Team News

The Weekend Team News

Olivier Giroud is still sidelined for Arsenal’s trip to Turf Moor. Joe Allen is a slight doubt as Stoke head to Old Trafford, whilst Romelu Lukaku will start for Everton tonight despite being hampered by an ongoing toe complaint.

Olivier Giroud has been ruled out of Arsenal’s trip to Burnley by Arsene Wenger earlier this morning. The Gunners boss revealed that Francis Coquelin has recovered quicker than expected from a knee problem and is set to be assessed, though will almost certainly miss out at Turf Moor.

Tony Pulis has conceded that Chris Brunt won’t be considered for West Brom’s trip to Sunderland despite stepping up his fitness with a run out for the reserves earlier in the week.

Joe Allen is rated a slight doubt for Stoke’s trip to United due to a hamstring problem. Mark Hughes has also confirmed that Jack Butland will remain sidelined for at least another month with an ankle injury.

Fabio and James Husband are set to feature for Middlesbrough’s reserves tonight as they step up their fitness following recent injuries. Grant Leadbitter remains sidelined for the trip to West Ham.

Divock Origi is a slight doubt for Liverpool’s trip to Swansea after sustaining a minor foot problem.

Romelu Lukaku will start at home to Palace this evening, though Ronald Koeman has conceded the striker’s toe problem is “still painful”. The Dutchman has revealed it is “too risky” to start Leighton Baines as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Darron Gibson and James McCarthy remain sidelined after both underwent minor groin surgery.

Wilfried Zaha has recovered from a hamstring issue in time for Palace’s trip to Goodison tonight, though Scott Dann is still unavailable due to a similar complaint. Jonathan Benteke is out for three-to-four months with a knee injury.

Josh King is back in light training and has a chance of returning for Bournemouth’s clash with Watford, though Marc Pugh remains on the sidelines, Eddie Howe has confirmed.

Havard Nordtveit will be assessed ahead of West Ham’s home clash with Middlesbrough. Slaven Bilic also conceded he has “a couple of players doubtful”, though he is hopeful that Aaron Cresswell will return after the international break. Andre Ayew remains at least three-to-four weeks away from being available.

All this and more has now been updated in the Team News section ahead of tonight’s 7pm deadline. Keep an eye on our official Twitter Stream for breaking news – as the day unfolds, we will issue updates from Friday’s press conferences and refresh our Team News tab accordingly to keep you informed.

J0E Podcaster and writer. Tweets stats and stuff via @FFScout_Joe Follow them on Twitter

426 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Norfolk&Chance
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    GTG? AOA activated:

    Pickford
    Valencia / Williams
    Firmino / Sanchez (c) / Antonio / Puncheon / Capoue
    Aguero/Benteke/Rashford

    (Heaton/Collins/Baines/Amat)

    13K Rank - £3.5 ITB - 0 FT

    Would you do Puncheon to Coutinho -4pts? Or maybe Puncheon to Walcott -4pts?

    Really stuck...

    1. Mr Chelski
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Puncheon to Walcott is a good option I think

  2. Clifford☯
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    For a (-4)

    A) Baines TO Bellerin
    B) Januzaj TO Snodgrass

    Thanks !

    1. Norfolk&Chance
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I wouldnt take a hit for a def.

      B if you have to.

  3. Norfolk n Chance today
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Hi lads - grateful for anyone's thoughts on what is the better option:

    (A) Lukaku + Capoue

    (B) Rashford + Lallana

    Cheers

    1. delarrn
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      B, but it does depend whether Capoue is your 4th or 5th mid

  4. Kun, Ayew Nigerian?
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Fellas please who to bench among these lots:

    ANTONIO SANCHEZ CAPOUE FIRMINO sterling

    RONDON LUKAKU ZLATAN ?

    Presently on sterling

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Capoue definitely

      1. Kun, Ayew Nigerian?
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Capoue (BOU) 41.7% TSB

        Sterling (tot) 26% TSB

        I have benched Capoue all season

    2. Norfolk&Chance
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Capoo

  5. QPRUTD
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Who to captain between Lukaku, Sanchez and Firmino?
    Not captaining Aguero this week

    1. Big Mac 24
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Same dilemna, going Kaku as it'll give me grounds to sack him if he fails!!

    2. Taffer
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Aguero

    3. Mr Chelski
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I've got all three but have picked Sanchez because of his great form & I can see him picking up points possibly more than the other two.

  6. Vyeper97
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    (A) Heaton or (B) Pickford?

    Means double sunderland?

    Thanks

    1. Norfolk&Chance
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Pickford has slightly more chance of a cleanie but Heaton more save points. Will be same pts i expect. Toss a coin.

  7. Styles_X
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Tekkers or Capoue for this week?

    1. Norfolk&Chance
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Tekkers.

    2. Taffer
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I've gone Tekkers too even though I have Williams.

  8. itsmilks
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Foster/Pickford
    Coleman/Walker/Shaw/Friend/Soare
    Tadic/Ozil/Sterling/Capoue/Barry
    Aguero/Lukaku/Costa

    I've got 1FT and nothing ITB. Given the doubt over Shaw (not fitness but whether Jose will drop him or not) I could be left with a very out of sorts George Friend playing in defence. Additionally, I want rid of Costa with his first suspension imminent and Chelsea off the boil, that's nearly £10m I could better invest elsewhere.

    My current plan is to take a hit for Costa/Soare > Rashford/Bellerin, now I can afford the hit given my overall ranking - but it does go against my ethos of a) taking hits and b) switching out bench fodder

    Any better suggestions?

  9. Davekitson
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    anyone fancying mata over Lallana?

    1. Norfolk&Chance
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Mata is soo boring.. nah.

  10. Marco Del Wattsio
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Has anyone solved the Firmino v Coutinho v Lallana v Mane Conundrum??

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Pick one and stick with them is the solution. Or double up.

  11. Welshxavi
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Who to captain Aguero Sanchez or Lukaku?

    1. Norfolk&Chance
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      trollkaku + toe thing - No imo
      Aguero - if he blanks you'll be pooing yourself at 16.30
      Go for Sanchez!

      1. Welshxavi
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Ahahah thanks that's was brilliant

  12. Kane Train
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    pickford or cech?

    1. Saïss Doesn't Mat…
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      pickford trolled me last time out. i'd rather play cech and start kone

  13. JaydenLFC87
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Anyone on here sticking the Armband on Firmino this weekend?

  14. daviyb
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Heaton (Jakupovic)

    McAuley Valencia Holebas (Amat Wilson(Marc))

    Coutinho Sanchez Barkley Capoue (Snodgrass)

    Zlatan Aguero Benteke

    GTG?

    1. Davekitson
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      is marc wilson a starter??

      1. daviyb
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        no, hence the brackets

  15. _fishbone_
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    A little help would be appreciated.

    Sanchez and Mid < £6m
    or
    Hazard and Antonio (+4pts)

    1. Zlat Was A Goal
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Definitely Sanchez and Mid < £6m

      How about Puncheon, Capoue, Snodgrass or Xhaka (if you want the Arsenal midfield double-up)??

      1. _fishbone_
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Cheers - felt the same but was hesitant.

        Unfortunately I am 0.1 short of
        Hazard and Firm to Sanchez and Lallana

  16. Louis123
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Sorry to repost but forgot to add -

    Sterling or Walcott?

    Already have Sanchez and Kun.

    Many thanks.

  17. Bialystrzelec
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Who of them should bring better returns over few upcoming weeks?
    A Rashford
    B Deeney
    C Defoe

    1. aree036
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Very even, for me probably Defoe.

  18. pjomara
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    With Zlatan playing 90 min on Thursday, guessing he's too risky to captain with Man utd playing at 12 on Sunday? Not going to give an almost 35 year old two 90 min in 2.5 days

    1. aree036
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      He's a machine though. He'll only get subbed if they are 3-0 up

  19. aree036
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Any ideas?

    A) Monreal + Snodgrass

    B) Kelly + Lallana/ Walcott

    The midfielder would arrive next week

  20. Hurricane Gilbert
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Firmino to Walcott for a FT? Yay or nay

    1. Saïss Doesn't Mat…
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      naaay

    2. Zlat Was A Goal
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      No, save the FT

  21. stubbed_out
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Argh too much dilemma, would really appreciate advice on who to bench AND who to captain:
    mid-Antonio, Sanchez, Sterling, Cazorla, Capoue
    fwd-Ibrahmovic, Rondon, Lukaku

  22. batmaniac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Start capoo or snoddy this week lads?

    1. Orion
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Snoddy

  23. Carcaju
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Lukaku over Hazard right?

  24. Zlat Was A Goal
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    GTG with this??

    Foster (Jaku)
    Walker Williams McAuley (Smith, Amat)
    Sanchez(c) Firminiho Walcott Puncheon Capoue
    Aguero Lukaku Rashford

    Need to bench one of: Puncheon, Capoue and £1.4m in the bank

    Taking a -4 point hit to swap KdB + Diamonde for Walcott + Rashford

    Thanks!

  25. marko_v_111
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Foster (heaton)
    Valencia, kone, Collins, amat, mcauley
    Sanchez, firmino, ozil, Antonio, capoue
    Aguero, tekkers, rashford

    Tough decision this gw about who to bench currently have foster,tekkers,mcauley,amat on the bench

    Which 3 players to bench with this squad or should use AOA?

  26. True Blue
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    I'm hell scared for not owning Aguero and Arsenal mids. What should I prioritise (given that I also have only two decent defs to play this GW)?
    1 FT and 1.7m ITB

    Valencia McAuley (Baines, Friend, Amat)

    Mane Firmino Sterling Antonio Capoue

    Ibra Defoe Lukaku

    1. Zlat Was A Goal
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I'd sell Antonio and bring in an Arsenal midfielder. They're fixtures for the next few weeks look good....

  27. Julio Geordio
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Who to captain guys? I have
    Lukaku
    Sanchez
    Costa

    Looking at stats I'm thinking Costa as hull have conceded a lot more than palace and burnley also costas stats for shots and goals are better than the other two??

  28. Dog and Fox
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Play Eriksen or Capoue?

  29. JJO
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    So all presses over?
    Safe to do my transfers?