Dugout Discussion
26 April 2023 1897 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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The clash between the Premier League’s top two is the headline act from Wednesday’s four Premier League matches.

The action at the Etihad gets underway at 20:00 BST, with Chelsea v Brentford and West Ham United v Liverpool kicking off 15 minutes earlier.

Nottingham Forest v Brighton and Hove Albion is first up at 19:30 BST.

Compared to the Manchester City side that drew with Bayern Munich a week ago, there is only one change: Kyle Walker in for the injured Nathan Ake.

Arsenal’s only alteration sees Granit Xhaka return to fitness and oust Fabio Vieira.

In the West Ham v Liverpool game, there is just one alteration across the two teams.

The Hammers are unchanged from the 4-0 thumping of Bournemouth, while Jurgen Klopp brings in Joel Matip for the injured Ibrahima Konate.

At Stamford Bridge, Cesar Azpilicueta and Raheem Sterling are in for the sidelined Reece James and Kai Havertz.

Opponents Brentford meanwhile recall Yoane Wissa, Mathias ‘Zanka’ Jorgensen, Frank Onyeka and Mads Roerslev, as Bryan Mbeumo, Kevin Schade and Aaron Hickey drop to the bench. Christian Norgaard is injured.

The big news from the City Ground is that Jason Steele gets the nod between the posts for visitors Brighton, with Robert Sanchez only a substitute.

Steele for Sanchez is one of three changes Roberto De Zerbi has made from the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, with Levi Colwill and Facundo Buonanotte also coming in for Adam Webster and Danny Welbeck.

Brennan Johnson and Serge Aurier replace Scott McKenna and Remo Freuler in Steve Cooper’s couple of tweaks.

Aurier and substitute Cheikhou Kouyate were, naturally, described as “not quite ready yet” in their manager’s pre-match presser on Monday.

GAMEWEEK 33 LINE-UPS

Nottingham Forest XI: Navas, Aurier, Felipe, Niakhate, N Williams, Mangala, Danilo, Lodi, Gibbs-White, Johnson, Awoniyi.

Subs: Hennessey, Worrall, Lingard, Toffolo, Surridge, Kouyate, Freuler, Dennis, Ayew.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Steele, Gross, Dunk, Colwill, Estupinan, Caicedo, Mac Allister, March, Buonanotte, Mitoma, Enciso.

Subs: Sanchez, Webster, Welbeck, Undav, Ayari, Gilmour, Van Hecke, Veltman, Offiah.


Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, W Fofana, Thiago Silva, Chalobah, Azpilicueta, Fernandez, Kovacic, Chilwell, Kante, Gallagher, Sterling.

Subs: Badiashile, Aubameyang, Pulisic, Joao Felix, Loftus-Cheek, Mudryk, Mendy, Ziyech, Madueke.

Brentford XI: Raya, Roerslev, Jorgensen, Pinnock, Mee, Henry, Jensen, Onyeka, Janelt, Toney, Wissa.

Subs: Hickey, Schade, Dasilva, Ghoddos, Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Baptiste, Stevens, Cox.


West Ham United XI: Fabianski, Cresswell, Aguerd, Zouma, Coufal, Soucek, Rice, Benrahma, Paqueta, Bowen, Antonio.

Subs: Areola, Ogbonna, Kehrer, Emerson, Fornals, Lanzini, Downes, Cornet, Ings.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Robertson, Van Dijk, Matip, Alexander-Arnold, Jones, Fabinho, Henderson, Jota, Gakpo, Salah.

Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Tsimikas, Carvalho, Thiago, Milner, Elliott, Diaz, Nunez.


Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Akanji, Stones, Rodri, Silva, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Grealish, Haaland.

Subs: Phillips, Laporte, Ortega, Alvarez, Gomez, Mahrez, Foden, Palmer, Lewis.

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.

Subs: Tierney, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Kiwior, Trossard, Jorginho, Vieira, Nelson, Turner.



  1. Touré De Force
    • 15 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    COYG!

  2. JayKay1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    9 out of 9 starters, I'll take that on a GW33 WC, roll on GW34!

  3. Alan The Llama
    • 16 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Man City (-3) at 10/1 will do me.

  4. Amartey Partey
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Do Arsenal really have any chance here?

    1. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      They have a chance for sure but they're the underdogs

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      About a 4.37% chance of winning.

    3. acidicleo
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      ofcourse anything can happen in football..

    4. Nate(U)dog(ie)
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Of course they do, they're top of the league and seem to have been written off by everyone, certainly for tonight anyway. Maybe the pressure will be off as they're expected to fail? Who knows. City can be gotten at though, but it's more about how Arsenal cope with them

    5. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Not expecting much at all

    6. Crunchie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      i reckon a cracker. 4-3 or 3-3

    7. Donnie Darko
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nicely put question to generate responses - I personally feel ARS get well beaten tonight BUT I bet 4-0 Liverpool when they played Wimbledon in the FA cup final 1988 …

      1. Crunchie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Bobby Gould lol

  5. acidicleo
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is Mahrez a cup specialist for Pep?

    1. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Must know his measurements and how to meet his growing demands

      1. Crunchie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Did you meet him in the showers then? 🙂

        1. Crunchie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Gazza dont look well but still did stand ups about his funny stories.

          About 5 years ago, when joining Spurs, he saw Les Ferdinand's manhood, and asked can i hold it 🙂 Les laughed and he really did put it in his hand.

          The next time in the showers after another game, he asked again, and Les laughed and said "Alright then". Just what thats all lol

          1. Crunchie
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            about 5 years ago i saw him that is

            1. Deulofail
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              What is going on

          2. keefy59
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            I remember the team of
            Gazza Cort Holding Ferdinand Koch !

    2. tbos83
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Reckon he'll start at the weekend

      1. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        only to be subbed off in the 58th minute....again!

    3. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Takes him to Anne Summers regularly.

  6. Dušan Citizen
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    So it's Steele still

      1. Dušan Citizen
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Lovely

    1. Nate(U)dog(ie)
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      It's Still steele

  7. kennethrhcp
    • 15 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    any info on Konate lads?

    likely back for gmwk34?

  8. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Estupinan just gave away a penalty

    1. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      What a wally

  9. Gizzachance
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Forest pen

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Here we go

      1. Gizzachance
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Saved, dunk owner!

      2. g40steve
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Ferk rubbish pen

  10. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Should have gone Steele

  11. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Brighton on the beach_Knew it!

  12. RICICLE
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bet the pen is missed

    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Buy a scratchcard

      1. RICICLE
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I just knew it

  13. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Steele saves it

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Of course he does

    2. Nate(U)dog(ie)
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ah flip, played Martinez over him this week. My streak of never having my playing GK save a pen continues

  14. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Not starting him next week, what was that really…

  15. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Benched Man of Steele

  16. La Roja
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Steele!

  17. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Steele saves it

    Brilliant

  18. The Senate
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Fak i should’ve started Steele over Ederson

  19. Dušan Citizen
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I LOVE YOU, STEELE

    1. Dušan Citizen
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm Steele loving you.mp3

  20. Paganoi
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Steele, you legend!!

  21. DycheDycheBaby
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Just realised rival has Sanchez instead of Steele. F I'm relieved hahaha

  22. Deulofail
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Written in steele

  23. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Steeeeeele

  24. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Amazing

  25. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Estupian is est stupid man 😉

  26. RICICLE
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    100% knew that pen would be missed

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nailed on wasn't it

      1. RICICLE
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Absolutely nailed on haha!

  27. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Poor pen 🙁

  28. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Suicidal Sutherns needs Comfort.

  29. Granville
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Benched him. Just thought forest always score at home.

  30. Stamford B
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Justice done