Dugout Discussion

Alonso returns for Chelsea as Sarri tweaks his defence

Marcos Alonso (£6.5m) has returned to the Chelsea starting XI ahead of the Gameweek 25 meeting with Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge.

Antonio Rüdiger (£6.0m) drops to the bench to allow Andreas Christensen (£5.0m) his first start since Gameweek 15.

Gonzalo Higuain (£9.5m) leads the line once again, flanked by Eden Hazard (£10.9m) and Willian (£7.2m).

Those interested in the Double Gameweek players on offer at Everton will be pleased to know that Gylfi Sigurdsson (£7.4m) and Richarlison (£6.8m) both start in their favoured positions of central and left attacking midfield respectively.

Vicente Guaita (£4.2m) is back in goal again for Crystal Palace after missing out on Gameweek 23 and returning in Gameweek 24.

Christian Benteke (£6.3m) is the chosen replacement for the suspended Wilfried Zaha (£6.7m), with new signing Michy Batshuayi (£6.5m) named among the substitutes.

Chris Hughton looks to have gone with 4-3-3 for Brighton once again, with Jurgen Locadia (£5.3m) and Solly March (£5.0m) flanking Glenn Murray (£6.3m).

Daryl Janmaat (£4.9m) gets a second consecutive start at right-back for Watford, while Ken Sema (£4.6m) features from the beginning for the first time since Gameweek 23.

As expected, Gerard Deulofeu (£5.5m) and Troy Deeney (£6.0m) are the strike pairing for the Hornets.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£5.5m) is on the bench for Burnley as Dwight McNeil (£4.4m) makes a sixth consecutive start on the Clarets’ left wing.

Southampton come to Turf Moor with Nathan Redmond (£5.3m) and Danny Ings (£5.5m) leading the line, while Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (£4.4m) misses out.

That means a first Premier League start for Callum Slattery (£4.5m) alongside Oriol Romeu (£4.3m) in central midfield.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Bong, Dunk, Duffy, Montoya; Groß, Stephens, Pröpper; Locadia, Murray, March.

Watford XI: Foster, Janmaat, Cathcart, Mariappa, Holebas, Hughes, Cleverley, Capoue, Sema, Deeney, Deulofeu.

Burnley XI: Heaton; Taylor, Mee, Tarkowski, Bardsley; McNeil, Westwood, Cork, Hendrick; Wood, Barnes.

Southampton XI: McCarthy; Bednarek, Stephens, Vestergaard; Ward-Prowse, Slattery, Romeu, Targett; Armstrong; Redmond, Ings.

Chelsea XI: Kepa; Alonso, D Luiz, Christensen, Azpilicueta; Barkley, Jorginho, Kanté; Hazard, Higuain, Willian.

Huddersfield XI: Lössl; Löwe, Schindler, Kongolo, Smith; Bacuna, Billing, Mooy; Mbenza, Kachunga, Diakhaby.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt; Townsend, McArthur, Milivojevic, Schlupp; Ayew, Benteke.

Fulham XI: Rico; Odoi, Le Marchand, Ream; Christie, Chambers, Seri, Bryan; Cairney, Mitrovic, Babel.

Everton XI: Pickford; Coleman, Zouma, Keane, Baines; Davies, André Gomes; Walcott, Sigurdsson, Richarlison; Tosun.

Wolves XI: Rui Patrício; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Dendoncker, Rúben Neves, João Moutinho, Jonny; Jiménez, Jota.

2,058 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Another Hazard captain fail

    1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Zzzzzzz

    2. Bielsa's Blue Bucket
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      was he sent off?

      1. mdm
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Not yet

    3. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      hes looking good!

  2. Bielsa's Blue Bucket
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Siggy my man, what's cookin baby? Brace? Treble?

  3. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Higuain getting very involved since the goal. Fair play to him, great finisher. I was wrong a few pages back.

    1. CostaCoffee
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Never fair to judge a player off 10 mins

  4. BigBillyBass
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    This Huddersfield team is the worst team that have ever played in the premier league

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

      Er, Derby?

      1. BigBillyBass
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        No

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

        And us.

        And Villa.

    2. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Derby and Sunderland say hello

      1. BigBillyBass
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        No

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

      Nah Derby 2007 was by far worse

      1. BigBillyBass
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Bo

        1. BigBillyBass
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          No*

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

            Hudds have already matched their points total. Derby only got 11 points and one win.

            1. BigBillyBass
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 2 months ago

              That might be true but they were more easy on the eye. This Hudds team play the most ugliest football I’ve ever seen

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

                Describing a team that scored only 20 goals all season as "easy on the eye" is a very dubious statement.

                1. BigBillyBass
                  • 5 Years
                  5 years, 2 months ago

                  Huddersfield are rank

    4. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Derby County?

      1. BigBillyBass
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        No

    5. Vinyl78LP
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Swindon shipping 100 goals was rank too

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

      United 1st half of this season?

    7. Goat
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      I said that last season. Miracle they stayed up

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

      Portsmouth?

    9. Marvin Moon
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Derby?

      1. Marvin Moon
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Only joking. It's Everton of course.

    10. Werder Bremner
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      ....Derby though

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

      Glad Ipswich hasn't been mentioned yet.

    12. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      no. they've had a fair bit of bad luck.
      just don't have a goalscorer or 2.

      Even with PL money difficult to close the gap for the smaller sides.

      1. BigBillyBass
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        They are the absolute pits

  5. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    From the article: "Antonio Rüdiger (£6.0m) drops to the bench to allow Andreas Christensen (£5.0m) his first start since Gameweek 15."

    This is not true, Tony is not dropped he has some knee concerns.

    1. CostaCoffee
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      But he did drop to the bench?

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        but not dropped, injury scare rest. It's different in fpl terms

        1. FPL.team
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          It doesn't say he was dropped. It says he drops to the bench, those are different things.

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

    There's a hatfull here for Chelsea if they want it

    Huddersfield look like they're already back in the Championship.

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Auba next week looks too good to be true vs them... make up for his effective blank at the Emirates

  7. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Kepa with the skillz

  8. mrodgers91
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Thinking hazard and kun > son and auba for gw26 and 27 will review after that. Sounds like a good idea?

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Yes

    2. bialk
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      That's my plan too.

    3. MTPockets
        5 years, 2 months ago

        ditto

      • Andy Mac
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        My baked in plan too! If Haz doesn’t haul I should have gone Son this week as per my original plan....

      • mrodgers91
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Might just do it now then to protect against price changes if lots are thinking the same

    4. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Almost Alonsassist

    5. ★Kuntheman★
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      With City playing both Arsenal and Everton’s defense in this DGW, I think my triple up of Sterling-Aguero-Sane could be racking crazy points

      1. Bunk Moreland
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Hope so!

        My ML leader TCed Kun, whereas I captained Sterling. We don't own each others player (while both own Sane) so this could be big.

    6. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Welcome to the PL Higuain. Imagine only if we played extra player in the Kante role and Kante was playing the original DM Kante role?

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        true

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

        Maybe he wouldn't have opened his account by now.

    7. FER FUSCH AKE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Dluizard needs to get involved ffs!!!

    8. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Who assisted Neves?

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Doh

        1. FPL Daniel
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Thanks lads. Doho you beauty yeaaaaaahhh!!!

          Juuuhuuuu 😀

      2. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Doh

      3. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Doh

      4. Saka Punch
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Doh

      5. Niho992
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        That escalated quickly

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

        Doherty

      7. DantheManinaPan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        For a second there I thought everyone was just saying Doh as though you were stupid XD - I realise it was Doherty

      8. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        The big Dicky Dockers

      9. Bunk Moreland
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        D

      10. Sharkytect
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        D'oh

    9. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Everton look awful

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

        *are

      2. Marvin Moon
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        *have always been

      3. Garlana
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        *and will forever be

    10. The Enlightener
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      MBenza down and could be out. His owner must be mad.

      1. The Enlightener
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Yep. A one-pointer for that one lone soul somewhere out there.

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

      Palace PEN

    12. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      PEN Palace

    13. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      First in the world have Kante and i stucked with Trollzard

    14. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Rather have Luiz goal than Hazard.

    15. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      When do the other games KO?

    16. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      MILooooooooooooooooooo

    17. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      chris kamara destroying mitro owners

    18. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Any chance AWB took Palace pen?

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

        Only in my wildest dreams.

        1. JustPark
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          That's really wild though.

    19. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Milo goal

    20. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      AWB assist added?

    21. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Bloody palace jam

    22. Ruinenlust
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Hazard’s ball control is crazy

    23. Je suis le chat
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Just noticed no. 3 overall has Digne captain! Mistaken benchw#nkery!

      1. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Surely not! That would be hilarious if he got a -2 for his captaincy

      2. ★Kuntheman★
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Inb4 Digne 17 pt haul vs MCI

    24. Monkey Hanger
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      ings off.

      1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Ouch...

      2. Bunk Moreland
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        really?

      3. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        No way

      4. fedolefan
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Ugh, red card?

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

        Excuse me....

    25. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Has hazard trolled me yet? Ditched him hours ago.