Dugout Discussion
20 October 2019 1461 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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The only Premier League match to take place this Sunday is a big one, with league leaders Liverpool hoping to maintain their unbeaten start to the season against old foes Manchester United.

Kick-off at Old Trafford is at 16:30 BST.

The headline team news sees Mohamed Salah (£12.4m) miss out through injury, with Jurgen Klopp telling Sky Sports ahead of the match:

Mo was not ready, that’s how it is. He couldn’t train with the team; I don’t know where it came from that everybody said he will play. There was pretty much no chance for today, maybe for Wednesday [in the Champions League], we have to see.

With Salah missing out, Sadio Mane (£11.8m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.6m) are joined in a front three by Divock Origi (£5.3m).

Alisson (£5.8m) and Joel Matip (£5.5m) have been passed fit to play, however, and rejoin the visitors’ backline in place of Adrian (£4.6m) and Dejan Lovren (£5.3m).

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m), Andrew Robertson (£6.9m) and Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) maintain their ever-present records in the top flight this season.

Despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having said he was unlikely to play, David de Gea (£5.5m) has recovered from the groin injury that he sustained on international duty and takes his place between the posts for the Red Devils.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.4m) has also recovered from tonsillitis, joining what may well be a back five for the hosts given that Ashley Young (£5.4m), Marcos Rojo (£4.8m), Harry Maguire (£5.4m) and Victor Lindelof (£5.4m) all start.

Luke Shaw (£5.4m) has failed to recover, however, while Paul Pogba (£8.4m) misses out as expected.

Anthony Martial (£7.5m) is fit enough to be among the substitutes and joins Mason Greenwood (£4.4m) on the bench.

With Martial not in the starting XI, Marcus Rashford (£8.4m) looks set to lead the line again.

The corresponding fixture to this game ended 0-0 in 2018/19.

This re-match indeed sees a meeting between the two sides with the best expected goals conceded (xGC) tallies in the top flight, although that tightness in defence hasn’t translated into too many clean sheets: United and Liverpool have just two each so far this season.

At the other end of the pitch, the Red Devils have the third-worst xG from open play among Premier League clubs.

Mane was the most-bought player of Gameweek 9, with Salah the most-sold.

Wan-Bissaka and de Gea were also shipped out by almost 400,000 Fantasy managers combined.

Salah was the fifth-most-captained player of Gameweek 9, although it’s probably fair to assume that a decent chunk of the 634,160 FPL bosses who handed him the armband may have given up the ghost already.

Manchester United XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelöf, Rojo, Young, McTominay, Fred, Pereira, James, Rashford.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Mané, Firmino, Origi.

1,461 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Brosstan
    7 years, 11 days ago

    TAA and Mane have a good understanding it seems.

    1. FPL Daniel
      7 years, 11 days ago

      How did you notice that ?

      1. Brosstan
        7 years, 11 days ago

        Some good chances created by TAA for Mane already.

  2. My heart goes Salalalalah
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Was James unconscious there again?

    1. Rainer
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Again? He faked it midweek too.

      1. My heart goes Salalalalah
        7 years, 11 days ago

        That's what I'm playing at

    2. Piggs Boson
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Just winded I think. Ran into the brick wall that is VVD.

  3. Rainer
    7 years, 11 days ago

    “Streetwise” British player compared to the cheating foreigners.

    1. George Sillett
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Who said that then ?

  4. George Sillett
    7 years, 11 days ago

    If Liverpool want to launch a sustained challenge for the title then Henderson has to go. Been the worst Pool player this season by a distance.

    1. Dannyb
      7 years, 11 days ago

      I'm not a Pool fan but it does seem like he's won some sort of competition to play football for them.

    2. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 years, 11 days ago

      and he shouldn't be in the England team either.

      1. George Sillett
        7 years, 11 days ago

        Very true.

    3. Marvin.
      7 years, 11 days ago

      People have been saying this for years yet managers keep picking him. Perhaps you think you know more than they do?

      1. George Sillett
        7 years, 11 days ago

        Not saying I do but it is somewhat mystifying .

        1. Marvin.
          7 years, 11 days ago

          He's a very good player.

      2. Brosstan
        7 years, 11 days ago

        Very problematic to imply that one person's opinion is more important than then masses'

  5. Differentiator
    7 years, 11 days ago

    LFC fans easy to detect today

    1. George Sillett
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Name them then .

    2. George Sillett
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Still waiting.

    3. Locolo
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Easy to detect Liverpool's haters as well.

  6. dark91
    7 years, 11 days ago

    As much as I like Klopp but he is such a cry baby

    1. jtreble
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Appalling refereeing has that affect on some . :).

      1. dark91
        7 years, 11 days ago

        What is "appalling" in a handball inside the box or pausing play for a player laying on the ground injured?!!

        1. jtreble
          7 years, 11 days ago

          I’m talking about the goal mate. :).

          1. dark91
            7 years, 11 days ago

            Ah ok. I wasn't talking about the goal though. Wouldn't criticise Klopp for arguing when he concedes a goal especially with a potential foul in the build-up. But I am rather talking about other 'obvious' cases

  7. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    7 years, 11 days ago

    I can see Spurs beating Liverpool next week if they turn up like this.

    Might be only 2 points between them and City by the time the Merseyside derby comes around.

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      7 years, 11 days ago

      No way

    2. Rainer
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Fear of Old Trafford.

    3. Eleven Hag
      7 years, 11 days ago

      They gonna put 4 or 5 against spurs like Bayern did

  8. Ribus
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Any news why Yarmo didnt start yesterday?

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Rested after international

    2. FPL Daniel
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Rested because of the internationals.. I think he should start next 2. Check ex wham employee on Twitter. He guessed his benching right

    3. Ribus
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Thanks guys

  9. FPL Daniel
    7 years, 11 days ago

    If TM really gets TAA next week I fully expect CS for liverpool. His timing in selling him was impeccable

    1. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 years, 11 days ago

      You two should date!

      1. FPL Daniel
        7 years, 11 days ago

        Different time zones and continents otherwise I would love to get a pint with him. Such a great lad 😉

        1. Eat my goal!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          7 years, 11 days ago

          Lol

  10. sunzip14
    7 years, 11 days ago

    I might stay away from taking a hit by selling Son+Kane looking at this Liv performance. Who to sell first?

    1. Bartowski
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Spurs still look terrible though.

    2. Sailboats
      7 years, 11 days ago

      I would sell both for a hit tbh.

  11. Bartowski
    7 years, 11 days ago

    City playing Pool in a couple of weeks - might actually have a title race after all.

    1. FPL Daniel
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Of course. It was too early to call it finished

    2. TheDragon
      7 years, 11 days ago

      You know the drill - Liverpool will find a way to not win the league they always do

      1. FPL Daniel
        7 years, 11 days ago

        They are doing it for 30 years now . Successfully

  12. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    7 years, 11 days ago

    It was always gonna an interesting test for Liverpool to see how they would cope with injuries to key players. A test it seems they are not passing missing Salah.

    1. Karhumies
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Reversing that: if Liverpool and Norwich were equally good at coping with injuries to key players, then
      in a hypothetical situation without any injuries to either team, Norwich should be top of the table, miles ahead of uninjured Liverpool.

  13. Piggs Boson
    7 years, 11 days ago

    It's so good to see Spider-Wan back. He's been missed.

    1. Dannyb
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Obi

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Would have been useful when in my team.

  14. Differentiator
    7 years, 11 days ago

    ETA until Mane dive to try and win a pen?

    *Mane owner

    1. FPL Daniel
      7 years, 11 days ago

      After the spurs game

    2. Dannyb
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Its coming

  15. Cak Juris
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Pukki to Rashford, no brainer?

    1. Dannyb
      7 years, 11 days ago

      *brains

      1. Pedram
        7 years, 11 days ago

        Vardy is a better choice for mid price forward imo

    2. Sailboats
      7 years, 11 days ago

      No way

    3. Epic Fail
      7 years, 11 days ago

      He won't play Liverpool every week.

  16. TheDragon
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Ox incoming

  17. Rainer
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Again 😆

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      7 years, 11 days ago

      In the wars.

  18. Eat my goal!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Clothes line

  19. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
    7 years, 11 days ago

    1 pointer for someone coming. Ox coming

  20. Differentiator
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Hopefully James makes 60

    1. potatoace
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 years, 11 days ago

      he's not going to make his next birthday at this rate

  21. Gerd Mueller’s thighs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Fred has the touch of an American, not a Brazilian

  22. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Matip kicks it off after United don't bother. Mad.

  23. Bob_the_builder
    7 years, 11 days ago

    As long as the primary role of VAR is to make refs look good instead of getting the call right, there would be debate because you would have different verdicts of similar situations on the basis of the ref's initial call.

  24. Bartowski
    7 years, 11 days ago

    James girlfriend must be one lucky lady.

    1. George Sillett
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Maybe he has bigger qualities. ,

    2. Party time
      7 years, 11 days ago

      All it takes is a phonecall from Icardi

  25. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Which 3 United players are you tripling up on?

    1. Karhumies
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Williams, Chong and Greenwood

  26. Poseidon.
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Matip no even getting a yellow

  27. Fudgy
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Vile this treatment of James

  28. TheDragon
    7 years, 11 days ago

    Origi outscore Salah (just)

  29. Piggs Boson
    7 years, 11 days ago

    James is taking quite a beating out there.

    1. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      7 years, 11 days ago

      Pummeled by Matip.

  30. Marvin.
    7 years, 11 days ago

    That's some expert level head injury feigning.

    1. jia you
      7 years, 11 days ago

      are you even watching the game lol