Dugout Discussion

Mount, Pulisic and Ings benched as Boxing Day rotation strikes

There are six Premier League matches kicking off simultaneously at 15:00 GMT this afternoon.

Aston Villa v Norwich City, Bournemouth v Arsenal, Chelsea v Southampton, Crystal Palace v West Ham United, Everton v Burnley and Sheffield United v Watford are the half-dozen fixtures in question, with two more games to follow later this evening.

The headline team news perhaps comes from Stamford Bridge, where there are benchings for Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Danny Ings.

Frank Lampard has seemingly stuck with a 3-4-3 for the visit of Southampton, with Fikayo Tomori again lining up at centre-half.

Marcos Alonso, the suspended Mateo Kovacic and Mount drop out of the team that defeated Spurs, with Jorginho, Emerson and Callum Hudson-Odoi promoted to the starting XI.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s alterations both come in attack, with Ings and the injured Shane Long replaced by Che Adams and Michael Obafemi.

Bjorn Engels, Frederic Guilbert, the injured John McGinn and Conor Hourihane make way for Aston Villa, with Ahmed El Mohamady, Ezri Konsa, Marvelous Nakamba and Trezeguet recalled.

Norwich City are unchanged.

At the Vitality Stadium, Jack Simpson, Callum Wilson and the fit-again Steve Cook replace the suspended Diego Rico, the injured Simon Francis and the benched Philip Billing.

Mikel Arteta makes three changes from the side that started the goalless draw at Everton.

Sokratis returns from suspension and replaces the banned Calum Chambers, while Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil oust Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe from the starting XI.

Mamadou Sakho returns from suspension for Crystal Palace, with Cheikhou Kouyate moving back into midfield and James McCarthy dropping to the bench.

Max Meyer replaces Christian Benteke in attack.

Neither Lukasz Fabianski nor David Martin have recovered from injuries, so the much-maligned Roberto starts between the posts for West Ham.

Pablo Zabaleta replaces the suspended Ryan Fredericks at right-back in the Hammers’ only other change.

Carlo Ancelotti makes two changes for his first match in charge.

Seamus Coleman and Bernard start, with Tom Davies and the injured Alex Iwobi dropping out.

Robbie Brady replaces the suspended Jeff Hendrick for Burnley, while Jay Rodriguez is in for the benched Ashley Barnes.

There is one change apiece for Sheffield United and Watford: John Fleck is back from suspension and replaces Luke Freeman for the hosts, while Nathaniel Chalobah is in for the banned Abdoulaye Doucoure for the Hornets.


Aston Villa XI: Heaton, El Mohamady, Hause, Konsa, Targett, Nakamba, Douglas Luiz, Grealish, El Ghazi, Wesley, Trezeguet.

Norwich City XI: Krul, Aarons, Zimmermann, Hanley, Byram, Tettey, Trybull, Buendía, McLean, Cantwell, Pukki.

Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale, S. Cook, Mepham, Simpson, Stacey, L. Cook, Lerma, Gosling, Fraser, C. Wilson, King.

Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, David Luiz, Sokratis, Saka, Xhaka, Torreira, Nelson, Özil, Aubameyang, Lacazette

Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Rüdiger, Zouma, Tomori, Azpilicueta, Kanté, Jorginho, Emerson, Willian, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham.

Southampton XI: McCarthy, Soares, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand, Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Højbjerg, Redmond, Adams, Obafemi.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Kelly, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Kouyaté, McArthur, Meyer, Ayew, Zaha.

West Ham XI: Roberto, Zabaleta, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Snodgrass, Noble, Rice, Fornals, Antonio, Haller.

Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Mina, Holgate, Digne, Sidibé, Sigurdsson, Delph, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison.

Burnley XI: Pope, Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Brady, Cork, Westwood, McNeil, Rodriguez, Wood.

Sheffield Utd XI: Henderson, Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Stevens, McBurnie, McGoldrick.

Watford XI: Foster, Mariappa, Kabasele, Cathcart, Femenía, Capoue, Chalobah, Hughes, Sarr, Deeney, Deulofeu.

1,485 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pope cleanie wiped.

    YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!

    1. Woy_is_back
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      this

  2. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Sidibe wagon leaving the station.
    All aboard

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      All over that

    2. MITHRRANDIRR
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      At 0.4 price differential against Digne, I'm taking Digne.

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

    Sidibe IN

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Look to bring him in.

      1. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Done.

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

    Poope CS gone

  5. Dele
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Lundstram > Sidibé

  6. Railwayman
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Sidibe looks like a real deal, 4th assist already for him...

  7. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pepe has 7 minutes to score the winner...

  8. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Holgate assist?

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

      Sidibe

  9. Mo Salah No Mane
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    F*** you DCL
    That's Sidibe in on my wildcard.

  10. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Be lucky to get 22 points

    1. BNMC
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I'm on 21 now w/o bonuses...

  11. Champions united
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Tammy captain fail

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Many of us

  12. sirmorbach
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    When is it a good time for us to post our WC teams for opinions here? Time is short you know. Tomorrow morning, you reckon?

    1. Clintymints
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Hopefully never 😆

  13. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Played mccarthy over pope :cool;

  14. Pedram
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    I'm on 11pts, anyone doing worse?

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      8 from 4 😆

    2. Jack Burton
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Main rival in ml 9 minus 8

  15. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pedro inc.

    Tammy 90 it seems and a dropping for Arsenal game.

    1. Halftime
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Giroud back for Arsenal maybe

  16. Railwayman
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Nice to see Pope from 10 to 3 with that goal.

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

    these gmes have been so trash, what a disappointing day

  18. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Took a wonder to beat Pope. Should be England no.1

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

      Useless with his feet. Would be eaten alive by any half decent pressing country

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      No chance. Pickford and then Henderson. Seen Pope spill too many and show weak hands (a bit like Kepa) on shots. He'll let England down.

  19. thepuntmaster
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Get in DCL! Finally some points

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

    Is it just me or is Callum Wilson carrying a bit of timber?

  21. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    I brought in Digne over Sidibe damn that would have been my -4 paid off immediately! Thought he was a poor mans Digne. Sometimes having extra cash in the bank burns you. I couldn’t have known that he would be playing in midfield though.

  22. Hands Guber
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Yet again the Heaton/Pope debate I have all the time before a gameweek backfires completely. This week is such a massive lol.

  23. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Sidibe bandwagon?

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I’m getting on it so I can catch you x

  24. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Sidibe in now or wait till after City?

    1. Railwayman
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I will wait for after City. Just to be sure about Ancelotti's first 11.

    2. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Just get him now and bench. Or just play him. City aren't better defensively either.

    3. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Why wait?

  25. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    willy off

  26. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Maupay, Ings & Batshuayi the 3 to own next GW!

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Yep. Plus Rico, Mount and Dunk.

  27. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Greenwood first on bench while I played Ings. Great!

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

    Lewis Cook shocking challenge lucky lucky boy not to get red

    Can’t scissor through poeple like that

  29. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    No CS for me this week then as no chance Pool keep one

  30. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Burnley cleanie gone yessss. Moved 3k up