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. AzzaroMax99
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    And Mahrez is benched. Ffs Pep!
    His points are forbidden obviously!

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

      Never get anything from Mahrez when I own him.

  2. dark91
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    If I was Torres I would storm off the pitch and ask Mahrez to come in my place

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

    Pep should take Torres off for Mahrez, just for that offside goal.

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

      Foul*

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

        Not watching, so eh. But thanks for the correction.

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

    Oh Deulofail. How are you mate? This is bloody brutal.

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

      Hatty dream still on!

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

      I'm trying to nap, but it's not going to happen I think

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

        Nap fail

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

    DCL close from Gray

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

      Gray playing up top again?

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

        No, right wing

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

        Left wing now

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

    Toneys last chance for me, if him and Barnes blank I'm getting in Son

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

      Barnes out before this Norwich?!?

  7. In Bale We Trust
    • 16 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    DCL close

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

    I think DCL could be a good option. Looks hungry

  9. ZLATAN'S PONYTAIL
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Exactly why City attackers are a no go. Mahrez was only in for a couple of fixtures. He could score 5 goals today and he's still going to be exiting my team.

  10. el polako
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    2nd game, 2nd goal disallowed - not my day.

    1. V-2 Schneiderlin
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      me too Salah(C) and Torres..

    2. Licky
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Same. 🙁

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

    Mane captain for first 6gws. Got battered last week better this week.

  12. Pukki Party
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Solanke brace

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

    Any sniffs for Pukki yet?

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

      No, barely got a touch this game

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

        Sounds like he’s luring City into a false sense of security

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

      Oh my god that’s disgusting.

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

        Haha

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

    DCL approximately one shoe size away from sliding in a Gray cross

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

    Robbie "Please put the camera on me" Savage.

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

    Wilson is useless :angry:

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

    Tsimikas transfers in is currently averaging 1k per minute….spread it out people, over three days preferably.

    Don’t wanna waste transfer ps on one price rise…

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

    Have Torres and I don’t know if I’m happy or furious..

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

      why would you be happy

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

        Because the possibility of him actually scoring is good

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

    Ings very close...

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

      …to getting better?

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

        Ingsssssss, can only get better.

  20. Shark Team
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Ings and Toney could both score so far

  21. tokara
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Cmon Ingsy

  22. 1justlookin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Went with Jota over Tsimikas at the start of the season, a bittersweet afternoon so far.

    Need Ayling to outperform Greenwood, haha

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

    Goal for Grealish!

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

    Raph vs Digne very tasty.

  25. Pukki Party
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Jack Grealish! Clinical

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

      He literally miscontrolled it into the net 😛

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

    Grealish G

  27. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Grealishhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

    Get innnnnnnnnnnnnnn

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

    Jesus on fire.

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

      First the crucifixion now this. Poor lad can't catch a break.

  29. Dutchy
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Get in !!! me and AZ GOING NUTS

  30. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Grealishiouussssss