Halloween is a mysterious time in the Ultimate Team universe, with some players exhibiting strange characteristics

FIFA 19 has been out for just under a month and EA Sports are already spicing things up in Ultimate Team (FUT) mode.

With the season of ghouls and ghosts fast approaching, the game’s developers have launched this year’s FIFA Ultimate Scream team, following on from the success of the FIFA 18 and FIFA 17 versions.

Past editions of the game have seen stars such as Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muller and Romelu Lukaku affected by mysterious changes and FIFA 19 is no different.

Avid FUT gamers will no doubt be eager to make their teams even more frightening in the run up to Halloween. 

With that in mind, Goal brings you everything you need to know, including which players are involved, how to get them and more.

FIFA Ultimate Scream is a promotion run by EA Sports as an additional perk to the FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) mode in the run up to Halloween.

A limited selection of players are endowed with an upgrade of +1 to their overall rating and they will also have two of their attributes boosted to 90.

In keeping with the theme of Halloween, the players in question are described by EA Sports as ‘shapeshifting beasts’ because their strengths will alter.

Those changes, which will see two different attributes boosted to a minimum of 90, will occur sporadically throughout the season and players will have to pay attention to find out when. 

As well as improvements to attributes and ratings, each Ultimate Scream item comes decked out in a unique Halloween style design.

A total of 21 players form the FIFA Ultimate Scream team and they are drawn from a variety of different leagues.

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets is the highest rated of the 21 players, along with Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Verratti, Besiktas defender Pepe and Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa.

Other stars who feature as part of the promotion are Nice forward Mario Balotelli, Liverpool playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri and Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

You can see the full FIFA Ultimate Scream squad and their ratings below.

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FIFA 19 Ultimate Scream players are lurking in packs right now following the promotion’s launch on October 19.

FUT gamers will be able to acquire the ‘shapeshifting beasts’ right up until November 1, when the promotion ends after Halloween.

However, the magic does not end there, with Ultimate Scream players randomly changing their strengths throughout the season. 

You will be glad to learn that Ultimate Scream players are indeed tradeable, meaning you might be able to get your hands on some if you don’t get them in packs.

Additionally, they can also potentially be picked up on the Transfer Market.

The precise timing of the attribute shifts for Ultimate Scream items is unknown. When it happens, how often and which attributes is supposed to remain a mystery 

However, we can take an educated guess by using FIFA 18 as a touchstone and in that edition they occurred on the night of Halloween, full moons and Friday the 13th.

We’ll just have to wait and find out when it happens this season though!

The Catalan insists his team are still lacking something and bigger tests do lie ahead, but the Blues impressed in routing Shakhtar Donetsk

If Manchester City keep playing like this, even Pep Guardiola might start to believe they can win the Champions League.

“In this competition you need something special, and still I don’t feel it,” Guardiola said on the eve of his side’s game against Shakhtar Donetsk.

His comments were in part designed to stir up a reaction from the City fans, who have never fully taken to UEFA and its flagship competition, but he also believes his young side’s lack of experience at the highest European level will count against them.

When you consider that a team with either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi has won each of the last five Champions Leagues, you feel he may have a point.

Yet it is Pep’s side that are favourites this season and, after their shock opening round defeat to Lyon, they have finally arrived in Europe this season.

Such was the English champions’ dominance over Shakhtar that the Ukrainian fans resorted to a Mexican wave on the hour-mark. It was 2-0 to the visitors by that point and it could have been so much more.

In the end it was three, after Bernardo Silva came on to succeed where some of his team-mates failed; while others slashed at their chances, he kept a cool head to put the game to bed with a precise finish from the edge of the box.

David SIlva had got the ball rolling in similar circumstances half an hour in, delivering the goal that City’s blistering start deserved. The Blues probed the hosts from all angles, but with Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus looking particularly wasteful, a goal eluded them until one of their cool-headed midfielders got a sight of goal. 

City could have added a couple more before Aymeric Laporte – perhaps the Blues’ most reliable performer this season – headed in the second.

Had Jesus, Mahrez and to a lesser extent Sterling had their shooting boots on this could have been six or seven. Either way, it is enough to put them back on top of Group F, just two games after that surprise home defeat against Lyon.

Guardiola may not believe his team are ready to win the big prize but he certainly rates them; he also said on Monday that the first 45 minutes against the French side was their only dip in form this season.

They were sluggish and deservedly beaten that night but they have been better since, even if they needed a late comeback to get back on track at Hoffenheim last time out.

And on the evidence on Tuesday night they are certainly up and running now.

No English side had previously won here and this was perhaps City’s best performance of the season, in any competition. Not bad when you consider they are top of the Premier League, having scored 26 goals in nine games, and came within a missed penalty from beat Liverpool, their supposed bete noir .

Also consider that this most polished of performances came with Leroy Sane, Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva and Kyle Walker on the bench. 

The only thing you could really hold against them is that they were not as clinical as they could have been, and while that will need to be improved the further they go in this competition, it is hardly the biggest concern in the world right now.

Not when you consider the defeat to Lyon, and the concerns that brought about City’s vulnerability to being pressed, to being ‘got at’. Hoffenheim tried it but could not keep it up; Shakhtar simply could not get the ball. 

The Ukrainians travel to the Etihad Stadium in a fortnight’s time and they will hardly relish the prospect. Neither will many other sides around Europe.

The former Gunners and Barcelona star is looking forward to reuniting with the Blues midfielder when they face off in Europe

Alexander Hleb says he will “punch” Cesc Fabregas when BATE Borisov meet Chelsea in the Europa League on Thursday!

The two were at Arsenal together between 2005 and 2008, though they failed to win a trophy in north London, losing in Champions League and League Cup finals.

The pair have endured remarkably different careers since then, with Fabregas playing for Barcelona and Chelsea, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the FIFA Club World Cup, as well as two Premier League titles and the FA Cup.

Hleb has featured for Barca too, also winning La Liga, but he has since gone on something of a nomadic career path, signing for BATE on four different occasions, as well as the likes of Birmingham City, Konyaspor and Krylia Sovetov Samara.

And he is looking forward to meeting up with his former team-mate when the two go head-to-head.

“It will be nice to see Cesc again,” Hleb told the Daily Telegraph . “We’ve been messaging each other. When I see him, I will … [makes a mock punching gesture] no, I’m joking.”

Of course, Hleb was coy when asked which player is better, but he believes Fabregas knows the real truth.

“Ask Cesc, he knows!”

Under Unai Emery, the replacement to Arsene Wenger, Arsenal have enjoyed a solid start to the season, and are on a 10-match unbeaten run.

They have scored eight goals in their last two games, and Hleb believes they are genuine Premier League title contenders.

“Of course,” he said, when asked if they can lift the trophy.

“They start not good, but now like a rocket they go up.”

Los Blancos travel to Barcelona with coach Julen Lopetegui under heavy pressure, but their rival manager expects a difficult test

Ernesto Valverde expects Real Madrid to be “dangerous” Clasico opponents despite accepting Barcelona’s rivals go into Sunday’s La Liga clash in crisis.

Madrid head coach Julen Lopetegui’s job is reportedly on the line when he takes on Barcelona for the first time since leaving his post in charge of Spain prior to the World Cup.

Barca warmed up for Madrid by defeating Inter 2-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday, goals from Rafinha and Jordi Alba earning a comfortable Group B win.

But despite Barca sitting six places above Madrid in the La Liga table going into Sunday’s Clasico, Valverde will not be taking a positive result for granted.

“Madrid can be even more dangerous,” Valverde told a news conference after his side’s win against Inter.

“They will come out here to face us and although they come in crisis will want to demonstrate their strength, which they have because they have great players.

“We must forget about today… I do not trust these situations.”

Lionel Messi will miss the Clasico after fracturing his right arm against Sevilla at the weekend, with Rafinha stepping into the Barca captain’s place with a goal against former club Inter, and Valverde is confident that his team have responded in the right manner without their superstar. 

“We have responded well without Messi,” Valverde said. “There was a lot of expectation to see how we responded to his absence.

“It was something that was in everyone’s head and it showed in the environment, but we have responded well.

“We always play as a team and we have a recognised and recognisable style, but it is true that Messi gives us a touch of extraordinary brilliance.

“If he is not there, we have to replace him, today we have made the right decision, but we hope we can come back soon, we all miss him.”

Valverde appeared to be whistled by the Camp Nou crowd when he replaced Arthur, who shone in midfield, with Arturo Vidal late in the game.

“I am the person who knows the players best,” Valverde said. “Arthur had a small muscle overload and with the week ahead we preferred not to risk him. But only I know that.”

The 30-year-old ran the show with a goal and an assist as his side came from behind to make it 10 wins in a row in all competitions

Hector Bellerin says Arsenal are “blessed” to have a player with Mesut Ozil’s “killer” touch after helping them to a 3-1 win over Leicester on Monday.

Ozil scored the equaliser and set up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for another as Arsenal recovered from an early own goal from Bellerin, who also registered an assist, to get the better of the Foxes.

The attacking midfielder was the star of the show  for Unai Emery’s team after facing repeated criticism in the wake of the World Cup.

And Bellerin says the Gunners have always been aware they have a “born champion” in their ranks.

“Mesut is a player that always keeps giving his best and is always surprising everyone and he’s a player that we’re very grateful and very lucky to have,” the Spanish full-back told Arsenal’s website .

“When the team play well with good football and he can find space he’s always a killer with his passes and finishes, so for us to have a player like him in the team is very important.

“It’s always a blessing to have players like that but the work comes from the whole team, and it comes from the back, from the goalkeeper to the striker. We’re all one and, when you have players with such quality, it’s always that little bit easier.

“Mesut is a player that has been through a lot in his career through loads of ups and downs, but most of all he’s a born champion and he’s a player who has so many records in the world of football, so he’s a player that is an example for everyone. Everyone wants to have the success that he’s had on and off the pitch, so for us to have someone like him as a captain is really important.”

Bellerin was disappointed to help the visitors to the lead in the first half as Ben Chilwell’s cross bounced off him and caught out goalkeeper Bernd Leno, but knew they would be able to bounce back.

“These things can happen in football,” he said. “You can’t always win and it’s something that we were a bit unlucky with as well, but it’s all about lifting your head up. It’s not about how many times you fall, it’s about getting up after and with the help of my team-mates we could get the game going. We knew that chances were going to come, so it’s important that we scored them.

“For us, it’s always important to improve and keep things realistic. It’s a new season with a new manager and, of course, we’re almost in November already, so things are getting a bit easier in terms of tactically and we know the way that the coach wants to play.

“As you can see on the pitch we’re way more organised and the football flows a bit more, but as I’ve said, it’s only the start and there’s a lot of work we still need to do. Hopefully, the results are going to keep coming.”

Games this week against Viktoria Plzen and Barcelona are set to decide the former Spain coach’s future at the Santiago Bernabeu

Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui is hanging on by a thread at the Santiago Bernabeu, but he is likely to get one more chance to prove he is the right man for the job in next week’s Clasico showdown.

Madrid continue mired in a slump the likes of which fans had not seen since before Zinedine Zidane’s glorious reign. Even the international week had been a welcome sight to the club, giving Lopetegui and his charges breathing space after going down to Alaves. 

Levante, however, blew recovery plans out of the water with a 2-1 victory in the Spanish capital on Saturday. And, with that latest reverse, the former Spain coach has edged closer to the precipice. 

While he still retained the trust of those in charge following the Alaves shock, the same thing cannot be said now with an acid test against Barcelona just around the corner. 

Goal can confirm, nevertheless, that for the moment at least Lopetegui is still the coach of Real Madrid. He will remain in charge despite Saturday’s disastrous result. But everything now hangs on the Clasico. 

Adverse results in the coming week against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League and/or at Camp Nou would likely seal the Basque’s fate. In the meantime, and no matter what the next two games bring, the search has begun in earnest for Lopetegui’s potential successor. 

Saturday’s match was followed by an emergency meeting between the coach and Madrid president Florentino Perez in the bowels of the Santiago Bernabeu. Goal understands that Lopetegui walked out of that summit with his job intact. 

Almost simultaneously, he was enjoying the defence of his players. “I don’t think it’s cool that the coach doesn’t get a chance to work like with Benitez. We are with the coach to the death,” Marcelo signalled. From the directors’ box, Emilio Butragueno voiced a similar sentiment, albeit omitting to give Lopetegui a vote of confidence. 

“Circumstances went against us. It has been a blow, we didn’t expect this result,” Butragueno admitted. “We are down, these are sad times, but I think we have to stay calm.”

Talk concerning Lopetegui’s potential replacement, meanwhile, has already focused on two names in particular. Argentine Santiago Solari would be a popular choice to step up from Castilla to the first team should the current incumbent receive his marching orders, with Madrid hoping lightning strikes twice after the incredible success enjoyed by fellow Castilla old boy Zidane on the bench. 

Antonio Conte is another viable option. The Italian was sounded out for the job over the summer, and remains a free agent after leaving Chelsea at the end of the 2017-18 season. Goal, however, understands that there had been no contact between Madrid and the coach prior to the clash with Levante.

Other candidates are scarce, a factor which could ultimately work in Lopetegui’s favour. But even the lack of a suitable successor may not be enough to save his job in the end, such is the concern around Madrid after a shocking run of three defeats in four winless Liga games. He may yet sit on the bench during the Clasico, but anything after that is a total mystery for Madrid’s beleaguered boss. 

The Brazilian ended the goal drought of Julen Lopetegui’s side, after they had gone 480 minutes without netting in all competitions

Real Madrid narrowly avoided making unwanted history as Marcelo broke what was almost the longest goalless streak in the club’s history.

As the clock ticked to the 56th minute of their encounter against Levante in La Liga, they had gone 465 minutes without finding the net.

Marcelo did send a right-footed shot into the net quarter of an hour later, ending a 480-minute drought for the capital club.

It was initially believed that Madrid had broken their own record for going goalless, before it was confirmed that in one of the games in their worst-ever run had gone to extra time, adding 30 extra minutes onto the presumed tally of 465 minutes, almost eight hours of play.

The club, then, will not go down as the most incompetent finishers in Madrid history – but it is scant consolation as they once more tasted defeated in a 2-1 reverse.

Marco Asensio was the last player to find the net for Los Blancos, when he scored four minutes before half-time in a 1-0 home victory over Espanyol on September 20. 

Subsequently, they have suffered a 3-0 loss to Sevilla in La Liga, were held scoreless by Atletico Madrid in their derby and were stunningly defeated 1-0 by Alaves in the Primera Division immediately before the international break. Additionally, they were the victims of a shock 1-0 defeat to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.

The pressure continues to mount on head coach Julen Lopetegui, whose side slumped to a 2-0 deficit at home against Levante, despite enjoying the majority of the pressure in the game. As well as striking the woodwork, they also saw a goal ruled out following a VAR decision.

His side actually started the season in strong form going forward but since the first international break of the campaign, their offensive effectiveness has ground to a halt.

Prior to the September recess, they had scored 12 goals in four competitive fixtures, but subsequently they have mustered only five in seven games, three of which came at once against Roma in Europe.

Inevitably, scrutiny has fallen upon the club’s transfer policy, which saw them offload five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in a €100m (£88m/€115m) deal.

In the nine years Ronaldo spent at the Bernabeu, he scored 450 goals in only 438 appearances, including 44 in 44 games last season, suggesting that even at 33, he was losing none of his potency.

But they did not replace the Portuguese superstar in a like-for-like manner, instead opting to sign Mariano Diaz from Lyon, having sold the striker to the Ligue 1 outfit only 12 months earlier.

Their offensive troubles have led to increased speculation that they are ready to launch a huge bid for a world-renowned player next summer, with Paris Saint-Germain ace Neymar and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard two of the targets that they are most readily associated with.

The attacker captained his side to an impressive victory over Leicester by scoring and being pivotal in the other two goals for Unai Emery’s men

Two goals in 130 seconds, one dummy, one assist and one goal. 

Mesut Ozil’s performance in Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Leicester sent a reminder to those who who’ve questioned his worth at Emirates Stadium by showing that you write him off at your peril. 

The 30-year-old now has three goals in his last four Premier League appearances, as many as he bagged in his previous 22 in the competition – and against Leicester emphasised his leadership qualities by wearing the captain’s armband and taking the game to Claude Puel’s side.

Unai Emery’s team have been slow starters in the first half of games this season and the game against the Foxes was no different. The Gunners haven’t led at half-time in any of their last nine league matches – their longest run in the top flight since August and November 1999. 

They had Bernd Leno to thank for a string of excellent saves in the first half, including a pin-point stop from defender Harry Maguire, but it was the visitors’ dominance down the flanks which caused Arsenal no end of problems. 

Ben Chilwell’s deflected effort off Hector Bellerin gave Puel’s side a lead on 31 minutes as the jubilant travelling fans chanted ‘champions of England, more recent than you’.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s second-half substitution immediately injected life into Arsenal. The Gabon striker has now been directly involved in 21 goals in his 22 league games for Arsenal, with 16 goals and five assists, and looks like the perfect player to start from the off or come off the bench to make an impact. 

Bellerin, meanwhile, now has four assists in nine league games this season, with Manchester City’s Benjamin Mendy the only other player to record more.

But, while Leno, Aubameyang and Bellerin all deserve to be singled out for praise, it was truly the Ozil show on Monday night as the number 10 became the Premier League’s top German scorer of all time with his goal that levelled things at 1-1.

That wasn’t enough for Ozil, though, whose defence-splitting through-ball beat no less than five opposition players to find Bellerin, who coolly set up Aubameyang for a tap in. 

Fast forward just three minutes and he was at it again, this time starting off the counter-attacking move which culminated in the man himself setting up Aubameyang for his second. It was the kind of performance that Arsenal fans, now used to disappointment, have been demanding from their players.

Indeed, Arsenal’s domestic success has been limited to FA Cup trophies in recent seasons and, while they haven’t won the league since their famous unbeaten season in 2004, Emery has at his disposal a united squad who continue to surpass expectations game by game. 

Five goals at Fulham, three goals against Leicester and 10 wins in a row in all competitions is form that a top-four side would be proud of. While the aim of Emery is to be successful in each trophy, his Europa League nous means that Arsenal will be hopeful of going far in the second tier European competition.

However, it can be made easier by a strong league finish. Arsenal certainly need to improve their form in the first half of games, but if they continue to pick up points while playing entertaining football, it won’t be long before they are considered title contenders. 

The main concern for Emery will be his side’s lack of depth at the back and defensive errors which seem to be gifted to the opposition at times, although 10 wins in a row suggests that his team are doing enough to become one of the leading lights in the league this season.

And, if Ozil can keep up this incredible form, who knows what could happen.

Alan Pardew believes you have to have fire in your belly as a top coach and labelled the steward who subdued Mourinho man of the match

Jose Mourinho was not at fault for his aggresive reaction to taunts from a member of the Chelsea coaching staff on Saturday, according to Alan Pardew.

The Blues secured a 2-2 draw with a late equaliser at Stamford Bridge – a moment Chelsea coach Marco Ianni celebrated directly in front of the opposition dugout.

That prompted a vociferous reaction from Mourinho, who had to be held back from confronting the Italian, but Pardew said it was Ianni who was in the wrong and defended the Reds’ boss.

“This guy – the second coach or whoever he is – his first action is unacceptable and the second action is also doubly unacceptable,” Pardew told Goals on Sunday.

“The man of the match is that steward stopping Jose. If you’re going to be a top manager of any sort, you’ve got to have fire in your belly and if you haven’t, then don’t do the job.

“In a situation like that, they’ve conceded in the last second, he’s back at his old football club and you have an assistant manager go up into his face like that – it’s totally ridiculous.

“I’m glad he apologised and I’m glad Jose accepted his apology. In Jose’s situation with the pressure he is under, that is the last thing he wanted. He’ll be worried this morning about who people will blame and you can go in that kind of circle. It’s not nice.”

Two Anthony Martial strikes brought United back from a goal down to lead the game, but Ross Barkley salvaged a point for the hosts to prompt the incident.

Gary Neville also defended Mourinho following the match, saying the Portuguese was entitled to be angry at the provocative celebration.

“For me, over-enthusiastic celebrations are a part of the game, but I also think that if you’re on the end of it, you should be able to react,” Neville told Sky Sports.

“We can sit here and say it’s ridiculous that these managers react, but what you saw at the end was raw emotion.”