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. dark91
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Noooooo not Grealish

  2. Bubz
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Jackyyyyyy boyyyy

  3. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Grealish

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

    Noo. Barnes > Grealish would have paid off. Lucky goal though.

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

    grealish goal
    walker A

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

      Jesus A

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

      Walker??

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

        jesus, walker had the pre assist pass

  6. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Thank you Mahrez for nothing as always. Gotta buy Jackie

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

      Pep might bench him after his haul today

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

    Grealish with a screamer

  8. the dom 1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    lucky Grealish Goal.

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

    Jack KNEElish, there

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

      So bad it's good!

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

    What a goal from Grealish 😆

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

    LOL £100m finish that. CLumsily bounces off his thighs and dribbles in

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

      Quality thighs, those!

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

        The best. And those calves. Although I’m banned from calves.

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

    Should have captained Grealish

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

      🙂

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

        I should have listened to you!

  13. thegame983
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Delighted for him

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

    Grealish should get minus points for that 😆

  15. OPTA FPL
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Grealish 27% ownerships

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

    I was criticising grealish goal threat earlier in the week

    A potato is always happy to admit when he was wrong

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

      It’s Norwich

    2. Nate(U)dog(ie)
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I did the same although I'll need to see it against better teams to change my mind

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

      It's Norwich.... Benjamin Mendy would have goal threat

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

      That was barely goal threat, incredibly lucky

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

    Jesus has actually been pretty on the right wing

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

      Pretty good* haha

    2. Podge
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      New hairdo ?

  18. Joey Tribbiani
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Grealish owners unite o/

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

      O/

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

      o/

      He's surprisingly my biggest differential in MLs and at my OR.

  19. Digital-Real
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Assist for Jack goal?

    1. Thomas Magnum
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Jesus I believe

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

      Pukki I hope

  20. PB-THE-VET
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    after salah (c) fail ill take that grealish goal!

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

      Jack stole all the luck today.

  21. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Yesssss Grealisssssshhhh!!!!!

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

      Again?

      Lucky goal

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

    Gundogan looking lively?

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

      Very dangerous positions.

      Almost there to tap in the first goal. And Gundog was open in the box for the 2nd, Jack could have lay it off to him.

      Just need a bit of luck.

  23. Drexl Spivey
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    How much is a pie and a pint at Old Trafford these days?

    1. Kun Tozser
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      £26

      1. Drexl Spivey
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Lol. Thanks.

  24. Zenith UK
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Did Grealish to Pogba and didn't listen to my own advice of never captain a player in the first match of a GW. So a lovely 6 points from Salah and already another return not going my way.

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

    Casuals in heaven

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

    This could get ugly.

    Early days but regretting resisting Barnes or Ings to Grealish or Jesus

  27. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Thanks to all those who said to get Greenwood over Grealish.

    Watch your backs yeah

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

      Greenwood not played yet

    2. AleksaMaster
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Still good decision

  28. Greasy Grealish Gang
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Get in Jack !

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

      You see the goal? Lol

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

    DCL might be winning a VAR pen...

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

    Looking good for Mahrez coming on anyway if it’s looking we’ll win, hopefully he can grab a goal for us owners as a parting gift