Fantasy Football

Julian Alvarez (£4.3m) played second fiddle to Erling Haaland (£8.2m) in his debut season for Manchester City.This campaign, the pair have dovetailed as a fruitful equals to take Dream Team by storm.

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What a double actCredit: DREAM TEAM
The prolific Norwegian has continued as the spearhead of Pep Guardiola’s winning machine and while he’s not been at his clinical best, he still has seven goals to his name after six outings.
As for the Argentina international, he’s flourished in the No10 role, where he’s been able to flex his creative muscles while also providing an additional goal threat.
And it was Alvarez who inspired City’s inevitable comeback victory against Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) on Tuesday night with a second-half brace.
The 23-year-old bagged 21 points for his efforts to add to the eight he earned against West Ham at the weekend.
This 29-point Gameweek haul has rocketed him up the rankings into second overall, fittingly tucked in just behind Haaland.
Alvarez now has 59 points in total, nine fewer than Haaland, having scored four goals and provided five assists in six games.
Alvarez has been in superb form so far this seasonCredit: Getty
Having frequently been named as a substitute last season, few Dream Team bosses would have predicted that the World Cup winner would play every minute of every game across the first five Gameweeks (the Super Cup was not a Dream Team eligible fixture).
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Kevin De Bruyne’s (£6.7m) injury has played into his hands to some degree and with Jack Grealish (£4.4m) and now Bernardo Silva (£3.6m) also sidelined, Alvarez’s minutes are all but assured for the foreseeable future.
More than anything, it’s his form that has made him one of the first names on team sheet.
Guardiola even went as far as to describe Alvarez as “almost undroppable” at the weekend – and that was before he produced the goods again in the Champions League.
Say no more, PepCredit: Getty
The general concern for Dream Team managers regarding City assets is that they might suddenly fall foul of Pep Roulette and find themselves on the bench so when the man himself describes one of his players as “almost undroppable” that’s as much of a green light as one could hope for.
Right now, a front three of Haaland, Alvarez and Mohamed Salah (£6.6m) looks extremely appealing – although credit where it’s due to Odsonne Edouard (£2.8m).
It’s rare that a Dream Team asset categorised as a striker is such a strong option when they’re playing in a deeper role and are clearly not their team’s primary goal threat but the nature of Man City’s supremacy creates such quirks.
Where before it was Haaland or Alvarez, now it’s Haaland and Alvarez.

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WHAT will it take for Dream Team managers to acknowledge Pascal Gross’ (£3.9m) qualities?Brighton’s No13 currently features in just 1.8% of teams, making him considerably less popular than Kaoru Mitoma (£3.7m) and Solly March (£3.8m).
The latter appears in 10.2% of teams while the Japan international is the fifth-most selected asset in his position overall with an ownership of 19.3%.
And yet it’s Gross who is the Seagulls’ leading midfielder having moved onto 38 points with another fine performance at the weekend.

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Grossly underrated!Credit: Getty
The 32-year-old extended his impressive record against Manchester United when he scored Brighton’s second goal at Old Trafford on Saturday, in some style too.
A deft feint and shimmy completely foxed Lisandro Martinez (£3.2m) and opened up the necessary space to drill a shot into the net and cement the visitors’ superiority.
Gross took the Red Devils for nine points when all was said and done to promote himself up to fifth in the overall midfield rankings, with a Europa League fixture against AEK Athens still to come before Gameweek 5 is complete.
One could waste hours debating the subjective matter of underrated Premier League players but few individuals could mount as compelling a case for themselves as Gross.
A neat technician and one of the league’s better set-piece takers, he is among several players who have taken their game to another level under Roberto De Zerbi.
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Gross loves playing at Old TraffordCredit: Reuters
Gross scored nine league goals last season and with two in five outings already this term he may well hit double figures for the first time in his career come May.
Mitoma and March are both excellent options too but it’s Gross who leads the way among Brighton midfielders in terms of shots on target, tackles (joint), bonus points and total points.
So why is being overlooked by 98.2% of Dream Team bosses?
It may simply be because he isn’t perceived as being as fashionable as someone like the more youthful Mitoma, a relatively new revelation with a YouTube-friendly highlight reel – not to mention his degree in dribbling.
Signed in 2017, Gross was a regular for the Brighton outfit that finished closer to the relegation zone than the European places and he wasn’t much of a goalscorer during that time either.
He’s not particularly fast or athletic and he’s only just made his international debut for Germany – it’s rare for a player to earn their first cap for a top nation in their 30s.
But Dream Team gaffers should discard a lot of this contextual information – his current numbers don’t lie.
De Zerbi’s tactics ensure plenty of Dream Team points for Brighton’s best assetsCredit: Reuters
In fact, Gross is technically the most in-form midfielder Dream Team has to offer right now having averaged 9.7 point-per-game across his last three outings – edging out the likes of Eberechi Eze (£3.6m), Bukayo Saka (£6.2m), James Ward-Prowse (£4.3m) and James Maddison (£4.3m).
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And the list of midfielders with fewer points than Gross at this stage includes Martin Odegaard (£5m), Rodri (£4.2m) and Bruno Fernandes (£6.1m) – who are all at least ten times as popular as De Zerbi’s reliable lieutenant.
Gross may play in a deeper role than Mitoma and March but he’s still a key cog in Brighton’s dynamic attacking unit and with Europa League fixtures to bolster his schedule this season, there’s no reason to shy away from the undervalued German.

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IT’S time for some home truths about Nicolas Jackson (£2.6m).Prior to Gameweek 1, the 22-year-old was hugely popular among Dream Team gaffers because of his affordable price and the cruel twist of fate that sidelined Christopher Nkunku (£4m).
With the Frenchman ruled out until at least November, Jackson was suddenly seen as Chelsea’s primary attacking threat for the first few months of the season.

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Jackson has only produced the goods at home to LutonCredit: DREAM TEAM
However, while the Senegal international has showed considerable potential, he’s largely cast a frustrating figure across the first five Gameweeks.
Only Erling Haaland (£8.2m) has missed more big chances than Jackson in the Premier League in 2023/24 but the key difference is that Manchester City’s No9 always gets his goal in the end.
Despite some wasteful outings, the Norwegian poacher has started the defence of his Golden Boot with seven goals in five games whereas the Blues’ No15 has just one goal to show for his efforts.
Haaland and Bryan Mbeumo (£3.8m) are the only Premier League players with more xG (expected goals) than Jackson so far this season but whereas the former pair have generally converted their chances in line with what the statisticians consider average, the latter has dramatically underperformed.
In fact, Ollie Watkins (£4.2m) is the only player who has performed worse against his xG than the ex-Villarreal forward at this stage – the Aston Villa man has at least compensated with four assists.
Too many squandered chancesCredit: Getty
The data suggests Jackson would only need to improve his finishing ability from wasteful to average to produce healthy returns but Dream Team bosses may feel they can’t afford to wait around for such a progression.
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Jackson’s backers who have watched Chelsea’s games will know that he poses a constant threat.
He’s taken up dangerous positions and has been fed favourable chances by the likes of Raheem Sterling (£3.8m) and Enzo Fernandez (£3.3m), giving the impression he’s constantly on the cusp of scoring.
The reality, however, is undeniable; Jackson has only delivered in one fixture, at home to Luton.
He took the Hatters for eleven points in Gameweek 3 but he’s mustered just 12 points from his other five appearances.
Not only that, he’s already incurred four yellow cards and is therefore on the brink of a one-match suspension.
With an ownership of 8% Jackson remains the eighth-most popular striker in Dream Team but the clock is ticking.
If he doesn’t provide substantial returns in Gameweek 6 against Aston Villa and/or Brighton then surely his remaining owners will lose patience.

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MANCHESTER CITY maintained their faultless start to the Premier League season with a 3-1 comeback win over West Ham on Saturday.And it was Jeremy Doku (£3.4m) who provided the catalyst for the turnaround in the second half with a wonderful individual goal within a minute of the restart.
The 21-year-old produced an eye-catching performance that exhibited why the treble-winners forked out £55.5million for him at the back end of the summer transfer window.
A fearless performanceCredit: DREAM TEAM
Speaking on the matter after the final whistle, Pep Guardiola said: “It was an unbelievable game. He was a proper winger, have the ball, have the ability to go 1v1. Not just that, he has the quality to read when to make the pass for the next player. I was very happy.”
It was interesting that the decorated tactician made a point of highlighting Doku as a “proper winger” and his willingness to take on Vladimir Coufal (£2.5m) on both sides.
This is something that has largely gone out of Jack Grealish’s (£4.4m) game with many fans believing the England international doesn’t take enough risks in possession since his switch to the Etihad.
It’s worth noting that while Grealish’s developed understanding of Guardiola’s requirements may have limited his individual highlight reel, the 28-year-old was a key contributor to City’s greatest ever season as a collective in 2022/23.
Still, Doku showed on Saturday how a quick, confident dribbler who excels in one-v-one situations can help Guardiola’s team break down a disciplined defence.
Sophisticated passing patterns are all well and good but sometimes it’s worth testing out an opposition’s full-back ability to defend in isolated scenarios and the Belgium international is well-equipped to administer such a test.
He’s still very much a raw talent but inexperience can actually be a benefit for players in his position, fearlessness is a useful byproduct.
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Man City’s latest playthingCredit: Getty
On Saturday, Doku attempted eight dribbles with five of them being successful – no other player on either side attempted more than three.
Naturally, Doku’s electric display against the Hammers translated to Dream Team success as he pouched 12 points when all was said and done.
At the time of writing, he’s the joint-top scoring midfielder in Gameweek 5, alongside Douglas Luiz (£2.6m) and James Ward-Prowse (£3.8m).
The ex-Rennes winger would have been outright top had Erling Haaland (£8.2m) not denied him a deserved assist – the Norwegian poacher squandered several good opportunities before finally getting his customary goal.
Both Doku and Guardiola admitted that the former’s debut against Fulham prior to the international break was “shy” but his most recent display was brimming with confidence and Dream Team managers would have taken note.
Alvarez has been brilliant for City so far this seasonCredit: Getty
Gaffers should know to go with the flow where City assets are concerned by now.
Take Julian Alvarez (£4.3m) for example; previously unfeasible because of the time he spent sitting on the bench as Haaland’s understudy, the World Cup winner has come to the fore this term as one of his side’s most influential players in the No10 role – with 38 points to show for his efforts.
Similarly, if Doku is to get a run of games on the left wing (Grealish is sidelined with injury for now) then he may well prove to be a smart selection.
The exciting midfielder features in just 0.8% of teams right now – definitely one to watch!

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HERE at Dream Team HQ we consider it our responsibility to flag up success stories that may be flying under the radar.Take the double act of Bernd Leno (£3m) and Kenny Tete (£2.7m) as a prime example.
Nobody would have predicted the extent of this pair’s successCredit: DREAM TEAM
The Fulham goalkeeper is currently the joint-second best asset in his position having gathered 24 points so far this season.
While the Cottagers’ right-back is now the joint-third best defender in the game, level with Matty Cash (£2.8m) on 30 points.
It’s remarkable that this pair have been so successful given the porous nature of Fulham’s defence at the start of this campaign.
Marco Silva’s side conceded 55 shots in their first three league games with 28 of them being on target – how they only shipped five goals in that spell was a minor miracle.
In fairness, Leno deserves plenty of credit for limiting the damage – his shot-stopping has been fantastic ever since he signed for the west Londoners.
Leno has been a great signing for FulhamCredit: Reuters
Strangely, Fulham limited Manchester City to just seven shots at the Etihad but five of them ended up in the back of net – Erling Haaland (£8.2m) will do that from time to time.
However, they responded to that heavy defeat with a 1-0 win over Luton on Saturday.
Improbably, Leno is now level with Ederson (£4.2m), Guglielmo Vicario (£3.2m) and Robert Sanchez (£2.4m) on two clean sheets in 2023/24 – no keeper has more at this early stage.
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Granted, the German’s pair came against a wasteful Everton (lowest scorers in the league) and a Luton side who have lost every game this term, but the numbers can’t be denied.
Leno has earned eleven of his points through saves – he’s made 24 in five outings, the fourth-most among all keepers.
As for Tete, he’s also benefited from an unlikely pair of clean sheets but his success is rooted in bonus points.
Bonus ballCredit: Getty
The Dutchman has earned ten bonus points across the first five Gameweeks, the highest tally among defenders.
The ex-Lyon full-back ranks highly for successful dribbles, accurate crosses, fouls won and interceptions.
In fact, Tete and Nelson Semedo (£2.6m) are the only players in their position to have earned the maximum of five bonus points in one fell swoop – the former did so against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.
At the time of writing, Leno features in 1.8% of teams while Tete’s ownership is just 0.9%.
There are serious questions to be asked about the pair’s long-term viability not least because Fulham’s overall defensive statistics scream: unsustainable.
However, the return of Joao Palhinha (£3m) to full fitness (and the subsequent collapse of his proposed transfer to Bayern Munich) has improved the outlook at Craven Cottage considerably.
The Portuguese midfielder is a tackle machine in the middle of the park and his unmatched industry makes his side much tougher to play against.
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Silva’s men play Crystal Palace, Norwich, Chelsea and Sheffield United in their next four fixtures – a run that could result in further returns for Leno and Tete.
Things could get dicey beyond that with Spurs, Brighton, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool to follow in quick succession but the Fulham duo may be able to linger near the top of the rankings for a couple more weeks yet.

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IT finally happened.Ever since Arsenal confirmed the recruitment of David Raya (£3.5m) on loan from Brentford, a sizeable chunk of Dream Team managers began to fear the day Aaron Ramsdale (£3.6m) would be rested/rotated/dropped.
And Sunday proved to be the day of reckoning for the 14.8% of Dream Team gaffers currently backing the England international as he was named as a substitute at Goodison Park.

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Not what Dream Team bosses wanted to seeCredit: DREAM TEAM
Ramsdale could only watch on as his team-mate registered a regulation clean sheet against Everton, the joint-lowest scorers in the Premier League this season.
On paper, the fixture was a golden chance for Ramsdale owners to reap the benefits of a clean sheet but it was Raya who banked seven points – the Spaniard only had one shot on target to deal with all game.
While somewhat predictable, this was a significant development in the world of Dream Team as Ramsdale is the second-most popular goalkeeper at the time of writing – only Ederson (£4.2m) appears in more teams.
Surely the former Sheffield United custodian can’t maintain such a lofty status now hes a rotation risk?
Ramsdale backers only have themselves to blame as Mikel Arteta has made it very clear that Raya is too good to sit on the bench all season.
“I cannot have two players like this in one position and not play them,” the Gunners’ boss told the BBC. “David has tremendous qualities like Aaron has… we have to use them.”
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Raya kept a clean sheet on debut for ArsenalCredit: Getty
However, the gaffers in question can count themselves a tad unfortunate in regards to the timing – the match-up with the toothless Toffees resulted in Arsenal’s second clean sheet of the campaign.
Last season, Raya made 154 saves in the top flight for the Bees, ten more than his closest rival in the metric.
The 28-year-old had little to do against Sean Dyche’s side but now he’s made his debut it will be interesting to see to what extent he shares the load with Ramsdale.
It would not be a surprise to see the latter start against PSV in the Champions League on Wednesday night – an opportunity for his Dream Team backers to make up some points.
And surely Ramsdale will get the nod for the highly-anticipated north London derby in Gameweek 6, though Arteta’s men would do very well to keep clean sheet against Tottenham on current form.
Friendly rivalsCredit: Reuters
Ramsdale has just 13 points to his name at this stage and the list of 14 keepers with above him in the rankings includes Sam Johnstone (£1.7m), Matt Turner (£2.2m), Wes Foderingham (£2.1m) and Neto (£2.1m).
With at least two transfers available to Dream Team bosses every Gameweek, there’s no excuse to stick by Arsenal’s No1 for much longer.

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DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 5 in one easily digestible dose.Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.3m), Dream Team’s fifth-most popular defender, will not feature for Liverpool at Molineux in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off.
The creative right-back is also likely to miss the Reds’ first Europa League game for the season on Thursday.
Antony (£3.5m) and Jadon Sancho (£2.6m) have been added to Manchester United’s list of absentees for widely-reported off-field issues while Raphael Varane (£3.5m) and Mason Mount (£3.3m) are not ready to return to the matchday squad.
Additionally, Sofyan Amrabat’s (£3.5m) condition remains something of a mystery and it’s unclear at this stage whether the Morocco international will be involved against Brighton on Saturday.
Alexander-Arnold is one of Dream Team’s most-selected playersCredit: Reuters
The social media rumours about Bukayo Saka’s (£6.3m) uncertain availability were mostly quashed by Mikel Arteta in the Spaniard’s Friday press conference.
Arsenal’s gaffer confirmed the England winger has trained normally and told reporters: “There’s nothing to report. Every player has pain or issues, but nothing to worry about.”
However, Thomas Partey (£2.7m) will be sidelined for a few more weeks.
Roberto De Zerbi will make a late decision on Evan Ferguson (£3m) following the teenage striker’s return to training on Thursday.
The Republic of Ireland starlet, who is among the most-recruited players in the last fortnight, scored a hat-trick in Gameweek 4 but didn’t feature for his country during the international break.
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Ansu Fati (£3.5m) is expected to make his debut for the Seagulls in some capacity while Pervis Estupinan (£3.8m) may have his minutes managed after a long journey back from Ecuador duty.
Enzo Fernandez (£3.2m) trained today for the first time this week but Mauricio Pochettino said the Argentine midfielder would be “ready” to face Bournemouth this weekend.
Chelsea are also hopeful Reece James (£4.5m) will return before the October international break, a timescale that suggests Malo Gusto (£2.4m) will continue at right-back for the next two or three Gameweeks at least.
Ferguson’s availability remains unclearCredit: DREAM TEAM
Manchester City will be without Kevin De Bruyne (£6.7m), Mateo Kovacic (£3m), Jack Grealish (£4.4m) and John Stones (£5m) for their trip to West Ham on Saturday.
As for the hosts, Edson Alvarez (£2.3m) didn’t arrive back into country until 3am due to a delayed flight but David Moyes believes he will be able to call upon the combative midfielder.
Marc Guehi (£2.7m) is unlikely to play for Crystal Palace having picked up a niggle on England duty in midweek.
Will Osula (£1m), George Baldock (£2m) and John Egan (£2m) all picked up injuries during the international break and are doubtful as Sheffield United prepare to host Tottenham.
As for Ange Postecoglou’s side, there are no new updates to report – Son Heung-min (£4.5m) is fine after copping a couple of stiff challenges while representing South Korea.
Sandro Tonali (£2.6m) is a doubt for Newcastle having incurred a thigh injury, though it’s not thought to be a long-term concern.
In more positive news for the Magpies, Sven Botman (£3.8m) is in contention to feature against Brentford at St James’ Park this weekend having returned to training.
Tonali is a doubt for Newcastle v BrentfordCredit: Getty
ARSENAL
Injuries: Mohamed Elneny, Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey
Suspensions: None
ASTON VILLA
Injuries: Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Alex Moreno (doubt), Jacob Ramsey, Tim Iroegbunam, Diego Carlos
Suspensions: None
BOURNEMOUTH
Injuries: Alex Scott, Ryan Fredericks, Emiliano Marcondes, Tyler Adams
Suspensions: None
BRENTFORD
Injuries: Josh Dasilva, Shandon Baptiste, Mikkel Damsgaard (doubt)
Suspensions: Ivan Toney
BRIGHTON
Injuries: Julio Enciso, Evan Ferguson (doubt)
Suspensions: None
BURNLEY
Injuries: Michael Obafemi, Hjalmar Ekdal, Darko Churlinov
Suspensions: None
CHELSEA
Injuries: Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Armando Broja, Christopher Nkunku, Beniot Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Marcus Bettinelli, Carney Chukwuemeka, Romeo Lavia
Suspensions: None
CRYSTAL PALACE
Injuries: Michael Olise, Matheus Franca, Malcolm Ebiowei, Marc Guehi (doubt)
Suspensions: None
EVERTON
Injuries: Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli, Jack Harrison, Youssef Chermiti (doubt)
Suspensions: None
FULHAM
Injuries: Tom Cairney (doubt), Sasa Lukic, Tosin Adarabioyo
Suspensions: None
LIVERPOOL
Injuries: Ibrahima Konate, Thiago Alcantara, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Suspensions: Virgil van Dijk
LUTON
Injuries: Dan Potts, Jordan Clark, Gabriel Osho, Amari’i Bell (doubt), Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu (doubt)
Suspensions: None
MANCHESTER CITY
Injuries: Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic
Suspensions: None
MANCHESTER UNITED
Injuries: Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Tom Heaton, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, Tyrell Malacia, Sofyan Amrabat (doubt)
Suspensions: None
NEWCASTLE
Injuries: Javier Manquillo (doubt), Joe Willock, Emil Krath, Sven Botman (doubt), Sandro Tonali (doubt), Elliot Anderson (doubt)
Suspensions: None
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Injuries: Serge Aurier (doubt), Danilo, Anthony Elanga (doubt)
Suspensions: None
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Injuries: Rhys Norrington-Davies, Daniel Jebbison, Rhian Brewster, John Fleck, Max Lowe, Ben Osborn, Tom Davies, Will Osula (doubt), George Baldock (doubt), John Egan (doubt)
TOTTENHAM
Injuries: Rodrigo Bentacur, Ryan Sessegnon, Bryan Gil, Giovani Lo Celso (doubt), Alfie Whiteman
Suspensions: None
WEST HAM
Injuries: None
Suspensions: None
WOLVES
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Injuries: Joe Hodge, Tommy Doyle (doubt)
Suspensions: None

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THERE’S no Friday night game this week which means Dream Team managers have until 11:30am on Saturday to settle on their perfect Gameweek 5 set-upAnd gaffers will be thankful for that extra thinking time as there’s plenty to mull over with the start of the European competitions meaning no fewer than eight teams are set to pull double duty.
Let’s get strategic.

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Time for Dream Team gaffers to get tacticalCredit: Dream Team
CAPTAINCY OPTIONS
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Erling Haaland (£8.1m) is once again the most-popular selection for the armband and with good reason.
Manchester City’s No9 bagged a hat-trick prior to the international break to regain top spot among all assets and with two games at his disposal in Gameweek 5, only extremely brave (perhaps to a fault) Dream Team bosses will be betting against him.
Granted, the first of his fixtures, a trip to the London Stadium, is far from straightforward as West Ham have won three games in a row – including impressive displays of character against Chelsea and Brighton.
However, Haaland scored three goals in his two games against the Hammers last season and with a home Champions League match-up with Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade in old money) to follow on Tuesday night, all signs points to another profitable Gameweek for the Norwegian poacher.
Mohamed Salah (£6.5m), Bukayo Saka (£6.3m) and Kaoru Mitoma (£3.7m) are all decent alternatives but there’s no real need to deviate from the norm this week.
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How many points will Haaland bank in Gameweek 5?Credit: Reuters
BOOSTER STRATEGIES
This is not a dig at any gaffers who have already activated a Booster (some have won cash as a result) but Gameweek 5 feels like the first truly viable moment to deploy either Park the Bus, 12th Man or Max Captain.
The special effects of these Boosters are best harnessed when the most-popular teams (those that generally produce the most points) have multiple fixtures to fulfil.
Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham and Aston Villa will all pull double duty in Gameweek 5.
Activating Park the Bus (all defenders’ points doubled) with a back five of Matty Cash (£2.8m), Pervis Estupinan (£3.8m), William Saliba (£3.5m) and a couple of Man City defenders would mean doubling the points earned in potentially TEN fixtures (five defenders with two games each) which could result in a massive power spike.
Of course, it’s also a popular tactic to block-pick multiple defenders from the same team in hope that just one (or two) clean sheet(s) leads to gargantuan returns.
For example, it would be reasonable to back several Arsenal defenders in Gameweek 5 in expectation of a clean sheet against Everton on Sunday – the Toffees have scored the fewest goals in the league this season.
The Gunners also have a home game against PSV on Wednesday night.
Arsenal will be hopeful of a clean sheet against EvertonCredit: Reuters
Liverpool’s double header of Wolves and LASK also looks appealing although such a ploy may depend of the physical condition of Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.3m).
Gameweek 5 could also be the opportune moment to play the 12th Man Booster.
Gaffers who haven’t been able to afford both Haaland and Salah may feel now is the time to temporarily recruit the latter as their 12th Man to benefit from his returns against Wolves and LASK.
The Egyptian superstar has historically plundered plentiful points in the Champions League and so, in theory, a step down to the more favourable environment of the Europa League should result in significant hauls.
To complete the set, Max Captain is potentially viable in Gameweek 5 too.
Salah usually enjoys himself in EuropeCredit: Rex
With so many of the popular players having two fixtures at their disposal, the odds are at least one of them will go big but it’s hard to pin down precisely who because more than one of the double-headers appear favourable on paper.
Saying that, it would be immensely frustrating to activate Max Captain only for Haaland to score the most points – given he’s the most likely captaincy candidate anyway.
Activating Max Captain all but guarantees massive returns in Gameweek 5 because of the European fixtures but it may be worth waiting until Haaland isn’t such an obvious choice.
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Good luck to all gaffers activating their first Booster of the season – fingers crossed for a mountain of points!

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