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. notlob legin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mentaculus -not sure if you're on here but I was wrong about KDB - I hope you stuck with him

    1. The Mentaculus
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Got him! 😀

      1. notlob legin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        good move - well deserved

  2. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    The Japanese Messi scores

    1. Bartowski
      • 15 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Nah, it was The Argentine Messi...

  3. EDUARDO DA SILVA
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Boys against men.

  4. Frank Koscielny
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    How is Ake + Saka + Kane > Coufal + Salah + Jota for -4?
    Would give me all dgw except Kepa

    Kepa
    Pervis Shaw Trippier
    Rash Bruno Salah Mitoma March
    Haaland Jota
    (Raya Coufal Burn Watkins) 0.2 itb

    1. Heiro
      • 16 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Prob keep Ake. Surely he plays at least 1? He's been great for them. Is he injured.

      1. Frank Koscielny
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        He has a hamstring injury and not even on the bench today, so I have my doubts for gw34

  5. Paqueta Rice
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    I played Johnstone 0 pointer and benched Steele *facepalm

  6. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    So who still has the wrong Brighton mid ?

    1. Gandalf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      March starting to get very annoying

      1. Heiro
        • 16 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        He has the assist...

        1. Gandalf
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 15 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Annoying for non owners!

      2. Old Bull
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        When a player misses a penalty they often come back in the next game with a point to prove. Wouldn’t be surprised if he scored.

      3. BeaversWithAttitude
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I'm glad for him following his massive disappointment against Man U.

  7. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Of course its the one Brighton midfielder that no-one owns that scores and Gakpo who everyone had on FH last week. Classic FPL!

    1. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Calling me a nobody

  8. Woy_is_back
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Arsenal are krap

  9. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Arsenal collapsed 3 matches ago, nothing other than a comfortable City win here. Could get embarrassing.

  10. Red Star Toro
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Cmon Saka get one for the excitement

  11. Forgetmeknot
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Joint prayer session scheduled for all of us who lost Taa and Gakpo out of our teams from FH last week

    1. Heiro
      • 16 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Thank you. Steele back in though at least!

  12. FPL Emu
    • 15 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Haaland gets a 50 yard pass and manages to control the ball with a man at his back, and play KDB through. If that's not an indictment of Holding I don't know what is.

    Besides Haaland being a monster obviously

    1. how now brown cow
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Haaland good. Holding not so good. Surprise!

  13. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    March has been the one to get. Not Macalister

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Not when you benched hm

  14. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Same old Arsenal

    1. Heiro
      • 16 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Hardly. Nails fixtures bar West ham and they played the same squad since the start of the season.

      1. PartyTime
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        They do the bottle job well

        1. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          As do most clubs bar City.

  15. The Final Boss
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Who got the assist for bri goal guys?

    1. Taff
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      March

    2. Old Bull
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      March

  16. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Getting KDB instead of Salah for DGW, that can’t be madness right?

    1. _Ninja_
      • 15 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Plus city have another DGW as well.

    2. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I've done exactly that.

    3. BobbyDoesNotLook
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Will get for the second dgw for Salah when we have more info on UCL etc.

  17. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Bemba's prophecy strikes again.

    1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      And Steele is on my bench. Great.

  18. Berkshire Hafaway-Line
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Damnit Jota

    1. DropkickMurphys
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      What happened

  19. mad_beer ✅
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Getting Mac Allister over March was such a mistake. And one I can't fix now without a hit.

    1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Yup.

    2. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Getting March over Mitoma was my mistake, which I still haven't rectified

  20. sminkypinky
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    We think Kdb plays both in the double?

    1. bialk
      • 16 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      No

    2. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      doubt he starts both

    3. Bubz
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Possibly, hes been rested a lot recently. Not sure if thats a good thing or not though

  21. It's a Wookie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Three exciting games…and some paint drying.

  22. Bishopool
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    KDB false 9

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Haaland real 9

    2. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Can you have a false 9 and an actual 9 at the same time ?

      1. how now brown cow
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Flake formation

      2. TheTinman
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Yes but only on the last day in Feb on a leap year

    3. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Ake upside down, back to front 9.

  23. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Can we start a petition to make Arsenal sell Holding?

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

      Give it a rest mate. They will sell him in good time. It ain't football manager

    2. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Rob should be holding the cones and folding the bibs.

      1. Hooky
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Isn't his job to apply the fake tan to Ben White?

  24. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Played Watkins and Martinelli over March, got Salah as a part of a hit, this GW gonna be a car crash

  25. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Lodi G

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Poss og

      1. g40steve
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Defo OG

        1. g40steve
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Gross OG

  26. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Forest back in it

    1. JELLYFISH
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      As a Steele owner and Villa fan I’ll take that

  27. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Brighton CS busted

    1. how now brown cow
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Lodi hell

  28. JBG
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Gross doesn't have Estupinan in his team.

  29. Red Star Toro
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Feck off Gross, but I guess having only Steele and no Estu/Dunk it’s not so bad

  30. TheTinman
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Gross own goal?

    1. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Ewww gross