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. Free Hat
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Estupinan and zinchencko havent brought much Joy lately

  2. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Forest will score again surely

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

    See, Forest always score at home. Always.

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

      Too bad Johnson is trash at pens.

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

      See Mommy, I told you so!

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

        Granny

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

      Except vs ManU

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

      True, need to, to stay up

    5. Count of Monte Hristo
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nostradamus.

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

      Softens the Steele benching

    7. KeanosMagic
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Apart from literally their last home game

  4. jimbe4mXL
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Get Salah or KDB in, what a headache. I think KDB is the better choice, but then theres Pep.....

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

      Salah is a better pick

    2. KeanosMagic
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Definitely Salah or KDB over Pep

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

      I got KDB over Salah, myself. Looking good so far!

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

    P off Brighton

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

    City are doing a Brighton here, holding and waiting and baiting the press to pull Arsenal apart

  7. how now brown cow
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Holding must be close to yc

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

    The awld jerky knees are wobbling again. Madness to considerKdb and Gakpo over Salah and Grealish on FH?

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

      It's just a bit dumb

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

        Right, I’ll keep in my original plans

  9. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Not a fan of having Estupinan as my 3rd Brighton player

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

      Yeah been poor but if i didnt get estu it would've been sanchez in WC26

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

      Hasn't been going all that well lately!

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

    We've got Steele for his assists anyways

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

    This City Team are so classless lol

    1. how now brown cow
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Wish spurs were that classless

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

      Both teams*

  12. JBG
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Holding lucky not to get a YC for holding.

    1. Free Hat
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Just holding on

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

      He's holding on to that disciplinary bonus

  13. bialk
    • 16 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    We have Estupinan and Trent for attacking returns, not for CS anyway.

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

      Estu’s last attacking return was in gw23

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

        So I don't own him for the attacking or defensive returns. Must just own him for the good times and happy memories then...

  14. JBG
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Chelsea are trash.

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

    Chelsea 0 - 1 Brentford

  16. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Nothing new at stamford bridge

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

    Brentford bust Chilwell and Kepa and co

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

      As expected

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

    Brentford G

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

      Could be Azpi OG

      1. Count of Monte Hristo
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Or Mitoma?

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

          Haha

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

          Might get one wrong every now & again 😉

          1. Count of Monte Hristo
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            😉

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

    Yess Azpi goal__Own him.

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

    Dave OG

  21. JBG
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Lol Xhaka got a FK for a handball that he committed...

  22. Old Bull
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Aspi og

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

    F this game. An own goal as well by Azpi. Just so boring now

  24. Free Hat
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I have to think really hard for a time when my defence did actually good in a gw

  25. Red Star Toro
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Cmon Frank we know you can do it

    1. It's a Wookie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Relegation?

  26. bialk
    • 16 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Played Kepa, benched Raya.

  27. Andy_Social
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    OG on a hat trick here

    1. PartyTime
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      OG price rise!

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

      Was so close to bringing him in this week

    3. sulldaddy
      • 16 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Adding him to my FH team...
      .
      .
      ..
      .
      .
      Cant find em in the game.

  28. Bubz
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I absolutely love how shite Chelsea are. Even as a Kepa owner. It’s great

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

      Kepa an chillwell here!

  29. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Played Kepa and Estupinan
    Have Raya and Henry on my bench
    I am not good at FPL! 😀

    1. bialk
      • 16 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Games not finished yet.

  30. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    A Jesus goal from Saka would do nicely here.