Dugout Discussion
26 December 2019 1485 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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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. Ask Yourself
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Guaita save count 1

  2. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    El Ghazi off
    Jota on

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 3 months ago

      Ban. Sub delayed

  3. Never Captain Nicky Butt
    • 16 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Thought I was being clever playing Tomori this gw. Shipping him for Sidibe soon as final whistle blows

  4. Egg noodle
    • 16 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Siggy do something dumass

    1. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 3 months ago

      Dumbass*

  5. ZeBestee
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Pope is on it on the looks of it. Great save there.

    1. JustPark
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 3 months ago

      Pretty face I give him that.

  6. _Ninja_
    • 15 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Bourn goal v arsenal

  7. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Arsenal defence concedes...as per usual

  8. Differentiator
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    BOU GOAL

    1. how now brown cow
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 3 months ago

      Ramsdale?

  9. Egg noodle
    • 16 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Goalll

  10. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    #ArtetaOUT

  11. Woy_is_back
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Arsenal ha

  12. Mo Salah No Mane
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Wow Pope
    Looking on course for a juicy 11 pointer 😀

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 3 months ago

      They'll concede - he's my keeper.

      1. Egg noodle
        • 16 Years
        6 years, 3 months ago

        He won't. I benched him

      2. Mo Salah No Mane
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 3 months ago

        Let's keep on praying :/

  13. lordkippe
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Happy I went El Ghazi for christmas. two one pointers and need to take a hit to get rid

  14. BNMC
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    It should have been Rico...

  15. thunder_mike
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Sidibé is a very tempting pick.

    1. Pumpkinhead
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 3 months ago

      In a few weeks, fixture aren't ideal until mid Jan

  16. FPL_Sponge
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    BOURNEMOUTH GOAAAAAAAAL

    Gosling goal, Stacey assist

    1. how now brown cow
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 3 months ago

      Gosling and stacey xmas special

  17. Hansel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    A) TAA, Alli, Rashford
    B) Digne, Mané, Ings

    Have Salah so B would be for a double Liv attack

  18. L'Aeroplanino
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Goal gosling

  19. HurriKane
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    #ArtertaOut

  20. Ask Yourself
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Gosling G Stacey A

  21. Tshelby
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Richarlison playing any good?

  22. Jamb0
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Ryan Gosling

  23. Woy_is_back
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Claude "he has to go!"

  24. Differential C (Mark)
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Loving it Mikey lad, what a hit son! Future Ireland top scorer!

  25. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Arteta out

  26. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Arsenal Board really are clueless.

    Don't want to appoint a defensive manager to sort out their defence. Defence is just as much about organisation, workrate and teamwork than the quality of the players.

    1. Leaf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      6 years, 3 months ago

      He’s only had 35 mins !

  27. Differentiator
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Can we get some Pope save posts pls

  28. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 16 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Why couldn’t Chelsea have played like this v spurs?

    When half the world had Son captained?

    Of course Obafemi can score against them but Son , Alli & Aurier get a total of 1 point between them

  29. Maddi Son
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Watford GOAL

    It's christmas BABY

  30. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 3 months ago

    Rico place gone.

    1. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 3 months ago

      Why?