Dugout Discussion

Abraham fit to start as Martial misses out for United

There are six Premier League matches taking place this evening, with all bar the Merseyside derby kicking off at 19:30 GMT.

Liverpool v Everton gets underway at 20:15 GMT, meanwhile.

Perhaps the headline team news comes from Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea take on Aston Villa.

Frank Lampard is able to call upon Tammy Abraham (£7.9m) as the England striker makes a swift return from the hip injury that forced his absence in Gameweek 14.

Mason Mount (£6.6m), Christian Pulisic (£7.5m) and the recalled Willian (£7.1m) make up the attacking trident behind Abraham but there is no place in the starting XI for Fikayo Tomori (£4.9m), who is replaced by Andreas Christensen (£4.9m).

Jorginho, Emerson (£5.5m), Olivier Giroud (£6.6m) and Pedro (£6.8m) also drop out of the team, as N’Golo Kante (£5.0m) and Cesar Azplicueta (£5.9m) return.

Dean Smith has made three changes, two of which are enforced.

Douglas Luiz (£4.5m), the suspended Frederic Guilbert (£4.4m) and the injured Anwar El Ghazi (£5.5m) make way, with Marvelous Nakamba (£4.4m), Ahmed El Mohamady (£4.2m) and Trezeguet (£5.2m) taking their places.

The swirling media reports that suggested that Anthony Martial (£7.7m) would miss out have proven to be accurate, with the Frenchman not in Manchester United’s squad.

Speaking to MUTV before the game, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said:

Anthony got a slight injury on Sunday so he’ll be out for a little while.

Brandon Williams (£4.1m), Juan Mata (£6.2m) and Andreas Pereira (£5.0m) all drop to the bench, meanwhile, as Jesse Lingard (£6.3m), Ashley Young (£5.4m), Mason Greenwood (£4.3m) and Scott McTominay (£5.1m) come into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s starting XI.

Jose Mourinho is back at Old Trafford after a 12-month absence and has made two changes to his Spurs team, with Harry Winks (£5.3m) and Lucas Moura (£7.0m) replacing Tanguy Ndombele (£5.8m) and Eric Dier (£4.9m).

There were shocks at Anfield, too, with Jurgen Klopp making five changes: two of which see Mohamed Salah (£12.2m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.4m) drop to the bench.

Xherdan Shaqiri (£6.3m) and Divock Origi (£5.2m) come in, while Adrian (£4.2m) replaces the suspended Alisson (£6.0m).

Everton are unchanged.

Brendan Rodgers has made only one change to his Leicester City XI, with Christian Fuchs (£4.3m) replacing the absent Ben Chilwell (£5.9m).

Chilwell reportedly has a minor groin injury.

Hayden Mullins, in temporary charge of Watford, also makes a sole alteration, with Troy Deeney (£6.2m) in for the injured Jose Holebas (£4.7m).

That would seem to indicate a change of shape, with the 3-5-2 abandoned for a back four.

Continuing that trend, Nuno Espirito Santo has only made one tweak to his Wolves starting XI: Romain Saiss (£4.4m), who was banned for the 1-1 draw against Sheffield United, ousts Max Kilman (£4.0m) at centre-half.

West Ham’s only change sees Sebastien Haller (£7.1m) come in for Michail Antonio (£6.9m), who failed a late fitness test.

There is just one alteration at St. Mary’s, meanwhile: Norwich City are unchanged, while Shane Long (£4.6m) starts in Michael Obafemi‘s (£4.9m) stead for the hosts.


Chelsea XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Christensen, James; Kante, Kovacic; Pulisic, Mount, Willian; Abraham.

Aston Villa XI: Heaton; Targett, Mings, Konsa, Elmohamady; Hourihane, Nakamba, McGinn; Grealish, Wesley, Trezeguet.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Fuchs, Soyuncu, Evans, Ricardo; Ndidi; Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Perez; Vardy.

Watford XI: Foster; Masina, Mariappa, Cathcart, Femenia; Capoue, Doucoure; Hughes, Deulofeu, Sarr; Deeney.

Liverpool XI: Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Milner, Lallana; Shaqiri, Mane, Origi.

Everton XI: Pickford; Digne, Keane, Mina, Holgate, Sidibe; Sigurdsson, Davies; Richarlison, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin.

Manchester United XI: De Gea; Young, Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; Fred, McTominay; Rashford, Lingard, James; Greenwood.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Gazzaniga; Vertonghen, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Aurier; Winks, Sissoko; Son, Dele Alli, Lucas Moura; Kane.

Southampton XI: McCarthy; Bertrand, Bednarek, Stephens, Cedric; Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Djenepo; Ings, Long.

Norwich XI: Krul; Byram, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Aarons; Trybull, Amadou; Hernandez, McClean, Cantwell; Pukki.

Wolves XI: Patricio; Saiss, Coady, Dendoncker; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Doherty; Jota, Jimenez, Traore.

West Ham XI: Martin; Cresswell, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Fredericks; Rice, Noble; F. Anderson; Fornals, Snodgrass; Haller.

3,820 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Ady87
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Wow this is going horribly

    1. Ady87
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I can smell a -8

  2. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Someone moaning earlier that they had bench wrong and Donkey was coming in

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      i know lol, he must b happy

    2. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      that was me lol. If Tomori stays on the bench that is..

  3. Vlad Tepes
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Rico in for Martial and Dendocker in for Tomori or Firmino please xD

    1. Maddi Son
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Wish I knew how it felt to get luck like this. What do bench points even feel like?

      1. Vlad Tepes
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Ye hope Tomori stay one the bench, Firmino will get a cameo

  4. Drogo
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Traded out Rashford and Abraham for Vardy and Mousset this GW. +Dendoncker last on bench, love this game.

  5. Lilac Breasted Roller
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Glad I put Abraham one for Mount right before deadline. Quite a couple of ML opponents lost some value shipping him out

  6. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Nearly goal of the season. Mourinho regretting already.

  7. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Loving the Amazon live goal centre 😎

  8. tisza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Rashford sizzling tonight

  9. tm245
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Amazon dial up goal shouts are chaos.

  10. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Of course ings and tammy score

  11. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Rashford is the best player in the world right now.

    WOW!

  12. AC Yew
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    All of my benched players scored a goal lol!

  13. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Dendonker 3rd on the bench 🙂 Rico first.

  14. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Can't catch a break as a Rashford owner. So close to mega hauls but never succeeds 🙁

    1. Maddi Son
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      30 minute games tonight?

  15. DMil
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    F to pay respects to your OR

    1. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Fs in the chat boys.

  16. Vlad Tepes
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    United looking good, especially Rashford

  17. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Horrid owning Rashford, misses so many easy chances 🙁

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      ez chances?

    2. InSaneMan-e
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Easy chances? Hes taken long range efforts. Good efforts with decent saves, but no easy chances

  18. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Looks like Rashy is still fired up about that time Mourinho complained he had no strikers. Master of motivating players!

  19. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Ings and Tammy owners o/

  20. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    United are one it.

  21. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Wans crossing is dire

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Woeful football, good tackler.

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        he is trying, its just not him

  22. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Rashford clearly wants one up against Mou.

  23. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Abraham looked almost suicidal after scoring. It annoys the hell out of me when players don't celebrate scoring against former clubs.

  24. Sid1891
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    My bench 12pts so fat
    9 playing 10 points
    Surely this will change?

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Same on pitch 14 bench 🙁

  25. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Gazza save point

    United all over Spurs

  26. The Mandalorian
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Rashford playing with sublime confidence in front of goal

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Ots because Jose bought Lukaku

  27. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Spurs getting a 1-0 drubbing

  28. tisza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Gazza going to rack up some save points

  29. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    255k to 317k so far... Lovely reds...

  30. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    How is Son playing?

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Spurs are awful so far

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Barely had a kick. All United.

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

      Is he on the pitch? 😀

    4. Barbarians
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Commentator has mentioned him on 10th min somewhere...