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MOST Dream Team managers will be focusing on in-form stars like James Maddison (£4.1m), Bryan Mbeumo (£3.7m) and Julian Alvarez (£4.1m) when reflecting upon the first four Gameweeks of the season.However, it’s just as important to acknowledge the popular assets who are yet to pull their weight.
There’s no room for sentimentality in Dream Team and gaffers will have to be ruthless with some under-performing players but others may warrant more patience.
Here we analyse five widely-selected individuals whose returns don’t match up to their popularity.

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Slow startCredit: DREAM TEAM
Lisandro Martinez

£3.3m
8.8% ownership
3 points

It’s been a brutal start to the campaign for Manchester United’s resident ‘butcher’.
He was hooked at half-time against Wolves, scored an own goal against Tottenham, shipped two goals at home to Nottingham Forest, and was substituted midway through the second half against Arsenal last weekend.
Add in a couple of bookings and the Argentine centre-back has mustered just three points across the first four Gameweeks.
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At the time of writing, Martinez is more popular than Manuel Akanji (£4.7m) who has 20 points to his name despite missing a week with illness.
And he’s almost twice as popular as Destiny Udogie (£2.9m) who is the joint-second best defender in the game at this stage with 28 points.
Whether Martinez is playing through something worse than a niggle right now remains unclear but the fact he’s been replaced twice in four games is a concern.
Gameweek 5 seem unlikely to do the 25-year-old any favours either – Brighton and Bayern Munich will put an injury-hit defence to the test.
The Red Devils’ fixtures even out after that until the end of October but Martinez owners would almost certainly be better off cutting their losses and transferring him out before Harry Kane gets to work.
Grealish won’t feature for England this international break eitherCredit: Rex
Jack Grealish

£4.4m
11% ownership
12 points

Manchester City’s No10 has only played 180 minutes so far because of Pep Roulette in Gameweek 1 and injury in Gameweek 4.
The England international actually did alright in his two outings, earning four bonus points in between an assist, but any player who is a minutes risk for whatever reason is a red flag.
Grealish will undoubtedly have a significant role to play for the treble-winners again this season but right now he’s got fewer points than Mario Lemina (£2m), Harrison Reed (£2m) and Ryan Yates (£1.5m).
The list of players undeservedly less popular includes: Mbeumo, Solly March (£3.9m), Jarrod Bowen (£4.8m), Dominick Szoboszlai (£3.5m) and Eberechi Eze (£3.4m) – all have at least twice as many points as Grealish.
Is the worst over for Newcastle defenders?Credit: Rex
Kieran Trippier

£5.5m
17.8% ownership
15 points

The Newcastle right-back has set sky-high standards for himself after he dominated 2022/23 to finish as Dream Team’s outright best defender by a comfortable margin.
Trippier, who is the fourth-most selected defender, has been forced to settle for 15 points from the opening four Gameweeks this term with over half of them coming purely because he’s played every minute.
However, the 32-year-old may be worth persevering with as his fixtures are about to flip, at least on the domestic front.
The Magpies have played Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton so far – four of the better attacking sides in the Premier League.
Their next six league games come against: Brentford, Sheffield United, Burnley, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Wolves.
That stretch feels ripe for returns and there are additional signs that Trippier is simmering – no defender has earned more bonus points at this stage.
The imminent start of the Champions League group stage could be both a blessing and a curse for Newcastle assets.
On the one hand, more fixtures generally equals more points but Eddie Howe’s mob have been drawn against Milan, PSG and Borussia Dortmund, an objectively tough group.
It’s a similar stick-or-twist scenario for Nick Pope’s (£4.1m) backers as he’s also the fourth-most popular asset in his position.
How long can Aaron Ramsdale hold off David Raya?Credit: Getty
Aaron Ramsdale

£3.8m
15.1% ownership
13 points

Arsenal’s No1 is the second-most popular goalkeeper in the game but 13 of his peers have more points.
His trip to Selhurt Park in Gameweek 2 is the only fixture in which he’s gained a point for registering two saves so far – that fixture remains his only clean sheet too.
Mikel Arteta’s tinkering has left the Gunners vulnerable at times and the sight of Ramsdale sprawled on the deck after conceding within a minute at home to Fulham in embarrassing fashion was an awkward one for the sizeable chunk of gaffers banking on him.
Unlike Newcastle, Arsenal have been gifted a relatively favourable Champions League group on paper in the form of PSV, Lens and Sevilla.
Couple this with a domestic match-up with Everton, probably the least clinical team in the league, first up after the international break and it may be the case that Ramsdale makes up for lost ground in the coming weeks.
However, the presence of David Raya (£3.5m) looms large – the Spaniard is unlikely to be a permanent first reserve and will be hopeful of minutes once the schedule picks up.
Truth be told, William Saliba’s (£3.5m) return of 17 points doesn’t match up to his massive ownership of 33.3% either so keep an eye on the Frenchman as well.
Lewis Dunk was rightly called up by Gareth Southgate for England’s upcoming qualifiersCredit: Getty
Lewis Dunk

£2.8m
8.5% ownership
9 points

The Brighton stalwart is a reliable performer and fully deserving of his England call-up but the numbers don’t lie.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side are as dynamic and enterprising as you like going forward but, as is often the case, their ambitious approach inevitably allows opponents their fair share of chances in return.
The Seagulls are yet to keep a clean sheet this season and given they played Luton and Wolves in their first two fixtures, it may be the case that the vast majority of their games this season will feature goals at both ends.
A three-point return at Molineux is Dunk’s best haul so far and while he’s virtually guaranteed a full allotment of appearance points as captain, he may find other avenues unavailable to him.
Pervis Estupinan (£3.8m) is a different case entirely as he contributes so much going forward – he’s notched a goal and two assists already – but the Ecuador left-back is an outlier among Brighton defenders right now.
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Fill your boots with Kaoru Mitoma (£3.7m), Pascal Gross (£3.7m), Solly March (£3.9m) and Evan Ferguson (£3m) but think carefully about whether Dunk is a viable option.
Udogie is available for an additional £0.1m and should recover from his fever once the action resumes.

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THE first international break of the season allows Dream Team managers time to reflect upon the first four Gameweeks.Goals have flowed freely and several players have already taken advantage of the new scoring system to register plentiful returns.
Let’s run through an XI of the highest-scoring assets at this stage.

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Leading the wayCredit: Getty
GOALKEEPER: Guglielmo Vicario (£3.3m)
Hugo Lloris’ replacement leads the way among custodians with 22 points from his first four outings.
Clean sheets against Manchester United and Bournemouth make up the bulk of the Italian keeper’s returns and he earned his wage against the former in particular with six saves – a tally that earned him three additional points.
Whether Vicario can retain his crown in the long run amid Ange Postecoglou’s ambitious tactics remains to be seen but he’s certainly made a strong start.
Familiar favourites Alisson (£4.2m) and Ederson (£4.4m) make up the podium.
DEFENDERS: Cristian Romero (£3.9m), Willy Boly (£1.7m), Destiny Udogie (£2.9m)
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Evidence of Spurs’ two clean sheets are present in defence too but Romero and Udogie are flying high because they’ve added attacking returns on top.
The World Cup winning centre-back’s pinpoint finish against Burnley was his second goal of the season and his combative style has resulted in three points from tackles.
Romero is the reigning king among defenders with 34 points.
Romero has more points than any other defenderCredit: Getty
As for Udogie, the 20-year-old is an early candidate for breakout star of the campaign.
The ex-Udinese left-back has provided two assists in four league games and looks likely to grow that tally steadily with his willingness to bomb forward.
He has 28 points in total, as does Boly – truly an unexpected inclusion in this list.
The Nottingham Forest centre-back’s goal and noble effort at Old Trafford earned him nine points in Gameweek 3 and he repeated that haul in Gameweek 4 as he held firm to help his side beat Chelsea 1-0.
The experienced defender has offered superb value for money for the slim minority of gaffers who have backed him.
MIDFIELDERS: James Maddison (£4.1m), Eberechi Eze (£3.4m), Bukayo Saka (£6.3m), Bryan Mbeumo (£3.7m)
The fourth and final Spurs representative in this XI comes in the form of their new No10, who has racked up 46 points in no time at all.
Maddison has two goals and two assists to his name and no midfielder has registered more shots on target (nine) to date.
The England international has hit the ground running in north London and the influential nature of his performances is reflected in the fact he’s earned 12 bonus points – only one player has more.
Collector of bonus pointsCredit: Alamy
And that player is Eze, who ranks first for successful dribbles among all players and third among midfielders for accurate crosses.
As well as all the fancy stuff, the Crystal Palace talisman has three concrete goal involvements – he’s been magnificent for his 44 points.
Arsenal’s No7 is among Dream Team’s most reliable performers, which remarkable considering he’s still just 22 years old.
Saka has scored two goals and provided one assist without breaking sweat – he’s got plenty more to give.
England’s Player of the Year (38 points) has supplemented his attacking returns with five points from tackles – is there anything he can’t do?

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Mbeumo completes the four-man midfield having amassed 37 well-deserved points.
The Frenchman’s beautiful stoppage-time equaliser against Bournemouth on Saturday was his fourth goal in as many league games.
Much of the Brentford-related talk prior to Gameweek 1 revolved around whether the Bees could cope without the suspended Ivan Toney but they’ve had no problems in attack so far.
In fact, Thomas Frank’s side have generated the most xG (expected goal) in the top flight – a massively encouraging statistic for Mbeumo owners.
Best in classCredit: DREAM TEAM
STRIKERS: Erling Haaland (£8.1m), Odsonne Edouard (£2.6m), Evan Ferguson (£3m)
Six goals after four Gameweeks? It’s standard practice for Manchester City’s No9.
Haaland gave his rivals a sniff when he followed up a quiet showing against Newcastle with a wasteful performance versus Sheffield United (missed penalty included) but a hat-trick at Fulham’s expense restored normal order.
A 23-point haul moved the Norwegian cyborg onto 48 overall – no player has more at this stage.
If Haaland’s presence at the top of the rankings is taken for granted then Edouard’s is a total surprise.
With the aforementioned Eze in support, the ex-Celtic striker has scored four goals already in all competitions this season – he mustered seven throughout the whole of 2022/23.
The 25-year-old appears in just 1.8% of teams at the time of writing but will likely be a popular recruit during the international break having notched 41 points.
Last but by no means least, it’s the golden boy of the moment, Ferguson.
Brighton’s starlet enhanced his flowering reputation with a hat-trick against Newcastle in Gameweek 4, a special effort that landed him 22 points.
The fact the 18-year-old is Dream Team’s third-best forward right now is impressive given he was limited to just 35 minutes across the first two Gameweeks.
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Ferguson has withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland squad this week because of an injury concern so Dream Team bosses would be advised to seek updates before committing fully to a transfer ahead of Gameweek 5.
It’s early days but Spurs appear to be the team to back extensively in Dream Team this season – they face Sheffield United after the international break.

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IT’S important to remember that Dream Team guarantees more prize winners than ever before this season.Naturally, the £50,000 jackpot for the overall winner of our beloved fantasy game is the seductive top prize but there’s also a £1,000 each for the next 20 runners-up.
Not to mention £5,000 to be dished out among the Second Shot League’s top five – which only takes into account the second half of the campaign – and fantastic weekly prizes via Score Predictor, such as PlayStation 5 and Xbox games consoles.
Additionally, we’re giving out £100 to the gaffer who earns the most points each and every Gameweek!

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Real people are winning real cash with Dream Team every single week!Credit: DREAM TEAM
At this early stage of the season, we’ve already rewarded four Dream Team enthusiasts for their tremendous efforts, such as Manchester United fan Michael Pullen.
“I knew I was top dog this week for my work league but never thought I was near top overall!” Gameweek 4’s winner told us.
This success story should be an inspiration to all Dream Team bosses as Michael freely admits he’s far from an elite player of the game.
“It feels unreal [to have won] as I’m generally pants. I’d have the occasional decent week but I don’t think I’ve ever gone over 100 points before.”
Michael’s unexpected victory is proof that any Dream Team manager is capable of winning cash this season – all it takes is one round of fixtures to go their way.
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Michael used his Park the Bus Booster to double the points of all his defenders in Gameweek 4 but it was his inspired forward trio that truly set him apart from the rest.
He combined a captained Erling Haaland (£8.1m) with surprise package Odsonne Edouard (£2.6m) and hat-trick hero Son Heung-min (£4.5m) for a return of eight goals and 81 points!
Michael’s Gameweek 4 championsCredit: DREAM TEAM
When revealing his method, Michael told us he tends to trust his gut rather than delve too deep into the numbers, a strategy that worked wonders for him last weekend.
“I don’t like stats, I use them as a guide for team performance but not individuals, so all pure guts and luck.
“Gonna be a bit of bragging when I get back from my week off! £100 will most certainly go on a day out with the kids.”
Michael was 19th in his Mini League prior to Gameweek 4 and now he’s among the select group of gaffers to profit from Dream Team in 2023/24.
This is proof that managers should persevere even if they think they’ve had a slow start to the season.
In fact, even people who missed first few weeks entirely can register now and immediately put themselves in contention to win cash from as early as Gameweek 5.

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THE first international break of the season always comes too soon, doesn’t it?At least this momentary pause allows Dream Team managers to take stock of the season so far and one of the most prominent themes has been Tottenham’s impressive start under Ange Postecoglou.

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Hat-trick heroCredit: DREAM TEAM
Spurs have won three games and drawn the other in the Premier League and while elimination from the Carabao Cup dampened the honeymoon somewhat, the vast majority of fans have bought into the Australian tactician’s coaching style both on and off the pitch.
More and more Dream Team gaffers are backing the north Londoners every week with Saturday’s 5-2 win over Burnley prompting a surge of transfers.
At the time of writing, James Maddison (£4.1m) is the most transferred-in player ahead of Gameweek 5 with Son Heung-min (£4.5m) hot on the midfielder’s heels.
And it was the South Korean superstar’s performance in Gameweek 4 that was arguably the most intriguing of the lot.
The 31-year-old scored his first, second and third goals of the season as the visitors carved through the Clarets time and time again at Turf Moor.
Son’s fourth hat-trick of his Premier League career earned him 20 much-needed Dream Team points.
Picture perfectCredit: PA
Prior to Gameweek 4, he had missed out on the plentiful returns on offer, taking just 12 points from his first four outings – seven of them being appearance points.
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Naturally, Saturday’s feast catapulted him up he rankings and his overall tally of 32 points puts him fourth among forwards, where he’s often been in recent years.
The most interesting aspect of Son’s performance, however, was the positional tweak made by Postecoglou.
With Richarlison (£2.6m) still struggling to find his feet at Spurs, Son was selected to lead the line as centre-forward – and the results speak for themselves.
Experienced Dream Team bosses may also remember a couple of profitable periods from seasons gone by when Son deputised for an injured Harry Kane as the club’s main striker.
Given the instant success of this change, it would a huge surprise if Postecoglou were to alter his captain’s role after the international break.
And if Son is indeed set to lead the line for the foreseeable future with a creative powerhouse like Maddison behind him then such an equation could equal substantial Dream Team points for all involved.
Only Erling Haaland has more Dream Team points than Maddison right nowCredit: Getty
More generally, Spurs seem destined to be among the league’s top scorers this season, with their new open tactics and dynamic team selections.
Brighton are the only side to have scored more goals (12) than Spurs’ eleven in the top flight in 2023/24.
It’s no wonder so many gaffers have pulled the trigger on a Son transfer already given he’s due to face Sheffield United in Gameweek 5 – the Blades have just one point to their name.
Remember, you can reverse transfers right up until the deadline so there’s no need to be hesitant during the international break.
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The only frustration with this tactic is the fact Spurs don’t have European fixtures to bolster their schedule this season – another reason their premature exit from the Carabao Cup was poorly received.
However, the likes of Maddison, Son, Cristian Romero (£3.9m) and Destiny Udogie (£2.9m) may only need one fixture per Gameweek to provide healthy returns if the first month of the season is a worthy indication.

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CONGRATULATIONS to Michael Pullen, the latest Dream Team manager to bank £100 for earning the most points in a single Gameweek.His team ‘MichaelsMinions’ produced 164 points in Gameweek 4 to top the pile after what was a high-scoring weekend, thanks mostly to Erling Haaland’s (£8.1m) hat-trick.
Let’s take a closer look at the winning XI.

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The XI that earned Michael some pocket moneyCredit: DREAM TEAM
Michael is a £100 richer after Gameweek 4 despite the fact his goalkeeper, Andre Onana (£3.9m), registered a goose egg away to Arsenal.
Fortunately, his defence picked up the slack with every member of the back four having their points doubled thanks to the Park the Bus Booster.
Remember, you can only play each Booster once per season and while it’s generally advisable to wait until you’ve got five defenders all with a double Gameweek, Michael’s strategy to use it in Gameweek 4 ultimately enhanced his bank balance so was totally justified.
Andy Robertson (£4.1m) contributed to Liverpool’s clean sheet against Aston Villa on Sunday while Nathan Ake (£4.1m) made up for the fact Manchester City conceded at home to Fulham by scoring one of his side’s five goals for a nine-point haul.
Similarly, Kurt Zouma (£2.3m) failed to repel Luton on Friday night but he more than compensated with what proved to be a decisive goal for West Ham – he also pouched nine points for his efforts.
Lewis Dunk (£2.8m) had to settle for just two points as Callum Wilson (£4.2m) bagged Newcastle a consolation goal at the Amex.
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When all was said and done, Michael’s defence combined for 56 points thanks to the Park the Bus Booster, despite just one clean sheet between them.
Michael’s XI combined for 12 goalsCredit: DREAM TEAM
It was a quiet Gameweek for Bruno Fernandes (£6.3m) but north London’s finest ensured plentiful points for Michael’s midfield.
James Maddison (£4.1m) continued his sensational form with a second 15-point haul in as many league fixtures.
Tottenham’s new No10 scored a beautiful goal from distance and registered a whopping five shots on target as well as earning three bonus points.
The England international’s overall tally of 46 points is the second-highest in Dream Team at this stage.
Martin Odegaard (£4.9m) scored Arsenal’s quickfire equaliser against Manchester United at the Emirates to pocket nine points.
The Gunners’ captain, who remains the third-most popular asset in his position, is back among the top 15 midfielders.
Another match ball for the collectionCredit: Getty
Up top is where Michael truly showed his brilliance in Gameweek 4.
Firstly, he played it safe by giving Haaland the captain’s armband at home to Fulham.
The Premier League’s apex predator has reclaimed his throne at the top of the Dream Team rankings after his first (and surely not last) hat-trick of the 2023/24 campaign.
Whereas the Norwegian poacher features in 87.4% of teams, Odsonne Edouard (£2.6m) has an ownership of just 1.7%, making him a massive differential.
The ex-Celtic striker scored a brace to help Crystal Palace beat Wolves 3-2 in an unexpectedly high-scoring contest at Selhurst Park.
Edouard added 15 points to take his overall total to 41 – with four goals to his name in all competitions he’s been one of the standout surprise packages at the start of the season.
Last but by no means least, Son Heung-min (£4.5m) kick-started his campaign in fine style with a hat-trick against Burnley.
The South Korean superstar started as Spurs’ centre-forward for first time in a competitive game under Ange Postecoglou and the results were emphatic.
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Having previously accumulated 12 points, Son banked 20 in one fell swoop and he suddenly appears much more viable.
Excellent work, Michael, good luck to you and all gaffers ahead of Gameweek 5 – which doesn’t get going until after the international break.

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THE great thing about Dream Team is that every weekend throws up several surprises to keep managers on their toes.For example, how many gaffers would have predicted that two of the top five strikers in the game would be Crystal Palace players come the first international break?
The Eagles are flying highCredit: DREAM TEAM
Last season, the Eagles mustered just 40 league goals and they had only scored two in 2023/24 before Sunday’s 3-2 win over Wolves.
That result, coupled with a 4-2 victory over Plymouth in the Carabao Cup, has changed the outlook entirely.
Suddenly, Odsonne Edouard (£2.6m) is second only to Erling Haaland (£8.1m) among Dream Team forwards with Jordan Ayew (£2.8m) not far behind in joint-fifth.
The former boasts an overall tally of 41 points while the latter has 31 to his name.
Edouard’s brace meant he ultimately took Gary O’Neil’s mob for 15 points while Ayew banked eight points thanks in no small part to his impressive tally of six tackles.
The Ghana international hasn’t actually scored yet this season but he’s been a creative force to be reckoned with, as evidenced by his three assists.
Ayew is a fierce competitor if nothing elseCredit: Getty
Whereas the ex-Celtic man is still waiting on his first assist but will be pleased to have scored four goals in all competitions at such an early stage of the campaign.
The unexpected nature of the pair’s success is reflected in their Dream Team popularity.
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Edouard features in just 1.6% of teams while Ayew appears in just 0.3% – that’s a lot of points that have gone begging!
What’s really interesting is that the healthy returns of Roy Hodgson’s forwards feeds into a wide narrative of the squad as a whole.
Joachim Andersen (£3.1m) started Gameweek 4 as Dream Team’s outright best defender and has only slipped to fourth despite conceding twice at the weekend.
While Eberechi Eze (£3.4m) is the second-best asset in his position and third in the rankings overall!
The skilful midfielder has earned a whopping 44 points – 14 of them through the bonus system, which is the most among all players.
A class actCredit: Rex
In truth, Eze’s returns have not come as much of a surprise as he finished 2022/23 in fine style and seemed to thoroughly enjoy pre-season too.
Certainly, the steady stream of bonus points he’s earning through successful dribbles and accurate crosses is likely to be sustainable as they’re a natural by-product of his distinctive style.
Whether Andersen, Ayew and Edouard are equally as viable in the long run is another debate but the numbers don’t lie and the fact is the minority of gaffers who have backed them across the first few Gameweeks have been well rewarded.
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It’s worth noting that only Haaland has registered more shots on target than Edouard and no striker has made as many tackles as Ayew.
Palace assets are worthy of consideration at the very least.

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DREAM TEAM brings you all the latest injury, suspension and availability news ahead of Gameweek 4 in one easily digestible dose.Manchester United’s defensive problems have been compounded by news of an injury to Raphael Varane (£3.7m) that may keep the Frenchman out until the end of the month – he joins Luke Shaw (£4.9m) on the sidelines.
In brighter news for Erik ten Hag, Rasmus Hojlund (£4m) is available to make his debut for the club on Sunday while new recruit Sergio Reguilon (£2m) is also in contention to feature for the Red Devils against Arsenal.
Varane and Shaw are significant absentees for Erik ten HagCredit: DREAM TEAM
Juanma Lillo, still filling in for Pep Guardiola, informed journalists that both Manuel Akanji (£4.7m) and Phil Foden (£4.5m) have recovered from illness.
The Swiss defender wasn’t in Manchester City’s squad in Gameweek 3 while the England midfielder was limited to a few minutes at the death – he provided the assist for Rodri’s (£4.3m) winner at Bramall Lane.
Richarlison (£2.4m) was substituted during Tottenham’s Carabao Cup exit to Fulham in midweek with a knock but Ange Postecoglou listed Giovani Lo Celso (£2m) as his only new injury concern.
Roy Hodgson revealed that Sam Johnstone (£1.8m) will start for Crystal Palace against Wolves despite the addition of Dean Henderson (£2.5m) to the Eagles’ ranks.
New signing Ansu Fati will not be available for Brighton when Newcastle visit the Amex on Saturday.
Danny Welbeck (£2.4m) has also been ruled out but Roberto De Zerbi told reporters the striker’s muscular issue is “not so bad”.
As for the Magpies, a late decision will be made on Sven Botman (£3.9m) after the defender had a scan on his ankle – Joelinton (£2.9m) is also a doubt.
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SuspendedCredit: Getty
Liverpool will be without their two first-choice centre-backs at home to Aston Villa on Sunday with Virgil van Dijk (£4.8m) suspended and Ibrahima Konate (£3.4m) not yet ready to return from injury.
Curtis Jones (£1.9m) has rejoined full training with the Reds to bolster Jurgen Klopp’s midfield options.
Tomas Soucek (£3.1m) is unavailable for West Ham at Luton this evening due to concussion protocol.

ARSENAL
Injuries: Mohamed Elneny, Jurrien Timber
Suspensions: None
ASTON VILLA
Injuries: Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Alex Moreno (doubt), Jacob Ramsey, Leander Dendoncker, Tim Iroegbunam, Emi Martinez (doubt)
Suspensions: None
BOURNEMOUTH
Injuries: Dango Ouattara, Alex Scott, Adam Smith, Ryan Fredericks, Marcus Taverneir, Emiliano Marcondes, Tyler Adams
Suspensions: None
BRENTFORD
Injuries: Josh Dasilva, Shandon Baptiste, Mikkel Damsgaard
Suspensions: Ivan Toney
BRIGHTON
Injuries: Julio Enciso, Danny Welbeck
Suspensions: None
BURNLEY
Injuries: Michael Obafemi, Jordan Beyer, Hjalmar Ekdal, Vitinho (doubt), Darko Churlinov
Suspensions: Anass Zaroury
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, Will Hughes (doubt), Matheus Franca, Malcolm Ebiowei
Suspensions: None
EVERTON
Injuries: Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli, Dwight McNeil (doubt), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (doubt), Jack Harrison, Alex Iwobi, Vitaliy Mykolenko
Suspensions: None
FULHAM
Injuries: Willian (doubt), Tom Cairney (doubt), Harrison reed (doubt), Sasa Lukic
Suspensions: None
LIVERPOOL
Injuries: Ibrahima Konate, Thiago Alcantara
Suspensions: Virgil van Dijk
LUTON
Injuries: Dan Potts, Jordan Clark, Gabriel Osho
Suspensions: None
MANCHESTER CITY
Injuries: Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones
Suspensions: None
MANCHESTER UNITED
Injuries: Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Tom Heaton, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, Tyrell Malacia
Suspensions: None
NEWCASTLE
Injuries: Javier Manquillo, Joe Willock, Emil Krath, Sven Botman (doubt), Joelinton (doubt)
Suspensions: None
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Injuries: Wayne Hennessey, Felipe, Danilo, Scott McKenna, Orel Mangala
Suspensions: None
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Injuries: Rhys Norrington-Davies, Daniel Jebbison, Rhian Brewster, John Fleck, Max Lowe, Ben Osborn, Adam Davies
TOTTENHAM
Injuries: Rodrigo Bentacur, Ryan Sessegnon, Bryan Gil, Giovani Lo Celso, Alfie Whiteman
Suspensions: None
WEST HAM
Injuries: Tomas Soucek
Suspensions: None
WOLVES
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Injuries: Joe Hodge, Hwang Hee-chan (doubt)
Suspensions: None

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THERE’S nothing quite like closing out the working week with a Friday afternoon debate about Dream Team captaincy options.Before we dive into Gameweek 4’s best candidates, a quick review of our Gameweek 3 suggestions.

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Gameweek 4’s top captaincy optionsCredit: DREAM TEAM
Last week we stated that Erling Haaland (£8.4m) was the obvious choice for a good reason and that would have been justified had the Norwegian poacher not missed a penalty against Sheffield United.
Manchester City’s No9 did score at Bramall Lane but he definitely left some points out on the pitch when all was said and done – he settled for seven at the final whistle.
Two of our alternative recommendations, Bukayo Saka (£6.1m) and Bruno Fernandes (£6.2m), delivered 14 points each – congratulations to all gaffers who were brave enough to back them over Haaland!
Right, to the matter at hand…
Erling Haaland
Occam’s razor: the simplest explanation is preferable to one that is more complexCredit: Getty
Yes, it’s Groundhog Day.
The Premier League’s resident cyborg rarely misses out on a double-digit haul against favourable opposition twice in a row so it feels as if he’s overdue a big one – such are the sky-high standards he’s set for himself.
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Fulham visit the Etihad this weekend and the stats don’t make for pretty reading for Marco Silva – his side have conceded the most shots on target across the first three Gameweeks.
Bernd Leno (£3.3m) performs nobly between the sticks but if the Cottagers offer up another porous defensive display in the treble-winners’ lair then it could get embarrassing in a hurry, with Haaland likely to be the primary beneficiary.
Plus, if Joao Palhinha (£2.8m) and/or Harrison Reed (£2m) leave Craven Cottage on deadline day then Fulham fans will be fearing the absolute worst.
Raheem Sterling (£3.6m)
Back to his bestCredit: PA
Fresh off an 18-point haul at Luton’s expense, Chelsea’s No7 leads our Haaland alternatives in Gameweek 4.
The 28-year-old has rediscovered his best form and is the most-popular recruit among Dream Team gaffers this week.
At Stamford Bridge this weekend, Sterling will be unleashed upon a Nottingham Forest side who continue to struggle on the road – he scored three goals against Steve Cooper’s mob last season.
A reminder that Sterling is also among the exclusive crop of players to have earned the maximum of five bonus points in a single fixture so far in 2023/24.
The majority of gaffers will be blind to anybody other than Haaland but many who bet against the prolific poacher last week were duly rewarded – who is to say the same won’t happen again?
Jarrod Bowen (£4.6m)
A consistent performerCredit: Reuters
We don’t mean to pick on Luton but the fact is Rob Edwards’ side will be considered a favourable opponent until they prove otherwise.
The Hatters will be highly motivated when they welcome West Ham to Kenilworth Road this evening for the club’s first ever home Premier League fixture but, sentimentality aside, the Hammers are favourites to claim the three points.
David Moyes’ men are flying high in second after spirited wins over Chelsea and Brighton with Bowen once again the main man from a Dream Team perspective.
The ex-Hull winger has plundered 27 points in three outings via two goals and an assist.
Again, it will take considerable courage to back Bowen over Haaland but the former is certainly a viable option for the armband.
James Maddison (£4.1m)
BullseyeCredit: Getty
Having left the stadium in a protective boot after Tottenham’s win over Manchester United in Gameweek 2, the England international took a few gaffers by surprise when he started away to Bournemouth in Gameweek 3.
What resulted came as no surprise, however, as the talented playmaker ran the show from the middle of park to bank 15 points – he added another two to his tally against Fulham in midweek.
With 31 points in total, Maddison is Dream Team’s second-best player overall at this stage and a trip to Turf Moor on Saturday could send him top of the pile above Bukayo Saka (£6.1m).
Burnley have conceded six goals in their first two fixtures and Ange Postecoglou’s dynamic attack will test their defensive resolve to the full extent.
We’ve said it many times but Maddison is such a great Dream Team asset – he always looks as if he’s on the cusp of a goal involvement.
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MOST-POPULAR CAPTAINS FOR GAMEWEEK 4 AMONG ALL DREAM TEAM MANAGERS:

Ering Haaland (£8.4m)
Bukayo Saka (£6.1m)
Bruno Fernandes (£6.2m)
Martin Odegaard (£5m)
Mohamed Salah (£6.7m)

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