EVERY great player needs a nemesis to spur them on.
The rivalry between Erling Haaland (£7.7m) and Mohamed Salah (£7.3m) has been a key feature of Dream Team in recent years and this season is no different.
Salah is playing catch-up[/caption]
There is no doubt that Liverpool’s Egyptian superstar came out on top in 2024/25 as he topped the overall rankings with 500+ points having scored more goals and provided more assists than anyone else.
But Manchester City’s prolific No9 has struck back at the start of this campaign.
Almost five Gameweeks in, Haaland has amassed 67 points via seven goals and is nine points clear of the next-best performer, Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber (£5.2m).
Salah is joint-third in the rankings on 51 points with three goals and three assists to his name.
However, as the game’s most expensive and most selected assets, Dream Team managers should pay close attention to the details of Haaland and Salah’s epic battle for supremacy.
Plenty of gaffers own both forwards but many others believe only one can be afforded to maintain a healthy team balance.
Naturally, Haaland is more popular right now due to his superior points tally and the case for the Norwegian poacher only grows stronger when analysing the stats in full.
MOST SHOTS ON TARGET THIS SEASON (ALL COMPS)
- 11 – Erling Haaland
- 8 – Jean-Philippe Mateta
- 7 – Mohamed Salah
- 7 – Jarrod Bowen
- 7 – Diego Gomez
- 7 – Bryan Mbeumo
What’s interesting is that Salah registered three of his shots on target against Atletico Madrid.
This is not necessarily a negative as the 33-year-old’s success in the Champions League is one of the reasons he’s an elite talent.
But some Dream Team bosses will be concerned that his underlying numbers in the Premier League are way below what fans have come to expect.
Salah scored a clutch penalty against Burnley but his threat from open play has been limited[/caption]
Salah has let fly with just six shots in the league so far which pales in comparison to Haaland’s total of 21!
What’s noticeable is that Salah has not been as involved as he was last season, perhaps a result of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure — the pair combined well on the right flank.
Plus, Hugo Ekitike (£5m) has immediately shouldered much of the attacking responsibility, with Cody Gakpo (£4.8m) also full of confidence and Alexander Isak (£6.3m) still to be fully integrated.
Whatever the reasons, Salah has mustered just 0.4 non-penalty xG from five league outings.
For comparison, that puts him 75th among top flight players, just below Ibrahima Konate (£4.7m), Michael Keane (£2.9m) and Jefferson Lerma (£2.7m).
Haaland is in a league of his own at the top of the list with a non-penalty xG of 6.3.
Score Predictor
Play Score Predictor with Dream Team this season
- Free to play
- Every correct prediction earns you one entry into the end-of-season £10,000 prize draw
- Play in Mini Leagues against your mates
- PLAY NOW!
Salah is leaps and bounds ahead in the creative department as no player has created more big chances in Dream Team at this stage — he’s level on five with Bournemouth’s David Brooks (£2.4m).
And only Jack Grealish (£3.8m) and Mohammed Kudus (£4.7m) have registered more assists.
But goals remain the game’s primary currency and, unless something changes soon, Haaland’s points lead over Salah will only get bigger.
That being, said Liverpool’s No11 is perfectly capable of switching gears in the blink of an eye.
Deciding when to own Haaland, Salah or both will be a key strategic element for Dream Team managers all season long.
Dream Team in association with Midnite
BET £10 GET £20 +50 free spins – CLAIM HERE
*18+ New UK customers. Bet £10 on accas with 4+ legs, min odds 3/1 (4.0). Get 4x £5 Free Bets and 50 Free Spins, valid for 7 days on selected bets and games only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
