Dugout Discussion
24 February 2019 1626 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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A shortened Blank Gameweek 27 culminates this afternoon, with two Premier League matches kicking off simultaneously at 14:05 GMT.

Manchester United take on Liverpool in an intriguing clash at Old Trafford, while Arsenal welcome Southampton to the Emirates.

There were some notable omissions from the four starting XIs upon the release of the teamsheets.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – the second-most-popular captaincy pick of Gameweek 27 – and Mesut Ozil are among the substitutes at the Emirates as Alexandre Lacazette leads the line for the Gunners, who appear to be playing in the same 4-2-3-1 shape they adopted against BATE on Thursday.

Sead Kolasinac returns at left-back after being handed a breather in the Europa League, while Sokratis is fit to start at centre-back.

Angus Gunn gets the nod ahead of Alex McCarthy for the Saints, while Stuart Armstrong will provide support for the “out of position” Nathan Redmond in attack.

Matt Targett is handed a swift recall at left-back as Ryan Bertrand drops to the bench.

Anthony Martial has failed to recover for Manchester United, though Jesse Lingard is fit enough for a place on the home bench at Old Trafford.

Romelu Lukaku and Juan Mata again join Marcus Rashford in a three-man attack, though United have lost Nemanja Matic to a training ground injury – Scott McTominay steps into midfield alongside Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera.

United’s back four is the same one that kept a clean sheet at Stamford Bridge last Monday.

Jurgen Klopp has sprung a surprise at right-back, meanwhile, opting for James Milner over Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool’s starting XI is otherwise perhaps as expected, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino again forming the front three and Jordan Henderson joining Fabinho and Georginio Wijnaldum in central midfield.

Salah, who has only one goal in seven matches against the “big six” this season, is again the leading captaincy candidate for Gameweek 27, having been handed the armband by over 1.3 million FPL managers.

Manchester United XI (4-3-3): De Gea, Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, McTominay, Herrera, Pogba, Mata, Lukaku, Rashford.

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson, Milner, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Fabinho, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Leno, Lichsteiner, Sokratis, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Torreira, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Iwobi, Lacazette.

Southampton XI (3-5-1-1): Gunn, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Stephens, Valery, Hojberg, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Targett, Armstrong, Redmond.

  1. EMBOLOFAN
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    sturridge coming on for firmino

    1. DandyDon
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Lucky sale by me there to laca(c)!

  2. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Loving the angst this game week ... you have to take the rough with the smooth 🙂

    1. LǝgleSs e|even
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Guiness..

    2. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Not if the rough is 4 weeks in a row

    3. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      What if no smooth?

  3. teknicolourfox
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Who cares about its Vs pool!!!

    No Auba surely means he has to go
    to Aguero now!

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Do it right now!

  4. Wolfman180
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Everyones getting injured and he's puting Sturridge on? Talk about tempting fate here

  5. La Roja
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Sturridge coming on to get injured

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Dial Up?

  6. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Sturridge coming on for 5-10mins cameo....

    1. La Roja
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Dial up?

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

    awful game tbh

    both FPL and to watch

  8. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Sturridge coming on not good for Salah.

  9. EMBOLOFAN
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    firmino hair v nice, a shame

  10. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    All these injuries and still Trent isn't subbed on before 30 mins 😉

    🙁

    1. EMBOLOFAN
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      milner not really justifying selection either

  11. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Pitch was sprinkled with garlic on Friday 😯

    1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Vampirists

  12. CloudSky
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Rash to Sturridge?

  13. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    How long will Sturridge last before pulling up injured too?

  14. SirStevieG
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Firmino off, Rashford half Injured, Pogba now playing DM

    Please end this fkn gameweek now

    1. OPTA FPL
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      why? everyone has Rash + Pog

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

      it really is awful

      lucky to break 30 pts for me

  15. Garlana
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Week getting worse and worse... firmino off 🙁

  16. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Pep cursed both Utd and Liverpool

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

      Karma for Pogba wishing injures on City players?

  17. Merlin the Wraith
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Holey-moley this game at OT gonna become a red flag fest, fear for Utd midfield with the enforced subs... passing on my Soton defender having to come on for AWB hammy, hopefully gives Auba a rest given the way that game going, longer he gathers splinters the better

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

    Is anyone not injured?

    1. fedolefan
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Auba

    2. LǝgleSs e|even
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      DDG and Alisson

    3. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Auba 🙂

    4. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Lukaku.....cause he isn’t playing....

    5. Hughes Your Daddy
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Its ok, Milner is still on the pitch so plenty of time for some more to come 😉

    6. EMBOLOFAN
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      sturridge isnt yet

    7. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      My too forwards off before halftime Firmino and Rashford. 🙁

      1. fedolefan
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 2 months ago

        Rashford is still on.

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

        Dirty, messy GW, Ogie!

  19. Moderately content penguin
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    What is the lowest average score? I suppose it must be a. 4/5 game BGW but....

  20. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    I guess the coaches will both use up their subs today~! And this is just the first half ~!

  21. Dreaming of glory
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Very tight but on second viewing i think laca got a touch here, be interesting to see if he gets assist. Think pass was for miki so might go to iwobi regardless

    https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1099679007258361856?s=19

    1. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      I also watched it twice, and on second viewing, he looked 2 feet away from the ball.

      1. Dreaming of glory
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 2 months ago

        Ha! Ff given it to iwobi for now which i think is fair as a laca (c).....yup i just said it

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

    Is Auba more or less likely to come on the way things are going??

    1. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Nope

  23. The Tinkerman
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    I'd take 30 pts this week.

    But that requires an auba cameo and none of my 4 players in this game getting booked or conceding 2+ goals 🙁

  24. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Rashford back on the wing

    Urgh

  25. Mince n Tatties
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Aubameyang (C) brought in this week instead of Lacazette
    Firmino (1 Pt) now taken off..
    Salah (VC) so 2nd Half Hattie incoming with Auba making a 1 minute cameo
    Place your Bets

    1. Powers106
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      I am in similar position, hopefully Auba full day off...

  26. Deulofail
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Liverool players could do with tucking their shirts in or wearing a belt. Firmino, in this kit, looks like he's wearing a nighty or sexy little chemise. On second thought, I like it.

  27. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Apart from injuries, anything of note happening in the United Liverpool game?

    1. The Tinkerman
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Nope. Pogba is back in CDM.

      1. The Tinkerman
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 2 months ago

        Oh and Rashford has been moved out wide.

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

      Indirect FK was something.

    3. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Dull game so far

    4. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Virg has that look in his eye, will score soon I feel.

    5. Mysterion
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Bednarek has more BAPS than everyone in the United Pool game.

  28. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    This gw is a massive differential for some...wow!

    1. MTPockets
        7 years, 2 months ago

        There must be some epic free-hit fails

        1. The Tinkerman
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 2 months ago

          Hopefully.

    2. Moderately content penguin
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      How many teams have Fab on 3 as the highest scorer before captaincy?

    3. pablo discobar
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Son to the Newcastle fella, rash to aguero?