CHANGES to Dream Team's scoring system have made defensive midfielders more viable than ever this season.
However, gaffers should always be aware of which midfielders are leading the way in terms of goal involvements.
Bonus points, tackles and the like should certainly be considered but goals and assists remain the game's primary currency.
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With that in mind, let's take a closer look at the midfield assets who have notched the most goal involvements so far this campaign.
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MIDFIELDERS WITH MOST GOAL INVOLVEMENTS THIS SEASON:
- Bukayo Saka (£6.3m) - 12 (five goals, seven assists)
- Jarrow Bowen (£5m) - 11 (eight goals, three assists)
- Bryan Mbeumo (£3.9m) - 9 (six goals, three assists)
- Phil Foden (£4.5m) - 9 (five goals, four assists)
- Jeremy Doku (£3.9m) - 9 (three goals, six assists)
- James Maddison (£4.4m) - 9 - (three goals, six assists)
- Pedro Neto (£3.2m) - 9 - (one goal, eight assists)
Arsenal's No7 leads the way with a dozen goal involvements but West Ham's top scorer edges out his international team-mate in pure goals.
Fittingly, the pair are the top two points-scorers among midfielders in Dream Team right now with Saka (109) one point ahead of Bowen (108) - further evidence of the unmatched importance of attacking returns.
The Gunners' homegrown star tops the pile despite being hampered by persistent injury niggles - imagine the numbers he'll rack up when he eventually gets back to 100%.
Mbeumo's presence in this list is mightily impressive given the Cameroon international doesn't have midweek European fixtures to bolster his schedule.
All nine of his goal involvements have come in 11 league outings.
Many fans expected the 24-year-old to step up for Brentford during Ivan Toney's suspension and he's done just that throughout the first quarter of the season.
Foden is still a young man but he's already carved out a reputation as a consistent Dream Team midfielder who delivers year upon year.
The talented playmaker has largely been immune to Pep Guardiola's dreaded rotation policy this term - he came off the bench to score against Bournemouth at the weekend to prove he doesn't need to play every minute of every game to tick along nicely.
And the same can be said of Doku to an even greater extent.
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The skilful Belgian has played fewer than half the available minutes so far in 2023/24 and yet only Saka and Bowen have provided more goal involvements among midfielders.
In fact, Doku averages a goal or assist every 73.9 minutes for City - a stat that owes plenty to his recent exhibition against the Cherries.
Looking forward, the rapid winger may be the biggest threat to Saka and Bowen's respective statuses, if Guardiola gives in to the clamour for increased playing time for arguably the most exciting talent in the Premier League right now.
Like Mbeumo, all Maddison's contributions have come in the Premier League and these stats only tell half the story of the positive impact provided by Tottenham's No10.
Barring the unique nature of their defeat to Chelsea on Monday night, Ange Postecoglou's side have impressed and their playmaker-in-chief has been at the heart of a swashbuckling attacking unit.
On top of his goals and assists, Maddison has racked up 21 bonus points - the second-highest total - and ranks highly for shots and target and big chances created.
His availability question mark is a massive talking point in the realm of Dream Team as he's currently the game's most-selected player after Erling Haaland (£7.6m).
Wolves' talisman completes this list although his Dream Team viability is null and void while he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Neto boasts the joint-highest assist tally alongside Ollie Watkins (£4.7m) among all players and it's probably not a coincidence than his side's run of five unbeaten games came to an end in his absence with a shock defeat to Sheffield United last weekend.
Dream Team bosses should endeavour to keep track of which midfielders are racking up the most goal involvements throughout the season.