Dugout Discussion
2 January 2019 5260 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
Share:

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.

Become a Member and access our data

Memberships for the 2018/19 campaign are now available for the price of just £15.

Join now to get the following:

  • Plot your transfer strategies using the fully interactive Season Ticker.
  • Get projections for every Premier League player provided by the Rate My Team statistical model.
  • Use Rate My Team throughout the season to guide your selections and transfers.
  • Get access to over 130+ exclusive members articles over the season.
  • Analyse our OPTA-powered statistic tables specifically tailored for Fantasy Football Managers.
  • Use our exclusive tool to build custom stats tables from over 100 OPTA player and team stats.
  • View heatmaps and expected goals data for every player.
  • Use our powerful comparison tool to analyse players head-to-head.

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOUT MEMBER

  1. bialk
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    I brought Hazard(c) this week!

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Chelsea fan here. I was expecting this. New trainer for Southampton we are tired everyone injured. Captain him against Newcastle

    2. DaniCT
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Sold sterling for haz ( c ) . Only time will tell

  2. Longlatini
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Two blanks Eden, know any other ones????

  3. GianniBanani
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    And my OR is doubled this gw 36 points with only Salah to go

    1. *Reformed-Character*
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Mine rank quadrupled!

  4. Bubz
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Thank God we have a weekend off from this shite

    1. Bolivian Seaman
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      I need a break

  5. FPL Daniel
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    What happened when Lukaku went in for Martial? Rashford went wide or 2 strikers?

    1. Pukki Party
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Sanchez Lukaku Rashford

    2. Tommy Tynans Left Shin Pad
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Alexis - Luka - Rashford

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 16 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        So on the wing. Not sure I want him if he plays on the wing

    3. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Yes, told you that to earlier that he could play wide too, and got loled at

  6. Regin
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Damn ref costs me 19 pts!!!!!!! Hazatd pk goal (c) and Alonso addist with hazard all 3 bps denied.

    1. Regin
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Assist

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 16 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Yes it was clear penalty imo

    2. Cookie Kid
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Not seen it. How definite was the pen?

      1. Gamst - Up (?) the Rovers
        • 16 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Shove in the back. Which is as legal as holding is.

    3. Gamst - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      This.

    4. Kiwivillan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Alonso max baps and Hazard blank is dream come true

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

      haz missed the PK tho so count your blessings

  7. Samwise
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    nice 17 points on the bench... half my actual points

  8. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    I told you all about the Rashford fraud!

    1. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      You did mate.
      No one listened

      1. RamaJama
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers

  9. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Rasher!!

    1. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Dial up?

  10. Londongeezaa
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    A minute silence for all the Hazard captainers

    1. FPL Virgin
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      What's the point of this?

    2. BUZZBOMB ♡
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      That's helpful, cheers.

    3. bialk
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      RIP Eden!

    4. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      A minute each? Will take a while.

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

      Sorry guys.

    6. Kiwivillan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      2 minutes for last 2 games

  11. The Train Driver
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Did Rash>Arnie. Not sure how to feel about it.

    1. Kellz86
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      You have two goals - you should feel great

      1. The Train Driver
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Was going to do Jimenez > Arnie before the Rash injury

  12. Kellz86
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Can't see why Ole would ever drop Rashford for Lukaku

  13. Richd
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Boxing Day: Digne and AWB benched
    Last week: Jiminez and Doherty
    This week: Rashford and AWB

    1. Cookie Kid
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Ouch. I feel for you

  14. Cookie Kid
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Sold Rashford last night to get Pogba before further rises

    Pleased with points tonight but maybe made a mistake here....

  15. The Big Fella
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Is 104 points from 3 players good?

    1. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Awful

    2. Bees4Lyf
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Shambles mate

  16. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Thanks for all the useless advice.

    1. BENOIT
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Lol

    2. Chenku╰☆╮
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Oh my.. don't listen then. Use your brain

    3. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      😆 Oh Dear!

    4. Rik Waller
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      likewise

    5. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Yw

    6. Earn your Spurs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Thanks for all your useless comments

    7. Jam0sh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Maybe be a man and stop blaming others on your decisions? That's just annoying

    8. BUZZBOMB ♡
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      If only you were on the scoutcast....

    9. Kasper the ghost keeper
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      I missed the deadline therefore Rashford was left in. I think sometimes negligence is the right call

    10. Lingard’s Shin Guards
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

  17. Nice to Finally Michu
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Fraser and Wilson both off

  18. StoneMountain
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Thanks Rash. 7 point goal.

  19. Alli 3',17',64�…
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Shaw looks so sweaty man he better be in the baps

  20. JustPark
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    And I bench Rashford!!

  21. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Front 3 of Rash, Kane and Auba this week. Just a shame about the rest.

    1. Deeney-is-a-god
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Same

  22. SPorting
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Fraser softening my benched Rashford pain a little.

  23. Hughes Your Daddy
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Glad i moved armband from Haz to Kane this weekend, but still surprised Haz blanked.

    1. Kiwivillan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Why 5 scores 3 or under last 10 games

  24. TAT
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    28 from 8…

  25. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Ole inspired.

  26. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Anyone still captaining Hazard next week? Other options not too good either

  27. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Don't do it Lingard. Don't you dare.

  28. Kasper the ghost keeper
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    If only I did the captain thing right...

  29. TRIPOS TOPPER
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    tomorrow

    Salah 3G 3A
    Robbo 3G 3A
    Sterling 4 red cards

    to save my GW

    1. Bees4Lyf
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Agreed

  30. rocrocodile
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Are people talking about Salah getting rested? I have Schindler as my 1st sub.

    1. *Reformed-Character*
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Against city?

    2. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      yeah

      Liverpool to rest Salah for their biggest game of the season, away against their title rivals when they haven't won the league in 30 years

    3. pjomara
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Liverpool resting their best player in their most important game of the season? I'll have what your drinking