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

    For all their good fixtures my players have done bugger all tonight lol

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

    PVA assist.

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

    West GW ever.. Jonny you crap

  4. Adriano
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Bye bye top 10k

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

      100k*

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

      *200k

      Was 2k not that long ago 🙁

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

    so many people have Rashford that assist is so annoying

    1. Drip Doctor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Its 3 points pal.

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

        every point counts tho, especially the fact was hoping Rash get benched

    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Owned by a 1/3 of active teams I think

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

    Wolves need to sort their fitness out

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

    Some sort of Doherty/Jiminez brace would be great right now.

    1. Andy Mac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      This!!!

  8. mattk lfc
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    1 CS in 13. Doherty is a fraud

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

      I just got him in for Laporte, so he’s bound to be sh*te from now onwards.

    2. Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Were you banking on consistent clean sheets from a newly promoted team?

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

    Shaw and Alonso both on for CS...and max bonus.....and Doherty losing his CS...what a brief moment to enjoy fantasy football for me, I'm sure it'll go wrong soon

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

    Wolves don't do CS

  11. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Wolves cleanie gone of course.

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

    Thinking of not played by again, this week has crushed me

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

      Same Bemba

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

      Cya tomorrow night, Bember.

  13. rocrocodile
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    I sold Son for Hazard, and captained him over Kane 20 minutes before the deadline.

    1. Andy Mac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Ouch gotta burn!

    2. SB007
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Happens to us all

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

    Rashford and AWB on bench.

    TAA gonna haul ain’t he.

    I’ve had over 20 points the last two weeks so may as well make it a hattrick.

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

    Welp, that 54 pointer just fluttered down to 46, with AWB on the bench, to boot. Just when the GW was beginning to look acceptable.

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

    Arnie, Hazard, Alonso, Pogba and Doherty goals needed. Flappy pen save too.

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

      Lol

  17. Monya Meow Meow
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Of course AWB the bloody one on my bench with a CS...

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

      lots of us i think

  18. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    And you, Doherty, against me?

  19. Tasty Jerk
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    To be honest, our goal looked offside.

  20. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Wolves are blatantly saving all their clean sheets for GW23 onwards

    #TripleWolvesDEFGW23

    1. Andy Mac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      I f’ing hope so!!!

  21. Rik Waller
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Wolves have one of the best defences in the league but manage so few clean sheets.

    An fpl manager's nightmare

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

      Palace have one of the best defences in the league. But people don't play AWB for some reason.

  22. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    PLEASE HAZARD

  23. Kasper the ghost keeper
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    A 9 pointer would be a nice little parting gift from Alonso

  24. aborg
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    I don’t own Lukaku but I’m glad United scores because I’m tired of Rafa’s tactics by throwing all his players behind the ball and making the game boring. Now he has to see how to get back his deficit and the game will become more exciting hopefully

    1. FlockofSeagulls
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      This makes no sense if you've been watching the game.

      Newcastle have actually been the better attacking side, and with more quality could have probably scored a couple by now.

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

    Absolutely fk this gameweek

  26. Smurf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Currently dropping from 15k to 36k 🙁

  27. SirStevieG
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Benched Rashford and AWB

    Played Digne, Doherty, Rich, Anderson, Haz, Jiminez

  28. Bees4Lyf
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Ridiculous GW

  29. RyanMK
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Are Chelsea looking like they're gonna score at all?

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Nope lol

  30. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Sorry owners
    I broke Pogba, Hazard and Doherty