THE sensible play for Dream Team managers is to back Manchester City to the hilt for the remainder of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s side have a home game against West Ham in Gameweek 36 and a win would secure them a fourth consecutive Premier League title.
Erling Haaland (£7.2m) and friends are unbeaten since early December (having technically drawn with Real Madrid in both legs of the Champions League quarter-finals) and to top it all off, they are favourites to triumph in the only fixture of Gameweek 37 – the FA Cup final.
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However, the vast majority of Dream Team bosses will follow the same line of thinking.
Some gaffers will need to think outside the box if they are to improve their rank, and possibly even pinch a Mini League victory, in what little remains of the campaign.
The likes of Kevin De Bruyne (£6.1m) and Josko Gvardiol (£4.2m) are clearly excellent options but if a rival above you in your Mini League also brings them in this week then their returns won’t make a difference.
This is the privilege of being a Mini League leader; you inevitably force your chasers to think outside the box and take risks.
With that in mind, let’s analyse a few potential differentials ahead of Gameweek 36.
Morgan Gibbs-White (£3.4m)
Nottingham Forest travel to Turf Moor to face an already relegated Burnley on the final day of the Premier League campaign.
With Nuno Espirito Santo’s side essentially safe from relegation (if not quite mathematically) the pressure will be off and the nature of the contest might create an environment in which Forest’s No10 thrives.
The 24-year-old has registered six goals and 12 assists this season and certainly has the ability to unpick a demoralised defence.
No team has earned fewer points at home than Vincent Kompany’s side in 2023/24.
Gibbs-White averages 6.7 points-per-game across his last three fixtures and currently features in 1.2% of teams.
See also: Callum Hudson-Odoi (£3m).
Michael Olise (£4.3m)
Crystal Palace face a relatively tricky final opponent in the form of Aston Villa but with the Villains having already qualified for the Champions League, they might not be entirely motivated at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
It’s also worth noting Unai Emery’s men are without a win in their last five games in all competitions.
In contrast, the Eagles are finishing the season in fine style having taken 16 points from a possible 18 in their last six outings.
Eberechi Eze (£4.3m) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (£3.2m) have been key to the upturn while Adam Wharton (£2.2m) continues to gain admirers but Olise reigns supreme from a Dream Team perspective.
The gifted midfielder has banked 52 points across the last four Gameweeks.
More broadly, he averages 8.9 points-per-game this season – only Haaland boasts a superior average among all assets.
Despite these incredible stats, Olise features in just 0.7% of teams right now!
Mohammed Kudus (£5.3m)
Ultra brave gaffers could opt to take Man City on directly by backing a West Ham star to shine at the Etihad.
Kudus’ remarkable dribbling ability has earned him 70 bonus points this season – only Bruno Guimaraes (£4.6m) has more to his name at this late stage.
Couple this with 12 goals and nine assists and it’s no wonder the Ghana international has racked up 290 points in total – he’s sixth among midfielders overall at the time of writing.
Such is his individual brilliance, the ex-Ajax winger was even able to add nine points to his tally against Chelsea in Gameweek 34 despite the Hammers’ 5-0 defeat.
Gaffers in need of a difference-maker should back a player with a high ceiling and Kudus undoubtedly fits the bill.
He appears in 1.9% of teams right now.
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