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

    Definitely getting rashy for the dgw

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

    Barnes G
    Maddy A

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

    Barnes goal Bruno assist. Just get rid of it!

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      This

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

    Barnes 1-1

  5. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Ffs

  6. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Barnes G

  7. Cilly Bonnolly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Great finish Barnes.

  8. Over Midwicket
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Lol Fernandes at fault for the goal. Awful play

  9. Twisted Saltergater
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Harrrrrrrvey

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

    Barnes goal, you love to see it

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

    Nowhere to hide for Lindelof owners

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

      saw a bunch of posts trying to make a case to get him in this past week

      never a good idea united cant keep cs at the moment

  12. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Barnes. Who has him?

  13. Schwarzer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Is the second wildcard available now?

    1. Over Midwicket
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      No

  14. Over Midwicket
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Maddison getting harder to ignore

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Sshhhh Grealish > Maddison is my plan for next week

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

    Barnes why do u suddenly know how to shoot against united. Be ur horrible self please

  16. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Agent Maguire.

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

    Anyone got United defence??

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

      Lol no

  18. Twisted Saltergater
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Luke Shaw owners in tears

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

    Horrendous from Bruno

  20. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    DDG poor there. Should be saving that.

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Been a while now

    2. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Cmon , had no chance

      1. Forever In Our Shadow
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        His feet were too static. Not agile atm. For me its confidence and his is lacking.

      2. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 5 months ago

          What? It wasn't even in the corner, he had no chance because of his bad positioning and movement

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

        Seriously?! DDG had no chance

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

        Too much pace on it and Bailly blocking his view.

      5. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Roy Keane, is that you?

    3. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      That’s Bruno’s fault.

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

      What a goal that was, Bruno punished for his sloppiness

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

        Im gonna enjoy city losing to a jammy wilson penalty 😛

    5. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      5 points in the bag for Brostan

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

        8 😉

        1. badgerboy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Patience is the hallmark of FPL sustainability 😉

    6. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Bruno masterminding 3 baps

      1. badgerboy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        After the winning goal bonus. He's playing chess while all the others are playing chequers.

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Maguire is playing draughts

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

            😆

    7. @persecuted_by_mods
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Bruno sloppy but no real options, mctominay Bailly not closing the shot and then de gea not getting it even though it wasn't in the corner

        Terrible

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

        DDG is garbage get him out of the club. Not to mention Phil Jones 2.0 Slabhead... falling over and losing balance like a fat donkey

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

          Bruno gave the ball away trying to do the cheeky nutmeg. Can’t always use DDG and Maguire as the scapegoats.

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

            Bruno stuffed up but he makes up for it with his quality. Don’t see Maguire or DDG making up for any of their mistakes

            1. @persecuted_by_mods
                3 years, 5 months ago

                This

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

                I was just referring to the Leicester goal

          2. Over Midwicket
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            Bit harsh

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

          Trashvey isn't a very good player but he's essential for Leicester. When he doesn't play they are so one dimensional and slow, he adds another kind of threat

          1. M♤rvin
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            Who?

          2. Hazz
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            There's a great player in Barnes. Just needs to get more clinical.

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

              There's a great player in almost everyone then

          3. Twisted Saltergater
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            Assist threat? 😉

          4. BobbyDoesNotLook
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            Powerful shot, but finds a target only on banking holidays.

        3. asdf_1
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Bruno is so good he started assisting leicester

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

          Why do I keep seeing people recommend United defense?

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

            Who doing that?

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

            Because lindelol is so cheap and has a dgw

        5. Ozzy smith
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Maguire can share the responsibility with Bruno for that one. Awful.

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

            Don’t think so. He slipped but still managed to get the pass to Bruno.

            1. Ozzy smith
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 5 months ago

              Pass? A scuffed clearance that just ended up with Bruno who had no options in that position, and loses the ball. Back 4 don’t move up when Maguire clears the ball, don’t bother closing him down, loads of space for Barnes to get a shot away. Poor from DDG. Loads of blame to go around for that goal.