DREAM TEAM managers should know by now not to underestimate the additional competitions.
The Premier League will always be the bread and butter of our beloved fantasy game but points scored in Europe and the domestic cups often prove pivotal.
Take last night's Carabao Cup action as a prime example.
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Manchester United strolled to a welcome 3-0 victory at home to a second-string Crystal Palace in a result that has changed the complexion of Dream Team rankings.
Casemiro (£4.2m) scored one goal and assisted another to take the Eagles for 13 points by the final whistle.
The five-time Champions League winner's form has been subject to criticism at the start of this season with several pundits suggesting he doesn't have the necessary mobility or running power at 31 years old to play as the Red Devils' lone defensive midfielder.
While there may be some truth to that notion, the Brazilian deserves praise for his unexpectedly effective contribution in the final third.
Casemiro has scored four goals and provided one assist already, putting him above the likes of Martin Odegaard (£5.1m), Bryan Mbeumo (£3.7m), Luis Diaz (£4.1m) and team-mate Bruno Fernandes (£6m) in terms of goal involvements.
His decisive display at Old Trafford on Tuesday night took him to 57 Dream Team points overall – only three midfielders boast a greater total at the time of writing.
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3Similarly, Andre Onana (£3.5m) has taken his fair share of flak this season.
The Cameroon international fronted up to the media after his howler against Bayern Munich but that fixture wasn't the only time his shot-stopping has come under microscope since his summer transfer.
Things were looking bleak for the ex-Inter custodian in the realm of Dream Team too as he mustered just seven points in five games between Gameweeks 2 and 5.
However, Onana has produced a dramatic turnaround in Gameweek 6 with back-to-back clean sheets.
He registered 17 points from his fixtures against Burnley and Palace – the second best Gameweek haul this season among assets in his position.
Suddenly Onana has 34 points overall and is within three of Nick Pope (£4.1m), Dream Team's outright best keeper at this stage.
Granted, the rankings will probably change again once Wednesday night's cup fixtures have been completed but it's remarkable that Casemiro and Onana are currently among the best performers in their respective positions given the public perception of the pair's form.
The lesson here is two-fold:
- Justified real-world criticism doesn't always mean a player is a flop in Dream Team
- Don't neglect the Carabao Cup – there's plenty of points on offer
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