Dugout Discussion

Rashford fit to start while Hazard remains on the left flank

Six Premier League matches take place this evening before the Gameweek 21 showpiece of Manchester City v Liverpool brings the frenetic festive fixture schedule to a close ahead of FA Cup third round weekend.

Four of tonight’s games kick off at 19:45 GMT, with Bournemouth v Watford (due to a delay) and Newcastle United v Manchester United getting underway at 20:00 GMT.

There aren’t too many surprises in the team selections this evening, with many of the more widely-owned Fantasy Premier League assets getting a start.

Marcus Rashford has recovered from a groin problem to keep his place in Manchester United’s starting XI, with Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial also unsurprisingly named in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.

Jesse Lingard, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez make the bench.

Fabian Schar replaces the injured Federico Fernandez in Rafael Benitez’s only alteration, while Florian Lejeune makes the matchday squad for the first time in 2018/19.

Eden Hazard is again deployed on the left flank as Alvaro Morata replaces the injured Olivier Giroud, but Chelsea are otherwise unchanged from the side that beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in Gameweek 20.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has really shuffled his pack for this encounter at Stamford Bridge, making eight changes – including the recall of Danny Ings – following the 3-1 defeat against Manchester City.

In the delayed kick-off on the south coast, Ryan Fraser returns to the Bournemouth starting XI after his benching at Old Trafford.

Javi Gracia has made five changes to his team, with Jose Holebas, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Troy Deeney among the players handed a recall.

Andy Carroll makes his first Premier League start in over a year for West Ham, who have new signing Samir Nasri among their substitutes.

Glenn Murray replaces Florin Andone up front in Chris Hughton’s only change.

Joao Moutinho and Helder Costa return to the Wolves starting XI, while Jordan Ayew gets his first start since Gameweek 17 as Roy Hodgson switches to a 4-3-3.

David Wagner has made two changes to his team and seemingly reverted to a 4-2-3-1, while Sean Dyche trusts the same 11 players who beat West Ham three days ago.

Bournemouth XI (3-5-2): Begovic, Cook, Ake, Daniels, Brooks, Lerma, Gosling, Fraser, Stanislas, Wilson, King.

Watford XI (4-4-2): Foster, Femenia, Cathcart, Mariappa, Holebas, Sema, Capoue, Doucoure, Pereyra, Deulofeu, Deeney.

Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Barkley, Hazard, Willian, Morata.

Southampton XI (3-4-3): Gunn, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Valery, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Cedric, Armstrong, Ings, Redmond.

Huddersfield Town XI (4-2-3-1): Lossl, Kongolo, Schindler, Zanka, Hadergjonaj, Hogg, Billing, Mbenza, Pritchard, Kachunga, Mounie.

Burnley XI (4-4-2): Heaton, Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Cork, Westwood, Gudmundsson, McNeil, Barnes, Wood.

West Ham United XI (4-4-2): Fabianski, Zabaleta, Ogbonna, Diop, Cresswell, Rice, Obiang, Snodgrass, Anderson, Arnautovic, Carroll.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI (4-3-3): Button, Montoya, Dunk, Duffy, Bernardo, Stephens, Propper, Gross, March, Murray, Locadia.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI (3-4-3): Patricio, Bennett, Boly, Coady, Doherty, Saiss, Moutinho, Jonny, Costa, Cavaleiro, Jimenez.

Crystal Palace XI (4-3-3): Guaita, Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt, McArthur, Milivojević, Kouyaté, Townsend, Ayew, Zaha.

Newcastle United XI (3-4-2-1): Dubravka, Yedlin, Schär, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Diame, Atsu, Pérez, Rondón.

Manchester United XI (4-3-3): De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Lindelöf, Shaw, Matic, Herrera, Pogba, Mata, Martial, Rashford.

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5,260 Comments Post a Comment
  1. SirStevieG
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Rashford staying on over Martial is huge

    1. The Tinkerman
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      I was gonna sell for Arnie, but not so sure...

  2. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    LUKAKUUUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Rashfoord

  3. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Lukaku G
    Rash A

  4. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Lukaku G
    Rashford A

    Dubravka spills it

  5. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Rashers assist

  6. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Lukkaaakkkaaaa 🙂

  7. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Joe's captaincy videos are killing my season.

    1. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Blame.blame.blame

      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        I keep mis-captaining after watching them.

    2. Amsterhammer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Lame.Lame.Lame

      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        The conclusions are causing so much damage to my rank.

    3. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Who is Joe and why are you listening to him?

    4. Chenku╰☆╮
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Your first season luck has gone now has it?

      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        We'll find out in May.

    5. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Don’t you think for yourself ? You have lost your elite status 😉

  8. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Rashford assist

    1. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      ...of course it is...on my bench...never to emerge 🙁

      1. BeDreamin
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Who benches Rashford against Newcastle when on form

        1. Business Cat
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          He was supposedly suffering a groin strain, was flagged

  9. Van der Faart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Keeper what are you doing

  10. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Romelu is back!!!

  11. Granville
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    First touch Lukaku

    1. HamezMace
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      When does he ever get praise for his first touch?!

  12. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    LUKAKUUUU FIRST TOUCH BABYY

  13. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Quickest sub goal ever!

  14. Danno - Emre Canada
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Quickest sub goal ever?

    1. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Has to be in with a chance.

  15. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Does Rashford get the assist for that?

    1. Garlana
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Should do, shot on target

    2. DaniCT
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Yes

  16. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Rash assist

  17. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Rash > Arnie fail 🙁

    1. Hy liverpool
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Did the same

  18. Garlana
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Kaku g, rashford assist

  19. Shultan
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Kaku!!

  20. Limbo
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Talk about a honeymoon period. Ole is on fire.

    1. Limbo
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      (I know... fixtures... untested... but even so)

  21. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Rash!!

  22. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    All my kids failing great...

    1. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Mids*

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      I blame the parents........

  23. Richd
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    BLEURGH.

    benched Rashford and started Pog and Martial.

    FML
    FML
    FML
    FML

    1. Hy liverpool
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Yep FYL

    2. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      why did you bench him

      why not play him and if he isn't fit you have another player to come in anyway

  24. Baked baines
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    never capt Haz with Morata starting.

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      If only we could change captain once the line ups are out

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Chelsea injuries were known.

      2. Alli 3',17',64�…
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        new chip idea

  25. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Eurgh Rashford A *vomits*

    Need some POGBOOM points

  26. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Cruel goal.

  27. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Lukaku new super sub

  28. Alli 3',17',64�…
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    fcksake had to be Rashford didnt it

  29. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Bet Lukaku tried to go around the keeper there

  30. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Lukaku essential.