Dugout Discussion – Sunderland vs Manchester United

The first of two Sunday fixtures gets underway at 1.30pm this afternoon as Sunderland welcome Manchester United to the Stadium of Light.

The most popular captaincy choice for Gameweek 32, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been handed the armband by 15.7% of Fantasy Premier League managers ahead of a visit to the basement-dwellers.

Encouragingly for his owners, the veteran delivered his highest haul of the season against the Black Cats, with a goal and two assists helping him to 15 points back in Gameweek 18.

With eight fixtures remaining in the final six Gameweeks, including a double Gameweek 34, the likes of Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan can play their way into our plans for the run-in today.

Those holding the hosts’ Jermain Defoe will be buoyed by the absence of David de Gea, who misses out for the first time this term with “a little problem, according to his manager.

Meanwhile, Antonio Valencia’s 17% owners are left frustrated yet again, as the Ecuadorian is omitted from the squad for the second match in succession.