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. JONALDINHO
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    65k already. Things you love to see

  2. LiamK17
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What are people thinking to do with Mahrez? Considering Arsenal and Leicester and pep roulette?

    I can’t get in Son right now so I can go down to most players but unsure who I would want? Too late for Greenwood?

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

      not sure either, not many options at 8-9 mil

    2. Gunners in Haaland
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Mahrez/Ings -> Sarr/Lukaku

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

    Wilson BIG MISS!

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

      Lucky Martinez is back.

    2. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Ugh

  4. Zoostation
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Wilson stunner

  5. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    So Robbo never came on and Elliot never went off. 😆
    You lot are gash.

  6. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    El ghazi is selfish like Salah with none of the finish…

  7. ZAMUNDA
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What on earth are you doing Wilson

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

    Torres!!!

  9. ClassiX
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Wilson HUUUUGE miss

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

    F Torres

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

      Scratch that... OG Hanley

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

    Mark knows...

    1. Zimo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      It's an own goal

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

        ... nothing

        1. Zimo
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          😆

    2. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Probably give himself the assist as well….

    3. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Didn’t he get in Mahrez?

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

    Ok looks like it's an OG

    1. Andy_Social
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Defender and goalkeeper can argue over that

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

    Omobamidele cleanie gone 🙁

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

      On the bench

    2. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Is that a combination of Odemwingie, Bamford and Dele Ali?

    3. The Red Devil
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      bit hard for that from the bench

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

    Hanley with OG, not the first.

  15. Piggs Boson
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    This could be a 6-0

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Already? A goal a minute 😮

      Could end 90-0

  16. Deulofail
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Torres Captain!

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

      It's an OG.

    2. Zimo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Sadforyou

    3. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Loolll

    4. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Oh no!

    5. WVA
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Surely not? I cancelled my plan to bring him in because he was awful, miracle he's started, how do people do it!?

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

      Good signs though - Only City player to retain his place in the front 3

  17. Gudjohnsen
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Hanley OG
    Jesus assist

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

      What channel

  18. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 16 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    OG no A

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Perfect 😀

  19. ☈☾
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Lol no Assist

  20. Andy_Social
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Getting twisted brain watching three matches at once here

  21. Hughes Your Daddy
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Gallagher of the bar, nearly a Zaha assist. we looking great so far.

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

    That's it, come on City grab 4 or 5 then it's more likely Pukki can get a bit of joy and fire a consolation brace with the game dead

  23. Uppercut Panda - A legend i…
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Imagine watching a man city 10-nil win v norwich with your mahrez warming the bench... pain

  24. The Red Devil
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Krul on norwich

  25. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    City goal looked offside

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

      What channel mate

  26. El Presidente
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    This looks like a looooooong afternoon for NOR...

    1. Pep bites Kun
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Going to be longer for Sou & all of us who capped Salah 😉

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

      Y

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

    if mahrez comes on at 60 he could still haul

    1. El Presidente
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He could do a Salah vs Palace...

    2. The Red Devil
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      up against tired legs & all 😛

    3. JBG
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Hopefully sooner...

    4. S.Kuqi
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He won't 🙁

    5. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Do people clutch at anything other than straws? Like can one clutch at a spatula?

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

        strange comment, there's a reasonable chance of this happening

  28. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 16 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Raphina shot on target… he’s warming up…

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Nice

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

      He's a huge differential for me in my mini leagues, all he'll do is get booked

  29. Pep bites Kun
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I saw a guy on Twitter during the week who said he was capping Stones. He was offering to TC for 500 likes 🙂

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

      He had TAA as vice captain

      1. Pep bites Kun
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Did alright then

    2. Duke Silver ☑
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'm sure Pep created 500 accounts just to like.

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

      Trent VC probably.

  30. Von Lipwig
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I can do (A) Mahrez for Son for -4 right now without impacting my team (0.5 needed from 2nd choice Gk). Or I could (B) wait a Gw and play Greenwood or Mahrez Gw3. Thoughts?

    1. FPL_Crisis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Who you captaining in gw3?
      Son looks a decent shout