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. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Where is Zico Senna to told me Hazard will score ?

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

      Checking Salah's price.

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

      Did he specify in which match?

    3. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Give it a rest now , you're getting very boring.

  2. bored by december
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    doherty, pat cleanie gone AGAIN, fraser 1st on bench, played jiminez, haz, fanderson an pogs over him.

    FPL strikes again

  3. Fantastisk
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Casuals win again smh

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

    A goal coming

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

      Where???

    2. XabiAlonso
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Tomorrow, Salah?

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

    Another GW decided by getting captain and vice wrong. I hate this dumb coin flip aspect of the game where you have two good choices, pick the right one and you get a green arrow, pick the wrong one and its a red arrow. Just get rid of captains.

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

      I wouldn't mind this, or at least change the captaincy system to lower the variance

    2. SPorting
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Not really a coin flip though, is it?

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

      i agree

      I also think bench points should be at 50%. too many flukey benching points from people that did not set their teams up

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

        I've argued for both of these before.

      2. Leaf
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        I think it’s the complete opposite

    4. teknicolourfox
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      It's only unfair when you get it wrong?

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

        He sounds like a casual...

      2. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        When over the course of a season, ive picked the "right one" (the one scoring 8+) once and the wrong one (6 or less) 10+ times then yea, it starts becoming annoying and takes enjoyment out of the game. Im only counting the times where I only had one legit choice, like times where Salah (C) scores 2 and Aguero (V) 20, Aguero (C) 5 and Hazard (V) 20 etc.

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

          didnt have only one legit choice*

  6. BenDavies
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Chelsea are a midtable side without Hazard

  7. Nascimento
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    FK the right decision there

  8. TAT
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Have three players left tomorrow; Salah, Robbo and Alisson. Certainly know what I'm hoping for in the Liverpool-City game!

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

    Shaw YC

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

      He was on for max baps too!

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

    Pogba playing a different position? Not as threatening today

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

      Nope, still playing forward in midfield

    2. KAPO KANE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Away

  11. YEAH PITCH!
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Fantasy football strikes again.

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

    My team is full of blanks apart from Rashford's assist and Schindlers red card.

    Oh, I also have Hazard captain who I brought in for a hit 🙁 FML

    1. Red Devil Swede
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      It'll get better

    2. El Matador
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Our team is nearly identical but I played my wildcard 🙂

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

    Good YC from Shaw.

  14. KAPO KANE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Looks like I should have started Bednarek and Kamara

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

    Sanchez poor

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

    Shaw just threw away 3 baps there

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

      🙁
      Told you.

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

      Brilliant

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

      -_-

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

    I have 8 blanks

  18. N00B
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Southampton at least kill that cs!

  19. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    hazfraud

  20. jblakes
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    time to kick haz out? Chelsea look toss.

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      No idea, i'm doing shite.

    2. Red Devil Swede
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      4 games in what, 10 days? Not weird at all

  21. Big_Andy_GAWA
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Burnley RED.

  22. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    AWB and Bednarek mocking me from my bench

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

      Same

    2. evilfish
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      AWB and stephens from mine.

    3. The Desi Messi
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      I feel your pain

  23. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    I love weeks like this. Sincerely.

  24. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Wan Bissaka sitting on my bench with a clean sheet for the upteenth time this season!

  25. Cash'nBurn
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    48 of AWB’s 73 points have sat on my bench....

    Sums up the season so far.

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

    Brady red

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

    fck u Hazard never again (15th time I said this)

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

      Same here. He is cementing his status as the greatest fpl troll of them all.

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

    A Wolves clean sheet is as rare as hens’ teeth 🙂

    1. Red Devil Swede
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Same with West Ham

    2. SPorting
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Seems to be these days.

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

    Atsu...nearly 🙂

  30. Over Midwicket
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Anyone else taking a break until next GW from FFS and the forum after a few horror weeks? Just can't take it anymore.

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

      It's just a game.

      1. Over Midwicket
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        You mean, nasty little man

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

      I've reduced my involvement massively the last couple of months. FPL isn't fun when it feels like wading through mud

      1. Over Midwicket
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        +1

    3. KAPO KANE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      I had that, so played my WC straight away and now feel even worse.

      1. Over Midwicket
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Sorry bud

    4. L S P
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      you should definitely take a break if you "can't take anymore" a game you ultimately have very little control over.

      1. Over Midwicket
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Cool.

    5. Planet Head
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Quite the opposite really. Enthralling season