Fantasy Football

AT first glance, the captaincy conversation for Gameweek 10 appears an open-and-shut case.Erling Haaland (£7.4m) is the default selection on account of him being a goal machine – he’s scored 11 in all competitions already this season.

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InevitableCredit: Getty
There are times to take on Manchester City’s No9 but such a ploy is harder to justify in the wake of a significant points haul from the big striker.
Haaland scored against Brighton last weekend before bagging a brace away to Young Boys on Wednesday night for a return of 26 points, doubled to 52 with the captain’s armband.
The prolific Norwegian was the best performer in Gameweek 9 so surely Dream Team managers should opt to double his points again, right?
At this stage, Haaland is by and away the most-selected captain ahead of Gameweek 10 but several seemingly one-sided fixtures are due to take place this weekend, creating tempting alternatives.
Aston Villa have won 11 home games in a row and are currently the Premier League’s second-top scorers this season.
Unai Emery’s side welcome relegation-threatened Luton to Villa Park on Sunday in a contest that could yield huge returns for Ollie Watkins (£4.5m) – Matty Cash (£3.2m) may also enjoy himself.
A man in formCredit: Getty
Elsewhere, Arsenal host a Sheffield United outfit with just one point to show for their efforts since promotion.
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Bukayo Saka (£6.4m) averages 8.8 points-per-game this season and he’ll be licking his lips at the prospect of taking on a beleaguered defence that have conceded 24 league goals already in 2023/24.
Liverpool v Nottingham Forest is another favourable match-up to consider.
Mohamed Salah (£6.6m) has amassed 35 points across the last two Gameweeks and gaffers who backed him over Haaland in Gameweek 9 were handsomely rewarded.
The Egyptian superstar is over 50% more popular among captaincy-pickers ahead of Gameweek 10 than he was this time last week.
Of the names mentioned, Saka and Salah potentially have an additional midweek fixture at their disposal but it wouldn’t be a surprise if both players were rested in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
It boils down to Haaland or a favourable fixture, although some fans would argue that the Manchester derby is also a favourable match-up for Pep Guardiola’s side given the unconvincing performances of the Red Devils this term.
A Dream Team legendCredit: Dream Team
Booster Strategies
First things first, the usual caveat that Boosters are generally best deployed during double Gameweeks.
Half the top-flight clubs are set to pull double duty in Gameweek 10 but extensive rotation is expected in midweek.
Saying that, a back five of Cash, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.3m), Ben White (£4.6m), Pedro Porro (£3.1m) and Kieran Trippier (£5.6m) looks fantastic to combine with Park the Bus on paper.
The aforementioned captaincy dilemma may provoke some to activate Max Captain.
This would give gaffers peace of mind, guaranteeing them the best captain when all is said and done, but if Haaland prospers then there’s a risk of a Booster going wasted.
The worst case scenario when playing Max Captain is that the player you were going to captain anyway ends up as the best performer in your XI that Gameweek.

12th Man is definitely best saved for a juicy double Gameweek but those desperate for returns this weekend could use this Booster to bolster their forward line.
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With Haaland and Salah virtually must-haves, there’s only room for one of Julian Alvarez (£4.7m), Son Heung-min (£4.8m) or Watkins to join them in a standard three-man attack.
12th Man would allow gaffers to back four in-form strikers for Gameweek 10 only, a tempting option given the fixtures, but the truth is there are more appealing opportunities to come later in the campaign.

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ALL hail Christopher Davey!Why? Because he racked up 247 points in Gameweek 9 to beat hundreds of thousands of Dream Team managers and claim the £100 weekly prize.
Let’s take a closer look at how he achieved such a mammoth score this past week.

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Bus thoroughly parkedCredit: Dream Team
As is usually the case, the best XI of the Gameweek is supercharged by the Park the Bus Booster.
Christopher decided to target Newcastle and Manchester United’s double headers and, despite the fact the former lost to Borussia Dortmund and the latter conceded to Sheffield United, his strategy paid off handsomely.
When the Blades equalised against Erik ten Hag’s side on Saturday it seemed as if Diogo Dalot’s (£3.2m) best chance of points (clean sheet) had gone up in smoke but the Portuguese full-back ended up as the visitors’ match-winner at Bramall Lane via a well-struck goal from 20 yards out.
The 24-year-old pouched a bonus point too to leave the Steel City with nine points, which he increased to 16 with a clean sheet at home to Copenhagen in midweek.
Dalot was the best-performing asset in his position in Gameweek 9.
Similarly, Andre Onana (£3.5m) topped the pile among goalkeepers because of his semi-redemptive penalty save in the Champions League.
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Two brilliant selections for Christopher in Gameweek 9Credit: Dream Team
Chistopher’s Newcastle contingent combined for 36 points, doubled to 72 with Park the Bus, thanks primarily to the Magpies’ 4-0 win over Crystal Palace in the league.
Kieran Trippier (£5.6m) remains the jewel in the crown; he’s now provided seven assists in 2023/24, only Ollie Watkins (£4.5m) has more among all players.
The ever-reliable right-back has 90 points in total, 22 more than the next-best defender.
Christopher did the right thing in switching to 5-3-2 to make the most of Park the Bus but the one drawback is that such a ploy leaves room for just five midfielders/strikers.
However, this relative lack of attacking assets was countered by an inspirational selection in the form of Douglas Luiz (£3.1m).
The Brazilian was his side’s unlikely hero against West Ham last weekend, bagging a brace and 16 points in the process (he added three more against AZ Alkmaar).
Primarily a combative midfielder, he has the added edge of being the Villains’ first-choice penalty taker and Unai Emery’s attacking tactics allow him to take up advanced positions more often than before.
Luiz’s ownership has doubled this week ahead of Villa’s home game against Luton in Gameweek 10.
A persistent threatCredit: Getty
Kaoru Mitoma (£3.9m) did well to pocket seven points at the Etihad (three bonus points, two shots on target, maximum appearance points) and he assisted one of Brighton’s two goals against Ajax on Thursday night.
The Japan international is up to seventh in the midfield rankings and his fixtures look rather friendly throughout November.
Seven points across two fixtures represents a below par Gameweek for James Ward-Prowse (£4.3m) but the set-piece specialist continues to collect more than his fair share of bonus points.
The West Ham midfielder has earned 19 bonus points this term, only James Maddison (£4.3m) and Eberechi Eze (£3.6m) boast superior tallies.
Up front, Christopher put his faith in Dream Team’s two biggest names and was justly rewarded.
Back among the goalsCredit: Getty
Erling Haaland (£7.4m) responded to some half-hearted digs at his form with three goals against Brighton and Young Boys for a 26-point return (doubled to 52 with the captain’s armband).
Was there any real doubt about the prolific poacher’s viability?
As for Mohamed Salah (£6.6m), he joined Haaland in the 100 Club on Thursday night when he came off the bench against Toulouse to put the cherry on top of Liverpool’s comfortable Europa League win.
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Prior to that, the Egyptian superstar had scored a brace in the Merseyside derby to make it 28 points from his last two league outings – what a player!
Congratulations, Christopher – good luck to you and all gaffers ahead of Gameweek 10!

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ANOTHER Xbox Series X has to be won through Score Predictor in Matchweek 11!And since it’s completely free to play – plus a lot of fun – there’s every reason to get involved and chance your hand.
We’ve even prepared some box-fresh tips to help you on your way.
In Matchweek 10, we correctly predicted Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Brighton, Tottenham’s 2-0 victory over Fulham, a draw between Chelsea and Arsenal, and victories for Aston Villa and Manchester United!
Let’s try to keep the momentum going…

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Paul Heckingbottom has a huge task on his handsCredit: Getty
Arsenal v Sheffield United
Best of luck to anyone going against a home win in this one.
The Blades have just one point to show for their efforts since promotion and a trip to last season’s runners-up is the last thing they need.
Arsenal average two goals per league fixture this season while Paul Heckingbottom’s side are closer to three goals conceded per game so it seems either 2-0 or 3-0 to the Gunners is the safe choice.
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Mikel Arteta’s side remain undefeated in the Premier League this term but there’s still a sense they haven’t quite been at their fluent best – a smattering of injuries have hindered them to some degree.
On that topic, Gabriel Jesus limped off against Sevilla in midweek and may not be 100% for Saturday’s 3pm kick-off, if available at all.
Arsenal made mincemeat of Bournemouth a few weeks back but their wins over Everton, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest were a tad close for comfort so we’ll go for the more conservative prediction here.
Our Prediction: 2-0 to Arsenal
The Magpies have scored plenty of goals in the league this seasonCredit: Getty
Wolves v Newcastle
Eddie Howe’s side are the Premier League’s top scorers at this stage of the campaign having scored 16 goals in their last four outings in the competition.
Granted, they drew a blank against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in midweek but a wider sample size indicates an attacking unit in fine form.
Let’s not underestimate Gary O’Neil’s men though, they’re unbeaten in four in the top flight, a run that features a victory over Man City.
We’d be more inclined to back a comfortable Newcastle win at St James’ Park but the fact Wolves have home advantage nudges us towards a more competitive affair.
The Magpies played a relatively intense game on Wednesday night, which could also help the hosts, but the league table doesn’t lie – Newcastle are sixth while Wolves are 12th, level on points with Fulham.
Our Prediction: 2-1 to Newcastle
Sean Dyche: xG believerCredit: Getty
West Ham v Everton
We’re prepared to immediately contradict ourselves here and partially overlook the league table in favour of deeper stats.
The Toffees have actually conceded fewer league goals than David Moyes’ mob and generated more xG – suggesting the two teams are perhaps closer than some fans think.
Couple this with the Hammers’ most recent result, a 4-1 loss to Aston Villa, and we’re tempted to back Everton to come away from East London with something to show for their efforts on Sunday.
Plus, West Ham have won just one of their last five league games.
But let’s not get too carried away, it wasn’t that long ago Sean Dyche’s side lost to Luton.
Our Prediction: 2-2 draw

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest
Steve Cooper has overseen three consecutive draws but those games came against bottom-half opposition.
Incredibly, Liverpool have won 3-1 five times already this season and that’s genuinely enough for us – it just feels right.
Our Prediction: 3-1 to Liverpool
All eyes on Old Trafford this SundayCredit: Dream Team
Manchester United v Manchester City
The big one.
The Red Devils have a decent record in the derby in recent times despite the gulf between the neighbours in general performance since Pep Guardiola’s arrival in the city.
However, Erik ten Hag has overseen a string of underwhelming performances in recent months – they’ve somehow won their last three games in all competitions without sparking much optimism.
Those who have watched United closely may have the sense that a house of cards is set to fall.
As for City, it’s a simply a fact that they have won every game Rodri has played this season and the Spaniard is bound to be one of the first names on the teamsheet this weekend.
Erling Haaland was subjected to some half-hearted jokes a week back but he’s since responded with three goals in two outings – United’s injury-hit defence and a shaky Andre Onana will have to play out of their skins to deny the Norwegian poacher.
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In regards to our prediction, we’ve taken into account the fact City haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last six games.
Our Prediction: 3-1 to Man City

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ROLL up, roll up, get your transfer recommendations for Gameweek 10!Ten teams are set to pull double duty because of the Carabao Cup fourth round fixtures on Wednesday night but it would be a risk to bank on team selections in midweek as extensive rotation is expected across the board.
Gaffers would be better off focusing on the weekend’s Premier League games when weighing up their latest transfer strategy – there are some favourable match-ups to target.

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A man in formCredit: Dream Team
Without further ado, some suggestions…
Ollie Watkins (£4.5m)
Aston Villa are a force to be reckoned with on home soil this season.
Unai Emery’s side have a 100% record in the league at Villa Park, including emphatic wins over Brighton (6-1) and West Ham (4-1).
This weekend, they welcome Luton to their lair, hopeful of another convincing victory.
Given that the Villains are the second-top scorers in the top flight and the Hatters are just one point above the relegation zone, Dream Team bosses should expect one-way traffic and plentiful returns.
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Naturally, Watkins is first in line to benefit – he’s notched five goals and eight assists already in 2023/24.
The England international has amassed 43 points in his last four outings and will surely be a popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 10.
More broadly, stocking up on Villa assets could prove to be a profitable ploy with Matty Cash (£3.2m), Moussa Diaby (£3.4m), Douglas Luiz (£3.1m) and Ezri Konsa (£3m) all primed for points as well.
And this wouldn’t be a short-term strategy either, Villa’s fixtures appear favourable until early December.
Gabriel Martinelli (£4m)
Martinelli has returned from injury in fine formCredit: Reuters
While we’re on the subject of favourable match-ups, Arsenal are set to play Sheffield United at the Emirates on Saturday.
The Blades remain rooted to the bottom of the table with one just one point to show from their first nine league games.
Bukayo Saka (£6.4m) and Martin Odegaard (£5.1m) are the obvious attacking options but it’s Martinelli who has produced the goods since returning from injury.
The young Brazilian has registered 24 points across the last two Gameweeks and may therefore be most likely to take advantage this weekend.
The Gunners travel to West Ham in midweek so there’s the potential for additional returns but Mikel Arteta will probably see the Carabao Cup as a low priority.
Micky van de Ven (£2.8m)
Settled in nicelyCredit: Rex
Many Dream Team bosses will be playing the hokey-cokey with Tottenham assets at the moment.
They’re prolific points hoarders in the Premier League but the lack of European fixtures mean they tend to drop back down the rankings in midweek during double Gameweeks.
Gameweek 10 is a double for half the teams but the Carabao Cup is not as significant as the Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League triple up and so Spurs players get the green light.

James Maddison (£4.3m) and Son Heung-min (£4.8m) remain the most dangerous attacking options but it may worth targeting a clean sheet from Ange Postecoglu’s troops on Friday night.
The league leaders travel to Selhurst Park, which can be a tricky place to go, but the fact is Crystal Palace have scored just seven league goals this season – only Bournemouth have scored fewer at this stage.
The absence of the injured Eberechi Eze (£3.6m) means the Eagles are even less potent going forward than usual – they’re pretty tight at the back though.
There’s not much between Spurs’ first-choice back four in terms of total points, we’ve singled out Van de Ven simply because he’s the cheapest.
Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.9m)
Silky smoothCredit: AP
A quick one to finish.
We recommended Kostas Tsimikas (£2.7m) ahead of Gameweek 9 and he returned seven points via a clean sheet in the Merseyside derby – he may also feature in the Europa League this evening – but the broader idea was to target a friendly run of games for Liverpool.
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The same thinking applies to Szoboszlai with Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Luton, Toulouse and Brentford to come before the international break.
It goes without saying that Mohamed Salah (£6.6m) is the Reds’ primary threat – he’s plundered 28 points in his last two outings.

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HERE at Dream Team HQ we consider it our duty to flag up underappreciated players who may be flying under the radar.Equally, it’s our responsibility to shine a spotlight on popular individuals who probably aren’t pulling their weight.
Take Kyle Walker (£3.6m) for example.

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A popular man among Dream Team bossesCredit: Dream Team
Firstly, we should state that the England international has nothing to prove at this stage of his career.
He has been a key player for Manchester City during the club’s golden years, including the treble-winning campaign of 2022/23, and a favourite of Gareth Southgate’s as well despite stiff competition in his position.
And it’s his status in the game which has contributed to his massive ownership in the realm of Dream Team.
Walker currently features in 32.4% of teams, making him the most-selected asset in his position.
MOST-SELECTED DREAM TEAM DEFENDERS (OWNERSHIP %)

Kyle Walker – 32.4%
Kieran Trippier – 30.4%
William Saliba – 28.8%
Matty Cash – 24%
Dan Burn – 12.1%

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At the time writing, it’s difficult to claim that the 33-year-old is worthy of his unmatched popularity.
He’s collected 49 points to date, a total bettered by no fewer than 15 other defenders.
Walker will be hopeful of a clean sheet against Young Boys tonightCredit: Rex
Willy Boly (£2.1m), Diogo Dalot (£3.2m) and Ezri Konsa (£3m) are among those names above Walker in the rankings.
This is largely because clean sheets have proved elusive for Pep Guardiola’s side of late.
In fact, they haven’t kept a clean sheet since their 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest back in Gameweek 6, over a month ago.
Since then, Newcastle, Wolves, RB Leipzig, Arsenal and Brighton have all scored at least one goal against the reigning Premier League champions.
Consequently, Walker has mustered 19 points since the start of Gameweek 6, hence his fall down the rankings.
Trippier, the second-most popular defender in the game, has amassed 55 points in the same time frame!
This comparison is a tad unfair as the Newcastle right-back is comfortably the most-expensive player in his position whereas Walker is relatively affordable but even accounting for value-for-money, the latter has lost a lot of ground in the last month.
Guardiola will be desperate for his side to tighten up at the backCredit: Getty
All this comes with the caveat that City are due to play Young Boys in Switzerland this evening and on current form they’ll feel confident ahead of this weekend’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
Following on from that, Gameweek 11 looks ripe with points for Guardiola’s troops – City face Bournemouth and Young Boys in consecutive home fixtures.
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If Walker doesn’t provide healthy returns during that run then there wouldn’t be much hope for the following Gameweeks, when City are scheduled to meet Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa in quick succession.
A decent haul this evening would ease concerns for Walker’s backers but his returns should be monitored closely – his ownership looks flatteringly high right now.

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ARSENAL regained the top spot in their Champions League group with a 2-1 win away to Sevilla on Tuesday night.The Gunners’ Brazilian contingent came to fore with goals from Gabriel Martinelli (£4m) and Gabriel Jesus (£5m) ultimately getting the job done in Spain.
Unfortunately, the latter was forced off late on with a suspected hamstring injury.
The former, however, should very much be on the radar of Dream Team managers because of the form he’s exhibited since returning from injury.

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Martinelli features in 6.1% of teamsCredit: Dream Team
Martinelli has plundered 24 points in two Gameweeks since recovering from a hamstring issue.
The 22-year-old registered two shots on target, one big chance created and earned three bonus points on top of his goal to take the La Liga outfit for 13 points when all was said and done on Tuesday night.
He only mustered three points against Chelsea at the weekend but still his combined tally of 16 points is enough for him to be Gameweek 9’s joint-best midfielder at the time of writing.
And of course, he’s categorisation as a midfielder is rather generous as he’s not far off a fully-fledged forward in reality.
Dream Team bosses who played the game last season won’t have to be convinced of Martinelli’s viability but his current status this term is rather intriguing.
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A man in formCredit: Getty
At £4m he’s cheaper than Martin Odegaard (£5.1m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.4m), offering gaffers a more affordable route into Arsenal’s points-laden midfield.
The Norwegian playmaker is the joint-third best asset in his position right now with 79 points to his name while the Gunners’ homegrown Star Boy is Dream Team’s top performer overall with 97 points.
As expected, the pair are among the most-popular players in the game – Saka appears in 33.8% of teams (recently decreased due to injury concerns) while Odegaard’s ownership is a healthy 38.9%.
In comparison, Martinelli’s ownership of 6.1% seems paltry but that’s relatively high for a player who has only just returned from a lay-off.
Gaffers who can’t easily afford Saka or Odegaard would do well to consider Martinelli ahead of Gameweek 10 as Mikel Arteta’s side have a particularly favourable fixture in the form of Sheffield United at home.
They’re also scheduled to face West Ham in the Carabao Cup but rotation is expected for that match-up.

Surely a popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 10?Credit: Reuters
Martinelli is the form-man heading into that friendly meeting with the Blades – he averages eight point-per-game across his last three outings, the highest among his team-mates.
Manchester City have been the kings of midfield in Dream Team over the last four or five years but Arsenal are giving them a run for their money this term.
As well as Saka, Odegaard and Martinelli, Declan Rice (£3.7m) is the joint-tenth best asset in his position having moved onto 65 points with a 15-point return in Gameweek 9.
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Gaffers are spoiled for choice!

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TOTTENHAM continued their impressive start to the season with a 2-0 win over Fulham on Monday night.Dream Team favourites Son Heung-min (£4.8m) and James Maddison (£4.3m) were both on the scoresheet on home soil but gaffers would have been disappointed by Destiny Udogie’s (£3m) premature exit.

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Spurs continue to top the Premier League tableCredit: Dream Team
The energetic left-back was substituted before the hour mark, meaning he fell just short of the necessary minutes required to qualify for a clean sheet, not to mention his second appearance point.
Speaking after the game, Ange Postecoglou said: “Destiny just felt a bit of tightness at half-time. We said we’d give it 10-15 minutes so… once we got the second goal, it made sense to take him off.”
Udogie’s backers will be relieved that the 20-year-old was not hooked because he disappointed the Aussie tactician and it doesn’t sound as if his niggle is anything to worry about in the long run.
While his one-point haul in Gameweek 9 may have been something of a one-off, it’s simply a fact that the Italy international has fewer total points than the rest of Spurs’ first-choice back four.
TOTAL SEASON POINTS

Cristian Romero (£3.7m) – 60pts
Pedro Porro (£3.1m) – 55pts
Micky van de Ven (£2.8m) – 53 pts
Destiny Udogie (£3m) – 48 pts

Dream Team’s ninth-most popular defenderCredit: Rex
There’s not much in it but Udogie is ranked fourth among his fellow regular starters, which is curious as he’s actually the most selected of the quartet among Dream Team managers.
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DREAM TEAM OWNERSHIP

Udogie – 9.3%
Romero – 9.2%
Van de Ven – 4.7%
Porro – 4%

There’s a cigarette paper between Udogie and Romero in terms of popularity but the World Cup winner is now 12 points ahead of his team-mate in the rankings.
It’s worth repeating that Udogie is still a perfectly viable selection but gaffers should ensure they’re backing the correct Spurs defender if they decide upon such a strategy.
Postecoglou’s men are scheduled to play Crystal Palace in Gameweek 10 and will therefore be hopeful of another clean sheet.
Only Bournemouth have scored fewer goals than the Eagles in the Premier League so far this season and with Eberechi Eze (£3.6m) injured they’re even less potent in attack.

An impressive start to life in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
Assuming Udogie’s ‘tightness’ is nothing to worry about, he should enjoy himself against Roy Hodgson’s men but gaffers might consider a switch to Romero if possible.
The Argentine centre-back has earned ten bonus points this term, the fourth-best tally among defenders.
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And of course, Dream Team bosses should be aware that Spurs assets don’t have European (or Carabao Cup) fixtures to bolster their schedule.
Not that Maddison or Son have been hindered so far.

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ASTON VILLA fans have felt Ezri Konsa (£3m) is worthy of a place in the England squad for a long while now.And they may have a point.
The 26-year-old has been in excellent form again this season and it’s not only Gareth Southgate who is guilty of underrating the reliable defender.
With an ownership of just 1.8%, the overwhelming majority of Dream Team managers have overlooked Konsa as well – perhaps to their detriment.

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What more does he have to do?Credit: Dream Team
The ex-Brentford centre-back is joint-eighth among defenders in the rankings right now having collected 55 points in total.
To put that into perspective, he’s just seven points behind Matty Cash (£3.2m), who is one of the most-selected players in the game with an ownership of 23.8%.
Konsa has contributed to three clean sheets and he registered an assist against West Ham at the weekend but the secret to his success is his ability to earn bonus points, 17 of them to be precise.
In fact, only Kieran Trippier (£5.6m) has amassed more bonus points (18) among defenders this season than the Villa fan favourite.
And the pair are in a league of their own in this regard as the next-best defender is Antonee Robinson (£2.3m), who has pocketed 11 bonus points.
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In the context of all players, only James Ward-Prowse (£4.3m), James Maddison (£4.3m) and Eberechi Eze (£3.6m) are above Trippier and Konsa when ranking all assets by bonus points.

A class actCredit: Getty
The latter ranks highly in his position for fouls won, pass completion and blocks, a reflection of the all-round game praised by the Villa Park faithful.
Both Pau Torres (£2.8m) and Lucas Digne (£2.6m) are more than twice as popular as Konsa in Dream Team and so gaffers would do well to make sure they’re backing the optimum Villa defenders.
It’s a good time to employ such a strategy too.
Unai Emery’s side face Luton, Nottingham Forest and Fulham in their next three league games around two Europa Conference League meetings with AZ Alkmaar.
The Villains are the Premier League’s second-top scorers in 2023/24 and are just one point off the top four after their impressive 4-1 win over the Hammers on Sunday.

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