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

    Surely a penalty for DCL

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

    Anyone own Jack Ghoulash?

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

      My wife as she is Hungarian. Lucky that as I’m a hung Arian.

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

        🙂

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

    Probably a pen for Everton.

  4. Wirtzle Gummidge
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Delighted I sold Jack for Pogba.

    In a 442 with Salah, Bruno and Son my other 3.

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

    Everton likely to get a penalty, VAR is checking

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

    Hows the Leeds Everton game looking?

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

      0-0

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

    DCL is needed.

    Everything absolutely everything aimed at him at first chance.

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Yup, he isn't even playing well but doesn't need to. Everything is aimed straight for him hanging around in the box

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

        Frustrating to own, scary to watch as a non owner also

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

        He's coming in for Ings in GW4

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

      Raphinha do something!

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

        Apologies but no chance

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

      Where’s everyone watching the games?
      Didn’t think they were broadcast?

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

        Or is it via commentary feeds?

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

          Maybe in countries outside the UK.

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

        At home

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

        Iptv

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

          I have that - which channel though?

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

      DCL wins pen

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

      DCL wins pen

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

      Everton pen

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

      Given

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

        Is he still playing?

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

          Thought the same thing! XD

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

      Only yellow for Cooper

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

      Digne taking?

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

      Come on Baines

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

      Who takes it?

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

        Dcl

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

      DCL ON PENS??? omg

    13. Ady87
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Rich to score the rebound.

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

      DCL goal

    15. 3 A
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Dcl .. yes! 😀

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

      DCL Essential

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

      DCL essential!

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

      Beautiful pen.

      All aboard!

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

      dcl goal

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

      DCL essential

    21. sambyy
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Brilliant penalty

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

      Ings -> DCL round 2?

      1. Maeki2
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        sTUPID? Ings cycleing in goals

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

      Holy crap this week is going badly, WC needed

    24. ☈☾
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Camzy in heaven both DCL and Grealish score. Bruno (C) as well

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

        I'd be happy with just one goal from my entire team

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

        Shluurp, shluurp...