the second-highest total – and ranks highly for shots and target and big chances created.
His availability question mark is a massive talking point in the realm of Dream Team as he’s currently the game’s most-selected player after Erling Haaland (£7.6m).

Maddison’s fitness is a concernCredit: Getty
Wolves’ talisman completes this list although his Dream Team viability is null and void while he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Read More on The Sun
Neto boasts the joint-highest assist tally alongside Ollie Watkins (£4.7m) among all players and it’s probably not a coincidence than his side’s run of five unbeaten games came to an end in his absence with a shock defeat to Sheffield United last weekend.
Dream Team bosses should endeavour to keep track of which midfielders are racking up the most goal involvements throughout the season.

talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 – CLAIM HERE
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org More

DREAM TEAM managers have a whole host of injury concerns to negotiate ahead of Gameweek 12.There are question marks over several of the game’s most-popular assets and so many gaffers may have their hand forced this week in terms of which players to ditch.
However, there are several tempting options in regards to potential recruits, allow us to highlight a few.

PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN AN XBOX SERIES X!

Arsenal have injury concerns but Martinelli is ready to take on Burnley this weekendCredit: Dream Tea
Gabriel Martinelli (£4.3m)
Gameweek 12 simply consists of ten Premier League fixtures ahead of the international break so there’s no need for gaffers to take midweek exploits into account when setting up their XIs this time around.
Saturday’s meeting between Arsenal and Burnley at the Emirates has to be considered a mismatch on paper.
The Gunners have taken 24 points from their first 11 league fixtures this season while Vincent Kompany’s side have earned just four points since promotion.
Bukayo Saka (£6.3m) remains the primary threat having scored five goals and provided seven assists already this term but the England winger continues to be hampered by injury niggles to some degree.
Gabriel Jesus (£5.2m) is sidelined and Martin Odegaard’s (£4.9m) availability is also uncertain at this stage and so it seems as if Martinelli may be best placed to benefit against the Clarets’ leaky defence – only Sheffield United have conceded more goals in the top flight.
Most read in Football
The Brazil international has registered 35 points in three and a half Gameweeks since returning from injury.
Or it may be that Dream Team bosses target an Arsenal clean sheet in Gameweek 12, given that Burnley are the league’s lowest scorers.
Ben White (£4.3m) and William Saliba (£3.6m) are the two best options if such a tactic appeals.
Anthony Gordon (£3.5m)
A popular recruit in Dream Team this weekCredit: Getty
Newcastle travel to Bournemouth this weekend in what is expected to be another one-sided contest.
The Cherries lost 6-1 to Manchester City last time out and currently find themselves in the relegation zone whereas Eddie Howe’s side are undefeated in their last nine domestic games.
Only Pep Guardiola’s troops have scored more league goals than the Magpies in 2023/24 so it would be reasonable to expect healthy attacking returns from the visitors on Saturday.
Gordon leads the way among Newcastle assets in terms of goal involvements – he’s scored four goals and provided four assists.
The quick winger has also made more tackles than any of his team-mates.
At the time of writing, Gordon is Dream Team’s fifth-best midfielder having amassed 89 points.
Jarrod Bowen (£5m)
108 Dream Team points and countingCredit: Reuters
West Ham’s form has fallen off a cliff of late but their No20 continues to prosper individually.
Recruiting Bowen as a midfielder is something of a Dream Team hack as he’s more of a forward in reality – he’s even led the line at times in recent weeks.
This is reflected in his tally of eight goals in all competitions, the most among midfield assets at this stage.
Granted, he’s generally performed better away from home this season but that’s probably more of a quirk than a long-term pattern.
The Hammers host Nottingham Forest on Sunday and while Steve Cooper’s men will have taken confidence from their 2-0 win over Aston Villa at the City Ground last weekend, their away record remains a concern – they’ve taken four points from a possible 18 on the road.
Bowen has registered 17 shots on target in all competitions this season – the four players above him in this metric are all categorised as strikers.

Jeremy Doku (£3.9m)
Man of the momentCredit: Reuters
A quick one to finish – and quick is the right word.
Dream Team bosses shouldn’t chase points that have already been distributed but they should look to jump upon in-form players if they believe more returns will follow.
Doku’s 24-point haul in Gameweek 11 is in the record books but the scintillating nature of the tricky Belgian’s performances suggest he’ll continue to make headlines throughout his first season at Man City.
The 21-year-old’s electric dribbling has seen him race to 20 bonus points – only James Maddison (£4.4m) and Eberechi Eze (£3.6m) have more at this juncture.
The only caveat with this suggestion is the ever-present threat of Pep Roulette.
Read More on The Sun
Doku probably will start against Chelsea on Sunday but it wouldn’t be all that surprising if Jack Grealish (£4.1m) got the nod at right wing either.
Dream Team managers need to lock in their transfers for Gameweek 12 before the 11:30am deadline on Saturday.

talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 – CLAIM HERE
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org More

FANS of both Tottenham and Chelsea will be trying to piece together exactly what happened in North London last night.The Blues 4-1 win was one of the most uniquely entertaining games in Premier League history.
Amid what felt like an unprecedented volume of VAR reviews, the hosts went down to nine men and continued to persist with the highest of defensive lines.
Ange Postecoglou’s men shaped up in a 7-0-1 formation at times and the visitors were seemingly confused by the abnormality of it all as they fell into a frustrating pattern of offsides and over-hit throughballs before they eventually capitalised on the advantageous dynamic.

PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN AN XBOX SERIES X!

The morning after the night beforeCredit: Dream Team
Let’s unpack the madness from a Dream Team perspective as there’s plenty for gaffers to mull over.
Nicolas Jackson (£2.7m) was the big winner when all was said and done as he bagged his first professional hat-trick for a 21-point return.
However, the Senegal international made hard work of what should have been easy pickings.
Usually, a hat-trick would trigger a tidal wave of transfers in Dream Team but viewers of the game are unlikely to have been impressed with what the saw from the striker – a remarkable sentiment for a player who took home the match ball!
Jackson is due to face Manchester City and Newcastle in his next two games and, unless those teams also go down to nine men in similarly catastrophic fashion, he’ s unlikely to benefit from such a fortuitous situation again.
Most read in Football
At the time of writing, the 22-year-old is the joint-top performer in Gameweek 11 alongside Jeremy Doku (£3.9m) but it’s probably fair to say the latter will be considerably more popular among Dream Team managers this week.
The easiest hat-trick he’ll ever scoreCredit: Alamy
It was a nightmarish evening for Spurs’ defence.
Cristian Romero (£3.7m) was among the best-performing assets in his position prior to Gameweek 11 but the Argentine centre-back’s red card meant he ultimately registered -5 points – yes, minus five!
And of course the World Cup winner will now be suspended for Spurs’ next three fixtures, meaning he won’t return until December 7th.
Postecoglou is likely to be without Van de Ven for even longer as the Dutchman pulled up with what looked like a serious hamstring injury.
The 22-year-old, who has been one of the best defenders in the league this term, could hardly walk as he left the pitch.
Destiny Udogie (£2.9m) joined Romero in an early bath for two blatant lunges worthy of yellow cards – Gary Neville on commentary said the young Italian was lucky to avoid a straight red for his first offence.
The energetic left-back will only miss one game through suspension but his Dream Team viability took a big hit when he registered minus four points on Monday night.
Van de Ven pulled up with a hamstring injury amid the chaosCredit: Getty
Then there’s the question mark over James Maddison’s (£4.4m) fitness.
Spurs’ No10 remains the third-best midfielder in Dream Team at the time of writing but he was forced off before half time with a knock.
Postecoglou talked down the issue after the game so it may be that the in-form playmaker is available to face Wolves in Gameweek 12 but gaffers await further updates.
This is a major plot point to monitor in the realm of Dream Team as Maddison is the game’s second-most selected player with an ownership of 43%.

Switching focus back to Chelsea, Cole Palmer (£2.8m) continues to impress for his new club.
Results have improved since Mauricio Pochettino installed the former Man City youngster as starting right winger with the 21-year-old also jumping the queue to become first-choice penalty taker.
He converted from the spot to equalise at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium and he assisted Jackson’s third goal to pocket 12 points by full time.
Read More on The Sun
Having plundered 56 points across his last seven outings, Palmer represents a tempting value-for-money option.
Chelsea don’t have European fixtures to bolster their schedule this season but Palmer will certainly be a viable choice for gaffers in need of a cheap midfielder around the Christmas period.

talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 – CLAIM HERE
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org More

JUST a few weeks ago, merely the notion of an Everton defender thriving in the world of Dream Team would have been laughable.Now it’s a reality.
Vitaliy Mykolenko (£2.7m) entered the top ten assets in his position this weekend with a 10-point return at Brighton’s expense.
Dream Team’s most in-form defender!Credit: Dream Team
The Toffees’ left-back would have risen to joint-sixth had his side held on for a win over the Seagulls but Ashley Young’s (£1.9m) late own goal meant even honours at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Mykolenko gave his side the lead early on when his strike deflected in off Lewis Dunk (£2.5m) and he played his part in a classic rearguard before the visitors eventually broke through with a slice of good fortune.
While the Ukraine international would have been disappointed with the result having led for so long, he continued his impressive turnaround in the world of Dream Team.
By the end of Gameweek 6, Mykolenko had just 16 points to his name.
However, after an upturn in form, emphasised by a burst of 40 points across the last four Gameweeks, he now boasts an overall total of 62.
Incredibly, he’s now above the likes of Kyle Walker (£3.5m), Virgil van Dijk (£4.5m) and Gabriel (£4.1m) in the rankings.
An unexpected gemCredit: Getty
Not that many Dream Team gaffers have benefited from this purple patch.
Most read in Football
Everton’s No19 currently features in just 0.1% of teams.
For perspective, he’s less popular than Daniel Sassi (£1m), Toti (£1.9m) and Ameen Al-Dakhil (£0.8m) – if those names don’t ring a bell, that’s the point!
Mykolenko’s lowly ownership is understandable as it wasn’t that long ago Everton looked as if they would spend the entire campaign battling relegation.
Sean Dyche’s side remain 16th even now but they do seem to have turned a corner of late.
Defeat in the Merseyside derby at Anfield is their only loss in five games since the start of October – a run that includes three victories and three clean sheets.
Everton’s results have improved in the last monthCredit: AFP

What’s particularly notable about Mykolenko’s recent success is his extraordinary tackle rate.
The 24-year-old has registered 37 tackles this season, the highest tally among defenders and fourth-highest among all players.
17 of his 62 points (27.4%) have come through tackles.
Read More on The Sun
Whether gaffers should be rushing to recruit Mykolenko is another conversation entirely but he deserves huge credit for his recent efforts.
He’s statistically the most in-form defender in Dream Team right now!

talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 – CLAIM HERE
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org More

THERE are several obvious reasons not to select Bruno Fernandes (£5.5m) in Dream Team.Firstly, as captain of Manchester United, he represents a team that have underwhelmed so far this season.
The Red Devils are eighth in the Premier League table having lost five of their 11 games.
Erik ten Hag’s have also lost two of their three Champions League games and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Newcastle last week.
Problems to solveCredit: Getty
Secondly, it’s fair to say that Fernandes wouldn’t win many popularity contests.
Most elite-level athletes are ultra competitive but the Portugal international is particularly prone to adverse reactions when things don’t go his way – see the last ten minutes of the Manchester derby for the most recent example.
This unflattering habit tends to irk neutrals (and even a few Man United fans) which can negatively impact their perception of him as a player when weighing up potential Dream Team strategies.
Thirdly, Fernandes is undeniably expensive.
At £5.5m, the 29-year-old is the third-most costly midfielder in the game and the joint-fifth most expensive among all assets currently.
All that being said, the truth is that Fernandes remains an excellent option.
Most read in Football
An important figure for Manchester UnitedCredit: Dream Team
While it’s true Man United have been below par as a collective, individual performances are what really matter when measuring one’s Dream Team viability.
On Saturday, Fernandes spared his team further blushes with a stoppage-time winner at Fulham for an 11-point return.
And a quick look at his underlying numbers suggest he was owed a double-digit haul.
He leads the way among midfielders for big chances created this season and only Jarrod Bowen (£5m) has registered more shots on target.
His petulance may rub some fans up the wrong way but Dream Team bosses should remove personal feelings and judge each player on their sporting merit.
Fernandes is prone to a sulk and he spends plenty of time arguing with referees but in terms of attacking potency, both as a playmaker and a goal threat, there are few better in his position.

That last-gasp momentCredit: Rex
His match-winning effort at Craven Cottage took his overall total to 85 points – a tally bettered by only five midfielders at the time of writing.
Admittedly, Fernandes’ price is a legitimate concern for Dream Team managers.
With so many in-form options and just nine points separating the fourth and 11th-best midfielders right now, opting for a cheaper alternative to allow for improvements elsewhere is a perfectly reasonable tactic.
However, United’s skipper should not be underestimated, especially given his upcoming fixtures.
Read More on The Sun
Ten Hag’s men face Copenhagen on Wednesday night then play Luton, Everton and Galatasaray in their next three.

talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 – CLAIM HERE
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org More

MANCHESTER CITY vs Bournemouth promised a wealth of Dream Team points and the most one-sided match-up in English football delivered.But not in the way many Dream Team managers predicted.
Pep Guardiola’s side scored six goals at the Etihad but Erling Haaland (£7.6m) had to settle for just the one point as he was substituted at half-time with an ankle niggle after missing out on the fun in the first 45 minutes.
A frustrating afternoon for Dream Team’s top points scorerCredit: Getty
The next most-popular City assets in the world of Dream Team after the Norwegian poacher are Kyle Walker (£3.5m), Julian Alvarez (£4.6m) and Ederson (£3.6m) – all three registered just two points each.
It’s rare that a team’s four most-selected players all miss out when the side in question wins 6-1 but that’s exactly what happened on Saturday.
However, Haaland and Alvarez’s loss was Jeremy Doku’s (£3.9m) gain.
The tricky winger produced an exhibition in front of his home fans, directly contributing to FIVE of the six goals for 21-point return.
At the time of writing, he’s comfortably Gameweek 11’s top performer.
ElectricCredit: Dream Team
The Cherries held relatively firm for half an hour before Doku opened the scoring after a neat one-two with Rodri (£4.1m).
Once the floodgates were open, the 21-year-old toyed with Andoni Iraola’s beleaguered troops, showing off his quick feet and devastating acceleration.
Most read in Football
He went on to register FOUR assists, setting up Manuel Akanji (£4.4m), Phil Foden (£4.5m) and Bernardo Silva (£3.6m) twice.
Doku made his name with his dribbling ability but, after the game, Guardiola made a point of highlighting his contribution to the team’s approach play.
The Belgium international’s acceleration and willingness to take on defenders is what makes him entertaining but it was his composed decision-making in the final third that made him so effective against Bournemouth at the weekend.
Doku’s 21-point haul has propelled him up to tenth in the Dream Team midfield rankings – he’s now above the likes of Kaoru Mitoma (£4m), Dominik Szoboszlai (£4m) and Declan Rice (£4m).
A full-back’s worst nightmareCredit: Getty
Juggling Man City assets is a huge aspect of Dream Team as the treble-winners produce so many points between them but Gameweek 11 has been another reminder of how difficult it can be to happen upon the optimum combination.
At the time of writing, Doku appears in just 5.2% of teams – a reflection of his uncertain status in the pecking order.
The ex-Rennes winger has impressed every time he’s taken to the pitch but Jack Grealish (£4.1m) was selected to start the Manchester derby in Gameweek 10 and the latter justified the decision with an accomplished display.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the England international start on the left wing against Young Boys in midweek.

Doku hoards points when he’s on the pitch but the reason for his relatively modest Dream Team ownership is because he’s played just 654 minutes – less than half available.
However, given the electric nature of his start to life on English soil, Doku will surely start more often in the coming weeks and months.
Read More on The Sun
Rotation is inevitable with Guardiola, Dream Team gaffers know that better than anyone, but it’s generally worth the risk as forgoing City midfielders altogether means sacrificing a mountain of points.
It will be interesting to see how many managers recruit Doku ahead of Gameweek 12.

talkSPORT BET Welcome offer
Get £30 in free bets when you bet £10 – CLAIM HERE
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org More