Dugout Discussion
2 January 2019 5260 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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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 Login to Post a Comment
  1. yakirh
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Lots of ghost ship teams due to this GW

  2. Cojones of Destiny
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    why was martial subbed off early ?

    1. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      No threat from him and Mata.

    2. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Good subs to use, goal needed.

    3. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Early ? Just a normal substitution to bring on the first choice striker

  3. Chenku╰☆╮
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Selling hazard tonight. Useless troll.

    1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      😆

    2. NestorC
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      He is great as a troll, not so much as fpl asset

    3. boc610
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      And what usually happens when you do that?

      He hauls.And you get him back

    4. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Hatty incoming

      1. Chenku╰☆╮
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Enjoy his Hattie. Not captain material so not worth having him

    5. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      He is in almost every WC team RMT here this week 🙂

  4. MTPockets
    7 years, 6 months ago

    19 pts on bench - even god damn Yoshida got a cs

    1. camarozz
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yep 20 here.

    2. Syd.
      • 17 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah my bench looks rather fruity

    3. Lemongrab
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      23 here Pereria AWB and Kamara

  5. boc610
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    United to get 4th over Chelsea, OGS to get job on a permanent basis and sarri sacked at end if season. It's going to happen.

    1. Syd.
      • 17 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      5th at best

      1. Arch Stanton
        • 16 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Agreed

  6. Sting
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    can i take hits now then choose to play my wildcard later?

    1. Sting
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      and wipe the hits..

    2. Digital-Real
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

    3. Syd.
      • 17 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

      A lot of people do this but make sure you hit the WC button before the next GW deadline

  7. YEAH PITCH!
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Repost, sorry.

    Hazard and F.Anderson > Salah and Brooks?

    Exact cash.

    1. HonestBlatter
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      No...Just Haz(C) against Newcastle

      1. Robson-Canoe
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks no thanks, no more Haz captain

  8. Nomar
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Doherty or Digne needs to go for Perreira, methinks.

    Not sure which one to bin yet.

    1. Tcheco
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Would rethink that a million times given their upcoming fixtures

    2. Syd.
      • 17 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Doherty is priced that you should be able to bench him

  9. NestorC
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Nice Hazard, nice, never stop to surprise.

  10. Zebrahimović
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    I need sort out my Rondon second striker situation. Go premium or keep it budget? Got a power midfield, 4.5ITB 2FT?

  11. fedolefan
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    16 points from 6 today. Good thing my business was done yesterday.

    1. Party time
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Hahaha

  12. Alli 3',17',64�…
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    55 with Ederson left, so 55 probably

    1. Niho992
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      0 0 i hope so

    2. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      53 surely

  13. Tcheco
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Thank you Rashford for a lovely 3 GW's. Time to get downgraded to Kamara on Wildcard

    1. HonestBlatter
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Keep him

      1. Tcheco
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        I could but I think Pogba might be a better option long term

  14. Licky
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Two clean sheets... for Martial and Pogba. 🙂

    1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      😆

  15. Niho992
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Need Robbo Hattie of the assist and CS to save my GW

    1. Ode
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Cheers, I was wondering

    2. Zebrahimović
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      It’s gonna happen

  16. Schliegs
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Morata is a terrible player, I don't know why they bother with him.

    1. Ode
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      As soon as I saw him on the lineup I knew Haz was blanking

  17. aarrgghh
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Ings to Rash or Arnie?

    1. HonestBlatter
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Rash

    2. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Arnie

    3. Bruin
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Arnie

  18. The Big Fella
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Is this team too unbalanced?
    Fabianski / 4m
    Robertson; TAA; Schindler; WB; Bednarek
    Salah; Sane; Pogba; Camarasa; Gunnarsson
    Kane; Auba; Ings

    I am concerned I will have to play Camarasa and/or Ings and/or one of my crappy defenders every week but I have a main attacking at all the top clubs there plus Liverpool fixtures now are amazing for CSs

    1. Hulk Smash
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      I like it.

      1. The Big Fella
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        I'm unconvinced, mostly because of the defence

    2. Zebrahimović
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Top heavy. I’d have one of Kane or Auba.

      1. The Big Fella
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        They both have great fixtures now until the end of the season and score goals in their attacking teams though. Hard to get rid of one.

    3. Lingard’s Shin Guards
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Yep. I don’t like it

      1. The Big Fella
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        What would you change and why?

  19. SADIO SANÉ
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Kane, Quaner, Son -> Rashford, Arnie, Sterling ? 🙂

  20. Digital-Real
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Alonso one more game week and then I can kick his backside out my team

  21. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    97bps post bps but the biggest waste of a bench boost ever 😀
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/team/3710603/event/21

    1. camarozz
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Ballsy with Arnie.

    2. Hy liverpool
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Bb with hamer and bennett?

  22. FPL AXE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Anybody else noticed how poor Rashford's predicted points are in the rate my team tool!!?? What's that all about!?

    1. Nascimento
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      It’s getting worse generally. Had Son down for 0 against Man Utd last I checked

    2. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Wasn't predicted to start.

      https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/team-news/

  23. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    At the match tonight. My summary would be Newcastle are crap! Man U still can’t defend and would have been punished off a big team. Martial was glued out wide and did nothing. Pogba was useless against a poor team. Rashford did well but another day he easy blanks.

    TLDR; Newcastle Crap. Man U overhyped

    1. Pieterke30
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Newcastle might keep Chelsea at bay next GW though.

  24. Flynny
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Hi....having a v average time of it.... 3.5mitb. 2ft. Any ideas what to do here?

    Fab 4m
    Alonso Doherty lindelof schindler awb
    Hazard sane pogba Anderson richarlison
    Kane jiminez kamara

    A....sane and Alonso to TAA and salah

    B.....sane and Anderson to bednarek and salah

    C....sane, jiminez and Alonso to salah, rashford and TAA - 4 (exact cash)

    Thanks!

    1. Hulk Smash
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      B doesn't make sense.

      1. Flynny
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Sane and Alonso to salah and bednarek...

        1. Hulk Smash
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 6 months ago

          Probably A from those

  25. Niho992
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Thx God it's a little break after this GW.

  26. Hulk Smash
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    After 6 successive but modest red arrows, from 3k to 22k, hopefully I might move in the other direction for a change. Looking like 63 including bonus with Robertson to play. A 0-0 draw or at least a Salah blank would suit me down to the ground tomorrow night. Bournemouth assets are the guests of honour in my team for the umpteenth time this season, absolute heroes.

    1. The Big Fella
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Well played for keeping them when everybody else shipped them mate

      1. Hulk Smash
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers. I've been telling people to keep Fraser as he's insane value and hasn't blanked more than twice in a row all season. Wilson has been lucky I've had other fires to put out but he still looks good value.

        1. The Big Fella
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 6 months ago

          He does with those next 3-4 fixtures! I need to decide if I am going for my (potentially) unbalanced team above or not. Bad captain decisions in the last few weeks have made me drop a few 100k 🙁

          1. Hulk Smash
            • 10 Years
            7 years, 6 months ago

            I know the feeling. Hazard (c) this week after Kane and Auba hauled yesterday. I like your team. You could downgrade Ings to Kamara if you want more to spend in defence. Or Pogba to Rich/Anderson now that he will probably regress back to more sustainable returns.

            1. The Big Fella
              • 9 Years
              7 years, 6 months ago

              Currently got Anderson and Hazard but 2FT so want to swap them for Camarasa and Salah. I am steering clear of Everton. They look shite at the moment.

              I got lucky and captained Pogba last GW and Auba this GW. You have still got a great OR and also a decent squad by the sounds of it as you have done well this week!

              I think Pogba will be a good choice going forward - as you say, he won't be getting goals galore every game but there is so much attacking potential in that team it will be fresh and the team will be built around Pogba

              1. Hulk Smash
                • 10 Years
                7 years, 6 months ago

                I think you're right about Pogba. He won't score braces every week which will cause impatient managers to sell him but he's nailed on in an attacking United team so should produce steady returns long term. I wouldn't worry too much about Everton - they had the least amount of rest between fixtures over the Christmas period and they don't have the squad to cope with it. But they will return to form soon. I'm pretty happy with my squad, just need to figure out if/how to get Salah in. It's less tempting to make sweeping changes on the back of a good GW score!

                1. The Big Fella
                  • 9 Years
                  7 years, 6 months ago

                  Your rank's great and your B'mouth assets will do well over their next 4 fixtures. I don't think you have much to worry about. I think you're right about the sweeping changes and it also means your decisions will be more measured as they won't be knee jerk decisions so you will continue climbing!

                  1. Hulk Smash
                    • 10 Years
                    7 years, 6 months ago

                    Cheers mate, here's hoping you're right. Good luck for the rest of the season!

  27. Total Foot 5
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Are Rashford and pogba the only almost 99% nailed in Mnu ? (while rotatioon game time risk for martial, lingard, lukaku?) thnx, been out all day working

    1 yes
    2 no

    1. tucaoneo
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Pogba yes. Rashford maybe.

    2. Celt Abroad
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      2

  28. SADIO SANÉ
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    would you rather have Anderson or Rashford?

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Rashford

  29. Davido989
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    Describe Eden Hazard in one word.

    1. Digital-Real
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Tease

      1. Gudjohnsen
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Untrustworthy

    2. camarozz
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Awesome.

    3. Numb
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Mercurial

    4. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Streaky

    5. Celt Abroad
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Troll

    6. YEAH PITCH!
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Troll.

    7. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Belgian

    8. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Uncaptainable

    9. Robson-Canoe
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Belgian

    10. barracuda
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Lonely

    11. Syd.
      • 17 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Diver

    12. Do I Not Like Orange
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Craptain.

  30. Demí
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 6 months ago

    75 all out if bonus is correct. Thanks to the boy wonder Marcus Rashford

    1. Hooky
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 6 months ago

      Good work

      1. Demí
        • 15 Years
        7 years, 6 months ago

        Thank you brother