Dugout Discussion – Saturday

Old Trafford’s tumultuous but ultimately fruitless Gameweek opener gives way to a batch of five three o’clock kick-offs.

In truth, there is limited Fantasy Football interest on show, with Gylfi Sigurdsson’s display against Burnley and the fortunes of West Brom’s Gareth McAuley and Chris Brunt perhaps the key factors.

With Tom Heaton absent through illness for the Clarets, Sigurdsson’s pre-match stock has improved as he seeks to continue a run of form which has seen him deliver returns in six of his last seven Gameweek starts.

As for McAuley, he will bid to score in his third successive league outing in the clash with Crystal Palace. Brunt’s Fantasy owners, meanwhile, will seek a change in fortune having been denied assists in his previous two Gameweek outings.

Likely to be deployed on the flank against the Eagles, Brunt has blanked in his previous two home matches, having delivered three goals and three assists over his four Hawthorns encounters before that dry spell.

Elsewhere, the afternoon will be a scouting mission for most, with Leicester City’s revival under the microscope against Hull City, while Manolo Gabbiadini’s performance and output for Southampton at Watford will also be assessed.