Fantasy Football

BRYAN MBEUMO (£4.2m) is at it again.Brentford’s No19 quickly became a popular Dream Team asset at the start of the last season when he burst out the blocks with four goals in his first four Premier League outings.His output increased to seven goals and three assists in 15 league games before a nasty ankle injury sidelined him for three months – his ownership never really recovered after that.A quality performerCredit: Dream TeamThis season, the Cameroon international has posted even more impressive numbers to make a serious statement of intent for the campaign ahead.Mbeumo has scored six goals in seven league games so far, a tally only bettered by Erling Haaland (£9.1m).In fact, Manchester City’s prolific No9 is the only man with more goals in all competitions – a remarkable statistic given the Bees aren’t involved in Europe and Mbeumo has played just 14 minutes in the Carabao Cup to date.Things could have easily gone awry for Thomas Frank’s side this term following the departure of Ivan Toney and several injuries, including to key forwards Yoane Wissa (£3.2m) and club-record signing Igor Thiago (£2.5m).As it is, Brentford are perfectly content in mid-table with ten points to their name having already faced Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham away from home.And Mbeumo deserves huge credit as his team’s inspirational talisman.Mbeumo is now Brentford’s first-choice penalty takerCredit: ReutersNaturally, the 25-year-old’s efforts have translated to Dream Team success.Most read in FootballBukayo Saka (£6.5m) and Mateo Kovacic (£3.1m) were the only midfielders who earned more points in Gameweek 7 with Arsenal’s No7 and Cole Palmer (£6.5m) being the only players overall to have taken more points from their last three fixtures.A spree of 36 points from three outings (against Spurs, West Ham and Wolves) has propelled Mbeumo up to sixth in the midfield rankings, with 72 points in total.He ranks joint-fourth in his position for shots on target and joint-fourth for big chances created too.It could be argued that he deserves to be another place higher in the rankings as his team-mates are yet to convert any of his chances into a goal, denying him a single assist despite his relatively strong underlying creative numbers.Brentford have started well this seasonCredit: ReutersIt will be interesting to see what goal tally Mbeumo can achieve given a full campaign (fingers crossed) as he’s well on course for the best return of his career as it stands.From a Dream Team perspective, the usual caveats apply in regards to the viability of non-European assets.It can be difficult for players not involved in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League to maintain their lofty ranking when the midweek fixtures come thick and fast.That being said, Mbeumo has provided fantastic returns so far and Brentford have a juicy double header of their own coming up in Gameweek 9: Ipswich (h) and Sheffield Wednesday (h).BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

BUKAYO SAKA (£6.5m) has been a top-tier Dream Team asset for a few years now.But even by the Arsenal winger’s sky-high standards, he’s gone off like a rocket this season.The 23-year-old is one of just three players to have reached the 100-point mark by the end of Gameweek 7, alongside Erling Haaland (£9.1m) and Mohamed Salah (£7.6m).Saka is the first midfielder to reach 100 points in Dream Team this seasonCredit: Dream TeamSaka leads the way among midfielders and is now 15 points clear of the next-best player in his position, Cole Palmer (£6.5m).MOST DREAM TEAM POINTS SO FAR THIS SEASON:Erling Haaland – 111 ptsBukayo Saka – 102 ptsMohamed Salah – 100 ptsCole Palmer – 87 ptsKai Havertz – 76 ptsEberechi Eze – 75 ptsBrennan Johnson – 74 ptsDwight McNeil – 73 ptsTrent Alexander-Arnold – 72 ptsBryan Mbeumo – 72 ptsWhat’s interesting is that out of the top ten performers (see above), only defender Alexander-Arnold has scored fewer goals than Saka at this stage.The reason the Gunners’ homegrown hero has excelled to this point is his evolution into a creative juggernaut.Saka leads the way for both assists and big chances createdCredit: GettySaka assisted his side’s first two goals against Southampton on Saturday and bagged one of his own to seal the win just before full time.As a result, he’s now registered eight assists in all competitions this season, which puts him in a league of his own – Palmer and Salah are his closest rivals on five each.Most read in FootballAll football fans know that not all assists are equal in terms of their actual contribution to the goal being scored but Saka is thoroughly deserving of his tally because he’s also created the most big chances (as defined by Opta) for his team-mates with 12.Again, Palmer is his nearest competitor in the metric but Chelsea’s main man is four behind as it stands on eight.The stats paint a clear picture of Saka in a class of his own when it comes to playmaking.Arsenal’s set-piece supremacy is a huge factor in this as it’s generally the England international who swings in the corners and wide free-kicks for Gabriel (£5.6m) and company to attack with extreme purpose.But it would be a mistake to pigeonhole Saka as Saturday’s showing proved he’s just as capable of unlocking defences in open play – his throughball for Havertz and deep cross for Gabriel Martinelli (£3.9m) were unquestionably decisive actions.Eight assists and countingCredit: GettySaka may be the league’s leading playmaker at present but even that doesn’t tell the full story.He’s scored three goals and registered a whopping 14 shots on target, a tally only bettered by Haaland and Salah.Furthermore, he ranks inside the top 15 midfielders for bonus points and the top 20 for tackles – he does it all!The international break means there’s plenty of time for Dream Team managers to form their strategy for Gameweek 8 and beyond but at this early stage it’s notable that Saka is the second-most popular recruit ahead of the deadline.His ownership has increased to 42.6%, making him the third-most selected player in the game – Haaland and Palmer are one and two respectively.Only Haaland has more points than Saka but this lead has been cut to nine pointsCredit: APSaka’s current price of £6.5m makes him the joint-third most-expensive asset at the time of writing but gaffers should expect another bump after his 20-point haul in Gameweek 7.READ MORE SUN STORIESMikel Arteta’s side have some tricky fixtures after the break with Liverpool, Newcastle, Inter and Chelsea (among others) to come before mid-November.That being said, Saka is among the exclusive group of players for whom the fixture list is largely irrelevant – he’s already provided returns against Aston Villa, Tottenham, Manchester City and PSG this season.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

WITH no midweek fixtures due to the international break, Gameweek 7 is essentially done and dusted.This means we can review Team of the Week earlier than usual and celebrate a Dream Team manager who is soon to be £250 richer.Harry Roggerman is the gaffer in question as his XI ‘Turtle City’ racked up 132 points without the use of a Booster.Let’s take a closer look at how he achieved such a high score at the weekend.Harry’s heroes of Gameweek 7!Credit: Dream TeamWhile many Dream Team bosses were disappointed by the damp squib served up by Aston Villa and Manchester United on Sunday, Harry was satisfied by the 0-0 draw as it meant clean sheets for Emi Martinez (£3.7m) and Diogo Dalot (£4.1m).Virgil van Dijk (£5.3m) also notched a clean sheet in Saturday’s early kick-off between Crystal Palace and Liverpool.In fact, Rico Lewis (£4m) was the only one of Harry’s defensive assets who conceded a goal (two to be precise) but the talented teenager offered compensation in the form of an assist for Manchester City’s decisive third goal against Fulham.The England international ranks third among players in his position overall with 64 points in total.It was the Saka show at the Emirates on SaturdayCredit: GettyBukayo Saka (£6.5m) was the shining light in midfield.Arsenal’s No7 had a hand in all three of his side’s goals against Southampton on Saturday as he set up the first two before scoring one of his own close to full time.Most read in FootballThe in-form winger banked 20 points when all was said and done to take his overall tally for the season to 102 – he’s the only midfielder into triple figures at this stage.Harry’s only mistake was that he didn’t captain Saka – not that it cost him.Prior to the deadline, he decided to place the armband on Cole Palmer (£6.5m), which was a reasonable decision given the Chelsea star scored four goals in one half in Gameweek 6.Last season’s Young Player of the Year had to settle for just an assist against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, his fifth of the campaign, as Nuno Espirito Santo’s troops earned a draw at Stamford Bridge.Eight points represents a slow week by Palmer’s sky-high standardsCredit: ReutersThe good news for Harry is that he also backed goalscorer Noni Madueke (£3.3m), meaning he squeezed every notable point out of the Blues’ performance.Elsewhere, Bryan Mbeumo (£4.2m) scored his sixth goal of the season during Brentford’s entertaining 5-3 win over Wolves – only Erling Haaland (£9.1m) has scored more in all competitions to this point.The Cameroon international also scooped three points on his way to an impressive 14-point return and is up to sixth in the midfield rankings.It could be argued that West Ham assets were the secret to Harry’s success in Gameweek 7.He was among the slim minority (1.2%) of gaffers who owned Lucas Paqueta (£3.3m) for the Hammers’ home game against Ipswich.The Brazilian midfielder repaid the faith with a 12-point haul amid the hosts’ 4-1 victory.Is Bowen being underrated by Dream Team bosses this season?Credit: REUTERSThe ever-reliable Jarrod Bowen (£4.9m) went one step further with a goal and assist to pocket 16 points at the Tractor Boys’ expense.An ownership of 4.2% feels low for a player who has delivered plenty of points across the last two or three years and the 27-year-old now finds himself fourth in the forward rankings.READ MORE SUN STORIESLast but not least, Kai Havertz (£5.1m) continued his good form with another goal against Saints – he’s among several players with six to his name at this juncture.Harry is the second gaffer is succession to claim the cash prize without the help of Erling Haaland or Mohamed Salah – there’s more than one way to skin a cat in this game!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 7 in one easily digestible dose.Bruno Fernandes is available for Manchester United’s trip to Villa Park after his red card against Tottenham was overturned upon appeal.The Portuguese midfielder was sent off against Porto on Thursday night and will serve a one-game suspension in the Europa League.Kobbie Mainoo is due to be assessed before Sunday’s game and is therefore considered a doubt at present.Arsenal have some concerns at the backCredit: Dream TeamMikel Arteta was typically vague with reporters when discussing potential absentees.Arsenal’s head coach declared that late decisions would be made on Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber, describing all three defenders as “close”.The latter was substituted at half time in midweek as a precaution and had not been included in the latest Netherlands squad.Carney Chukwuemeka and Reece James are expected to be Chelsea’s only absentees when they host Nottingham Forest on Sunday.As for the visitors, Morgan Gibbs-White is available again having served his suspension in Gameweek 6.Kevin De Bruyne and Nathan Ake have been ruled out again this weekend with Rodri and Oscar Bobb being Manchester City’s long-term injuries.De Bruyne won’t return until after the international breakCredit: GettyAnge Postecoglou is relatively confident Destiny Udogie will be available for Tottenham v Brighton on Sunday but a final decision will be made after the final two training sessions.Son Heung-min is said to be “pushing hard” but a return after the international break is more likely for the South Korean forward.As for Fabian Hurzeler’s side, Joel Veltman has recovered from illness but the young coach has several other availability hurdles to navigate, including the doubtful Simon Adingra.Jan Paul van Hecke and Joao Pedro remain sidelined but the Seagulls might be able to call upon Brajan Gruda and Solly March, who both trained throughout the week.Federico Chiesa is a major doubt for Liverpool’s trip to Selhurst Park in what is the early kick-off on Saturday.Otherwise the Reds have a clean bill of health with the exception of Harvey Elliott, who remains sidelined with a fractured foot.Joao Pedro’s injury has turned out to be worse than first thoughtCredit: GETTYEddie Howe told journalists that both Nick Pope and Fabian Schar “should be okay” for Newcastle’s visit to Everton this weekend.However, Gameweek 7 comes too soon for strikers Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak with Anthony Gordon expected to lead the line – Kieran Trippier is also a doubt.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWARSENALInjuries: Takehiro Tomiyasu (doubt), Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Martin Odegaard, Ben White (doubt), Jurrien Timber (doubt)Suspensions: NoneASTON VILLAInjuries: Tyrone Mings, Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana (doubt), Jacob Ramsey (doubt), John McGinn, Leon Bailey (doubt)Suspensions: NoneBOURNEMOUTHInjuries: Tyler AdamsSuspensions: NoneBRENTFORDInjuries: Aaron Hickey, Igor Thiago, Josh Dasilva, Yoane Wissa, Gustavo Nunes, Mathias Jensen, Rico HenrySuspensions: NoneBRIGHTONInjuries: Solly March (doubt), Matt O’Riley, Brajan Gruda (doubt), James Milner (doubt), Joao Pedro, Jan Paul van Hecke, Simon Adingra (doubt)Suspensions: NoneCHELSEAInjuries: Reece James, Carney ChukwuemekaSuspensions: NoneCRYSTAL PALACEInjuries: Matheus Franca, Chadi Riad, Cheick Doucoure, Trevoh ChalobahSuspensions: NoneEVERTONInjuries: Nathan Patterson, Jarrad Branthwaite (doubt), Youssef Chermiti, Seamus Coleman, Armando Broja, Vitaliy Mykolenko (doubt)Suspensions: NoneFULHAMInjuries: Carlos Vinicius, Jorge CuencaSuspensions: NoneIPSWICHInjuries: Jens CajusteSuspensions: NoneLEICESTERInjuries: Patson Daka, Jakub Stolarczyk, Hamza ChoudhurySuspensions: NoneLIVERPOOLInjuries: Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa (doubt)Suspensions: NoneMANCHESTER CITYInjuries: Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb, Kevin De Bruyne, RodriSuspensions: NoneMANCHESTER UNITEDInjuries: Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount (doubt), Kobbie Mainoo (doubt)Suspensions: NoneNEWCASTLEInjuries: Callum Wilson, Lewis Miley, Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Matt Targett (doubt), Kieran Trippier (doubt), Martin Dubravka (doubt)Suspensions: NoneNOTTINGHAM FORESTInjuries: Danilo, Ibrahim SangareSuspensions: NoneSOUTHAMPTONInjuries: Gavin Bazunu, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Will SmallboneSuspensions: Jack StephensTOTTENHAMInjuries: Richarlison, Wilson Odobert, Son Heung-min, Destiny Udogie (doubt)Suspensions: NoneWEST HAMInjuries: Niclas FullkrugSuspensions: NoneWOLVESInjuries: Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Boubacar Traore, Bastien Meupiyou, Yerson MosqueraSuspensions: NoneBetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

GAMEWEEK 6 was a high-scoring affair with some truly gigantic numbers posted by a selection of delighted Dream Team managers.Roger Lowe officially topped the Gameweek 6 leaderboard with a massive score of 258.He captained Cole Palmer (£6.2m) and activated his Goal Bonus Booster which meant the Chelsea superstar earned 92 points for his four-goal masterclass against Brighton.Roger’s XI produced the goods in Gameweek 6Credit: Dream TeamRoger may have earned more points than any of his rivals but he is not eligible to claim the £250 weekly prize because he played one of his Boosters – as is the case every Gameweek this season.And so the cash will be going to Sheron Shaw, who achieved the highest score without the use of a Booster thanks to some inspired selections.Sheron’s cash winners!Credit: Dream TeamSheron racked up 231 points without the assistance of a Booster with captain Palmer contributing 29.4% of the total.Prior to the deadline, Sheron made three transfers to recruit Emi Martinez (£3.6m), Kai Havertz (£4.9m) and Brennan Johnson (£3.6m).No doubt the thinking behind the acquisition of Aston Villa’s custodian was the likelihood of a clean sheet against Ipswich in the league.As it turned out, Liam Delap’s (£1.6m) brace earned the Tractor Boys a point against the Villains and limited the World Cup winning goalkeeper to just two points.However, in typical Dream Team fashion, Martinez then kept a clean sheet against Bayern Munich in the Champions League to finish the Gameweek with a 12-point haul.Most read in FootballFoden and Johnson providedCredit: Dream TeamRolling the dice on Johnson proved to be a masterstroke as the Tottenham winger was a HUGE differential at the time – even after a tidal wave of transfers this week he features in just 7.5% of teams at the time of writing.The Wales international scored Spurs’ first goal against Manchester United on Sunday and then continued his scoring streak (five in five) after coming off the bench to ensure Ange Postecoglou’s side beat Ferencvaros in the Europa League in midweek.A 19-point return has propelled Johnson up to joint-fifth in the midfield rankings alongside Luis Diaz (£5.1m) on 64 points.Sheron’s decision to back Havertz made it a hat-trick of successful transfers in Gameweek 6.The German forward scored against both Leicester and PSG to continue his fine form.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWNot only has the 25-year-old scored five goals already this season, he ranks second in his position for tackles.Mohamed Salah (£7.5m) was the only forward to outscore Havertz in Gameweek 6, 25 points to 23.The Arsenal man is a great option for Gameweek 7 too with the Gunners set to host Southampton at the Emirates.Top Gun!Credit: ReutersGameweek 6 was also the moment Phil Foden (£5.7m) arrived at the Dream Team party this season.Having mainly been limited cameo appearances, 2023/24’s Player of the Year was selected to start for Manchester City against Slovan Bratislava and notched a goal and assist for a 14-point return (he only registered two points against Newcastle in the league).READ MORE SUN STORIESIt’s notable that Sheron is among the minority of Dream Team bosses who don’t own Erling Haaland (£9.2m) – a bold strategy that paid off in Gameweek 6.Enjoy the cash, Sheron – treat yourself to something nice!BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

GAMEWEEK 7 consists of ten Premier League fixtures to be played across the weekend.The deadline to make transfers falls at 11am on Saturday morning, 90 minutes before Crystal Palace v Liverpool kicks off.Without further ado, allow us to put forward some transfer recommendations.Havertz scored his fifth goal of the season against PSG in midweekCredit: GettyKai Havertz (£4.9m)Arsenal’s home game against Southampton stands out as a fixture to target this weekend.The Gunners remain undefeated in all competitions while Saints have notched just one point since their return to the top flight.Bukayo Saka (£6.4m) is the probably the best player to back in search of plentiful points at the Emirates but his massive ownership of 39.8% suggests we don’t need to waste any time explaining why the lively winger is such a strong option.As it stands, 82.9% of Dream Team managers are heading into Gameweek 7 without Havertz and could easily be punished for the oversight.The Germany international has racked up 66 points via five goals in quick time this season – Erling Haaland (£9.2m) and Mohamed Salah (£7.5m) are the only forwards above him in the rankings at the time of writing.One-way traffic in the hosts’ favour is expected on Saturday and unless Mikel Arteta throws a curveball, Havertz will be the focal point of Arsenal’s attack.Most read in Dream TeamIn defence, Jurrien Timber (£4.1m) and Riccardo Calafiori (£3.3m) are cheap alternatives to Gabriel (£5.6m) and William Saliba (£5.3m); although their minutes aren’t as secure as the first-choice centre-backs.Cheap as chipsCredit: ReutersDejan Kulusevski (£2.7m) and/or Brennan Johnson (£3.6m)Tottenham midfielders should appeal to gaffers in search of value for money this week.Johnson has scored in four consecutive games for a return of 38 points and appears to have locked down the right flank.Meanwhile, Kulusevski is flourishing in a central role as playmaker-in-chief.The Sweden international took Manchester United for 13 points last Sunday and was unlucky not to pocket more given he created NINE chances (three of them defined as big chances) for his team-mates.James Maddison (£4.5m) isn’t as affordable but his underlying numbers are highly impressive – he’s also the new bonus point leader with 15.Spurs travel to Brighton this Sunday in what could be an entertaining end-to-end affair if both sides persist with high defensive lines.More broadly, the likes of Johnson, Kulusevski and Maddison should be smart selections for the upcoming Gameweeks with plenty of Europa League fixtures to pad out the schedule – depending on how Ange Postecoglou prioritises the competition.Pep Guardiola told reporters that Rico Lewis “does everything” this weekCredit: AlamyRico Lewis (£3.8m)We’ve tipped the Manchester City teenager a couple of times already this season but he’s worth underlining after his Champions League exhibition against Slovan Bratislava.Lewis played in Haaland for the visitors’ second goal but that wasn’t even the half of it – he created three big chances, registered three shots on target, and contributed to his side’s clean sheet for an 18-point haul.With Rodri (£4m) out for the season, the 19-year-old is likely to continue as a midfielder for the defending champions – he was practically a No10 in Slovakia on Tuesday night.Dream Team bosses should always be wary of Pep Guardiola’s rotation policy but Lewis looks to be a solid long-term selection.Snap him up now before his price increases again.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWOne of the statisticiansCredit: RexAntoine Semenyo (£2.8m)One for the statisticians to finish.Only Haaland has let fly with more shots than Bournemouth’s No24 in the top flight this season while Leicester have conceded more shots than any other team across the first six Gameweeks.It’s therefore logical to expect a tidal wave of attempts from Semenyo when he meets the Foxes at the King Power on Saturday.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Ghana international has three goals and an assist to his name from six outings in the league – he averages 7.2 points per appearance in the top flight this term.However, please be aware Semenyo is probably no more than a one-week punt as the Cherries are due to face Arsenal, Aston Villa and Man City after the international break.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

IT’S that time of the week when Dream Team managers start mulling over their captaincy options for the upcoming Gameweek.Gameweek 7 is a simple one in the sense that it only features a full round of Premier League fixtures so there’s no midweek action to factor into the equation.But the captaincy debate is set to divide gaffers with several familiar favourites vying for the armband.11 goals and countingCredit: GettyErling Haaland (£9.2m)Manchester City’s No9 mustered just four points against Newcastle last weekend before normal order was restored in midweek with a goal against Slovan Bratislava, his 11th of the season in all competitions.The Norwegian poacher was substituted soon after and Pep Guardiola later referenced a heavy knock the striker suffered against Magpies but, at this stage, there’s no suggestion he’ll miss out against Fulham on Saturday.Haaland at home against any team will always be a strong captaincy option but it’s worth noting the Cottagers have started the campaign in fine form.Marco Silva’s side are currently sixth in the table and only league-leaders Liverpool have conceded fewer goals across the first six fixtures.Haaland will be the most-selected skipper for Gameweek 7, as is always the case, but it’s not a complete no-brainer on paper – it still requires a certain degree of courage to bet against him.Bukayo Saka (£6.4m)Most read in FootballDream Team’s top midfielderCredit: PADream Team bosses who captained Arsenal’s Star Boy in Gameweek 6 were handsomely rewarded.The England international earned 14 points against Leicester via five bonus points (the maximum for a single outing), FOUR big chances created, two shots on target and two tackles.Saka followed that up with an 11-point return at home to PSG in the Champions League – he scored his side’s second goal on Tuesday night.His grand total of 82 points has propelled him up to third in the overall rankings and first among midfielders.What’s really interesting is that he’s outperformed Haaland by seven points across the last four games.Those tempted to captain Saka in Gameweek 7 will only be encouraged further by his fixture: Southampton at the Emirates.Saints have mustered just one point since promotion to the top flight – only Wolves and Everton have conceded more goals.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWMohamed Salah (£7.5m)Like Saka, Liverpool’s talisman banked a whopping 25 points in Gameweek 6 at the expense of Wolves and Bologna.Suddenly, Salah is within striking distance of Haaland at the top of rankings, ten points shy of the machine-like poacher.The Egyptian hero has scored six goals and registered five assists in his first nine outings this season – he’s the definition of modern Dream Team legend.Salah rarely misses out against Crystal PalaceCredit: PAGameweek 7 brings a trip to Selhurst Park and while such a match-up will still send shivers down the spine of fans old enough to remember ‘Crystanbul’, Arne Slot’s side head to South London as strong favourites as the only team to have won five of their first six league games.In contrast, the Eagles are languishing in 18th and are yet to register their first win of the campaign.Salah has eight goals and five assists against Palace in 12 league meetings since he joined Liverpool.Cole Palmer (£6.2m)Any player who scores four goals in one half automatically becomes a leading captaincy candidate the following Gameweek.Chelsea host Nottingham Forest on Sunday and while Nuno Espirito Santo’s troops have kept it tight at the back so far this season, Palmer is seemingly a rare game-breaking talent.The Blues’ main man is by far and away the most transferred-in player ahead of Gameweek 7 and the third most-selected captain at the time of writing.Collecting match ballsCredit: AlamyElsewhere, Kai Havertz (£4.9m), Ollie Watkins (£5.9m) and Dominic Solanke (£4.2m) all deserve to be in the captaincy conversation based on recent form but it’s hard to look past the usual suspects for this weekend’s action.READ MORE SUN STORIESIf we had to single out one player we’d probably edge it to Saka based on his 25-point haul in Gameweek 6 and the way Southampton crumbled in first half at Bournemouth on Monday night.But of course Haaland is capable of severely punishing those who place the armband elsewhere.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

STILL not played Score Predictor with Dream Team?What are you waiting for?!It’s free to play and we’re offering up a £250 prize ahead of this weekend’s action.Simply submit predictions for five selected Premier League games and earn points for accuracy – most points banks the cash.Play Score Predictor ahead of this weekend’s Premier League actionCredit: Dream TeamRemember, you don’t have to get all five scores exactly correct – that’s very rare – you just have to outperform everyone else.Check out our predictions below for Matchweek 7…ARSENAL v SOUTHAMPTONIt’s hard to envisage anything other than one-way traffic at the Emirates on Saturday, especially after the Gunners’ professional victory over PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday night.Mikel Arteta has some injury concerns to contend with but Saints’ dismal showing against Bournemouth on Monday night suggests this will be a mismatch.Arsenal kept the French giants at bay but have conceded in each of their last three domestic games and so their disciplined defence is due a clean sheet.Most read in FootballSouthampton have mustered just one point since promotion – things could get messy for them in North London.Our Prediction: 4-0 to ArsenalHavertz has scored five goals already this seasonCredit: GettyEVERTON v NEWCASTLEThe Toffees won this match-up 3-0 back in December and snatched a point at St James’ Park even more recently but Sean Dyche’s side are still trying to undo the damage suffered during the first few weeks of the campaign.A 2-1 win over Crystal Palace last time out certainly improved morale at Goodison Park and Dwight McNeil has to be considered one of the Premier League’s most in-form players right now.And home advantage should be an advantage too as the Magpies have struggled on the road under Eddie Howe, relative to their impressive home record.Still it feels like a stretch to predict an Everton win given they’re currently nine places below Newcastle in the table.Our Prediction: 2-2 drawMcNeil is in excellent formCredit: ReutersASTON VILLA v MANCHESTER UNITEDBoth these sides will have to gee themselves up after midweek European commitments and the hosts will have an extra day to prepare.Perhaps surprisingly, the Red Devils have come out on top in each of the last four meetings between these two sides – Erik ten Hag’s side famously came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 on Boxing Day thanks to an Alejandro Garnacho brace.That being said, Man United’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham last weekend was a bitter pill swallow with many pundits claiming the first-half performance was among the worst of the post-Fergie era.Unai Emery’s troops suffered a reality check of their own in their last league outing when Ipswich earned a deserved point for a 2-2 draw.Villa’s defence hasn’t looked all that assured – they’ve conceded more goals than any other top-half side this season – but the broader picture is that only Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City have more points to their name.Our Prediction: 2-1 to Aston VillaGarnacho tormented Villa last seasonCredit: GettyScore PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWCHELSEA v NOTTINGHAM FORESTNuno Espirito Santo’s side enjoyed a fine start to the campaign that included a historic win over Liverpool at Anfield but their unbeaten run was ended by Fulham last weekend.Not that Forest’s fans care too much given the results have been largely positive but they haven’t seen too many goals of late.Only Liverpool have conceded fewer league goals than Forest but only Man United, Ipswich, Crystal Palace and Southampton have scored fewer.In contrast, the Blues are the top flight’s top scorers since Cole Palmer added four to the tally in one blistering half against Brighton.That emphatic performance propelled Chelsea up to fourth in the table.Enzo Maresca’s men have actually fared better on the road with three wins from three but the win over the Seagulls came at Stamford Bridge and we’re backing Palmer to strut his stuff again on Sunday.Our Prediction: 2-1 to ChelseaPalmer has been one of Europe’s best players this calendar yearCredit: AlamyBRIGHTON v TOTTENHAMWithout wanting to jinx it, this match-up could result in one of the most entertaining contests of the season.Both teams tend to play with high defensive lines and Ange Postecoglou hasn’t shied away from stacking his starting line-ups with attacking talent.Spurs have won five of the last seven meetings with the Seagulls and it was Brennan Johnson who secured three points back in February with a 96th-minute winner.And it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Wales international emerged as the hero again given he’s scored in four consecutive games.READ MORE SUN STORIESOur Prediction: 3-2 to SpursEnter your predictions for Matchweek 7 before Saturday’s 3pm deadline.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More