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Hat-trick hero Riyad Mahrez gives Dream Team bosses another Man City selection headache

Man City kept their hopes of a treble alive at the weekend as they booked their place in the FA Cup final.

Pep Guardiola’s side beat Sheffield United 3-0 at Wembley and it was Riyad Mahrez (£5.9m) who stole the show with an accomplished hat-trick.

And the Algerian winger’s performance has given Dream Team gaffers another selection headache as they season approaches its climax.

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City poses for a photograph with the match ball after their hat-trick after the Emirates FA Cup Semi Final match between Manchester City and Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium on April 22, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

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Hat-trick hero!

Bernardo Silva (£3.2m) started on the right wing for both legs of City’s Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich and performed superbly across the tie.

The Portugal international’s technical skills are on another level and he offers more off the ball but Mahrez excels in other departments and is evidently a greater goal threat than his team-mate – he’s scored 39 club goals since the start of 2021/22.

Then there’s Phil Foden (£5.1m), who has increasingly played from the right in recent months and is available again having recovered from having his appendix removed.

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The England starlet can play in midfield or from the left but the latter position is seemingly Jack Grealish’s (£4.8m) to lose right now.

This is a relevant issue as it’s clear that City are the standout team to back in the world of Dream Team at the back end of the season.

They remain active in three competitions, giving them more fixtures than any other team, and their form means there are shed-loads of points on offer.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Phil Foden of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Selhurst Park on March 11, 2023 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

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Man City midfielders dominate Dream Team

Mahrez’s hat-trick against the Blades earned him 28 points in one fell swoop, propelling him up to fourth among midfielders overall with a total of 172.

Foden is sixth in the midfield rankings on 152 points while Grealish is tenth on 126.

Bernardo has mustered just 87 points this term but 21 of those have come across the last three Game Weeks so he shouldn’t be overlooked.

It should go without saying that Kevin De Bruyne (£8.1m) remains the best option among City midfielders but, such is City’s appeal, Dream Team managers should consider doubling (or tripling) up on Etihad midfielders.

Grealish has produced 39 points across the last four Game Weeks and is more rotation-proof than he’s ever been in a sky-blue shirt.

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Bernardo Silva of Manchester City during the Emirates FA Cup Semi Final match between Manchester City and Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium on April 22, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

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Bernardo is just the sixth-best Man City midfielder this season

The next-best option is extremely difficult to pin down as it wouldn’t be a surprise if Bernardo, Mahrez or Foden started on the bench against Arsenal in midweek (and beyond) – the former may get the nod to start because Guardiola values his pressing against tough opposition.

Mahrez averages 4.6 points-per-game this season, putting him above Bruno Fernandes (£6.7m) and Bukayo Saka (£5.4m) in the same metric, and has added pedigree as a goal involvement specialist.

The 32-year-old still seems to be first-choice right winger when City are up against a team they expect to thoroughly dominate but at the back end of the season it’s natural that most games will be highly competitive – the upcoming Champions League semi-final legs against Real Madrid, FA Cup final, etc.

Once again it seems Dream Team bosses are at the mercy of Pep Roulette – good luck!