England’s best XI by Dream Team points – including Ben White, Chelsea star Cole Palmer and Newcastle pair

GARETH SOUTHGATE, if you’re reading this – we know you probably are – you need not worry.

Dream Team have saved you a monumental selection headache by selecting the best starting XI based entirely on this season’s Dream Team points.

Disclaimer: The England captain Harry Kane and Golden Boy odds-on favourite Jude Bellingham won’t be involved for obvious reasons.

Joe Gomez has been a regular for Liverpool

GOALKEEPER: Jordan Pickford (£2.7m)

No doubt he’s Southgate’s number one preference and he’ll be between the sticks regardless.

Having Sam Johnstone and Aaron Ramsdale – who seems to make a costly error in the rare occasions he does play – aren’t exactly biting at Pickford’s heels to be picked ahead of him.

Nick Pope would likely to be pushing him had his early season form continued and not stopped due to injury, while there was an argument Jack Butland’s form at Rangers could have seen him picked.

Again for obvious reasons, he doesn’t have any Dream Team points so Pickford – who ranks above Ederson and Allison in the rankings, sitting fourth in the keeper’s list – keeps goal here.

DEFENDERS: Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.1m), Ben White (£3.9m), Joe Gomez (3.6m), Kieran Trippier (£4.3m)

A flat back four with Trent Alexander Arnold moved back to his right back spot for this one.

Has experimented further up for the Three Lions but for these purposes he comes in at one of the top defenders so will be used there.

That means a switch to left back for Kieran Trippier, who has played there for both club and country and is Dream Team’s top scoring defender.

That despite suffering with injury in recent weeks, preventing him from moving over the 200-point mark – keeping him a point shy of it.

Bit of an awkward pick at centre back with Ben White – who has played there plenty of times in his career – but has asked NOT to be included in the latest international squad.

Unfortunately for him, he has no option but to be involved here and lines up at the heart of the defence alongside Joe Gomez.

He’s proved key to Liverpool in recent months filling in across the back four during their injury struggles and more than merits an inclusion here.

Special shout-out to James Tarkowski who was ranked as the fifth placed defender and acts as standby here.

Ben White is in our XI – despite not wanting to be selected for England

MIDFIELDERS: Phil Foden (£5.8m) Bukayo Saka (£5.8m), Jarrod Bowen (£5m), Cole Palmer (£4.5m), Anthony Gordon (£3.9m)

We’ve done it. We’ve officially pulled the handbrake off and gone all-out attack with the England midfield.

It’s what Dream Team is telling us to do, particularly as the top FOUR midfielders across the game are all English!

Phil Foden (294pts) leads the way across the whole league’s midfield with his starring role in a star-studded Manchester City team, putting him as clear frontrunner to sweep up the end of season awards.

Bukayo Saka is only six points behind him and is already amongst one of the first names on the teamsheet with his 13 goals and eight assists in the Premier League.

Jarrod Bowen continues to punch above his weight at West Ham and is included in this line-up with 17 goal involvements in the league this term.

Our England XI based on Dream Team’s top scorers

Granted, he’s occupying a space in our XI where the likes of Bellingham, James Maddison etc would be pushing for in reality but he’s absolutely in here on merit.

As is Dream Team’s fourth highest scoring midfielder Cole Palmer, who we’re squeezing in in a deeper role, with his playmaking ability to work as a bridge between defence and attack.

Anthony Gordon’s form this season has earned him a first call-up by Southgate and it’s more than deserved.

He has nine goals and five assists in a Newcastle side operating well below par and he’s been played all across the front three and often through injury too.

STRIKER: Ollie Watkins (£4.9m)

Only Erling Haaland and Mo Salah have scored more points than Ollie Watkins this season.

The Aston Villa forward now seems to be battling with Ivan Toney for that first reserve spot behind Harry Kane, who hasn’t recorded a single Dream Team point this season for the first time in his career.

But Watkins – owned by 30.5% of Dream Team bosses – has averaged 6.3pts per game week and leads the line.

Admit it – it’s not bad, is it?

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.