Dugout Discussion

Grealish in Aston Villa matchday squad as Guaita benched for Crystal Palace

As Dean Smith alluded to in his post-Everton press conference, Jack Grealish (£7.5m) is on the Aston Villa bench for the second consecutive gameweek.

Having pushed the boat out by bringing the England international after 72 minutes on Thursday, Smith may look for a longer stretch from Grealish at Selhurst Park.

Tyrone Mings (£5.4m) is unexpectedly absent from the Aston Villa squad, having picked up a knock as Smith’s men drew 0-0 with Everton during Triple Gameweek 35.

“Him and Emi [Martinez] collided knees but he’s a tough old cookie and should be OK.” – Dean Smith

Matt Cash (£5.0m) is a more predictable absentee, with Ahmed Elmohamady (£4.2m) drafted in at right-back.

Ollie Watkins (£6.5m) makes an immediate return to the Villa XI after a one-match ban, with budget forward Keinan Davis (£4.2m) dropping to the bench. Ross Barkley (£5.8m) is also replaced in Smith’s starting line-up by Jacob Ramsey (£4.5m).

The big Crystal Palace team news is that Vicente Guaita (£4.8m) finds himself on the bench as Jack Butland (£4.5m) earns his first Premier League minutes of the season.

Unexpected line-up changes, such as this decision from Roy Hodgson, could become commonplace for the final two gameweeks of the season as teams find themselves safe from relegation or with greater priorities in the close season.

Tyrick Mitchell (£3.8m) makes a fourth successive start at left-back for Palace, with Patrick van Aanholt (£5.4m) not in the matchday squad due to personal reasons.

Butland’s inclusion is one of five changes made by Hodgson – who appears to have set his team out in a 4-3-3 system – as Gary Cahill (£4.5m), James McCarthy (£4.3m), Jeffrey Schlupp (£5.3m) and Andros Townsend (£5.5m) all come in.

Crystal Palace XI (4-3-3): Butland; Mitchell, Cahill, Kouyaté, Ward; Schlupp, McCarthy, Eze; Zaha, Benteke, Townsend.

Aston Villa XI (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Targett, Hause, Konsa, Elmohamady; McGinn, D Luiz; B Traoré, Ramsey, El Ghazi; Watkins.

603 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Parsnips
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Henderson or De Gea?

    1. Booked4Dissent
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Neither. Rotation risk

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Will De Gea play in GW37?

  2. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Why is Guita on the bench?

    1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      In case the other Keeper gets injured

      1. Ruinenlust
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        ?

  3. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    No clean sheet points

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      1 1

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Benteke banging them in!!

  4. Neo-Viper
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Teke G
    Mitchel A

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Nice header.

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      That was actually a delicious cross from Mitchell haha.

      PVA eat your heart out.

  5. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    BENTEEEEEKEEEEEEE

    AND NOW I FEAST!!!

  6. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Noooooo Benteke

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      This.

      I'm in a couple of leagues with Villa fans and they were leading the way till Christmas.

  7. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Villa cleanie wiped! Bye bye! Happy days!!!

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      I replied to this below...

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Or above!

        I'm sure it's jumping around.

  8. REDMOND IN SANDALS
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    well played benteke owners

  9. Iceball
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Mitchelllllll assist!!

  10. Salan
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    All CS gone, again

  11. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Benteke and Mitchell essential 😀

  12. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Mitchell assist 😀

  13. drughi
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Looking at villa here its gotta be Kane (C) next gameweek

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Villa haven't looked THAT bad.

  14. The Mighty Whites
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Would you BB this week or wait until next?

    1FT, 0.8 ITB:

    Meslier - Guaita

    TAA - Digne - Dallas - Coufal - Coady

    Salah - Fernandes - Zaha - Jota - Lingard

    Kane - Bamford - Vydra

    1. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Upgrade Vydra .... I have a feeling he will be benched next game .... and then yes, BB

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Bruno too??

  15. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Waste of time getting useless lout zaha when I could have had tekkers for 2m less

  16. Life_Ban
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Mitchell u saved face with that CS wipe

    Now go grab me a penalty!!!!

  17. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Nice goal and there my rank plummets!

  18. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    1-2 Villa

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Ghazi

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Watkins assist.

  19. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    G El Ghazi
    A Watkins!

  20. SpaceCadet
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Watkins assist

  21. REDMOND IN SANDALS
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    watkins assist get innnnn

  22. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Kama ghazi G

  23. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Watkins!!! Love it

  24. drughi
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    lol this is some pathetic defending from both sides

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Not a bad match.

  25. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Walkins legend

  26. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Watkins!

  27. @persecuted_by_mods
      2 years, 10 months ago

      New fpl rule for myself going forward, if considering Zaha, log off fpl

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Is he in your team?

        1. @persecuted_by_mods
            2 years, 10 months ago

            Yes, sadly, and even worse I chose him over Ghazi, Greenwood and Jota

      2. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Watkins has genuinely been very good so far this match. Would not surprised if he gets something more.

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Scoring 1 in 3.

          Good enough for the European championship?

          1. Hazz
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 10 months ago

            Not ahead of DCL. DCL has performed well for England.

      3. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Thanks Oliver.

      4. REDMOND IN SANDALS
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        both teams look disinterested af. more scrapy goals incoming

        1. Hazz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Not true at all.