Dugout Discussion – Southampton vs Man United

After Alexis Sanchez ended Double Gameweek 37 with a season-high 27 points, Wednesday night’s meeting at St Mary’s has a lot to live up to.

Southampton entertain Manchester United in the penultimate showdown of a seven-day round of fixtures, and it’s fair to say that Claude Puel and Jose Mourinho both owe us a favour after their recent penchant for rotation scuppered many best-laid wildcard plans.

The Saints’ boss reinstalls a number of regulars after the 2-1 win at Middlesbrough on Saturday. Snapped up by 40,000+ and 27,000+ respectively for their second successive Double Gameweek, Jack Stephens and Manolo Gabbiadini return to the first XI along with the likes of Dusan Tadic, Nathan Redmond and Cedric Soares.

Despite mustering just a single assist in his last six league outings, Gabbiadini is his side’s most captained player, with 15,000+ handing him the armband for the Double.

Fantasy faith in United is at a low as Mourinho looks to keep his main men fresh with one eye on next week’s Europa League final against Ajax.

Marcus Rashford continues to be used sparingly on the domestic stage and is handed a third successive appearance on the bench, though Wayne Rooney is named in the first XI for the fourth successive league outing.

Having found the net in three of his last four Gameweek appearances, the Red Devils’ skipper is the most captained FPL asset among Mourinho’s starting line-up, with almost 28,000 affording him the armband.