Can’t afford Kieran Trippier? Tino Livramento offers Dream Team bosses cheap alternative

KIERAN TRIPPIER (£5.2m) has been Dream Team’s best defender for a while now.

The England international finished the 2022/23 season as the top points scorer in his position and he’s on track to do the same again this campaign.

With 127 points to his name this term, the reliable right-back is 28 clear of his closest rival, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.6m).

CLICK HERE TO PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR – SOMEBODY MUST WIN A £500 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

GettyA Dream Team hero[/caption]

Trippier has contributed to seven clean sheets, provided eight assists, and earned 27 bonus points.

However you spin it, he’s a top-tier asset.

The only issue is that his quality comes at a high price, meaning some gaffers simply can’t afford to recruit him without accepting severe downgrades elsewhere.

Enter Tino Livramento (£2.8m).

The 21-year-old doesn’t possess the same pedigree as Trippier but he does offer an affordable route into Newcastle’s defence.

In Dan Burn’s (£3.6m) absence, Livramento has taken up the mantle of the Magpies’ first-choice left-back with impressive results.

Dream TeamA potential bargain?[/caption]

The ex-Southampton full-back bagged 12 points against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup in Gameweek 10 and came away from the 2-0 defeat in Borussia Dortmund with another five points soon after.

More recently, he pouched nine points in Gameweek 13 against Chelsea and PSG – he was cruelly robbed of a clean sheet against the latter by a controversy penalty late on.

On Saturday, Livramento banked ten points against Erik ten Hag’s men via a clean sheet and three bonus points.

In fact, he’s earned six bonus points across his last three outings – an undeniably Trippier-esque trait.

In terms of recent form, only Alexander-Arnold, Trippier and Takehiro Tomiyasu (£2.6m) have averaged more points across their last three appearances than Livramento (among defenders).

A smart signingPA Wire

Looking forward, it seems reasonable to expect more returns this month.

Burn isn’t scheduled to return until the new year and while Lewis Hall (£2.5m) may get some minutes, the left-back spot in Livramento’s to lose at present – Eddie Howe likes a settled defence.

Newcastle travel to Everton on Thursday before a relatively testing double header in Gameweek 15 in the form of Tottenham and AC Milan.

Once that’s out of the way, the following match-ups appear favourable: Fulham, Chelsea, Luton, Nottingham Forest.

Let’s be clear, Trippier is the optimum selection for such a run but if such a strategy isn’t possible then gaffers could do a lot worse than taking a punt on Livramento.

Keep an eye on the youngster’s returns.