Dugout Discussion
21 August 2021 1861 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Four Premier League matches kick off at 3pm BST today, including reigning champions Manchester City against newly promoted Norwich City.

Aston Villa v Newcastle United, Crystal Palace v Brentford and Leeds United v Everton are the other top-flight fixtures taking place at the traditional Saturday afternoon start time.

The headline team news comes from the Etihad as Pep Guardiola makes five changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur.

Aymeric Laporte, Kyle Walker, Rodri, Gabriel Jesus and Bernardo Silva are all recalled to the starting XI, with Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Nathan Ake, Benjamin Mendy and Fernandinho dropping to the bench.

An ankle injury keeps Kevin De Bruyne out, while John Stones isn’t part of the hosts’ matchday squad.

Norwich are unchanged from the side that lost 3-0 at home to Liverpool last Saturday.

That’s also the case with Brentford, as Bryan Mbeumo gets set for another out-of-position run-out alongside Ivan Toney.

Summer signings Conor Gallagher and Joachim Andersen get their first Palace starts, with Christian Benteke also recalled. Jordan Ayew, Jairo Riedewald and Jean-Philippe Mateta drop to the bench.

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith makes two changes to the team that lost to newly promoted Watford last weekend, with Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz replacing Matt Targett and Marvelous Nakamba.

Targett’s benching means that Ashley Young starts at left-back.

Joe Willock starts for Newcastle as Steve Bruce makes three changes to the Magpies side that lost at home to West Ham last Sunday.

Willock replaces the injured Jonjo Shelvey in midfield, with Fabian Schar and captain Jamaal Lascelles coming into defence in place of Emil Krafth and Ciaran Clark.

Kalvin Phillips and Junior Firpo are make the Leeds line-up after fitness-related benchings in Gameweek 1, with Robin Koch and Rodrigo dropping to the bench.

Yerry Mina for Mason Holgate and Alex Iwobi for Andros Townsend are Everton’s two alterations.

GAMEWEEK 2 LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young, McGinn, Ramsey, Douglas Luiz, El Ghazi, Buendia, Ings

Subs: Steer, Targett, Wesley, Hourihane, Tuanzebe, Nakamba, Hause, Philogene-Bidace, Chukwuemeka

Newcastle XI: Woodman, Murphy, Schar, Fernandez, Lascelles, Ritchie, Hayden, Willock, Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin

Subs: Gillespie, Clark, Joelinton, Lewis, Hendrick, Krafth, Fraser, Gayle, S. Longstaff

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Kouyate, Schlupp, McArthur, Benteke, Gallagher, Zaha.

Subs: Butland, Matthews, Tomkins, Ayew, Mateta, Kelly, Riedewald, Rak-Sakyi.

Brentford XI: Raya, Ajer, Jansson, Pinnock, Henry, Janelt, Onyeka, Mbeumo, Norgaard, Canos, Toney.

Subs: Goode, Forss, Wissa, Fernandez, Ghoddos, Dervisoglu, Bidstrup, Sorensen, Roerslev.

Leeds: Meslier, Ayling, Struijk, Cooper, Firpo, Phillips, Raphinha, Dallas, Klich, Harrison, Bamford.

Subs: Forshaw, Roberts, Klaesson, Helder Costa, Rodrigo, Summerville, Shackleton, Cresswell, Drameh.

Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Mina, Keane, Digne, Allan, Doucoure, Gray, Richarlison, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Kenny, Holgate, Delph, Townsend, Begovic, Gbamin, Davies, Kean, Branthwaite.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Walker, Gundogan, Rodri, Grealish, Silva, Torres, Jesus.

Subs: Steffen, Ake, Zinchenko, Mendy, Fernandinho, Sterling, Mahrez, Doyle, Palmer.

Norwich City XI: Krul, Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Giannoulis, Lees-Melou, Gilmour, Rupp, Cantwell, Pukki, Rashica.

Subs: Gunn, Omobamidele, Dowell, Tzolis, Sorensen, McLean, Sargent, Mumba, Idah.

FANTASY5

There’s still time to enter today’s Fantasy5 contest, in which you can win £10,000 without paying a penny.

Simply pick five players from the nominated Gameweek 2 matches and, if they all exceed their Fantasy ‘points targets’ (a par score set by Fantasy5 for each asset), you’ll be in the money.

The deadline is at 3pm BST – so get those entries in now.

We’ve selected our own picks for Gameweek 2 in the article below, with Ted Talks FPL following suit.

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  1. Differentiator
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Torres CS banked (just)

  2. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    DCL big miss.

  3. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    DCL should have had a hattie by now.

  4. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Villa pen... Will it be Ings or Ghazi??

  5. Fabreghastly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    DCL misses big chance. No 3 boners now

  6. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    El Ghazi time

  7. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pen?

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Ings?

  8. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Cmon ingsy

  9. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Ings not first choice pen taker

  10. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Go away El Ghazi

  11. Lallana's Bananas
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Will Bertrand start next week?

  12. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    El Ghazi... BOOOO

  13. Mcgugan
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Really want to get DCL and will get rid of Gundo for a 4.5 in order to upgrade my 4.5 striker.

    Means I need to downgrade by over 0.5 one of Buendia or Greenwood. Who should I downgrade and who for?

    1. Carlton P
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Beundia > doucore

      1. Carlton P
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        That’s definitely not how you spell them though

  14. tambourineman
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Laporte goal

    1. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      DGW memories....

    2. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Assist?

      1. Ibralicious
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Probably a Norwich player at this rate

  15. mezza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Hope he misses

  16. _Ninja_
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    el gahzi goal

    should have been Danny

    1. TyroneGAA
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Ings won’t take any pens if el gahzi is on the pitch

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Unless El Ghazi starts missing

  17. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Who won Villa pen

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Mings again

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      (it was a handball)

      1. Scapegoat Salah
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Cheers Hazz.
        Haven’t recognised you with Grav change

  18. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Absolutely ridiculous El Ghazi taking it, just a joke

    1. Lieutenant Frank Columbo
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Why? He had 5 from 5 prior to this … now 6 in 6 …. And is their first choice for that reason.

      1. Not again Shirley
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Yes this.

  19. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    El Ghazi get lost

  20. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I swear all el ghazi does is pens and long shots

    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Working for him.

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He is a very good pen taker though.

  21. Tcheco
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    GRAY 😀

    Bossing the baps too

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Ex Leicester player

      1. Tcheco
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Leicester fan?

        I rate him more than Ayoze Perez on the RW, a bit baffling they let him go

  22. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    So Ghazi is the pen taker then.. hmm

    1. Iwantmorepointsthanks
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      he always has been

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Ings………

      2. Lieutenant Frank Columbo
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        This … 6 from 6

    2. Puntillimon
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He won’t be playing once Bailey is back

  23. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Please miss!

  24. Do I Not Like Orange
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Get stuffed El Ghazi

  25. Nanoelektronicar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    El Ghazi, why, just why?

    1. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He’s and excellent pk taker...

    2. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He's good at them tbf.

    3. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      This.

    4. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      6/6 pens scored

  26. Ibralicious
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Laporte essential

  27. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    El Ghazi a better penalty taker than Ings. Will be interesting to see if Lukaku can muscle Jorginho off pens in a way Ings could not with El Ghazi.

  28. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Mings with a 2nd asssist

  29. TomSaints
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    How the hell is Ings not on penalties =[

    1. Lieutenant Frank Columbo
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Because El Ghazi had 5 from 5 prior to scoring today I’m afraid ….

  30. MIGHTY JOE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    El GhaZzZzzi...