TIME is running out for Dream Team managers.
Our regular season fantasy game is drawing to a close and many gaffers will be hoping to improve their overall rank across the final Gameweeks.
It's often the case that goal contributions from the back make a huge difference so let's analyse which defenders have registered the most goals and assists in all competitions so far this season.
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MOST ASSISTS AMONG DEFENDERS IN 2023/24:
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- Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5m) - 13
- Kieran Trippier (£4.3m) - 11
- Pedro Porro (£3.3m) - 8
- Malo Gusto (£3.1m) - 8
- Conor Bradley (£3.4m) - 7
- Antonee Robinson (£3.2m) - 7
- Vladimir Coufal (£2.3m) - 7
- Ben White (£4.6m) - 6
- Diogo Dalot (£3.2m) - 6
- Sergio Reguilon (£2.5m) - 6
As has often been the case since he burst onto the scene, Liverpool's homegrown hero leads the way in terms of playmaking among players in his position.
Whereas before Alexander-Arnold simply bombed forward from right-back, he's frequently been deployed in a midfield/hybrid role in the last year - it'll be interesting to see how Jurgen Klopp's successor uses the England international next term.
Trippier recently missed nine games through injury and yet still he's Alexander-Arnold's closest rival in this metric.
The Newcastle right-back provides plentiful chances from open play and set-pieces when fully fit.
Porro was a creative force throughout the first half of the campaign but the assists have dried up for him lately - he hasn't registered one since mid-January.
Credit to Gusto, who many initially saw as merely a back-up to Reece James (£3.5m).
MOST GOALS AMONG DEFENDERS IN 2023/24:
- Josko Gvardiol (£4.2m) - 5
- Cristian Romero (£2.7m) - 5
- Fabian Schar (£3.2m) - 5
- Manuel Akanji (£4.1m) - 4
- Dan Burn (£3m) - 4
- Matty Cash (£2.8m) - 4
- Lewis Dunk (£3.1m) - 4
- Ben White (£4.6m) - 4
- Virgil van Dijk (£3.5m) - 4
- Harry Maguire (£2.8m) - 4
- Marcos Senesi (£2.7m) - 4
- Dara O'Shea (£1.7m) - 4
- Thiago Silva (£3.1m) - 4
It's no surprise to see Manchester City's left-back among the top scorers after his recent spree.
The Croatia international, who Pep Guardiola jokingly called "the best winger in the world" after his brace against Fulham, scored his first goal of the season in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.
Since then, Gvardiol has scored a further four goals in just six outings - he's fulfilling a role previously occupied by Ilkay Gundogan with a succession of clutch goals at the back end of the season.
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The fiercely competitive Romero also has five goals to his name amid what has been an impressive campaign.
Tottenham's form may have dipped as the season has progressed but the World Cup winner has stood up to be counted.
Ange Postecoglou recently said that some of Romero's team-mates need to learn from his mentality.
And Schar always seems to chip with a few goals for Newcastle.
The Swiss centre-back is a threat at set-pieces and has a decent long shot on him too.
MOST GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS AMONG DEFENDERS IN 2023/24:
- Alexander-Arnold - 16
- Trippier - 12
- Porro - 11
- White - 10
- Maguire - 9
- Senesi - 9
Naturally, there's a lot of crossover when the metrics are combined but it's notable that Arsenal's No4 has achieved double figures.
White's attacking output combined with a whopping 22 clean sheets has resulted in him amassing 264 Dream Team points in total - he's set to finish top among defenders.
A word too for Maguire, an unexpected inclusion in this list.
After facing much criticism, the 31-year-old put in a decent shift this season - Manchester United's best spell coincided with his run in the team.
Senesi is also deserving of a hat tip having scored four goals and provided five assists for a Bournemouth side that have punched well above their weight.
Looking forward, gaffers should start thinking about which defenders will be among the goal involvements once Dream Team's Euros fantasy game gets underway.