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      Which teams have the most favourable fixtures during Dream Team Monthly’s January competition?

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      BY now Dream Team bosses should have shaken off the festive haze and refocused on the task at hand.And what better way to see in the new year with mountains of points and the potential reward of a brand new PlayStation 5?
      That’s right, we’re once again offering up the highly-desired games console as the prize for January’s monthly competition, which runs from the 6th until February 2nd.
      The gaffer who earns the most points during this scoring period will land a PS5 – consider it a late Christmas present.
      Couple this enticing proposition with the fact transfers are set to be refreshed this coming Friday and managers will be desperate to know which teams have the most favourable fixtures in the coming weeks.
      Allow us to assist by laying out the upcoming match-ups for all the teams currently in the top half; please note any fixtures listed in italics are part of the current Game Week and December’s monthly competition…
      A fourth official’s worst nightmare
      ARSENAL

      Oxford (a)
      Tottenham (a)
      Manchester United (h)

      Mikel Arteta has the opportunity to rest some of his key players on Monday night when he travels to the Kassam Stadium for FA Cup duty.
      Once that fixture is fulfilled all that remains in January is a pair of mouthwatering league fixtures in the form of a North London derby and the visit of the Red Devils to the Emirates.
      Most read in Dream Team
      It would be reasonable to expect a drop in returns for Arsenal assets this month compared to the high standard they have set this season but it would be a stretch to think of transferring out their best performers.
      MANCHESTER CITY

      Chelsea (a)
      Chelsea (h)
      Southampton (a)
      Manchester United (a)
      Tottenham (h)
      Wolves (h)

      Pep Guardiola’s side travel to Stamford Bridge this week and will host the Blues in return on Sunday in the FA Cup – it’s a relatively good time to play Chelsea in a double header.
      City are busy this month as the clash with Saints is a Carabao Cup quarter-final.
      The upcoming Manchester derby should be more competitive than the previous one and Spurs have a decent record at the Etihad in recent times but still it seems wise to back a few City assets in the coming weeks to make the most of the schedule.
      How many goals will Erling Haaland score this month?Credit: getty
      NEWCASTLE

      Sheffield Wednesday (a)
      Leicester (h)
      Fulham (h)
      Crystal Palace (a)

      How many more clean sheets will Kieran Trippier (£5.7m) and his mob register this month?
      Eddie Howe’s side have still only lost one league fixture this season and so they won’t be intimidated by a trio of mid-table opponents once their favourable FA Cup match-up at Hillsborough is complete.
      MAN UNITED

      Everton (h)
      Charlton (h)
      Manchester City (h)
      Arsenal (a)

      A month of two halves for Erik ten Hag’s troops.
      They will be heavy favourites to triumph in both domestic cup fixtures but Premier League meetings with the current top two will be extremely challenging.
      The likes of Luke Shaw (£3.8m), Bruno Fernandes (£5.3m) and Marcus Rashford (£4.8m) have racked up points for fun recently so it would be very bold (foolish?) to replace any of them any time soon.
      Shaw has banked 26 points this Game WeekCredit: getty
      SPURS

      Crystal Palace (a)
      Portsmouth (h)
      Arsenal (h)
      Manchester City (a)
      Fulham (a)

      Harry Kane (£7.1m) and company have won just one of their last five games in all competitions and they’ll be desperate for a positive result at Selhurst Park this evening.
      On current form, fans will certainly not be relishing the prospect of a North London derby followed by a trip to the defending champions’ lair – Craven Cottage has been the undoing of a few decent teams this term too.
      LIVERPOOL

      Wolves (h)
      Brighton (a)
      Chelsea (h)

      It’s a quiet month from hereon out for the Reds and perhaps mercifully so after their defeat to Brentford.
      Mohamed Salah (£8.9m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.8m) and Darwin Nunez (£5.7m) are all immensely popular assets but their respective ownerships may drop once transfers are refreshed.
      FULHAM

      Hull (a)
      Chelsea (h)
      Newcastle (a)
      Tottenham (h)

      Marco Silva’s side are flying high in seventh (level with Liverpool on points) and are happy to be considered underdogs but their next three league fixtures will test their resolve.
      Aleksandar Mitrovic (£5.2m) is Dream Team’s sixth-best forward right now but he’s suspended for Fulham’s short trip to Stamford Bridge.
      A potentially costly yellow cardCredit: getty
      BRIGHTON

      Middlesbrough (a)
      Liverpool (h)
      Leicester (a)

      It’s a quiet January for the Seagulls.
      Had they the luxury of three ultra favourable fixtures then gaffers may be tempted to think outside the box but this simply isn’t the case here.
      BRENTFORD

      West Ham (h)
      Bournemouth (h)
      Leeds (a)

      It could be argued that the Bees do have a favourable trio of fixtures as all three of their remaining January opponents are currently in the bottom seven.
      Ivan Toney (£5m) averages 6.2 points-per-game this term having scored 13 goals in all competitions already but gaffers should wait for an update on his knee injury before using a transfer.
      Graham Potter may be feeling some pressureCredit: getty
      CHELSEA

      Manchester City (h)
      Manchester City (a)
      Fulham (a)
      Crystal Palace (h)
      Liverpool (a)

      The Blues have an extra fixture after this week but trips to the Etihad and Anfield are daunting tasks on current form.
      Read More on The Sun
      Thiago Silva (£5.9m) and Kepa Arrizabalaga (£3.2m) have produced healthy returns but most Stamford Bridge assets have been frustrating ones this season.
      Keep an eye on new recruits while the transfer window is open. More

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      Adaptable Luke Shaw has registered more points than any other player this Game Week

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      LUKE SHAW’S (£3.6m) form tends to coincide closely with Manchester United’s as a collective.In 2020/21, he was voted the club’s Players’ Player of the Year and was selected in the Premier League Team of the Year as the Red Devils finished runners-up behind Manchester City under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
      The left-back carried that form into Euro 2020 (delayed because of Covid-19) where he was one of England’s best performers – he even scored in the final.
      After the penalty shootout defeat to Italy at Wembley, Shaw was one of a number of Three Lions’ stars who suffered a hangover of sorts once the new domestic season got underway.
      His form dropped dramatically and Man United’s results fell off a cliff as Solskjaer was replaced by Ralf Rangnick in a fractured, disjointed campaign.
      Shaw’s form has fluctuated dramatically in the last three yearsCredit: getty
      There were several other contributing factors to the decline, of course, but it does seem that Shaw’s personal fortunes have often reflected his club’s in recent times.
      And this relationship should encourage the Old Trafford faithful presently as the 27-year-old has gained considerable momentum in recent weeks.
      While he did not light up the World Cup in the same manner as the Euros, he performed well and registered an assist in Qatar.
      Since returning to club duty, he has contributed to four consecutive clean sheets – a run that has resulted in 39 Dream Team points.
      In fact, Shaw is currently the highest scorer of Game Week 16 having racked up 26 points at the expense of Wolves and Bournemouth.
      Most read in Dream Team
      Shaw impressed as a makeshift centre-backCredit: getty
      Against Bruno Lage’s side he played at centre-back alongside Raphael Varane (£4.2m) and held firm to help his side to a 1-0 win on the road, highlighting his adaptability and defensive merits.
      And then at home to the Cherries, he reverted to left-back and exhibited his prowess in attack by scoring a fluid goal and playing a superb pass in the build-up to the hosts’ third and final goal.
      When all was said and done on Tuesday night, Shaw claimed the Star Man award to bank 18 points, his biggest single-game haul of the season by a considerable margin.
      With Lisandro Martinez (£3.8m) set to return to the starting line-up, Shaw is unlikely to be required at centre-back for the foreseeable future but he’s cemented himself as first-choice left-back ahead of Tyrell Malacia (£3.4m).
      Shaw was brilliant against BournemouthCredit: getty
      This prosperous spell post-World Cup has propelled the former Southampton defender up the rankings, he’s now the seventh-best asset in his position with 82 points overall, one behind Diogo Dalot (£3.5m).
      Granted, January ends with some testing fixtures for Erik ten Hag’s side in the form of Man City and Arsenal but Shaw looks a good option in the long run regardless.
      And if it’s true that his individual form dictates his club’s progress then supporters will hope to see more performances like those exhibited this Game Week. More

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      Newcastle defenders dominating Dream Team this season led by imperious Kieran Trippier

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      NEWCASTLE’S rise from a side threatened by relegation to one in contention for Champions League qualification has been remarkably swift.Masterminded by the knowledgeable Eddie Howe, the Magpies have benefited from the considerable wealth of their Saudi ownership but as of yet their signings have been smart acquisitions rather than extravagances, with the possible exception of Alexander Isak (£3.6m) who has played just 244 minutes of football in black and white stripes.
      The likes of Nick Pope (£4.3m), Matt Targett (£3.9m), Dan Burn (£3.8m), Joe Willock (£2.3m), and Chris Wood (£2.2m) are all fine players but it’s fair to say they were not previously seen as a crop capable of propelling a bottom-half club into the top three in rapid time – credit to Howe for maximising the squad’s potential.
      Bruno Guimaraes (£3.7m) and Sven Botman (£4m) could be considered higher-calibre arrivals with appropriately plump fees but perhaps the most decisive transfer of the Saudi era so far is that of Kieran Trippier (£5.7m).
      Dream Team’s top defender
      Acquired for just £12million a few months after he helped Atletico Madrid win La Liga, the England international was instantly installed as a leader among the squad.
      Now vice-captain, he wears the armband more often than not as club captain Jamaal Lascelles (£3.2m) is rarely a starter.
      As with most notable full-backs in the modern era, Trippier contributes as much (or more) in attack as he does in defence.
      In fact, this season, only Kevin De Bruyne (£8m) has accumulated more expected assists (xA) in the Premier League than Newcastle’s No2, who can count himself a fraction unlucky not to have more than five assists (all competitons) to his name this term.
      There are a few attack-minded full-backs who are vulnerable at the back but Trippier could not be included in such a group as he is a key component of the Premier League’s best defence currently.
      The Toon have conceded just 11 goals in 2022/23, three fewer than Arsenal and five fewer than Manchester City.
      Most read in Dream Team
      Howe has done a fantastic job at St James’ ParkCredit: getty
      And it’s this dual success that has made Trippier one of the standout assets in Dream Team.
      Having collected 7+ ratings and Star Man awards for fun on top of his clean sheets and attacking contributions, he’s amassed 135 points to date.
      Joao Cancelo (£6.5m) is the next-best defender and he’s now a full 43 points adrift.
      While the Three Lions’ right-back is the undisputed leader, it’s the prosperous nature of Newcastle’s defence as a collective that is most notable.
      Newcastle defenders are thriving in Dream Team
      Fabian Schar (£3.7m) is now the third-best asset in his position (87 points) after two consecutive clean sheets following the mid-season break.
      Botman is ninth among defenders with 74 points and Burn is one place outside the top ten with 65 points.
      Dream Team bosses should seriously consider pairing Trippier with another of his team-mates (or two) as those that have done in recent months have been handsomely rewarded.
      The resolve of Howe’s men will be tested this evening when they take on league-leaders Arsenal at the Emirates but all signs suggest there will be plentiful clean sheets for St James’ Park residents this term. More

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      Talismanic Martin Odegaard has racked up 45 Dream Team points in his last three appearances

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      HAVING not qualified for the World Cup, many Dream Team gaffers expected a certain Norwegian player to return from the mid-season break in blistering form.And such suspicions have proved valid.
      Erling Haaland (£9.1m) is not the man in question, however, although Man City’s No9 has scored four goals in three games since the resumption of the domestic campaign.
      It’s his compatriot Martin Odegaard (£3.2m) who has seemingly benefited from a refreshing break the most as the Arsenal midfielder has been in talismanic form since the restart.
      Odegaard has seven goals and five assists in the Premier League this seasonCredit: getty
      Initially, it looked as if the Gunners’ momentum had been thwarted by events in Qatar when they went 1-0 down to West Ham on Boxing Day but that lacklustre performance turned into a competent one as the league leaders rallied to win 3-1.
      Odegaard provided two assists in the second half and claimed the Star Man award to bank 12 points.
      Then on New Year’s Eve, Arsenal’s captain scored his side’s second goal away to Brighton before providing a glorious assist for Gabriel Martinelli (£3.5m) for the fourth in an entertaining 4-2 victory on the south coast.
      Again, Odegaard earned the Star Man award to pocket 15 points.
      In both games, the 24-year-old was instrumental in keeping his team’s title challenge on track.
      Couple this with Man City’s draw at home to Everton and the festive period and has a joyous one for Mikel Arteta’s side, who are now seven points clear having won 14 of their last 16 league fixtures in 2022/23.
      Most read in Dream Team
      Ominously, no team has ever failed to win the title having amassed as many points as Arsenal have at this stage of the season.
      Leading by example
      From an individual perspective, Odegaard’s form is actually a continuation of where he left off prior to the World Cup.
      The former Real Madrid midfielder scored a brace against Wolves back in Game Week 14 for an 18-point haul.
      He’s achieved a hat-trick of Star Man awards in his last three fixtures for an influx of 45 points overall – only Kevin De Bruyne (£8m) has more points than Odegaard’s grand total of 94 points at this stage among assets in the pair’s position.
      And the Belgian playmaker is the only man with more Star Man awards (six) than Odegaard’s five right now.
      This is particularly notable because the Man City midfielder is comfortably over twice as expensive as the Gunners’ skipper.
      Dream Team’s second-best midfielder
      In fact, Odegaard is the second-cheapest midfielder in the top ten at this juncture although his price will continue to rise given his recent returns.
      Some fans feared that Gabriel Jesus’ absence through injury would disrupt Arsenal’s attacking unit but Arteta’s men have scored seven goals in two outings with Odegaard, Martinelli, Bukayo Saka (£4.4m) and Eddie Nketiah (£2.6m) combining impressively.
      All Dream Team managers without Odegaard in their XI have suffered over the festive period and despite a relatively tough run of fixtures (Newcastle, Oxford, Spurs, Man United) there could well be more points to come in the coming weeks. More

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      Marcus Rashford emerges as perfect Gabriel Jesus replacement for Dream Team gaffers in need

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      AFTER all the excitement and drama of the first ever winter World Cup, Dream Team gaffers need to refocus on the classic Season game.You may not be able to earn points from Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe any longer but look on the bright side, Erling Haaland is defrosting from his cryogenic chamber at this very moment.
      Manchester City take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup tonight and once the Premier League fixtures resume on Boxing Day there’s barely a day without one for a fortnight.
      With the games coming thick and fast, Dream Team bosses need to ensure their XIs are fully-equipped to take advantage of the bountiful points on offer.
      Mini-league are often determined by which gaffers negotiate the festive period the best and that is likely to be especially true this year as some individuals may have a hard time readjusting to club football in the wake of the World Cup.
      The World Cup is but a memory now
      One player who could make hay in the coming weeks is Marcus Rashford (£4.5m).
      In fact, the 25-year-old wasted no time in adding returns following his bright campaign in Qatar having scored an impressive solo goal against Burnley in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
      An eight-point haul has moved the Man United No10 onto 90 overall, a tally currently bettered by just four other forwards: Ivan Toney (£4.7m), Harry Kane (£6.9m), Mohamed Salah (8.6m) and Erling Haaland (£8.9m).
      Perhaps most relevant is the fact Rashford is now clear of Gabriel Jesus (£5.3m) in the rankings.
      Arsenal are expected to be without their first-choice striker until late-February/early-March which has caused a HUGE problem for Dream Team managers.
      Most read in Uncategorized
      The Brazil international remains one of the most-popular players in the game with an ownership of 45.2% at the time of writing – hordes of gaffers need to act fast!
      Jesus is sidelined for approximately three monthsCredit: getty
      Swapping Jesus for Rashford looks like a natural transfer, a wise one too.
      Not only would this free up an additional £0.8m to invest on improvements elsewhere, it’s seemingly a great time to back the Red Devils forward.
      Rashford has scored 12 goals and provided three assists in his last 23 appearances for club and country, which boils down to a goal involvement every 97.7 minutes.
      During this time he’s averaged 4.9 points-per-game in club colours and the Cristiano Ronaldo saga now behind Erik ten Hag, the Old Trafford pecking order in the forward positions should favour the Englishman.
      The perfect time for a Rash move?
      Man United have lost just one of their last 13 games in all competitions although how much ‘form’ matters post-World Cup remains to be seen.
      What’s clear is that Ten Hag has made significant progress after a wobbly start to life in Manchester and with two opponents currently in the relegation zone up next (Nottingham Forest, Wolves) it’s reasonably to expect positive results and, hopefully, plentiful points for Rashford.
      Even if you’re not convinced by the Man United man, it goes without saying that if you’ve still got Jesus in your XI then you need to find a replacement you do believe in as soon as possible. More

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      Lionel Messi the only Argentina player featured in Dream Team World Cup’s best XI – and one Belgian makes the cut!

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      AFTER a month of unfolding drama, the World Cup is set to conclude this weekend.Morocco meet Croatia in the third-place play-off on Saturday before Argentina take on France in the main event on Sunday.
      Dream Team World Cup will come to a close with those two fixtures and so let’s preview the climax by reflecting on the best eleven of the tournament to date.
      GOALKEEPER: Thibaut Courtois
      Belgium’s No1 has been on holiday for a fortnight alreadyCredit: getty
      A real surprise here given that Belgium crashed out at the group stage but their world-class goalkeeper gave a good account of himself during the little time he spent in Qatar.
      Courtois claimed Star Man awards against Canada and Croatia, not forgetting a penalty save against the former, to take an early lead among his peers that he hasn’t given up despite his premature exit.
      The Real Madrid custodian racked up 28 points in three games.
      Dominik Livakovic or Bono could claim top spot with a clean sheet in the third-place play-off, assuming they’re selected.
      DEFENDERS: Achraf Hakimi, Harry Maguire, Romain Saiss, Theo Hernandez
      Morocco defended admirably in QatarCredit: getty
      Morocco’s No2 has been the best right-back on display this winter, banking 33 points as a key member of an Atlas Lions side fulfilling the role of the overachieving underdog in Qatar.
      Most read in Dream Team
      England have some representation in the form of their cult hero centre-back who headed his way to 31 points before being sent packing by France.
      Maguire earned a Star Man award and contributed an assist during a fruitful group stage.
      It’s only right Morocco’s captain also makes the cut given the herculean nature of his defensive efforts in the last month.
      Saiss played with half a hamstring in the knockout stages and is fully deserving of his 29-point tally.
      In theory he could claim top spot among defenders this weekend but the ex-Wolves man will surely sit out having come off in the first half of the semi-final.
      Speaking of that semi-final, France’s left-back was the player who dealt the crucial early blow.
      Hernandez is far from the most defensively resolute full-back in world football but he has been a constant threat going forward this winter and an 18-point haul in his last outing took his overall tally to 27 – a clean sheet and a 7+ rating in the final would put him top of the pile among defenders.
      MIDFIELDERS: Bruno Fernandes, Bukayo Saka, Frenkie de Jong
      Dream Team World Cup’s leading midfielderCredit: getty
      Many fans expected Portugal’s No7 to be their talisman in Qatar but it was their No8 who stepped up.
      Fernandes scored two goals and provided three assists in four appearances before Fernando Santos’ side were upset by Morocco in the quarter-finals.
      Still, his tally of 37 points will almost certainly see him finish the campaign as Dream Team World Cup’s top asset in his position.
      Next comes a second England representative in the form of Arsenal’s homegrown hero.
      Saka scored three goals and was the Three Lions’ best player against Didier Deschamps’ men before he was replaced by Raheem Sterling.
      The 21-year-old banked 31 points, over half of which were earned against Iran.
      What’s notable is how far off the pace the finalists’ midfielders are in Dream Team World Cup – Enzo Fernandez and Adrien Rabiot are their respective teams’ best assets in the position and they are both nine points short of De Jong, who completes our midfield in this exercise.
      The Dutchman earned two Star Man awards in the group stages before he scored a goal against hosts Qatar, accounting for his total of 25 points.
      FORWARDS: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Richarlison
      A two-horse race
      It’s quite revealing that Argentina’s captain is the only one of his compatriots who makes this XI.
      In fact, Messi has more than twice as many points as his next-best team-mate having amassed a whopping 65, the most of all players with two games remaining.
      The 35-year-old has registered six 7+ ratings, five goals, four Star Man awards and three assists so far – an unbelievable campaign.
      France’s No10 is Messi’s closest rival but he’s 14 points shy of his PSG team-mate after two quieter showings in the quarter and semi finals.
      And yet the 23-year-old remains the joint-top scorer with five goals after his borderline unplayable displays in the group stage and against Poland in the round of 16.
      Read More on The Sun
      Brazil’s No9 completes the set having scored three goals and earned two Star Man awards before the Selecao’s elimination at the hands of Croatia, resulting in a points tally of 33.
      However, Richarlison may lose his place at the last hurdle with Olivier Giroud (32 pts), Antoine Griezmann (30 pts) and Julian Alvarez (28 points) sniffing around. More

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      What strategy should Dream Team World Cup gaffers adopt ahead of Sunday’s final?

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      AND so it will be Argentina vs France in the 2022 World Cup final.Will Les Bleus become the first team to retain the crown since Brazil in 1962 or will Lionel Messi finally win the big one?
      It’ll be a nerve-racking few days for fans of the finalists and more than a few Dream Team World Cup gaffers may have butterflies in their stomach too, especially those in contention to claim a chunk of the £50,000 prize pot!
      Those fighting for mini-league glory will also need to get their teams in order ahead of the final game – but which strategy is best?
      Don’t neglect the third-place play-off
      The first thing to note is that the third-place play-off is an eligible fixture (why wouldn’t it be) and so there could be points on offer.
      Plenty of nations would see Saturday’s game as an annoyance but both Croatia and Morocco would take great pride in earning the bronze medal.
      Both sides are lacking a finisher or two in the final third so there could be more clean sheet points for the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Dominik Livakovic and Dejan Lovren.
      Hakim Ziyech (18 points) and Youssef En-Nesyri (21 points) are probably your best bets going forward but it wouldn’t be wholly surprising if this encounter finished goalless.
      As for the final, your strategy will depend on your current standing.
      If you’ve got a decent cushion at the top of your mini-league then an even mix of France and Argentina assets would be no bad thing – hedge your bets to avoid a disaster and clinch victory.
      Most read in Dream Team
      However, if you’re aiming to leapfrog a rival (or several of them) then you should pick a side and back them to the hilt.
      Hernandez bagged 18 points against Morocco
      Combining Hugo Lloris, Theo Hernandez, Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate would pay huge dividends if France are able to keep Argentina at bay.
      The alternative batch being: Emi Martinez, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi and (probably) Nicolas Tagliafico.
      If you’re going to mix defensive assets then you should back those who are most likely to contribute a goal or assist – Hernandez and Molina have scored decisive goals for their respective nations in the knockout stage.
      In midfield, Ousmane Dembele is the standout option as a genuine winger who is primarily tasked with attacking.
      In terms of points, Adrien Rabiot and Enzo Fernandez are the leading performers in their position among the finalists with 16 points each, although the former missed the semi-final against Morocco with illness.
      You’re spoiled for choice up front with no fewer than FIVE premium options.
      Lionel Messi (65 points) and Kylian Mbappe (51 points) are the two runaway leaders in Dream Team World Cup and both feature in the majority of teams, which makes sense given the two superstars are in direct competition for the Golden Boot with five goals each.
      Dream Team World Cup’s top starCredit: getty
      If you back both of the No10s (which seems reasonable) then you’ll only have one spot remaining in your forward line if you opt for a 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 formation.
      There’s not much between Olivier Giroud and Julian Alvarez, who are level on four goals each heading into the final, and Antoine Griezmann also deserves consideration.
      The 31-year-old has played as a midfielder in Qatar and he barely shoots at all anymore but he’s been one of the best creators on display at this World Cup.
      In fact, Griezmann (30) has two more points than Alvarez (28) at this stage.
      Finally, you should avoid conflicts of interest where possible.
      For example, if you do decide to back an all-France defence then you should also pick Giroud or Griezmann over Alvarez as a goal for the latter would wipe out your clean sheet points and therefore be a net negative.
      Read More on The Sun
      But of course it’s equally likely that both teams will score and in that eventuality, a mix of attacking assets may be most profitable.
      Good luck! More

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      Celebrating Olivier Giroud & Julian Alvarez’s transformation from understudies to leading men in Qatar

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      MANY parallels can be drawn between Olivier Giroud and Julian Alvarez’s World Cup campaigns.Both were expected to be back-up options in Qatar but now find themselves as starting centre-forwards for the two teams most likely to lift the trophy.
      In the case of Milan’s experienced target man, the door was opened by Karim Benzema’s injury when the current Ballon d’Or holder withdrew from France’s squad on the eve of the tournament.
      While this was something of a blow for Les Bleus, it was by no means a disaster as Didier Deschamps is a huge fan of Giroud, who led France’s line for years during Benzema’s international exile.
      France have not been negatively impacted by Benzema’s absence in the slightestCredit: getty
      France won the World Cup in Russia with Giroud acting as selfless striker so that Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe could express themselves, he didn’t even register a shot on target – four years later he’s shown a sharper eye for goal.
      The Man City forward’s journey from understudy to leading man has been rather different.
      Lautaro Martinez started the tournament as Argentina’s first-choice striker and deservedly so, the 25-year-old was his side’s joint-leading scorer in qualifying.
      He also scored crucial goals during the Albiceleste’s successful Copa America campaign and subsequent 3-0 Finalissima victory over Italy at Wembley.
      Martinez entered the tournament having scored eight goals and provided six assists for Inter in the first half of the current season, which makes his sudden loss of form even stranger.
      For whatever reason, his finishing has deserted him in Qatar, although he did convert the winning spot-kick in the penalty shootout against Netherlands.
      Most read in Dream Team
      Alvarez is averaging a goal every 91 minutes in Qatar
      Lionel Scaloni had no choice but to promote Alvarez to starting striker and the result has been a considerable improvement to Argentina’s performances.
      Giroud and Alvarez (who both wear No9 for their respective nations) are rightly seen as secondary threats to Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi (who both wear No10) but their contributions should be recognised and celebrated.
      At the time of writing, they each have four goals to their name and both have affected decisive moments in the knockout stages – most notably, Giroud’s headed winner to eliminate England and Alvarez’s brace against Croatia.
      And the pair are very much in the hunt for the Golden Boot, currently led by Messi and Mbappe on five goals each, which is extraordinary when you consider they would have spent the majority of the tournament on the bench were it not for Benzema’s injury and Martinez’s unexpected yips.
      Decisions, decisions…
      Fittingly, only a cigarette paper separates them in Dream Team World Cup.
      The Frenchman currently has 29 points to the Argentine’s 28.
      If the bookmakers are to be believed and Deschamps see off a resilient Morocco outfit this evening then gaffers will be presented with a close call ahead of the final.
      Assuming most opt for a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 formation, and decide to back Mbappe and Messi, there’s only one space left in the forward line.
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      A case could be made that Antoine Griezmann deserves the spot but at this stage it looks to be a toss-up between Giroud and Alvarez.
      Tonight’s events could alter the picture of course – only a fool would underestimate the Atlas Lions now – but it looks as if tens of thousands of Dream Team World Cup bosses will have to agonise over whether France or Argentina’s No9 is the man to back ahead of the big one. More