Is it time for Dream Team managers to ditch one of the game’s most-popular defenders?

MATTY CASH (£3.2m) has been among Dream Team’s most-popular players since the first month of the season.

Aston Villa’s No2 quickly established himself as the most attack-minded defender available, helped by the fact Unai Emery has deployed him as a right midfielder on occasion.

Even now, he’s comfortably the leader in terms of shots on target (ten) among assets in his position and only Manuel Akanji (£4.5m) has scored more goals from the back.

However, gaffers should be asking if Cash still holds the same untouchable status now as he did earlier in the campaign?

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Dream TeamCash out?[/caption]

The 26-year-old’s returns have fallen away recently, capped by a goose egg away to Tottenham at the weekend when he was substituted at half-time after going into the referee’s book for a bad foul on Rodrigo Bentancur (£2.6m).

Making a transfer based on one game would be something of an overreaction but Cash’s numbers have been disappointing for a little while now.

He’s notched just eight points in four outings since the start of Gameweek 11.

In fact, he’s earned 29 points in nine games since the start of October at an average of 3.22 per fixture – underwhelming to say the least given players receive two points just for playing more than 60 minutes.

Cash’s form should be carefully scrutinised as he’s currently the fourth-most popular defender in the game.

His ownership of 21.7% makes him the ninth-most selected player overall.

PACash provided plentiful returns throughout the first two months of the campaign[/caption]

The Poland international’s tally of 80 points still looks impressive, just six defenders boast higher totals at the time of writing, but his recent downturn is cause for serious concern.

Many Dream Team bosses have acted quickly as currently only the injured Jarrod Bowen (£5.3m) has been transferred out of more teams ahead of Gameweek 14.

A sizeable proportion of those transfers would likely be reversed if Cash provided a decent haul against Legia Warsaw in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night.

And many gaffers will be hesitant to ditch the affordable defender ahead of the Villains’ trip to Bournemouth on Sunday.

However, Cash and company are also due to face Manchester City in Gameweek 14 and while that should be a competitive fixture at Villa Park, there’s always a risk of minus points when up against Erling Haaland (£7.9m) and friends.

Villa then host Arsenal three days later.

Villa’s home games against City and Arsenal look massive on paperGetty

Additionally, Cash’s yellow card at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was his fourth in the Premier League this season, meaning the next will result in a one-game suspension.

Taking into account form, upcoming fixtures and his disciplinary record, it’s no wonder a fair few gaffers have already taken action to ditch Cash.

Healthy returns against Legia Warsaw and Bournemouth would ease the pressure but such an outcome might be too little, too late.

Over a fifth of Dream Team managers have a big decision to make.