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. borat
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Saka has been poor

    1. borat
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      If he's not English he would have been dropped

      1. Bubz
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Lol what

        1. borat
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          He is just playing right now as he an England international

    2. JBG
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Been poor a while now.

    3. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Done nothing at all. Arsenal have been outplayed.

  2. JBG
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Chelsea should copy Spurs(for once) and sack their interim manager.

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      We are sort of. We're getting Poch.

  3. KeanosMagic
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Why has there been so much injury time at forest?

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Stretcher on earlier

      1. KeanosMagic
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Who for?

        1. Bobby Digital
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Neco

  4. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    GOAL back for Brighton

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Who?!

      1. g40steve
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Looks like Undav?

      2. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        No one

        Wiped out

        1. DycheDycheBaby
          • 10 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Of course. Or course...

  5. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Brighton G off?

  6. Kodap
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    assist for the undav goal?

    1. Salah_Fingers
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Var

  7. Zimo
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Another city league win. Fun stuff...

  8. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    I own KDB.

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Teach me

      1. Forza Papac
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        I own KDB

    2. Steve McCroskey
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      I know Kung Fu

      1. Forza Papac
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Not relevant

  9. Scalper
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Poor Brighton having to play +15 mins of extra time after playing 120 mins + pens just a few days prior

    1. BeaversWithAttitude
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      I hope the lad Nico is okay...

  10. Steve McCroskey
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Grealish playing like a damn CDM

  11. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Take Haaland off damage limitation:(

  12. borat
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    City now in first gear.
    Training ground stuff

    1. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Just turn it off.

  13. Paqueta Rice
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Haaland will get his usual goal soon

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      A flying foot flick?

  14. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Arsenal are going to rock Chelsea this weekend though.

    1. Goodfeathers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Every cloud..

  15. Here is Cash, give McGinn
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Salah to KdB anyone?

    1. RICICLE
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Smells like a hell of a backlash move

    2. Steve McCroskey
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Do it.

      TAA to Stones too

    3. BeaversWithAttitude
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Did it this week.

  16. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Offside given

  17. circusmonkey
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Mahrez 20 mins to make yourself not a crap pick.

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Cup player

  18. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Sad I won't have any Arsenal players for their game against Chelsea - I think Chelsea are bottom or 2nd bottom of the PL form table lol

  19. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Played 14 & still going!

  20. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    FOREST WE MOVE 🙂

  21. ZeBestee
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Brighton 15 min injury time? Why?

    1. Shultan
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Injury to neco Williams took a while

  22. Scalper
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Saka doesn’t have main character energy

  23. borat
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    City players toying away with Arsenal players

  24. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Brighton 105 mins after 120 FFS.

  25. Make FPL Casual Again
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Ederson on for 1 BP! The dream

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Won't last

    2. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Absurd if true

  26. Sailboats
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Member when Arsenal fans were saying "We can afford to lose at City" lmao. There's levels to this!

    1. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      tHere aRE LEveLs tO THis

  27. HashAttack
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Anyone else with Mings and Stones on their bench ... I need a hug

    1. BUZZBOMB ♡
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Someone somwhere's bench will be Raya Mings Stones Mbueno

  28. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    That's criminal from Partey.

    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Wouldn’t be the first time

  29. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Raya haul confirmed. Should have known!

    1. Zimo
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      What a hero

  30. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Grealish yellow. Best news of the night

    1. bialk
      • 16 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Every point counts.