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    Transfer recommendations ahead of Gameweek 5 – target European fixtures for massive returns

    THE introductory phase of the 2023/24 Dream Team campaign is over.Gameweek 5 marks the start of the European competitions – after a full round of Premier League fixtures – with no fewer than EIGHT teams set to pull double duty.
    Gaffers should target these midweek fixtures to ensure maximum returns this coming week.
    With that in mind, allow us to suggest some transfer recommendations.

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    New kid on the blockCredit: DREAM TEAM
    Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.5m)
    Liverpool assets have traditionally provided healthy returns in the Champions League so it would be reasonable to expect a deluge of points from them now they’re in the more favourable environment of the Europa League – assuming Jurgen Klopp takes the competition seriously.
    Mohamed Salah (£6.5m) is clearly the primary candidate to benefit and those keen on the Egyptian superstar would do well to snap him up now before his price increases on Saturday.
    While Salah is almost too obvious an option, Szoboszlai features in just 7.1% of teams right now.
    The Hungary international has hit the ground running at Anfield and he capped his impressive start with a sumptuous goal against Aston Villa in Gameweek 4, which contributed to an 11-point haul.
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    The 22-year-old has earned seven bonus points in his last three outings, a reflection of his all-round performances, and his overall tally stands at a very respectable 26.
    In Gameweek 5, the Reds travel to Wolves before facing LASK in Austria on Thursday night – a double header ripe with points.
    Moussa Diaby (£3.5m)
    Eyes on the prizeCredit: Getty
    Too many Dream Team gaffers overlooked the Europa Conference League last season with plenty of Jarrod Bowen (£4.8m) and Said Benrahma’s (£3.3m) points going unclaimed.
    This season, Aston Villa are England’s representative in the continent’s tertiary competition and their best assets should be able to take advantage of some very favourable match-ups.
    Diaby has two goals and one assist to his name from his first four outings in a claret and blue shirt and looks a persistent threat when everything clicks.
    Only six midfielders have registered more shots on target than the the Paris-born winger and just two have created more big chances.
    Looking at Unai Emery’s side more generally, they’ve been exposed against stronger opposition (Newcastle, Liverpool) but swept aside weaker sides (Everton, Burnley).
    Gameweek 5’s domestic opponents Crystal Palace fall somewhere in the middle of those two categories but the venue being Villa Park should edge the contest to Diaby and company.
    But it’s Villa’s Thursday night game against Legia Warsaw that packs the most potential.
    See also: Matty Cash (£2.8m), Ollie Watkins (£4.4m).
    Julian Alvarez (£4.1m)
    Nobody’s bench-warmerCredit: Getty
    Dream Team bosses know to go with the flow when it comes to Manchester City stars by now.
    Alvarez has been anything but a second fiddle so far this season, in fact he’s been a first-choice regular and a pivotal one at that.
    The World Cup winner has provided two goals and three assists in four outings for a return of 30 Dream Team points – only Erling Haaland (£8.1m) has more among Man City players currently.
    Pep Guardiola won’t take West Ham for granted this coming weekend as the Hammers have won three games in a row, including spirited victories over Brighton and Chelsea.
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    But of course the treble-winners will be favourites and Dream Team managers will also be expecting big things from Alvarez and company when they start their Champions League defence at home to Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday.
    If a combination of Haaland and Alvarez is good enough for Guardiola then it’s good enough for Dream Team gaffers too.

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    Score Predictor Tips: Users divided by Manchester United v Brighton – PlayStation 5 up for grabs!

    STOP worrying about whether Gareth Southgate will select [insert player you hate] over [insert player you love] for England’s opening match at the Euros.There’s two more international breaks before December to fill with all that tedium.
    Now is the time to refocus on the Premier League and, by extension, Score Predictor.
    There’s a PlayStation 5 up for grabs once again in Matchweek 5 and so let’s analyse each of the selected fixtures in hope of providing one reader with the information they need to land the fantastic prize.

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    Score Predictor’s main event in Matchweek 5Credit: DREAM TEAM
    Manchester United v Brighton
    Matchweek 5’s headline fixture comes first chronologically as it’s scheduled for 3pm on Saturday.
    You may remember this match-up from the opening weekend last season when the Seagulls recorded an historic 2-1 win at Old Trafford thanks to a Pascal Gross brace.
    Interestingly, 40% of Score Predictor users believe the visitors will win by the same scoreline again this season while same volume of users think the Red Devils will take revenge with a 2-1 win of their own.
    With 1-1 being the third-most popular prediction it’s clear this fixture has split fans down the middle and will therefore be a pivotal one.
    Roberto De Zerbi’s tactics generally ensure a open-ended contest with chances at both ends while Erik ten Hag has struggled to strike the right balance in midfield, while also being hampered with injuries in defence.
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    However, Brighton are yet to keep a clean sheet this season, even with a couple of favourable fixtures in that regard in the form of Luton and Wolves – they’ve allowed their opponents 46 shots across their first four fixtures.
    This suggests there will enough to keep the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford interested even if Andre Onana is to be a busy man.
    We got our prediction spot on for Matchweek 4’s headline fixture by tipping Arsenal to beat Man United 3-1 but this one really could go either way.
    Our Prediction: 2-1 to Brighton
    Newcastle have lost three games in a rowCredit: Alamy
    Newcastle v Brentford
    Now then, this an intriguing one.
    Score Predictor users are overwhelmingly backing Eddie Howe’s men, as are the bookies, but it has to be noted that the Bees are yet to lose this season while the Magpies have lost three on the bounce.
    Not only that, Brentford have generated the most xG (expected goals) in the Premier League so far this season – a byproduct of the more expansive approach employed by Thomas Frank this term.
    That being said, St James’ Park is a very difficult place to go these days (unless you’re Liverpool, Newcastle’s bogey team) and while it’s true Brentford are undefeated, they’ve only won one of their four games – Bryan Mbeumo’s 93rd-minute strike prevented a home loss to Bournemouth last time out.
    We suspect the international break will have allowed Newcastle to reset and let’s not forget that their three consecutive defeats came against Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton – three of the top six teams in the league and, respectfully, all a level above Brentford.
    Our Prediction: 3-2 to Newcastle
    Chelsea fans want to see more celebrations from Nicolas JacksonCredit: Getty
    Bournemouth v Chelsea
    The Blues still aren’t quite right while the Cherries are without a win under Andoni Iraola.
    Defeat at home to Nottingham Forest in Matchweek 4 was a bitter pill to swallow for Mauricio Pochettino but his side’s underlying numbers are actually rather encouraging – although Nicolas Jackson really needs to start converting more of his chances.
    Even with their efficiency problems and the unsettling presence of an out-of-sorts Robert Sanchez between the sticks, Chelsea have Raheem Sterling and Enzo Fernandez in impressive form and literally hundreds of millions of pounds of talent in the starting midfield alone.
    Our Prediction: 2-0 to Chelsea
    The pressure is on Everton after four games without a winCredit: Getty
    Everton v Arsenal
    Fans of the Toffees are probably among the small minority who would welcome another week or two of the international break.
    Sean Dyche’s side have mustered just one point from four outings so far and that came from a draw to newly-promoted Sheffield United.
    No team has scored fewer goals than Everton’s two at the start of this season and it’s hard to envisage anything other than one-way traffic in favour of the Gunners on Sunday.
    We agree with the 40% of users who think this will be a routine 3-0 win for Arsenal.
    Cue those famous Goodison Park boos…
    Our Prediction: 3-0 to Arsenal
    Taiwo Awoniyi has picked up where he left off at the end of last seasonCredit: Alamy
    Nottingham Forest v Burnley
    Many pundits fancied the Clarets to do well upon their return to the top flight under Vincent Kompany but it hasn’t gone to plan for the Belgian gaffer so far.
    His side have conceded the most goals in the league at this stage, despite playing one game fewer than every team bar Luton, shipping 11 in their three defeats.
    As for Forest, they’ve generally been competitive at home and dismal away but they bucked that trend in emphatic fashion with a win at Stamford Bridge before the international break.
    Steve Cooper’s side also had their moments against Arsenal and Man United in the games they lost.
    This analysis hints at a home win but it should be noted that Burnley actually beat Forest in the Carabao Cup a fortnight ago, albeit with both managers naming second-string starting line-ups.
    Also, Score Predictors users should occasionally listen to their gut and ours is telling us…
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    Our Prediction: 1-1 draw
    Submit your predictions for Matchweek 5 now!

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    Premier League – talkSPORT BET boost: Get Aston Villa, Spurs, Man City & Fulham all to win at huge 6/1

    THE Premier League returns this weekend and talkSPORT BET have boosted the odds of a top Dream Team selection to celebrate.Punters can now get 6/1 for Aston Villa, Spurs, Man City & Fulham all to win their Premier League matches this weekend – that’s up from 9/2!
    Get Aston Villa, Spurs, Man City & Fulham all to win at 6/1 with talkSPORT BETCredit: gETTY
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    Aston Villa host Crystal Palace and are looking for a response after a 3-0 defeat at Liverpool last time out.
    It’s likely Unai Emery will get that reaction and they’re fancied to win at 3pm, as are Manchester City (away to West Ham) and Tottenham (home to Sheffield United).
    In fact, the entire four-fold all have the same kick off time, with Fulham hosting Luton Town, who look like the step up to this division has been just too big a step up.
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    Get £30 in free bets when you stake £10 on Wolves vs Liverpool with talkSPORT BET

    LIVERPOOL travel to Wolves for the Premier League’s early kick off this Saturday.And new talkSPORT BET customers can claim £30 in free bets when staking a tenner on the game!
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    That’s right, you could pocket £30 in free bets to use on the rest of the 3pm games in the Premier League, EFL or whatever you like, just for staking £10 on the early game.
    It looks like being a tough game for Liverpool, though at the minute you’re not sure what you’re getting from Wolves.
    Jurgen Klopp’s men look to have the bit between their teeth at present, though will be keen to hit the ground running again following the international break.
    The hosts are as big as 13/2 to win the three points, with the draw also a big price at 4/1.
    Liverpool head to Molineux as the 4/11 favourites.
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    A responsible gambler is someone who:

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    Pedro Neto and the other best Dream Team players available for under £3million ahead of Gameweek 5

    TIME to peruse Dream Team’s bargain aisle.These are the five best players available for under £3million ahead of Gameweek 5, based on total points scored already this season.

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    Buzzing!Credit: GETTY
    Mathias Jensen (£2.8m)
    Brentford’s No8 is one of those players who is underappreciated outside of his own club’s fanbase.
    The Denmark international is a tidy technician who is always willing to run the hard yards for the Bees.
    Jensen mustered just one goal involvement in his first Premier League campaign but he registered eleven last term and has shown an even greater attacking influence in the early stages of the current campaign.
    The 27-year-old provided an assist against Spurs in Gameweek 1 and scored against Newport (in the Carabao Cup) and Bournemouth just prior to the international break.
    He’s also earned points through tackles in all but one outing so far.
    The 0.2%-owned midfielder has produced 29 points in total, more than Moussa Diaby (£3.5m), Martin Odegaard (£4.9m), Bruno Fernandes (£6.3m) and several other popular assets.
    Most read in Football
    Taiwo Awoniyi (£2.8m)
    Banging them inCredit: Alamy
    Nottingham Forest’s man of the moment started the season with goals in three consecutive games to continue the impressive streak he started at the back end of 2022/23.
    And the Nigerian striker provided the crucial assist for his side’s winner at Stamford Bridge in Gameweek 4.
    With Brennan Johnson (£2.7m) having switched the City Ground for the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, the onus will be on Awoniyi to provide the finishing touch in the final third to an even greater degree.
    Many Dream Team gaffers will still be unsure of Forest’s prospects but the simple fact is that their No9 has eleven goal involvements in his last ten Premier League games.
    Awoniyi is the eighth-best forward this season with 29 points to his name.
    Jordan Ayew (£2.8m)
    All actionCredit: Getty
    The Crystal Palace fan favourite is yet to score a goal this season but still he’s amassed 31 points – a tally only bettered by four assets in his position.
    Ayew has registered a whopping 14 tackles across the first four Gameweeks, twice as many as the next-best striker.
    And no forward has earned as many bonus points (five) as the Ghana international, who ranks in the top three for successful dribbles, accurate crosses and big chances created in his position.
    Add in three assists and a full allotment of appearance points in the league and it’s no wonder Ayew is mixing it with the big names – he’s level on points with Mohamed Salah (£6.5m).
    Just imagine if he starts scoring as well.
    Pedro Neto (£2.8m)
    Back to his best?Credit: DREAM TEAM
    It’s a similar story for the Wolves winger, who is yet to score this season but is well ahead of the game in the creativity department with three assists.
    Eberechi Eze (£3.4m) and James Maddison (£4.1m) are the only players to have earned more bonus points than Neto’s ten – that’s esteemed company this season as the former pair are second and third in the overall rankings.
    The Portugal international has seemingly rediscovered the form he exhibited before his significant injury setback.
    Currently featuring in just 0.4% of teams, Neto has 31 points and is therefore rubbing shoulders with Raheem Sterling (£3.8m), Solly March (£3.9m) and Rodri (£4.4m), who are all way more popular.
    The 23-year-old has achieved this impressive tally despite the fact he sat out Wolves’ 5-0 thrashing of Blackpool in the Carabao Cup.
    Odsonne Edouard (£2.6m)
    A time for celebrationCredit: Getty
    Best of the lot in the sub-£3m category is Crystal Palace’s in-form striker.
    The Frenchman is almost the antithesis of his team-mate, the aforementioned Jordan Ayew, in that he’s simply been on hand to put the ball the net.
    Edouard scored seven goals in all competitions last season but he’s got four in as many Gameweeks already in 2023/24.
    The ex-Celtic poacher was the Eagles’ match-winner against Sheffield United in Gameweek 1 and his brace at home to Wolves proved to be decisive too.
    Read More on The Sun
    It’s probably fair to say that many of Roy Hodgson’s previous teams have been primarily characterised by organised defences – certainly his last spell as Selhurst Park boss was more risk adverse – but he’s been more than happy to let this current side off the leash.
    As a result, Palace’s attacking assets have raked in returns across the first four Gameweeks – Erling Haaland (£8.1m) is the only striker with more points than Edouard’s 41 at this stage.

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    Dream Team to ramp up several notches in Gameweek 5 as European competitions get underway

    THE international break may have provided a momentary lull but Dream Team will go up several notches once Gameweek 5 gets underway.That’s because EIGHT clubs will be in continental action in midweek after a full round of Premier League fixtures at the weekend.

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    Dream Team ramps up once the European competitions startCredit: DREAM TEAM
    Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle will begin their Champions League campaigns before Liverpool, Brighton and West Ham get going in the Europa League – with Aston Villa being England’s representative in the Europa Conference League.
    Gaffers only have to reflect upon last season, when Pep Guardiola’s side and the Hammers triumphed in their respective quests, to understand the value the European competitions bring to Dream Team.
    The formula is simple: more fixtures equals more point-scoring opportunities.
    The likes of James Maddison (£4.1m), Raheem Sterling (£3.8m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£3.7m) are justifiably popular after their electric performances across the first few Gameweeks but without European games to bolster their schedules, their rivals are likely to gain ground in the coming weeks.
    Saying that, it would be a risky move to ditch an asset like Tottenham’s in-form No10 because his imposing tally of 46 points is evidence of the fact he’s more than capable of making up for his comparatively relaxed schedule with massive domestic hauls – he’s taken Bournemouth and Burnley for 15 points each in his last two league outings.
    Can Maddison maintain top spot among midfielders without European games?Credit: Rex
    However, it’s generally advisable for Dream Team bosses to ensure they have ample active players in midweek once the European group stages commence.
    Striking this balance can be difficult.
    Most read in Football
    For example, which player will score more points in Gameweek 5: Maddison against Sheffield United or Moussa Diaby (£3.5m) against Crystal Palace and Legia Warsaw?
    The latter averages seven points-per-game this season while the former averages 9.2 so in theory the Frenchman should comfortably outscore the England playmaker given he has potentialyl twice as many minutes at his disposal.
    However, any gaffer that makes such a transfer could easily be punished if Maddison continues his fine form and Diaby fails to register a goal involvement in either of his fixtures.
    It’s also wise to consider which players have favourable continental fixtures and who might be up against it.
    For example, Arsenal and Man City were gifted relatively friendly groups in the Champions League while Man United will face Bayern Munich twice and Newcastle have a ‘group of death’ to negotiate.
    Newcastle will play PSG, Borussia Dortmund and Milan in the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUPS:

    ARSENAL
    Sevilla
    PSV
    Lens

    MANCHESTER CITY
    RB Leipzig
    Red Star Belgrade
    Young Boys

    MANCHESTER UNITED
    Bayern Munich
    Copenhagen
    Galatasaray

    NEWCASTLE
    AC Milan
    PSG
    Borussia Dortmund

    In the Europa League, Liverpool’s group looks ripe for plentiful points assuming Jurgen Klopp plans to take the competition seriously – he is more accustomed to the Champions League these days.
    Brighton and West Ham’s groups are harder to gauge but given the former are one of the most dynamic attacking sides in the Premier League the likes of Kaoru Mitoma (£3.7m), Solly March (£3.9m) and Evan Ferguson (£3m) should enjoy themselves on Thursday nights.
    EUROPA LEAGUE GROUPS:

    WEST HAM
    Olympiacos
    Freiburg
    TSC

    BRIGHTON
    Marseille
    Ajax
    AEK Athens

    LIVERPOOL
    LASK
    Union Saint-Gilloise
    Toulouse

    Too good for the Europa League?Credit: PA
    The story of Villa’s season so far is that they’ve come undone against strong opposition (Newcastle, Liverpool) but swept aside weaker outfits (Everton, Hibs, Burnley) in some style.
    If that’s to be a long-term trend then Dream Team managers can expect healthy returns from Unai Emery’s boys in Europe’s tertiary competition.
    Last season, David Moyes’ side struggled domestically but the likes of Said Benrahma (£3.3m) and Jarrod Bowen (£4.8m) maintained lofty rankings by milking the Europa Conference League for all it was worth.
    Surely Matty Cash (£2.8m), Ollie Watkins (£4.4m) and company will do the same again this term.
    EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE GROUP:
    Read More on The Sun

    Aston Villa
    AZ Alkmaar
    Legia Warsaw
    Zrinjski Mostar

    The start of the European competitions represents a pivotal turning point in the Dream Team season – don’t get left behind!

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    England’s best XI determined by Dream Team points – featuring Jarrod Bowen and Tyrick Mitchell

    Listen up, Gareth Southgate!We know every man and his dog has an opinion about the England squad and it’s probably best to shut out the noise but have you considered selecting a starting line-up based purely on this season’s Dream Team points?
    Here’s what such an XI would look like…
    SpoilerCredit: DREAM TEAM
    GOALKEEPER: Sam Johnstone (£1.7m)
    Crystal Palace’s custodian is with the Three Lions for real this week but whereas Southgate probably views him as third in the pecking order, the 30-year-old is our No1.
    Johnstone has 15 points to his name which puts him ninth among all Dream Team keepers but first among his compatriots.
    Wes Foderingham (£2.1m) would be our back-up option, for what it’s worth.
    DEFENDERS: Tyrick Mitchell (£2.7m), Rico Henry (£2.8m), Marc Guehi (£2.7m)
    Okay, so one centre-back and two left-backs is hardly the ideal composition for a functional defence in reality.
    It’s quickly become apparent this is merely classic international break content rather than a sincere instructional dossier for Southgate to study.
    Most read in Football
    Guehi (19 points) is with the squad for real but his club team-mate Mitchell (21 points) was omitted – perhaps harshly given Luke Shaw (£4.9m) is injured, meaning Ben Chilwell (£4.3m) is the only specialist left-back in the 24.
    Palace started the season with a clean sheet at Bramall Lane and that’s essentially why two of their defenders have made the cut here – Mitchell also provided an assist in Gameweek 4.
    A fan favourite in west LondonCredit: Getty
    Brentford fans will be proud to see Henry honoured, even in only a hypothetical sense.
    The 26-year-old always puts in a shift and his attacking threat doesn’t get the coverage it warrants – he created two big chances (one converted for an assist) against Tottenham on the opening weekend.
    Plus, only four defenders overall have earned more bonus points than Henry at this stage.
    We should say that Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.3m) would have made the cut but we decided not to include injured players.
    MIDFIELDERS: James Maddison (£4.1m), Eberechi Eze (£3.4m), Bukayo Saka (£6.3m), Jarrod Bowen (£4.8m), Solly March (£3.9m)
    Now isn’t that a fun quintet?
    Again, the lack of anything even close to resembling a defensive midfielder would be catastrophically flawed in reality but that’s why we call it fantasy football.
    Whereas we had to scroll a fair way down the rankings to find English defenders, these five are all within the top six midfielders in Dream Team right now.
    Maddison is pushing hard for a place in England’s starting line-upCredit: Rex
    Maddison (46 points), Eze (44) and Saka (38) are the top three assets in their position and among the top five overall.
    These five have combined for 11 goals and six assists already this term.
    Many England fans feel Bowen and March were unlucky to miss out on Southgate’s squad and this exercise suggests such claims are justified.
    For those interested, Kalvin Phillips (£2m) has one Dream Team point to his name.
    FORWARDS: Dominic Solanke (£3.2m), Eddie Nketiah (£2.4m)
    Two players who plundered goals for fun at youth level for England – 41 in 59 games between them for the Under 20s and Under 21s.
    Bournemouth’s No9 has quietly amassed a very respectable 28 points across the first four Gameweeks by virtue of two goals and two assists.
    The 0.4%-owned striker is ninth in the rankings among all forwards but he’s just four points off fourth-placed Son Heung-min (£4.5m).
    On targetCredit: Getty
    Arsenal’s homegrown hero is seven points adrift of Solanke on 21.
    Two goals in four outings represents a decent start to the campaign but it’s likely Gabriel Jesus (£5.2m) will be fit enough to lead the line for the Gunners after the break.
    It would be remiss not to mention Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane who would both have more than enough points to make this XI if Real Madrid and Bayern Munich fell under Dream Team’s jurisdiction – but they don’t.
    Read More on The Sun
    Here’s what our XI would look like through the visual medium of classic Football Manger graphics…
    Please don’t do this, GarethCredit: SHAREMYTACTICS
    In conclusion, it’s a shambles but we had fun along the way.

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    Alphonse Areola and four other Dream Team surprise packages who have started brightly this season

    DREAM TEAM’S top performers after four Gameweeks of the season can generally be divided into two camps: familiar stars and surprise packages.The likes of Erling Haaland (£8.1m), James Maddison (£4.1m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.3m) belong to the former as gaffers expect them to provide plentiful returns but for the purposes of this exercise, let’s focus on the latter group.
    Here are the five most prominent surprise packages of the campaign so far…
    Areola certainly hasn’t made a tit of himself between the sticksCredit: DREAM TEAM
    Alphonse Areola

    £2.3m
    3% ownership
    18 points

    Prior to Gameweek 1 it wasn’t clear who would be West Ham’s first-choice goalkeeper with David Moyes admitting he had ‘two number ones’.
    Lukasz Fabianski (£3m) started the vast majority of league games last season while Areola featured throughout the Hammers’ ultimately successful Europa Conference League campaign.
    However, the Frenchman has seemingly usurped his more experienced team-mate this term and the change of guard has been entirely justified so far.
    Moyes’ men are flying high with ten points from a possible 12 in the league, a bright start that includes spirited wins against Chelsea and Brighton.
    Although Areola is yet to keep a clean sheet, he’s amassed 18 points through individual brilliance, most notably in the form of a penalty save against the Blues – a moment that flipped the momentum of the contest – and a herculean tally of NINE saves to blunt Roberto De Zerbi’s side.
    Most read in Football
    The 30-year-old is two points behind Alisson (£4.2m) and just one shy of Ederson (£4.4m) – two keepers who are significantly more popular and almost twice as expensive.
    And he’s four points off Dream Team’s leading custodian, Guglielmo Vicario (£3.3m).
    It will be interesting to see who starts between the sticks when West Ham’s Europa League fixtures commence.
    Brentford’s man of the momentCredit: Reuters
    Bryan Mbeumo

    £3.7m
    9.8% ownership
    37 points

    Brentford’s No19 is not a surprise package in the purest sense as more than a few supporters and pundits tipped him to raise his game in response to Ivan Toney’s prolonged absence.
    However, few would have predicted the extent of the Cameroon international’s success in the opening weeks – he’s scored four goals in as many league games.
    His latest, a last-gasp equaliser against Bournemouth, started with a beautiful first touch that saw him control the ball and spin away from his marker all in one smooth motion – an indicator of supreme confidence.
    Nobody is expecting Mbeumo, who is helpfully on penalties these days, to rival Haaland for the Golden Boot in the long run but the underlying statistics suggest his healthy attacking returns are sustainable to a degree.
    The Bees have generated the most xG (expected goals) in the top flight this season having adopted a more expansive way of playing.
    Mbeumo is Dream Team’s fourth-best midfielder at this juncture and the sixth-best asset overall.
    A turn up for the booksCredit: Getty
    Odsonne Edouard

    £2.6m
    2% ownership
    41 points

    We haven’t included Eberechi Eze (£3.4m) in this list because we tipped him for success multiple times prior to Gameweek 1 and so we can hardly turn around and claim his plentiful points have come as a surprise.
    But that’s certainly not the case for Crystal Palace’s centre-forward, who has caught the vast majority of Dream Team bosses off guard with his rampant start to the season.
    Edouard has scored four goals in all competitions and is therefore well on his way to beating his tally of seven from 2022/23 in rapid time.
    Granted, the ex-Celtic striker’s goals have come against favourable opposition (Sheffield United, Plymouth, Wolves x2) but that’s the beauty of tailoring your selections to the schedule.
    The slim minority of gaffers who were brave enough to take a punt on the 25-year-old have been handsomely rewarded.
    Like Brentford, the Eagles are playing with more attacking verve than we’ve seen from them in previous seasons – Eze and Edouard have let fly with 19 shots each in the top flight, only Haaland (20) has tried his luck more often.
    It’s early days but who would have guessed that Edouard would be ten points clear of Mohamed Salah (£6.5m) and 20 points ahead of Marcus Rashford (£5.9m) by the first international break?
    See also: Jordan Ayew (£2.8m) and his 31 points.
    Punching above his weightCredit: EPA
    Willy Boly

    £1.7m
    1.6% ownership
    28 points

    With clean sheets few and far between so far this season, the defensive rankings are a free-for-all right now.
    Nottingham Forest’s No30 has taken advantage of the open field to claim the joint-second rank among players in his position after four Gameweeks.
    The experienced centre-back has achieved this via his goal at Old Trafford (which was ultimately in vain from Steve Cooper’s view) and his contribution to a heroic clean sheet at Stamford Bridge.
    Impressively, Boly registered a shot on target in each of his opening three fixtures and he’s earned additional points through tackles in all five outings.
    Is he a viable long-term option? Perhaps not.
    But what can’t be denied is that he’s provided superb value for money to date.
    Back to his best?Credit: Getty
    Pedro Neto

    £2.8m
    0.4% ownership
    31 points

    The long list of midfielders with fewer points than the Wolves winger at this stage includes: Rodri (£4.4m), Moussa Diaby (£3.5m), Martin Odegaard (£4.9m), Bruno Fernandes (£6.3m) and Kaoru Mitoma (£3.7m).
    This is even more impressive when you consider Neto sat out Wolves’ 5-0 win over Blackpool in the Carabao Cup.
    Only Eze and Maddison have earned more bonus points than the Portugal international, who ranks highly for successful dribbles and top for accurate crosses.
    Neto is yet to score this season but he has provided three assists.
    No player has created more big chances either – which are worth one point each these days.
    A 13-point haul at Selhurst Park propelled him up the rankings last weekend and he’s now level with Raheem Sterling (£3.8m) in joint-seventh among midfielders.
    Read More on The Sun
    Neto was acquiring thousands of new admirers on a weekly basis before his lengthy injury setback but it seems he’s finally rediscovered his most dynamic form.
    Dream Team managers should certainly keep a close eye on him – if he adds goals to his current performances then the serious business will begin.

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