Dugout Discussion

Fernandes and Vardy the Fantasy focus as Bailly returns at centre-back

Bruno Fernandes (£11.0m) and Jamie Vardy (£10.1m) are the key Fantasy Premier League assets as the Boxing Day football gets underway.

Unsurprisingly, the two talismanic figures both start as Leicester City and Manchester United go head-to-head at the King Power Stadium.

Fernandes, owned by 43.5% of managers has blanked in just one away Premier League match since joining the Red Devils, today facing a Leicester defence that features Timothy Castagne (£5.7m) and James Justin (£4.9m) either side of Jonny Evans (£5.5m) and Wesley Fofana (£5.0m).

Like Fernandes, Vardy is less effective at home than he is on the road, averaging 4.7 points per game at the King Power Stadium this season.

Against Manchester United, the forward is supported by an attacking midfield of Harvey Barnes (£6.7m), James Maddison (£7.1m) and Marc Albrighton (£5.3m).

He might fancy his chances against Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s defence today, considering Eric Bailly (£4.9m) is returning to the side.

Very few deny the Ivory Coast international has the pace and strength to thrive in such an environment but he has not appeared in a Premier League match since the 6-1 defeat to Spurs in early October.

Solskjaer has explained that Bailly is operating at centre-back today, not on the right, perhaps indicating either Victor Lindelöf (£4.8m) is occupying that position.

The alternative layout, could see the two of them joined in a back-three by Harry Maguire (£5.4m) with Daniel James (£6.2m) and Luke Shaw (£4.8m) fulfilling wing-back roles.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Castagne, Evans, Fofana, Justin; Ndidi, Tielemans; H Barnes, Maddison, Albrighton; Vardy.

Manchester United XI: De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Bailly, Lindelóf; Fred, McTominay; Rashford, B Fernandes, D James; Martial.

1,330 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    DDG has been an average PL keeper for the past 2 and a half seasons now.

    1. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Yup. Ever since that Xhaka goal.

      1. Zimo
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        That's a little over 1 and a half tho. Not 2 and a half.

        1. Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          No it's been 2.5 since that 17/18 godly season. He regressed in 18/19 which got Mourinho sacked. And then hasn't been any good since...

          1. Zimo
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            Yeah he regressed more than halfway through that season around March. So it's been a little over 1 and a half

          2. Zimo
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            De Gea wasn't the reason he got sacked. It was the defence and him moaning and bitching about everything which turned the squad against him.

            1. Camzy
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 5 months ago

              Meh, he was bad from the very start of the 18/19 season. I remember because I returned to fantasy that season and some people were still high on him and started with him at 6.0m.

              It's been 2.5 seasons.

              18/19 season
              19/20 season
              First half of 20/21.

              1. Zimo
                • 5 Years
                3 years, 5 months ago

                I dunno. Maybe. The first big mistake he made for me was the match in March against Arsenal. I didn't notice him visibly doing poorly before that. The defence was horrid though. That wasn't his fault.

    2. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Ever since that last minute transfer fail because of the broken fax machine he has been poor

    3. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      United should’ve sold DDG and had Henderson starting, with Romero backup. Just amazes me how far he has fallen

      1. tokara
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Hindsight is always great isnt it

        1. Pukki Blinders
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Not hindsight at all, was calling for him to be sold about 2 years ago

      2. Das Boot
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        especially when you see how much he is being paid and the money they were being offered for him. Incredible that they kept him.

  2. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Between Grealish, KDB and Bruno I'm glad to know what I can expect for the next few hours

    1. KEN YA DIG IT
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      You will be dissapointed

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        I don't own KdB so he'll produce at least.

  3. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Looks like Lindleof is actually playing RB, yikes.

  4. DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bruno bossing the baps

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Justin too

  5. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Suddenly Kane becoming a differential. Lovely

    1. Right In The Stanchion
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Got a feeling he’s hauling tomorrow

  6. Kodap
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Had a bet on Bruno to have 1 shot on target, surely that's the easiest money ever?

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Yeah

    2. tokara
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Bet more

    3. TyroneGAA
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Surely you have put 5k on that bet to make it even interesting?

    4. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      What were the odds?

      1. Kodap
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        2/1 haha! SkyBet Super boost...

    5. OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      May be they mean Only one shot?

    6. STEP rOVERS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Stuck 50 quid thinking the same haha

  7. Phlajo
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Grealish+Watkins to Martial+Bowen worth 2 FTs?

    Gonna FH in 18..

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Nope

  8. House Frey Wedding Planner
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    What is the likelihood of some of the postponed games getting rescheduled before dgw19?

    Could Villa v Newcastle take place in gw17 when the league Cup semi finals are played now that Newcastle are out of the cup? Also could Man U v Burnley take place in bgw18?

    Seems there won't be a lot of windows to fit rescheduled games if certain teams progress far in the cups or if COVID continues to wreak havoc with the schedule

    1. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      He'll have the answer somewhere...

      https://twitter.com/BenCrellin

    2. djman102
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Villa Newcastle won't be in GW 17 as it stands.

      Man I Burnley could be in GW 18, but I would think it has to be announced by the end of next week at the latest.

  9. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    All I need is a son and Kane blank and KdB haul

    1. Right In The Stanchion
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Cool story pal

      1. OverTinker
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Or atleast KDB matching their combined score

  10. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    bruno with a bad tackle

  11. Tonyawesome69
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    For anyone that is WC16, don't leave it until close to GW16 deadline to make transfers.

    Keep an eye on price changes on the players you want to bring in and the players you want sell.

    http://www.fplstatistics.co.uk/Home/

  12. Pukki Blinders
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bruno throwing away his bps

  13. Chalobah's Witness
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    easily a YC for Bruno, he's just this madman type of player, he even looks like Suarez.

  14. Right In The Stanchion
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Wondering how many cream cakes Shaw had this morning...

  15. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Rashford looks off the pace altogether

    1. TyroneGAA
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Timing

    2. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Timing!!!! Yessssss!!!!!!

  16. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Game started bright, gone dull now

  17. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    OMG Rashford

  18. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bruno A
    Rash G

  19. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bruno assist

  20. ZimZalabim
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    trashman 1 nil

  21. Salan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    If playing Cavani instead of Rashford, Bruno should have more point from this match.

    1. Salan
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Rashford should easily score HT or more if he is that good.

  22. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    I'm going to have a nap. Cba watching this snoozefest.

  23. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    What a player Bruno is

  24. G-Whizz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Rashford goal Fernandes assist...

  25. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    RASHHYYYYY

  26. Zimo
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Should have been his second goal 🙁 well at least he scored 🙂

  27. Right In The Stanchion
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bruno asssss

  28. Londongeezaa
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Imagine not owning Bruno

  29. Chalobah's Witness
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bruno assist

  30. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Lovely Bruno, a goal now please