Dugout Discussion

The Dugout Discussion – Saturday

The relegation battle takes centre stage during Saturday’s afternoon action, with Sunderland, Leicester City, Hull City and Newcastle United all duking it out in their quest to beat the drop. Following the quintet of three o’clock kick-offs, Liverpool bid their Anfield farewells to club luminary Steven Gerrard, with Crystal Palace bidding to ruin the legendary midfielder’s final home appearance.

Having succumbed to relegation last Gameweek, Burnley host a Stoke City outfit that are fresh of a 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. Two goals in 10 matches underlines the Clarets’ travails in the final third, yet three clean sheets and just six goals conceded in eight offers hope of a shut-out. Charlie Adam is the form midfielder in the league by virtue of four goals in six starts, while Mame Biram Diouf has netted four goals in 11 appearances and is benefitting from increased pitch time in recent outings. Both sides are unchanged for this one, as Ryan Shawcross shakes off an injury to skipper the Potters.

Queens Park Rangers have nothing but pride left to play for as they welcome Newcastle to Loftus Road. Facing off against an R’s team that’s carded only one victory in 11, the Magpies search for their first win in ten Gameweeks. Newcastle boss John Carver has reasons to be optimistic, though – with Ayoze Perez notching two in three starts and top scorer Papiss Cisse making his return to the squad last weekend, the Tyneside team may yet wriggle free from the threat of relegation. The R’s make two changes as Nedum Onuoha returns from suspension at the back and Junior Hoilett earns a recall: Yun Suk-young and Bobby Zamora drop out. Newcastle make just one change as Daryl Janmaat returns from his ban to replace Vurnon Anita at right-back.

Tottenham invite Hull to White Hart Lane, as the visitors strive to propel themselves out of the bottom three. Spurs are in the midst of a slump, having recorded a single win in six, with two home defeats on the bounce. With just a single goal in his last six, Harry Kane has been subject to significant sales over the last few days, whilst in the Tigers camp, Dame N’Doye endeavours to snap a three-match barren spell in the wake of his brace at Palace in Gameweek 34. Spurs make one change as the banned Vlad Chiriches makes way for fit-again Danny Rose. Visitors Hull recall Nikica Jelavic to a two-man strike force as Sone Aluko drops to the bench; David Meyler comes in for Jake Livermore who has been suspended by the club.

Sunderland are pitted against fellow relegation rivals Leicester at the Stadium of Light in the first of their double Gameweek fixtures. Danny Graham netted his first goal for the Wearside club last time out and continues in the central striker berth. As for their opponents, the Foxes are flying off the back of six wins in seven outings. Riyad Mahrez is the man of the moment – following his brace last weekend – while Leonardo Ulloa is their form striker by way of two goals and one assist in two starts. Dick Advocat is forced to change a winning side with Jordi Gomez and Wes Brown ruled out – Liam Bridcutt and John O’Shea come into the starting XI. Andy King replaces Matt James in midfield for the visitors – James has been ruled out for up to nine months with cruciate knee ligament damage.

West Ham entertain Everton in a mid-table tussle for position. The Hammers are finishing off their campaign with a whimper – having notched a pitiful four goals in their last nine fixtures – but can draw encouragement from two clean sheets in three. For the Toffees, Romelu Lukaku continues to search for his first goal from open play since Gameweek 23. Sam Allardyce welcomes back Winston Reid from injury, while Alex Song and Carlton Cole also earn starts. Reece Burke and Morgan Amalfitano drop to the bench, while Kevin Nolan misses out due to a family bereavement. As for Everton, they surprisingly give a debut to young Brendan Galloway in the absence of ankle injury victim Leighton Baines.

The late kick-off sees Liverpool go head-to-head with Palace at Anfield. Although the Reds’ aspirations of Champions League football dissolved last week, outgoing skipper Steven Gerrard welcomes the Eagles on the back of two goals in as many matches and will be desperate to net in front of the Kop for the final time. With a solitary goal in their previous four league ties, Palace’s toils up top bode well for managers in possession of Liverpool’s backline assets.

2,706 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Wings of Steel
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Id take a point from Skrtel right now

    1. Camp No No
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      Don't, don't take his last point. It's all that his got.

  2. Judas
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Bottom of last page:

    Who is more important to replace for next gameweek, and who for?:

    Hendo (stk)
    Rose (eve)
    Panty (che)

  3. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Slippy lives on :phew-smilie

    1. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      BR to coward to take him off.

  4. Would an idiot do that?
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Lambert on the add some pace in behind

  5. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Liverpool are all over the place

  6. tm245
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Bolasie is awesome to watch.

    1. Camp No No
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      you mean like doing that "ballwatching" people are talking about?

    2. Dr Dream
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      I got some stick early in the season for saying he was a better player than Sterling....but he is..

      1. tm245
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 3 days ago

        Just could never figure out how to fit him into my team.

        1. Camp No No
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 days ago

          He's destroying mine.

        2. Dr Dream
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 2 days ago

          I'm sure he'd be in the top five players that every defender dreads playing against...now he just needs to work on his finishing for a year or two.

  7. Harry Ball Bag™⚽⚽…
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Lol

  8. Dr Dream
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    If Bolasie ever learns to hit the back of the net he'll be gold...

  9. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Yala is bossing this

  10. SW6
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Really hope Rodgers isn't around next season.

  11. Wings of Steel
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 3 days ago

    Moreno is gash

  12. Jay_
      9 years, 3 days ago

      Palace are the away day kings

    • RubeRx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      what a first touch by Bolasie there

    • SweeSwee
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      Play Skrtel over Ivan they said

      1. Camp No No
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 3 days ago

        Nobody said that.

      2. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        Voices can be medicated

      3. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        No one would recommend that tbh

      4. asquishypotato
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        Said the rest of the people in the padded cell?

    • Syd.
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      Liverpool players are so wrapped in trying to get Gerrard a goal that they will end up losing this match. A very unprofessional performance them.

      1. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 3 days ago

        Like the team selection this season.

      2. Camp No No
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 3 days ago

        Exactly what I said they wouldn't do, because winning this match is fecking essential and they should really focus to that.

    • Darth
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      I like the cut of Bolasie's jib.

      1. super zlatan
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 3 days ago

        Me too

    • svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      Hendo ck to Skrtel. One time!

      1. Tommytour
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 3 days ago

        My nightmare that

    • OnionBag
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      Bolasie used to be a conference player >:O

    • denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      I'm no Liverpool fan, but I don't get the anti Gerrard stuff

      1. Scoredelario
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        I think it is a reaction to the over sentimentality for a guy who was alright at football but also a bit of a knob off the pitch.

        1. denial
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 2 days ago

          Was he though? Who isn't a bit of a nob at times?

          1. Scoredelario
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            9 years, 2 days ago

            Agree but why such a huge deal for him? Why was it so much less emotional for guys like lampard? It really is quite jarring to see such endless exaggeration.

        2. Wings of Steel
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 2 days ago

          I'm a massive nob sometimes

    • fplking14
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      Who else benched Bolasie for a Sunderland player...

      1. Dr Dream
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 3 days ago

        Benched him for Coutinho...DOH...

        1. Camp No No
          • 10 Years
          9 years, 2 days ago

          😆 in the bottom of my bench, as well. Liverpool is unexpectedly bad.

      2. GaGa Over Gazzaniga!!
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        i went a step ahead actually!!..sold him for Gomez who is now injured..:-)

    • gravless
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      the scout picks are smashing it

      1. Syd.
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 3 days ago

        Pants did okay 😉

    • Moss
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      Can is trash

      1. Heels_Over_Head
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        punny

    • Wings of Steel
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      I wish Liverpool did late goals

    • Would an idiot do that?
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 3 days ago

      Who is yala?

      1. Syd.
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        Bolaise

      2. Tasty Jerk
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        Yala = Yannick "Yala" Bolasie

        1. Would an idiot do that?
          • 9 Years
          9 years, 2 days ago

          Makes sense ......

    • Stephen - Robot Daniels
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 days ago

      Palace doing a decent job of adding a million or so to next years FPL values 🙁

    • Hibbo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 2 days ago

      Random players scoring points.

      Welcome to the end of the season.

    • Beavis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 2 days ago

      Happy I have Bolasie for next week, sad that he's on my bench this week.

      1. Tommytour
        • 13 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        May bring him in

    • Wings of Steel
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 2 days ago

      Skrtel to do a Mane?

      1. Heels_Over_Head
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        no one's doing that again for a long long time

    • BlzE_94
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 2 days ago

      Did Bolasie to Gomez, and played Skrtel over Wasilewski :/

      1. GaGa Over Gazzaniga!!
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        same here.....just that i have Skrtel to come from bench in place of injured Gomez..pathetic!!

    • ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 2 days ago

      Glenn johnson to come on to stablise the defence

      1. Beavis
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        The Palace defence?

      2. Camp No No
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 2 days ago

        What a legend. His last match at home on Anfield, on bench against Palace.