A buccaneering Liverpool blast their way into the group stages of the Champions League, with rotation the almost inevitable consequence.
Meanwhile, the Carabao Cup claims Premier League scalps in Southampton and Newcastle, but West Ham, Huddersfield, Burnley and Stoke City all ease through.
Here are the notes from a busy Wednesday of action.
Liverpool will have to give it a rest
Jurgen Klopp never lacks for enthusiasm at the best of times.
Having overseen a pulsating 4-2 win over Hoffenheim that ensured Liverpool’s qualification for the Champions League group stages, his response to the press began with a heartfelt ‘Yipee!’.
The animated German seems to be embracing the concept of rotation in the same full-on manner.
He threw 25.8% of Fantasy Premier League managers a curve ball by benching Mo Salah for last weekend’s home match with Crystal Palace – one of five changes from the first leg win in Germany.
Last night, Klopp reverted to the same side which won that first match 2-1, meaning returns for Emre Can (7.6%), Trent Alexander-Arnold (3.0%) and Alberto Moreno (1.9%).
Can scored twice against Hoffenheim, while the young full-back was withdrawn around the hour mark. Whether either occurrence guarantees their selection for Sunday’s visit of Arsenal is hard to tell.
What we do know is that Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have now played four straight matches this season and currently look vital to the Liverpool cause.
Both were in superb form against the Germans, with the Brazilian scoring one and setting up Can to net an outstanding team goal that put Liverpool 3-0 on the night. Mane, meanwhile, was the best player on the pitch, but had to make do with just an assist for Can’s deflected opener.
Salah scored the other goal, tapping in after Georginio Wijnaldum’s shot had hit the post. Jordan Henderson supplied the assist for Firmino’s second-half effort.
We are surely likely to be spared severe rotation this weekend, but it may well be an entirely different matter when the group stages start in mid-September.
The Reds will find out their opponents in this afternoon’s draw, but there is a worst-case scenario involving Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Celtic.
Whoever the opponents, Liverpool’s schedule will virtually demand sacrifice – either in the league or Europe – on at least one occasion.
The most likely rotation hazard will come in mid-October when Klopp’s players return from a second international break to entertain Man United, play the third group match in Europe and then travel to Spurs – all in the space of eight days.
That’s the sort of mini-run that can almost define a season. It will certainly test the coach’s selection skills, Liverpool’s squad strength and our patience as Fantasy managers.
Saints shift shape and slide out
Southampton’s third straight home match of the season ended in their first defeat, 0-2 to Wolves in the Carabao Cup.
Those last two words should temper some of the significance of last night’s loss, particularly as Mauricio Pellegrino made major changes both to his personnel and the side’s shape.
Six players who helped beat West Ham 3-2 at the weekend dropped out, while Pellegrino also switched to a back three of Maya Yoshida, Jack Stephens and new signing Jan Bednarek.
Should the system survive, that could be good news for managers who have made Ryan Bertrand (16.2%) and Cedric (12.2%) Southampton’s most-owned FPL assets, with the pair likely to offer increased attacking threat as wing-backs.
But Pellegrino has always previously favoured a back four, and a loss to lower league opponents is hardly likely to endear him to an alternative formation.
In truth, the defeat was waiting to happen for the Saints. They laboured to a 0-0 opening day draw against Swansea City and the win over the Hammers was achieved against ten men and with the help of two penalties.
Southampton’s schedule remains undeniably inviting, with a Gameweek 6 visit from Man United the only real wrinkle all the way through to mid-November.
The side’s form, however, is yet to convince us that they are in the best position take full advantage.
At least the 5.8% of managers who own Manolo Gabbiadini could take some solace from the fact that strike rival Charlie Austin failed to impress on his first start of the season. The Italian was afforded just 14 minutes off the bench last night.
Allen shines for Stoke
Mark Hughes made eight changes as Stoke City made short work of Rochdale.
Only Joe Allen, Kurt Zouma and Erik Pieters survived the cut from the weekend win over Arsenal, with the Welsh midfielder producing two goals and an assist in a 4-0 victory.
Peter Crouch and Ramadan Sobhi were the other goalscorers on a night when Hughes again used a back three, while handing Josh Tymon a debut at wing-back.
Pieters – surprisingly utilised as a right wing-back – laid on assists for both Allen’s goals. Bojan supplied the assist for Sobhi’s goal.
Owned by 3.7%, Allen’s 5.5 price tag could make him a very attractive budget option should he manage to bring this sort of goal scoring to the league matches.
He does have previous for such things, ending last season on 118 points built on the back of six goals and three assists.
But the attacking prowess of new men Jese and Eric Choupo-Moting, who were unused substitutes last night, is likely to keep Allen employed in a deeper role against Premier League opposition.
One factor that could work in the Welshman’s attacking favour is a hamstring injury to Xherdan Shaqiri. The Swiss international didn’t even make the squad against Rochdale and remains a major doubt for Sunday’s trip to West Brom.
Another factor, however, takes the shine off owning any Stoke assets, Allen or otherwise – the Potters have to face both Manchester sides and Chelsea over the next six Gameweeks.
Elsewhere…
Sean Dyche made eight changes as Burnley eased past Lancashire rivals Blackburn 2-0.
Phil Bardsley and Charlie Taylor made their debuts, while Jon Walters was handed a first start for the Clarets, only to go off injured just before half-time.
He was replaced by record signing Chris Wood, but the striker failed to find the net, with the goals – and assists – coming from Jack Cork and Robbie Brady.
Dyche downplayed Walters’ injury post-match.
“I’m not sure how right he was and eventually he had to come off, so we’ll see how he is, but we don’t think it’s anything too serious.”
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate came off the bench for his first appearance since recovering from a long-standing wrist injury as the Hammers saw off Cheltenham Town 2-0.
Coach Slaven Bilic sent out a much-changed side, with Javier Hernandez, Joe Hart, Aaron Cresswell and Jose Fonte all named among the substitutes.
Diafra Sakho and Andre Ayew scored the goals. Mark Noble assisted the opener, with Sakho teeing up Ayew for the second.
You would have got excellent odds on Rotherham being the first team to breach Huddersfield’s defence this season, but the Terriers kept up their 100% win record with a 2-1 victory anyway.
Coach David Wagner made 10 changes to his team, as goals from Philip Billing and Joe Lolley secured a third round trip to Crystal Palace.
Billing netted a penalty after Laurent Depoitre was brought down in the box, while Kasey Palmer teed up Lolley for the second.
Ten changes were also made by Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez, but his Newcastle charges responded rather less positively, losing 3-2 to Nottingham Forest after extra-time.
Aleksandar Mitrovic opened the scoring early, before a Rolando Aarons’ equaliser ensured another 30 minutes of play from which the Championship side emerged victorious.
The evening’s assists went to Aarons and Mo Diame.
Carabao Cup Third Round Draw (Selected):
West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City
Everton v Sunderland
Leicester City v Liverpool
Manchester United v Burton Albion
Burnley v Leeds United
Arsenal v Doncaster Rovers
Bristol City v Stoke City
Reading v Swansea City
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest
West Ham United v Bolton Wanderers
Crystal Palace v Huddersfield Town
Tottenham Hotspur v Barnsley/Derby County
Bournemouth v Brighton and Hove Albion
Ties will be played during the week commencing September 18 – between Gameweeks 5 and 6.
