Scout Scribbles – Roberto’s Revenge

Chelsea and United serve up a nine-goal thriller at the Bridge as the Blues avenge last Sunday’s league defeat. Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale are amongst the goals again but their efforts are in vain as Liverpool and Tottenham are both sent packing at the hands of Swansea and Norwich respectively…

Chelsea 5 Man United 4
Roberto Di Matteo made six changes from the side that lost to United on Sunday, with only Petr Cech, David Luiz, Gary Cahill, John Obi Mikel and Juan Mata keeping their places ahead of the Blues’ trip to Swansea next weekend. Luiz notched the equaliser from the spot early on, despite Mata being on the field, though the Spaniard’s owners will be more concerned by the fact he played the entire 120 minutes ahead of Saturday’s visit to Swansea. Mata supplied an assist for a goal from Gary Cahill that brought the scoreline back to 2-2; Di Matteo then rolled out Eden Hazard and Oscar, with the Belgian grabbing a converted spot-kick and assist over his 65 minutes on the pitch. Victor Moses and Ramires were the other scorers as Chelsea clinched a place in the quarter finals against Leeds.

Chelsea Starting XI: Cech, Azplicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand, Romeu (Oscar 71), Mikel (Ramires 46), Mata, Moses, Piazon (Hazard 55), Sturridge

Sir Alex Ferguson chose to make 10 changes to the visitors starting XI – Rafael was the only player retained from the weekend. While the hosts ultimately fielded their first-choice trio of attacking midfielders, Ferguson – with the exception of veteran Ryan Giggs – kept mainly a youthful side on the pitch, with the likes of Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie given the night off ahead of Arsenal’s visit to Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime. The Welshman scored twice, with Javier Hernandez and Nani also amongst the goals, though Anderson also impressed – the Brazilian supplied the assists for United’s first three goals. Rafael’s owners will be concerned of their man’s 120 minutes but, given Sir Alex Ferguson’s options, he looks set to retain his start against Arsenal, regardless.

United Starting XI: Lindegaard, Rafael, Wooton, M Keane, Buttner (Powell 46), Nani, Anderson (Tunnicliffe 81), Fletcher, Giggs, Hernandez, Welbeck (Macheda 99)

Liverpool 1 Swansea 3

Brendan Rodgers was another manager making plenty of alterations to his side last night. Only two players – Joe Allen and Brad Jones – were kept from the side that drew 2-2 with Everton in Sunday’s Merseyside derby. With his side 1-0 down at the break, Rodgers sent on Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard – Suarez scored yet again, with his captain providing the assist, but it was too little, too late as the holders were sent crashing out. Suarez’s owners will be pleased to know that the Uruguayan will be available for the weekend clash with Newcastle – the forward went into this one with four yellows to his name but did not pick up a caution.

Liverpool Starting XI: Jones, Henderson, Coates, Carragher, Robinson, Allen, Shelvey, Cole (Gerrard 46), Assaidi (Sterling 65), Yesil (Suarez 46), Downing

Michael Laudrup, on the other hand, made just four changes – two of them enforced. Gerhard Tremmel replaced the injured Michel Vorm in goal and Ashley Richards was handed a rare chance at right-back, with Angel Rangel serving a one-match suspension. Elsewhere, Dwight Tiendalli and Nathan Dyer replaced Ben Davies and Wayne Routledge at left-back and on the left wing respectively. Chico opened the scoring for the visitors but was forced off with a knock just before the hour mark, while Jonathan de Guzman continued his impressive recent form since moving to “the hole” by providing a goal and assist. Pablo Hernandez and Michu also grabbed assist, while Dyer vindicated his manager’s decision to hand him a start by notching the third. Similar to Suarez, Michu is safe for this weekend – he remains on four yellows, one away from suspension, but is available to face Chelsea on Saturday afternoon.

Swansea Starting XI: Tremmel, Richards, Williams, Chico (Monk 58), Tiendalli, Britton, Ki Sung-Yeung, de Guzman, Hernandez, Michu, Dyer (Routledge 75)

Norwich 2 Spurs 1
Chris Hughton made as many as 10 changes to the side that drew at Villa last weekend, with only Michael Turner keeping his starting role in central defence. With his side 1-0 down and with less than 10 minutes remaining, Hughton’s introduction of Grant Holt proved the turning point as the Canaries registered a slightly undeserved win to take their unbeaten run to three matches in all competitions. A Jan Vertonghen own goal and a late Simeon Jackson strike – courtesy of a Holt assist – sent Spurs crashing out.

Norwich Starting XI: Bunn, Whittaker, Turner, R Bennett, Tierney, Surman (Holt 82), Howson, Fox (Tettey 68), Butterfield (Jackson 68), Snodgrass, Morison

Andre Villas-Boas retained just four of the players that started the 2-1 win at Southampton on Sunday, with Gareth Bale, Clint Dempsey, Steven Caulker and Kyle Walker all keeping their places. Bale was amongst the goal yet again last night – he put the north London outfit ahead on 65 minutes thanks to a Tom Carroll assist and looks in fine form ahead of the weekend home clash with Wigan, though Clint Dempsey did himself no favours with a missed spot-kick late on. In a match his side dominated, Villas-Boas handed Jan Vertonghen a late sub appearance in central midfield, while Jermain Defoe also climbed off the bench as the visitors fruitlessly chased a result.

Spurs Starting XI: Lloris, Walker (Defoe 90), Dawson, Caulker, Naughton, Livermore (Huddlestone 46), Sigurdsson, Bale, Dempsey, Falque, Carroll (Vertonghen 79)

In Other News
Arsene Wenger has this morning confirmed that Gervinho is set to be ruled out for three weeks with the ankle injury that saw him stretchered off in Saturday’s narrow win over QPR. Wenger also ruled out Wojciech Szczesny, Kieran Gibbs and About Diaby for this weekend, with Gervinho’s handing him a real quandary ahead of Saturday’s trip to Old Trafford. The Gunners boss fielded Aaron Ramsey on the right flank last weekend and could perhaps keep the Welshman in the same position, meaning Theo Walcott may vie for a central starting berth with Olivier Giroud. Walcott provided a hat-trick and three assists in his side’s sensational comeback win at Reading on Tuesday evening and Wenger hinted he may now be tempted to try him through the middle, though much depends on whether he recovers from 120 minutes against the Royals:

“I always said that he will be a striker. We are on the same wavelength there because he has something. First of all, he is a good finisher, the way he scored the first goal and the second I think as well, he knows where to be in the box on the rebound. I like that quality, you either feel it or you don’t. He has the qualities to play there….I will see how he recovers, I don’t know if he will play. “

Andy Wilkinson has spoken of his determination to nail down the left-back role at Stoke now that Marc Wilson has been ruled out for the foreseeable future with a broken leg.

“It’s totally down to the gaffer who he thinks is best suited to come in and play at left back, but I am definitely ready to step in if he feels I am the best option. I will play anywhere on the field and I have played at left back before, so it wouldn’t be something that is totally new to me. I have predominantly played at right back over the past couple of years, but I wouldn’t be fazed by playing on the left hand side.”

Wilkinson started the season as the club’s regular right-back but, after serving a recent three-game suspension, has recently found himself on the periphery due to the performances of replacement Geoff Cameron. The US international has now firmly established himself as part of Tony Pulis’ first XI, though if Wilkinson can slot in on the opposite flank, the pair – priced at 4.5 and 4.4 in FPL – could offer Fantasy managers a cut-price route into the Potters’ backline just in time for a strong run of upcoming fixtures.