3 players who could run amok in Game Week 28 – a dozen teams set to pull double duty!
THE calendar has conspired to frustrate to Dream Team managers desperate for fresh transfers.
Transfers are replenished on the first Friday of the month which means April’s batch won’t be available until Game Week 29.
However, some clever gaffers will have planned for this very moment and may have kept some of March’s allotment back so they can makes changes suited to Game Week 28.
With a dozen teams set to play twice this coming week, we’ve identified three players who could run amok (in a good way).
James Maddison (£5.6m)
Fresh off what felt like his second England debut, the 26-year-old travels to a Crystal Palace side without a win since November on Saturday before welcoming Aston Villa to the King Power in midweek.
Leicester’s No10 averages 4.3 points-per-game this season, only four midfielders boast a better average at this stage (minimum three appearances).
This suggests that even an average week would mean a return of eight or nine points but given the relative favourability of his match-ups in the form of two bottom-half clubs, a double-digit haul could be on the cards.
Despite being limited to 20 league appearances this term, Maddison has registered nine goals and six assists in the top flight.
Dream Team bosses should always seek midfielders who provide regular goal involvements and the Foxes’ star has been in the top bracket for the last three years in that regard.
Kaoru Mitoma (£4.5m)
The Japan international is one of the very few midfielders to average more points-per-game (4.5) than Maddison in 2022/23.
Brighton’s enterprising style of football has produced enough points for their midfield to share around liberally but Mitoma leads the way with 122 at this juncture.
The skilful winger, who was initially added to Dream Team at just £1.5m, has claimed three Star Man awards in the last nine Game Weeks.
In Game Week 28, he’ll play Brentford at the Amex (the Bees are generally less threatening away from home) before a trip to Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
The Cherries have conceded more goals (54) than any other Premier League outfit this season so Mitoma owners should be licking their lips.
Jarrod Bowen (£3.9m)
West Ham have endured a season to forget so far and the fact they will start Game Week 28 in the relegation zone hardly screams: viable Dream Team assets.
But their No20 has been somewhat immune to the mediocrity around him this campaign.
In fact, plenty of Dream Team gaffers will be surprised to learn that only four players – Erling Haaland (£9.3m), Kieran Trippier (£5.7m), Kevin De Bruyne (£7.7m), Bruno Fernandes (£6.5m) – have earned more Star Man awards than Bowen’s six.
The Hammers host 20th-placed Southampton in a must-win game this Sunday before welcoming Newcastle to the London Stadium on Wednesday.
Granted, things could turn toxic if Bowen and company can’t vanquish Saints first up but the England international has a decent double Game Week on paper with both fixtures coming at home – even Eddie Howe’s side have conceded a few goals recently.