We look back on the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from two more of Sunday’s matches.
Here’s what we learned from Fulham v Liverpool and Aston Villa v Bournemouth.
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KLOPP ON TEAM ROTATION
Liverpool’s starting XI on Sunday showed six changes from Gameweek 33, as Jurgen Klopp decided to bench the likes of Mohamed Salah (£13.6m), Darwin Nunez (£7.8m) and Alexis Mac Allister (£5.9m).
With Sunday’s trip to Fulham the first of three away games in less than a week, the German tactician clearly felt he had to rotate.
“We play three super important games in six days, I hate thinking about the game after the one in front of us but, in our situation, we cannot ignore the fact. We have to make changes to get fresh legs in, to use the squad. It’s the best situation we’ve had squad-wise all year, that’s why we do it.” – Jurgen Klopp
“I spoke to Mo [Salah] and things are fine, he will come on.” – Jurgen Klopp on Mohamed Salah
Salah, Darwin, Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai (£7.1m) did indeed appear in the second half, but none of them had a huge influence, with the match already won.
As for Salah, it certainly felt like rotation/rest rather than Klopp dropping the Egyptian. As a result, you’d expect him to come back into the side on Wednesday.
“I’m really happy with today. We made these changes because we were 100 per cent convinced we had to. It was not a gamble or whatever. We play on Wednesday and then we play on Saturday, already in London again, which is crazy enough but that’s how it is. So, we need to make these changes before the players give me the obvious sign, ‘Sorry, I’m done.’ Really happy with that.” – Jurgen Klopp
“The squad situation, at the moment, hopefully, it stays like that, it is as good as it has been this season. If you saw our bench today, it was real quality and experience. I loved all the kids who played for us, they did an incredible job, and we wouldn’t be where we are without them, but it’s cool, for once, to have all the big guns as well. Now we have to stay gritty, stay on it. Let’s see what we can do.” – Jurgen Klopp
“WE NEED TO CHASE THE GOAL DIFFERENCE”
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.4m) returned to the starting XI at Fulham on Sunday with a superb display, the highlight of which was a stunning free-kick that put Liverpool ahead.
Making his first start since Gameweek 24, the roaming full-back showed exactly what the Reds have been missing, with lots of creativity and industry in the middle of the park.
On his deeper central position during the match, Alexander-Arnold said:
“The more and more I’m playing in the middle of the pitch, the more pressure and the more tight and compact I find it. So, I think the manager has told me and the team to drop out of the block, try to get on the ball and get up the field that way, whether it’s driving with the ball or passing it over the top. It’s just trying to get on the ball as much as possible and trying to make things happen from deep and create.
“There has to be discipline in there, and it’s not just me who has the freedom to go in there and do that. The rest of the team have to move around, adjust and make sure we are in a good position to go and win the ball back and make sure we are still protected and not exposed if we lose the ball. But within that there is then freedom and space to get on the ball, make things happen and get us up the pitch essentially.
At this point of the season, we have nothing to lose as a team. We need to try to get goals as well, we need to chase the goal difference. We scored three goals today, which is a positive. It’s a big week now for us to go and push on, and we’ve built a good foundation after a tough week.” – Trent Alexander-Arnold
Above: Trent Alexander-Arnold’s touch heatmap v Fulham
Further forward, Diogo Jota (£7.9m) started through the middle, with Luis Diaz (£7.8m) on the right and Cody Gakpo (£7.1m) on the left.
And it was Jota’s run that led to the free-kick that Alexander-Arnold scored. The Portuguese then netted the third, his first goal since Gameweek 24, assisted by a fine through ball from Gakpo.
“The best finisher in this club is obviously Mo Salah with some distance. It is just super-cool to have Diogo back, he can play all three positions up front. It is as important that Cody Gakpo is back. He wasn’t injured, but he was a little bit struggling. He is now fully back since three or four games. He is physically there, is extremely strong, keeps the ball and stuff like this, so that’s really helpful as well.
“Yes, to have them all back and mix it up [is important] – to bring on Darwin [Nunez] and Mo today is a crazy situation. It didn’t work out a little bit because of offsides, but it looked really dangerous, so now let’s see how we start the next game. It is really cool to have Diogo back, not only because of the goal but as well because of the performance. It looked really good. Lucho [Diaz] played an incredible game on the right wing; he was, in the first half, nearly not to stop. It all helped. Wataru Endo, little bit a dip and now second half, wow – what a game. Very helpful, all of that.” – Jurgen Klopp
As for Fulham, a third defeat in four games suggests the Cottagers’ campaign is in danger of petering out.
Still, Rodrigo Muniz (£4.6m) looks a handful on the pitch, with another five shots in the box here. He also earned the assist for Timothy Castagne’s (£4.5m) goal when his header was blocked.
UNPLAYABLE WATKINS
He might not have scored, but Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) turned in another excellent display at Villa Park on Sunday.
He did, however, make the second and third goals, taking his assist tally to 17 for the season, in what has been a terrific campaign for the former Brentford man.
“He’s an amazing player. Amazing player. He’s not only about goals. He gives them a lot. He pins centre-backs, attacks spaces. He creates a lot. He didn’t score, but he probably deserved to. He gives more than numbers.” – Andoni Iraola on Ollie Watkins
There was a feeling that Aston Villa might be leggy after playing 120 minutes in Europe on Thursday, but they actually seemed to get stronger as the game went on, with goals from Morgan Rogers (£5.0m), Moussa Diaby (£6.3m) and Leon Bailey (£5.5m) turning the tie on its head.
Rogers now has three goal involvements in his last four matches and continues to look at home in the Villa starting XI, while drawing praise from Unai Emery in his post-match presser.
“We analysed him, his adaptation was easier because his qualities in our squad and structure tactically is really through him easier. He has the skills, he understands how we want to create our structure tactically offensively and defensively. He is showing his capacity, his adaptation is quick and he’s scoring goals like today. He played today imposing as well individually his duels a lot of times with the moment. He’s been fantastic.” – Unai Emery on Morgan Rogers
With victory here, Aston Villa have gone six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the race for a UEFA Champions League place. They can also welcome back Douglas Luiz (£5.4m) in Gameweek 35, who missed the wins over Arsenal and Bournemouth through suspension.
SOLANKE ON TARGET/KERKEZ OOP
Bournemouth failed to kick on at Villa Park, despite breaking the deadlock when Dominic Solanke (£7.3m) scored from the penalty spot, taking his season tally to 18.
Notably, Milos Kerkez (£4.4m) won the penalty when he was brought down by Matty Cash (£4.5m) and looked lively in his out-of-position role on the left wing.
His 24 final-third touches, 15 passes received in the final-third and four attempted crosses were all team-leading totals, highlighting his impact.
Elsewhere, Justin Kluivert’s (£4.6m) deflected shot came close to giving Bournemouth a second goal, but Antoine Semenyo (£4.5m) failed to make much of an impression as a second-half substitute.
Still, Solanke will resume his race for the Golden Boot against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday and given that Bournemouth have scored in 15 of their 16 top-flight away matches this season, he’ll fancy his chances.
“We had a very good first half, it was difficult against Aston Villa but we were doing the things we wanted. We couldn’t find this level in the second half. They have top forwards in really good form – Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey, Moussa Diaby. We were taking the risk and leaving bigger spaces and couldn’t deal with the situation.
“You have to take your chances against this type of opposition in this type of stadium. We probably should damage them more, like the past week against Manchester United. Second half things became more difficult. We weren’t as solid and they pushed us a lot running back so it was more difficult to attack.” – Andoni Iraola
