Dream Team’s most in-form defender currently features in just 0.1% of teams

JUST a few weeks ago, merely the notion of an Everton defender thriving in the world of Dream Team would have been laughable.

Now it’s a reality.

Vitaliy Mykolenko (£2.7m) entered the top ten assets in his position this weekend with a 10-point return at Brighton’s expense.

Dream Team

Dream Team’s most in-form defender![/caption]

The Toffees’ left-back would have risen to joint-sixth had his side held on for a win over the Seagulls but Ashley Young’s (£1.9m) late own goal meant even honours at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Mykolenko gave his side the lead early on when his strike deflected in off Lewis Dunk (£2.5m) and he played his part in a classic rearguard before the visitors eventually broke through with a slice of good fortune.

While the Ukraine international would have been disappointed with the result having led for so long, he continued his impressive turnaround in the world of Dream Team.

By the end of Gameweek 6, Mykolenko had just 16 points to his name.

However, after an upturn in form, emphasised by a burst of 40 points across the last four Gameweeks, he now boasts an overall total of 62.

Incredibly, he’s now above the likes of Kyle Walker (£3.5m), Virgil van Dijk (£4.5m) and Gabriel (£4.1m) in the rankings.

An unexpected gemGetty

Not that many Dream Team gaffers have benefited from this purple patch.

Everton’s No19 currently features in just 0.1% of teams.

For perspective, he’s less popular than Daniel Sassi (£1m), Toti (£1.9m) and Ameen Al-Dakhil (£0.8m) – if those names don’t ring a bell, that’s the point!

Mykolenko’s lowly ownership is understandable as it wasn’t that long ago Everton looked as if they would spend the entire campaign battling relegation.

Sean Dyche’s side remain 16th even now but they do seem to have turned a corner of late.

Defeat in the Merseyside derby at Anfield is their only loss in five games since the start of October – a run that includes three victories and three clean sheets.

AFP

Everton’s results have improved in the last month[/caption]

What’s particularly notable about Mykolenko’s recent success is his extraordinary tackle rate.

The 24-year-old has registered 37 tackles this season, the highest tally among defenders and fourth-highest among all players.

17 of his 62 points (27.4%) have come through tackles.

Whether gaffers should be rushing to recruit Mykolenko is another conversation entirely but he deserves huge credit for his recent efforts.

He’s statistically the most in-form defender in Dream Team right now!

---