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

    palace 2-1

  2. E25
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Thoughts on WC? Plan is to use Sterling as a placeholder until GW25 then go Salah+Mane.

    Ryan
    Otamendi Lundstram Soyuncu
    Salah KDB Sterling Alli Maddison
    Vardy Maupay
    Button / Rico Kelly Greenwood

    0.6ITB

    1. E25
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Ota could be Sidibe 😉

  3. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Ayew goal 2-1

  4. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Ayew winner

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

    Bottomed again, wow this is fast.
    Sidibe in now or after City?

    1. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      after,

    2. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      After

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

    West Ham are the worst team in the world. Can I support someone else?

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

      Acrington is worst. They play worse than some 80 yr graniies on a pitch

    2. Fpl Richie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I moved up to Norwich and have been tempted to force myself to switch. Lower expectations etc. Equally crud I guess.

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

      No. This is not America.

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

    Holgate to Sidibe for free?

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

    Guita assist?

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

    Tammy has had a shocker today, can't lie. Won't put the effort in for any ball.

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

      No service whatsoever.

  10. Igz08
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    So peeved I went Digne over Sidibe! Any chance the latter is now rested?

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

    Ayew with an fantastic individual G

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

    Haven’t seen it but that looked like a Guaita assist to me.

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

      Wickham

  13. Lecky Legs FC
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Get in Jordan lad!

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

    Rashford to Ayew if he blanks again

  15. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Ayew special goal

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

    Woww goal of the season by Ayew

  17. lordkippe
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Targett 1st bench! Get in

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

    Zaha amongst the celebrations. An assist somewhere.

  19. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Take a bow son!

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

    Mount range!

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

    Sounds like a Guita A

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

      Wickham

  22. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Norwich are trash

  23. SEXY SON
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Looks like a low scoring week

  24. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Palace squeeze out another 3 pts. You love to see it

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

    Wesley, Douglas yellows for wasting time

    Villa ball boys wasting time. Villa are playing like peak Mourinho bus

  26. The 12th Man
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Sidibie can banked

    1. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Cs

  27. Wilshere Knowledge
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Blank
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    *sells Ayew*

    Goal and assist.

    I have god damn superpowers.

  28. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Ayew - watching that goal again. Wow.

  29. Fpl Richie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Livid with myself for getting pogba. Though equally annoyed with ole the little gimp!

    1. One Wheels Enough
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      you've answered your own question

  30. SEXY SON
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Was gonna sell Heaton but maybe not now, on for a haul!