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

    I am moving from 860 rank to 1165 rank tonight 🙁

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

      You're still up there, keep on going

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

      We feel for you brother.

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

        Thanks pal.

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

    Has pogba even created a chance today ?

    Not been great

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

      Not that I've seen.

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

      Many games lately

    3. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Just when I buy and captain him

    4. Frank Black
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      It's Mourinho's fault.

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

    66 all out.

    LFC to concede, Sterling and Salah to blank.

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

      Same 66 here. Salah and Robertson to go.

  4. Frank Black
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    I think it's time for me to drop Martial and get Rashford. With Sanchez back things look even worse.

  5. brianutd-why always we? 20
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Alonso trolling again, cleanie and 2 baps as soon as I sell

    1. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      BOOM

    2. Frank Black
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Still not worth his price tag.

    3. Trane84
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Should have earned a pen too, ref bottled it.

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

    Manchester United's last four games have been against Cardiff, Huddersfield, Bournemouth, and Newcastle. Calm down.

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

      Great to build upon

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

      Still, their’re now only 6 points behind CL

      1. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        How many behind the leaders?

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

    At least captaining Auba was a right decision.

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

      So happy with that

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

        Could easily have been Hazard (c) instead!

  8. Jam0sh
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Better weeks to come

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

    How is awful 49 with Ederson and Robbo to play ?

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

      not great

      I think most people will have a couple of attacking assets playing tomorrow - Salah / Sterling / Sane / Mane

      if it's 0-0 you're ok!

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

    Holebas yellow

    Thanks for nothing

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

      😆

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

      Literally 0

    3. Drexl Spivey
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      He'll be gutted when he reads that.

  11. HollywoodXI
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    3k rank before Christmas. Will be 100k rank after this disaster of a GW. I hate Christmas football. Every season without fail the team selections are wildly unpredictable, the teams play poorly (and are unpredictable) and luck plays a bigger role in point scoring than it should. Roll on the Winter Break next season.

  12. ZTF
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    On a WC..

    Alisson
    AWB TAA Alderweireld
    Hazard Fraser Pogba Salah
    Kane Arnautovic Rashford

    (3.9m) (Femenia) (Valery) (Gibbs-White)

    Thoughts??

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

      Like the front 3! Bench looks weak. Consider Kamara Fulham or Cardiff's cheapie mid?

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

        Cheers pal

  13. Comment removed. Please refer to our terms and conditions on posting comments.

    1. BIG TONES
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Delete this.

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

        Watch the replay, ffs. Could have taken Pog's kneecap off.

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

      Reported.

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

        Proud Newcastle fan detected.

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

      You just did

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

        I save my ill will for the special occasions. That was a deliberate stamp on Pog's knee. If the shoe fits...

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

          Am I missing something in these replies?

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

            Yes. Shelvey nearly ended Pogba's career in one tackle. I may have been particularly malevolent in wishing for his own's swift end. Apparently that's frowned upon hee.

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

              *here

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

              Oh, oops 😉

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

    All I will remember from the Christmas fixtures is benching Digne and Rashford

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

      Yeah. Sucks don’t it

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

      I did this...and benched Doherty/Jiminez against Spurs inbetween for good measure 😎

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

    Rashford is my man crush

  16. Snooze ya lose
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Is son off to Asia cup now?

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

      Soon.

    2. BIG TONES
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      One more game.

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

    cmon paul ffs

  18. Dreaming of glory
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    30 points on a wc with hazard, kane, pogba, anderson, richy and just robbo and salah to go fs this game man had a mare later month and messed up ml from +60 to -150. Unbelievable really!!!

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

      lol

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

    Tough for some at the top this GW. They will bounce back tomorrow and next GW though so keep a note of their teams:

    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/team/4668/event/21
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/team/64342/event/21
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/team/829593/event/21

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

      Why would I want to keep a note of their teams?

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

        This

        I barely keep note of my own team

  20. ZTF
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Just letting everyone know Angus Gunn will play for England and tonight is the start of that 🙂

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

      Been a pretty safe bet for a while!

  21. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    50 with Salah and Robbo left. I’ll take it.

  22. finnish92
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Should I do theese transfers now for next gw before the price rises?
    Hart, Azpilicueta, Mitrovic —> Lloris, TAA, Arnie? -4 pts and 0.0ITB

  23. Reddonkeyham 42
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Why have palace been awarded 3 assists for 2 goals on fpl site?

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      My guess is it is an error

      1. Reddonkeyham 42
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Thought I'd had one to many

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

    Pogba misses open goal

    Get out of my team

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

    Pogba close. Dammit.

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

    POGBA -BPS

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

    Pogba lol

  28. Pat Bonner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Pogba missing sitter

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

    Pogba rounds the GK, but puts the ball wide into the side netting.

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

    Ooooph!!! I would’ve needed that!