Many of Dream Team’s most popular defenders are floundering but is it time to panic?
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DREAM TEAM managers are facing a crisis. Points are drying up for many of the game's most popular defenders and it's not all that clear whether gaffers should stick or twist. Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) remains the most selected defender with an ownership of 26% but he's immune to this trend because he capitalised on a favourable FA Cup match-up with Accrington Stanley with a goal and clean sheet for a 17-point return on Saturday.
But for William Saliba (£4.9m), Virgil van Dijk (£5.1m) and Josko Gvardiol (£4.3m), the second, third and fourth most popular defenders, it's been slim pickings of late. Arsenal's French centre-back has mustered nine points from his last four outings while Liverpool's captain has scraped eight points together from his three most recent games.
![[LEICESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 29: Josko Gvardiol of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Manchester City FC at The King Power Stadium on December 29, 2024 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GETTY_Leicester-City-FC-v-Manchester-City-FC-Premier-League_SPO_GYI2191783846jpg-JS960457582.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Manchester City's Croatian left-back has registered 17 points from his last five appearances. It's a similar story for Rico Lewis (£3.1m), Noussair Mazraoui (£2.9m), Diogo Dalot (£3.2m) and Andy Robertson (£4m), who are all within the 15 most selected defenders at present.
![[Gabriel and William Saliba of Arsenal during a match.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/gabriel-william-saliba-arsenal-speak-935171130.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Gabriel (£5m) is exempt because he scored against Manchester United last time out, his fifth goal of the season, but his owners received just six points from his previous three outings. Pedro Porro (£4.2m), Lewis Hall (£4.4m) and the aforementioned Alexander-Arnold are the only (relatively) popular defenders who have provided healthy returns lately.
![[Noussair Mazraoui of Manchester United during a Premier League match.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/noussair-mazraoui-manchester-united-manchester-959468149.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
