Fantasy Football

WE love it when a plan comes together here at Dream Team HQ.Prior to Gameweek 22, we included Ollie Watkins (£4m) in our weekly transfer suggestions and captaincy options.
Plenty of gaffers felt similarly enthused as Aston Villa’s No11 was both the second most-recruited player before the deadline and the second most-selected captain.
On Saturday night, he justified his popularity with a 16-point return against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Never in doubt!Credit: Dream Team
Watkins was directly involved in FOUR goals as Unai Emery’s men strolled to a 5-0 victory, scoring once and registering three assists.
The favourable match-up against the Blades – who will need a miracle to avoid relegation this season – was one of two main reasons the 28-year-old appealed as a Dream Team asset this Gameweek.
Chelsea visit Villa Park on Wednesday night for an FA Cup fourth round replay, meaning Watkins is among a select number of players with two fixtures to fulfil.
Having already plundered 16 points at the weekend (doubled to 32 for those who captained him) he’s already delivered satisfying returns – anything he earns against the Blues will be a nice bonus.
Watkins was among the most transferred-out players for much of last week but he dropped out of the top five on Friday night and those Dream Team bosses who changed their mind will be mightily relieved.
Truth be told, Darwin Nunez’s (£4.6m) doubtful fitness played a huge role in the turning of the tide.
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Nunez’s minor injury helped Dream Team bosses retain WatkinsCredit: Getty
Liverpool’s chaotic striker was only fit enough to play the last half an hour against Arsenal, in which time he was booked for dissent.
The Uruguay international therefore returned a big, fat goose egg and gaffers who opted to sacrifice him, instead of Watkins, for Erling Haaland (£7.6m) will be feeling rather smug.
Watkins has done his duty in Gameweek 22 with another fixture still to come but what about his long-term viability?
Had the England international failed to provide suitable return this Gameweek, many Dream Team managers would have been quick to ship him out but 26 points from his last two outings represents a timely return to form.
And a quick look at the schedule suggests Villa assets will do well in the coming weeks.
In Gameweek 23 they host a Manchester United side now unbeaten in their last five games but then it’s Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Luton – all in the bottom eight at the time of writing.
Villa players enjoyed themselves against Sheffield UnitedCredit: Reuters

That will take the Villains up to the first leg of their Europa Conference round of 16 tie – West Ham assets produced plenty of points in the same competition last season.
Plus, Villa may be in the hat for the FA Cup fifth round if they can get past Chelsea this week.
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A fortnight ago it seemed as if Watkins had ran out of steam but he’s once again among the most appealing options.
He’s now scored 13 goals and provided 14 assists in 2023/24!

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DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 22 in one easily digestible dose.Darwin Nunez (£4.4m) is a major doubt for Liverpool’s trip to Arsenal on Sunday, the standout match-up of the Premier League fixtures this weekend.
Jurgen Klopp told reporters: “I don’t know if Darwin is available. He left the stadium in a boot [on Wednesday]. Nothing broken, x-ray clear, but swollen.”
Nunez currently features in over 26% of teams so many Dream Team bosses will have to act fast if they don’t feel he’s worth the risk.
Liverpool may be without Nunez on SundayCredit: Dream Team
Alexander Isak (£4.5m) is among the most transferred-out players ahead of Saturday’s deadline having limped off against Aston Villa in midweek.
The Swedish forward “has a chance” of making Newcastle’s squad but Eddie Howe didn’t sound all that confident.
Harvey Barnes (£3m) and Callum Wilson (£4.3m) aren’t far away but Saturday’s home game against Luton will probably come too soon for the pair.
Both of Crystal Palace’s star midfielders, Eberechi Eze (£3.7m) and Michael Olise (£3.9m), were forced off in the second half against Sheffield United.
The latter is thought to be available for the Eagles’ grudge match against Brighton this weekend but the former is a doubt – Eze is due for a scan on his hamstring today.
As for the Seagulls, Roberto De Zerbi will make a late decision on Joao Pedro (£3.8m) after the in-form forward picked up a niggle against Luton.
In more positive news, Ansu Fati (£3.5m) is in contention for a place in the squad having been sidelined for the last 13 fixtures.
Joao Pedro is a major doubt for Gameweek 22Credit: Getty
According to Pep Guardiola, Erling Haaland (£7.9m) is “ready to start” although it’s worth noting the decorated tactician said the same about Kevin De Bruyne (£6.2m) before the Belgian was benched against Newcastle.
Manchester City’s No9 will almost certainly be involved against Brentford on Monday night but whether he’s equipped for 90 minutes is another matter.
Haaland is by far and away the most-popular recruit this week.
Pape Matar Sarr (£2.1m) has returned from AFCON and is likely to be involved in some capacity for Tottenham at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Ben Brereton Diaz (£2m) is expected to feature against Aston Villa despite being withdrawn as a precaution in his last outing.
The Chile international has scored two goals in his last three games for Sheffield United.
Haaland is “ready to start” but will he?Credit: Getty
Raul Jimenez (£2.3m) and Issa Diop (£2.3m) have both joined Fulham’s injury list with Marco Silva saying the former’s recovery is “not going to be quick”.
Erik ten Hag told journalists that Lisandro Martinez (£2.9m) was substituted against Wolves as a precaution.
Sofyan Amrabat (£2.7m) has rejoined his team-mates following Morocco’s elimination from AFCON.

ARSENAL
Injuries: Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, Fabio Vieira
Suspensions: None
ASTON VILLA
Injuries: Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Lucas Digne, Jhon Duran, Pau Torres
Suspensions: None
BOURNEMOUTH
Injuries: Ryan Fredericks, Tyler Adams, James Hill, Max Aarons
Suspensions: None
BRENTFORD
Injuries: Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, Bryan Mbeumo
Suspensions: None
BRIGHTON
Injuries: Julio Enciso, Solly March, Ansu Fati (doubt), Joel Veltman, Joao Pedro (doubt), James Milner
Suspensions: None
BURNLEY
Injuries: Luka Koleosho, Jordan Beyer (doubt), Charlie Taylor (doubt), Hannes Delcroix (doubt), Nathan Redmond
Suspensions: None
CHELSEA
Injuries: Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Lesley Ugochukwo, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez, Levi Colwill
Suspensions: None
CRYSTAL PALACE
Injuries: Cheick Doucoure, Joel Ward, Rob Holding, Michael Olise (doubt), Eberechi Eze (doubt)
Suspensions: None
EVERTON
Injuries: Dele Alli, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Seamus Coleman, Andre Gomes, Arnaut Danjuma, Amadou Onana (doubt)
Suspensions: None
FULHAM
Injuries: Adama Traore, Raul Jimenez, Issa Diop, Harry Wilson
Suspensions: None
LIVERPOOL
Injuries: Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Kostas Tsimikas, Joel Matip, Ben Doak, Darwin Nunez (doubt), Mohamed Salah
Suspensions: None
LUTON
Injuries: Tom Lockyer, Marvelous Nakamba, Mads Juel Andersen, Teden Mengi (doubt), Jacob Brown (doubt)
Suspensions: None
MANCHESTER CITY
Injuries: None
Suspensions: None
MANCHESTER UNITED
Injuries: Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount (doubt), Victor Lindelof, Anthony Martial, Aaron Wan-Bissaka (doubt)
Suspensions: None
NEWCASTLE
Injuries: Harvey Barnes (doubt), Elliot Anderson, Matt Targett, Joe Willock, Nick Pope, Callum Wilson, Joelinton, Alexander Isak (doubt), Jamaal Lascelles (doubt)
Suspensions: Sandro Tonali
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Injuries: Felipe (doubt), Divock Origi
Suspensions: None
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Injuries: Daniel Jebbison, John Egan, Chris Basham, Tom Davies, George Baldock, Max Lowe (doubt), Ivo Grbic
Suspensions: Rhian Brewster
TOTTENHAM
Injuries: Ryan Sessegnon, Alfie Whiteman, Manor Solomon, Giovani Lo Celso
Suspensions: None
WEST HAM
Injuries: Lucas Paqueta, Michail Antonio
Suspensions: Said Benrahma
WOLVES
Injuries: None
Suspensions: None

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GAMEWEEK 22 features a full round of Premier League fixtures and, perhaps crucially, two relevant FA Cup replays.Those midweek match-ups present Dream Team managers with an opportunity to target the handful of players with two fixtures at their disposal.
Which brings us neatly onto potential captains…

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In the spotlightCredit: Dream Team
Ollie Watkins (£4m)
Aston Villa’s No11 is set to be the main character in Gameweek 22.
The Villains’ 0-0 draw with Chelsea in the cup means Watkins is among the slim minority of players set to pull double duty (assuming he’s selected for both games) with the Blues’ visit to the Midlands coming after Unai Emery’s men meet with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
The Blades are currently rooted to the bottom of the table having only won one of their two league games since promotion – they’ve also conceded the most goals in the top flight this season.
Having ended his mini drought with a goal against Newcastle (and a 13-point return in Gameweek 21), Watkins will be licking his lips at the prospect of taking on the league’s worst defence.
This match-up, coupled with an additional midweek fixture, makes the England international a strong captaincy option.
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Whatever happens, Watkins’ returns will be decisive as he’s currently among the most-popular recruits and the most transferred-out players ahead of Saturday’s 11:30am deadline.
One way or the other, a significant number of gaffers are likely to be disappointed.
Dividing Dream Team bosses this weekCredit: Alamy
Those with their 12th Man Booster still to play might consider activating it to temporarily recruit Watkins.
With Manchester City and Liverpool strikers understandably popular, some may feel it’s generally a good time to replace Villa’s top scorer.
Selecting Watkins as 12th Man would allow gaffers to benefit from his appealing Gameweek 22 while simultaneously implementing long-term ploys elsewhere.
Cole Palmer (£4.1m)
Chelsea’s double header isn’t quite as tempting as Villa’s although Wolves did concede four to low-scoring Manchester United on Thursday night.
The Blues welcome Gary O’Neil’s side to Stamford Bridge on Sunday before their trip to Villa Park on Wednesday.
Without over-complicating it, Palmer is Chelsea’s top performer at the time of writing having earned 171 points via 11 goals and nine assists.
20 goal involvements and countingCredit: Getty
Interestingly, the 21-year-old averages 6.6 points-per-game (and 8.7 across his last three outings) which puts him above Watkins (5.8 points-per-game) in the same metric.
Palmer earns more bonus points than the Villa striker and he has the benefit of being his side’s first-choice penalty taker.
Whether these elements outweigh Watkins’ more favourable fixtures is up for debate.
Honestly, both are good captaincy options this coming Gameweek.
Erling Haaland (£7.9m)
The first thing to say is that this suggestion hinges on Pep Guardiola’s Friday press conference as the decorated tactician may hint at his team selection.
The prolific Norwegian poacher appeared rather rusty upon his return to action as a second-half substitute against Burnley and it may be the case that he’s given another cameo before his first start.
A game-changer in the world of Dream TeamCredit: Rex
However, if Haaland is likely to start against Brentford on Monday night then of course he’s in the captaincy conversation – he scored 19 goals in 20 appearances before his foot injury.
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Pep Guardiola’s side are on a winning streak and their No9 is nothing short of a goal machine when fully fit.
If Haaland’s condition is uncertain then gaffers with him, Watkins, Palmer and other City stars in their XI should considering activating their Max Captain Booster if possible.

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DREAM TEAM managers are constantly having to weigh up short-term gains against long-term strategies.And Gameweek 22 encapsulates this divide perfectly.
Allow us to explain via some transfer recommendations.

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Game-changerCredit: Rex
Erling Haaland (£7.9m)
Manchester City’s No9 looked rusty upon his return to action against Burnley but, such is his pedigree, just the sight of him on a pitch in any capacity is more than enough to ensure he’ll be the most-popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 22.
Pep Guardiola’s side face Brentford on Monday night and given the Bees have conceded 16 goals in their last six games, all signs point towards healthy returns for City’s attack-minded assets.
The big question revolves around whether Haaland is fit enough to start?
Kevin De Bruyne (£6.2m) was eased back into action after his layoff and the Norwegian poacher may be given the same treatment, especially with Julian Alvarez (£4.2m) in such good form.
That being said, Haaland is one of those rare players who induces almost unbearable FOMO (fear of missing out) – he can severely punish those who dare to crack on without him.
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Keep your eyes and ears peeled for any team news prior to Saturday’s deadline.
A popular optionCredit: PA
Looking beyond Gameweek 22, Man City players should be hugely popular this month.
The treble winners face Copenhagen in the Champions League round of 16 in Gameweek 23 and will double up in Gameweek 24 because of their rescheduled league meeting with Brentford at the Etihad (initially postponed because of the Club World Cup).
Add in FA Cup commitments plus the second leg against the Danish outfit and City are booked in for FOUR consecutive double Gameweeks.
Simply put: it’s an excellent time to back Guardiola’s troops.
Haaland and De Bruyne will surely be essential while Phil Foden (£5.2m) is Dream Team’s third-top scorer at present.
Clean sheets have been hard to come by but the sheer volume of fixtures means Kyle Walker (£3.1m) and Ederson (£2.7m) are appealing options.
Then there’s Rodri (£3.5m), Jeremy Doku (£3.9m), Bernardo Silva (£4.1m)… it’s almost quicker to list which City assets aren’t viable in February.
Ollie Watkins (£4m)
Back on track?Credit: Getty
If the long-term view is fixated on Man City stars, those keen on short-term gains should target the FA Cup fourth round replays.
Aston Villa will host Chelsea in midweek following their 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Before that, the Villains have the luxury of a favourable league fixture in the form of a trip to Bramall Lane.
Watkins ended his mini drought with a consolation goal against Newcastle and he could not cherry-pick a more friendly weekend opponent than Sheffield United in hopes of kicking on again.
The Villains’ No11 banked 13 points in Gameweek 21, a decent return for gaffers who kept faith in him, and he’s a great option for Gameweek 22 as one of very few high-profile players with two fixtures to fulfil.

Cole Palmer (£4.1m)
They don’t call him ‘Cold Palmer’ for nothingCredit: Dream Team
The same logic applies to Chelsea’s young gun.
Although it’s probably fair to say the Blues’ double header is tougher than Villa’s, on paper at least.
They host a Wolves side undefeated in seven (at the time of writing) before their visit to Villa Park, a fortress for Unai Emery’s men in the last year.
Even so, Palmer is a strong option having scored 11 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions already this season.
Whether he plays from the right, as a No10, or centre-forward, the 21-year-old provides plenty of threat.
He averages 6.6 points-per-game this season so it’s reasonable to expect a double-digit haul from him in Gameweek 22 thanks to his extra fixture.
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Nottingham Forest are the other Premier League team involved in a FA Cup replay (vs Bristol City) but somebody like Morgan Gibbs-White (£3.1m) really would be a short-term punt as their fixtures turn nasty from Gameweek 23.
Ideally, your XI will feature some representation from Chelsea and/or Villa while also gearing up for City’s hectic schedule.

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CRYSTAL PALACE fans have been increasingly vocal in their frustration as this season has progressed.Currently 14th with 24 points from 22 Premier League games, the Eagles are set for yet another unremarkable campaign – seemingly safe from relegation but still firmly in the bottom half.
The South London club have been in the top flight for 11 straight seasons now and only once have they finished in the top half (10th in 2014/15).

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Hodgson has been under pressure latelyCredit: Getty
They have often been among the league’s lowest scorers too with the current campaign no exception – only Manchester United, Everton, Burnley and Sheffield United have scored fewer goals at this stage with the Red Devils and Clarets having a game in hand.
While supporters appreciate survival in the world’s most-watched league is not taken for granted, the growing sense of stagnation is understandable.
Amid the frustration, however, Palace boast one of the most joyous double acts in European football.
Eberechi Eze (£3.7m) and Michael Olise (£3.9m) blend style with substance, as evidenced by the pair’s inspired showings to help Roy Hodgson’s side to victory over Sheffield United on Tuesday night, despite the Blades having taken the lead in the first minute.
Olise assisted Eze twice before scoring a fantastic goal of his own as the hosts bagged a much-needed three points at Selhurst Park with a 3-2 win over the team currently rooted to the bottom of the table.
A formidable partnershipCredit: Dream Team
Naturally, the pair’s heroics translated to Dream Team success.
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Both banked 16 points for their respective efforts and are therefore Gameweek 21’s joint-best midfielders at the time of writing.
The problem is that Palace fans so rarely get to enjoy the two midfielders in tandem.
Tuesday night’s fixture was just seventh time this season that Eze and Olise started together.
Both have been blighted by injuries in recent years and, as if to underline the issue, Hodgson was forced to replace each of them in the final 25 minutes with the game on a knife-edge.
Speaking after the final whistle, the England international said: “I’m okay, it was just a precaution, it should be fine. [Michael Olise] is also fine. He’s good.”
Eze’s comments will be warmly welcomed by the Selhurst Park faithful but both players remain availability concerns ahead of Saturday’s game against rivals Brighton.

Both Olise and Eze were withdrawn against Sheffield UnitedCredit: PA
Many Dream Team managers will be just as frustrated as Hogdson.
Olise in particularly has exhibited immense pedigree when fit.
In fact, the 22-year-old averages ten points-per-game this season, the best rate among all assets – Erling Haaland (£7.9m) is second on 9.8 points-per-game.
He’s notched a whopping 68 points across his last five outings!
The France youth international has also racked up 26 bonus points in just ten appearances.
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Eze is a keen bonus point hoarder as well, his tally of 32 is only bettered by four players in his position and that with the ex-QPR playmaker having been sidelined for half a dozen games this term.
Here’s hoping the talented duo are able to play together for the remainder of the campaign – Dream Team and the Premier League are better off for it.

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WHEN Erling Haaland’s (£7.9m) foot injury coincided with Mohamed Salah’s (£6.7m) departure to the Africa Cup of Nations, the door was left ajar for Bukayo Saka (£5.6m) to sit the Dream Team throne.And Arsenal’s No7 did just that last night when he leapfrogged the Egyptian superstar at the top of the overall rankings.

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Top GunCredit: Dream Team
Saka scored the Gunners’ second goal, ultimately a decisive one, against Nottingham Forest to bank nine points when all was said and done.
His efforts at the City Ground pushed his season tally to 218 points, six more than Salah at this stage.
The England winger now has ten goals and 12 assists to his name in 2023/24 but his impressive haul of 35 bonus points is also a key factor in his success – only four players boast superior tallies.
DREAM TEAM’S TOP SCORERS THIS SEASON:

Bukayo Saka – 218 pts
Mohamed Salah – 212 pts
Joao Pedro – 204 pts
Phil Foden – 201 pts
Erling Haaland – 195 pts
Jarrod Bowen – 195 pts
Darwin Nunez – 181 pts
Kieran Trippier – 179 pts
Julian Alvarez – 175 pts
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 172 pts

Saka’s ownership of 50.5% is evidence of the fact Dream Team managers have largely kept the faith despite some criticisms of the 22-year-old’s performances of late.
It’s fair to say he looked a tad fatigued before the winter break but the short rest seems to have done him good.
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Plus, it’s a measure of Saka’s pedigree that his returns remained relatively healthy during his so-called ‘bad patch’.
Between Gameweeks 17 and 19, he registered a perfectly respectable 23 points across four fixtures at a time when Mikel Arteta’s side lost to West Ham, Fulham and Liverpool.
Simply put, Saka is a top-tier Dream Team asset.
22 goal involvements for the seasonCredit: Getty
But how long will be able to retain the crown?
Haaland is expected to return to action in some capacity against Burnley this evening.
Manchester City’s No9 has missed his side’s last nine fixtures and yet the gap to Saka is just 23 points – the Norwegian is capable of such a haul in one outing.
Haaland averages 9.8 points-per-game this season, a rate bettered only by Michael Olise (£3.9m).
HIGHEST POINTS-PER-GAME AVERAGE THIS SEASON (MINIMUM FIVE APPEARANCES):

Michael Olise – 10
Erling Haaland – 9.8
Mohamed Salah – 7.9
Bukayo Saka – 7.8
Son Heung-min – 7.4
James Maddison – 7.3
Jarrod Bowen – 7.2
Phil Foden – 7.2
Pedro Porro – 6.9
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6.6

A home game against the Clarets has to be considered a favourable match-up for Haaland’s return fixture although he may be eased back in with a short cameo as a second-half substitute.
Haaland looms largeCredit: Getty

Looking forward, Pep Guardiola’s face Brentford, Everton and Copenhagen across Gameweeks 22 and 23 while Arsenal take on Liverpool and West Ham in the same time.
Not only is Saka at a numerical disadvantage in terms of the fixtures, the difficulty of his match-ups compared to Haaland’s also work against him – Liverpool are top of the Premier League table while West Ham currently sit sixth.
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Plus, Salah is expected to be available again at some point in the coming weeks.
The battle for Dream Team supremacy this season is set to be very competitive throughout the second half of the campaign, although the smart money is on the imperious Haaland if he avoids another spell on the sidelines.

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KIERAN TRIPPIER (£4.8m) has reclaimed top spot among Dream Team defenders following Newcastle’s 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Tuesday night.The experienced right-back provided his ninth assist of the season for the game’s opening goal with a typically threatening corner.
Ollie Watkins (£4m) scored a consolation goal for the hosts midway through the second half to vanquish Trippier and company’s clean sheet but the latter earned three bonus points by way of compensation to bank eight in total from what was a tricky fixture on paper – it was Villa’s first defeat at home in the league for almost a year.

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King of defenders once moreCredit: Dream Team
The former Atletico Madrid defender took Fulham for nine points in the FA Cup on Saturday so his combined haul for Gameweek 21 totalled an impressive 17.
This effort moved him onto 179 points for the season, seven more Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m), Dream Team’s next-best defender at the time of writing.
Trippier also became the first player in his position to reach 40 bonus points.
In fact, only team-mate Bruno Guimaraes (£3.7m) has claimed more bonus points (45) among all players at this stage of the campaign.
This should serve as a timely reminder to Dream Team bosses of the England international’s pedigree.
Trippier recently suffered a significant dip in popularity although his ownership of 26% still makes him the ninth-most selected asset in the game.
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A lean spell of seven points in four games (either side of a one-game suspension) in December prompted plenty of gaffers to ditch him but he’s struck back with 45 points across six fixtures since the start of Gameweek 17.
Alan Shearer, is that you?Credit: Getty
Trippier was far from the only Newcastle defender to come out of Gameweek 21 with their reputation enhanced.
Fabian Schar (£3.2m) catapulted himself into Dream Team’s top ten defenders with a 22-point return, 14 of them coming via a rare brace against the Villains.
The Swiss centre-back exhibited poacher-like instincts to score twice in four minutes for his best haul of the season so far.
Schar is now just above William Saliba (£3.3m) in the rankings which is notable given the Arsenal fan favourite features in 40.6% of teams!

Earlier this week, we flagged Dan Burn’s (£3.3m) impressive returns of late while Sven Botman (£3.5m) also added 14 points to his tally this Gameweek.
All in all, Newcastle’s first-choice back four combined for 72 points in Gameweek 21 and with Luton, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth to come in their next three league games, there’s every chance of more healthy returns.

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