MARC CUCURELLA (£3.9m) was Chelsea’s unlikely hero on Friday night when headed home the winner against Manchester United.
And Dream Team managers would do well to consider the mop-haired defender’s viability ahead of the season’s final Gameweek.
Having also contributed to the Blues’ clean sheet against the Red Devils, Cucurella banked 16 points by the final whistle, his second-best haul of the campaign.
At the time of writing, only Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye (£3.5m) has performed better in Gameweek 36.
This is an excellent time for the Spain left-back to shuffle into the spotlight because Enzo Maresca’s side are the only team with two fixtures in Gameweek 37.
This scheduling quirk is due to the Conference League final, where Chelsea will face Real Betis on Wednesday May 28th.
Before their date with destiny in Poland, there’s the small matter of the final day of the Premier League campaign.
And Chelsea’s trip to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest is perhaps the standout fixture as it features two of the five teams battling it out for the final three Champions League places.
Given the high stakes in Chelsea’s remaining fixtures, it’s highly likely Cucurella will start both games, giving him two point-scoring opportunities before the fat lady sings.
Wise Dream Team bosses will know that chasing lost points is a futile act but in this instance, Cucurella’s 16-point haul stands him in good stead for more returns in Gameweek 37.
It’s a similar situation to what has just occurred with Eberechi Eze (£5.4m).
Crystal Palace’s No10 top-scored in Gameweek 35, prompting a tidal wave of transfers prior to the Gameweek 36 deadline with Dream Team bosses targeting his double header of Manchester City and Wolves.
Lo and behold, the England international scored the Eagles’ winner in the FA Cup final for a 10-point haul – anything he gets on Tuesday night is a handy bonus.
When recruiting a player off the back of a notable performance, it’s important to look forward and assess the likelihood of them of extending their good form.
For Cucurella, much like for Eze, gaffers should be encouraged.
The additional fixture is a huge plus point but almost as influential is the fact the 26-year-old is now the outright top goalscorer in his position.
MOST GOALS AMONG DREAM TEAM DEFENDERS (ALL COMPS)
- 7 – Marc Cucurella
- 6 – Josko Gvardiol
- 6 – Daniel Munoz
- 6 – Fabian Schar
- 5 – Rayan Ait-Nouri
- 5 – Gabriel
- 5 – Virgil van Dijk
- 5 – Nikola Milenkovic
Defenders who offer a threat going forward are often worth their weight in gold in the realm of Dream Team.
Cole Palmer (£4.9m) and Enzo Fernandes (£4.6m) are the only Chelsea points with more points than Cucurella at this late stage but it’s the latter who has form on his side heading into Gameweek 37.
