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. Sandy Ravage
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Grealish YC

    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Red would be better

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

    When was the last time CHE scored a goal?

    1. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Gallagher huge deflection vs Brighton, Steele probably would have saved it.

    2. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Tore Andre Flo 1998

    3. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      1263, remember it well.

  3. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    How is that a YC on Grealish? Soft game

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

      Bernardo refs & party blind

  4. Mweene
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Decision to play Raya over Kepa completely saving me this GW.

    Complete disaster other than that.

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Got rid of Kepa on WC.

      Mind you I got DDG so may be a case of out of the frying pan.....

  5. BeaversWithAttitude
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mistaken identity, lol.

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

    I've not got a single return this gameweek. Haaland desn't count.

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Low scoring week

    2. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Rough: sold Mings on WC.

      Smooth: Got Stones instead.

  7. Claudio555
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Why did Jota was subbed? Injury?

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Tactical

    2. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nah.

      Same as Gakpo at the weekend. Lots of options, 30 mins for Diaz

    3. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      To give Diaz a run out.

  8. Goodfeathers
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    25% of Chelsea’s points this season were achieved under Tuchel in their first 6 games before he got sacked..

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

      True, huge mistake

    2. tambourineman
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Still haven't reached 40, too good to go down?

  9. Alnair
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Freakish YC

  10. Kodap
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bag yourself a goal now Grealish lad

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      This

  11. Paqueta Rice
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    How was the pen not given against Thiago

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Var has been a disaster this season imo

    2. Yank Revolution
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Hand was in a normal position as he slid.

  12. George Sillett
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    All the domestic trophies ending up in Manchester this season

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

      Here comes the ray of sunshine,

      1. George Sillett
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Always

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

    Don’t worry Arsenal fans - Nketiah and Nelson coming on to rescue a point

  14. The Philosopher
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah cappers unite(in agony)

    1. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      o/

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      🙁

    3. space mercenary
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Fair play for going for it. Unlucky really as Haaland didn't get his usual hat trick tonight.

  15. borat
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Just sub off stones.
    Don't want to lose his CS pts

    1. Mom, Butters just gave me a…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Saka's free kick just hit the same Boeing as Kane's WC penalty.

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

    Not Sakas night

  17. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Grav theory prevails. Who's next?

    1. Hairy Potter
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bruno F

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        He's starting in my team.

    2. Sailboats
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Martinelli

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Even the grav theory can't stop Arsenal from utterly wrecking us.

    3. Zimo
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Go for Haaland to really confirm it

  18. fusen
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    My gameweek looks to be resting almost entirely on Salanke at this point 😐

    1. fusen
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sol*

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

    According to the PL app Martineli comes off on 60 so why the hell FPL shows 59?

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Well he physically left the pitch before 60:00 so that's under the threshold needed.

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

        Mudded

    2. BUZZBOMB ♡
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      60th min. 59:something from memory.

    3. HashAttack
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      See Haaland in gw21 ... still think he should have had 18 points, not 17

  20. borat
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka rubbish

  21. Stranger Mings
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    A) salah & jota B) jota & Trent C) salah & Trent ? Thanks

  22. Sandy Ravage
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    KDB off boooooo!

  23. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    King Kev!

  24. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Think I might go KDB instead of Salah

    1. Mom, Butters just gave me a…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      KDB will be back to normal soon.
      And more minutes likely on the bench with Real semi ahead.

    2. Cheeky Reijnders
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Thought noone....Hahahaha!

  25. Big Mike
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    TAA or Stones for a -4?

  26. Claudio555
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    2 Ft. Kane to Jota and Saka to KDB?

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

      Diaz is unsettling

  27. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    My midfield:
    Saka 2
    Salah 2
    Grealish 2
    Mitoma 2
    Odegaard 2

  28. :
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    What's Ederson got a bonus point for, the tattoo on his neck?

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      That should be a -1

  29. Paqueta Rice
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka off Jesus off Fu** off

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

    Please add "shitting" to the auto filter unless there are contexts in which it would be okay to use it. In which case, could you let me know the circumstances? Thanks