After the dribble of matches in the two days beforehand, the FA Cup third round really got underway in earnest on Saturday.
It’s the stage of the competition where all 20 Premier League clubs enter.
As such, it’s worth checking in on every team to see if there are any takeaways ahead of Gameweek 21 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
First, we concentrate on the three ‘Bs’: Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion.
As usual with the Scout Notes, and even more so this weekend given the mass rotation, it’s less about the on-field action in isolation and more about the wider FPL talking points.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
| Goals | Assists | |
|---|---|---|
| Bournemouth 5-1 West Bromwich Albion | Kluivert, Ouattara x2, Semenyo, Jebbison | Kluivert, Brooks x2, Semenyo |
| Brentford 0-1 Plymouth Argyle | – | – |
| Norwich 0-4 Brighton and Hove Albion | Rutter x2, Enciso, March | Veltman, Minteh, Gruda |
TEAM SELECTION/ROTATION
| Starting XI changes from Gameweek 20 | Players who kept their place (mins) | Other mins for selected players | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bournemouth | 6 | Hill (90), Zabarnyi (90), Huijsen (90), Ouattara (90), Kluivert (67) | Kepa (90), Soler (90), Semenyo (45), Jebbison (23), Kerkez (13) |
| Brentford | 6 | Roerslev (90), Jensen (90), Damsgaard (90), Schade (90), van den Berg (71) | Mbeumo (27), Lewis-Potter (27), Wissa (19), Collins (19) |
| Brighton and Hove Albion | 6 | Van Hecke (90), Estupinan (90), Ayari (90), Baleba (90), Veltman (78) | Mitoma (90), Minteh (71), Rutter (63), Welbeck (27), March (19) |
PEDRO INJURY UPDATE
Most Fantasy managers wouldn’t have given two hoots about the game that played out at Carrow Road on Saturday.
Around 1.75 million of us were more concerned about a player who wasn’t involved: Joao Pedro (£5.7m).
The budget forward missed this match with an ankle injury and had undergone an MRI scan to determine the extent of the issue.
With Fabian Hurzeler’s Gameweek 21 presser potentially taking place after Tuesday’s deadline, the post-FA Cup interviews were our best chance of getting the latest Pedro update.
The Brazilian striker beat Fabian Hurzeler to the punch, however:
Scan ok ✅
Solly scored ✅
qualified for the next round ✅
Have a good Weekend Albion fans 🫶🏾— João Pedro (@DeJesusofiicial) January 11, 2025
It certainly sounded like Pedro knew more than his manager:
“I think it’s not that bad. So, I have just had a game so I have to ask how it was today! I don’t know if he was on a pitch or not but I think I will know more later this evening or tomorrow and then let’s see how we proceed.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Joao Pedro
RUTTER BRACE, MARCH SCORES + WELBECK COMEBACK
In Pedro’s absence, Georginio Rutter (£5.2m) led the line and notched a first-half brace. Rutter sustained a knock when scoring the second, eventually being replaced on 63 minutes.
“I hope so. These are all things where we have to wait. I think this night and also see how it develops overnight because I think when you wake up tomorrow morning then you can feel and listen to your body and then I’m sure that we will know more.” – Fabian Hurzeler on whether Georginio Rutter is okay
The Seagull playing just off Rutter, Julio Enciso (£5.4m), bagged Albion’s third.
Danny Welbeck (£5.5m) made his first appearance in over a month, introduced as a 63rd-minute substitute. The veteran striker missed a headed sitter.
There was an emotional moment for Solly March (£6.5m), who was brought on for another Albion asset who appeared to be limping, Yankuba Minteh (£5.0m). A long-term absentee, March bagged his first goal in over a year.
Tariq Lamptey (£4.4m) missed out through illness.
DANGO UP TOP
With Evanilson (£5.9m) and Enes Unal (£5.4m) injured, Andoni Iraola opted for Dango Ouattara (£5.0m) through the middle against West Brom.
The out-of-position FPL midfielder finished well when fed through-balls by Justin Kluivert (£5.5m) and David Brooks (£4.9m), going close to sealing his hat-trick late on.
“I think he has played very well. I think he has played previously with his national team in the number nine position.
“Normally he’s a winger, but sometimes they use him as a number nine and we have some players, Antoine [Semenyo], Justin [Kluivert], Dango [Ouattara], that even if probably it’s not their best position, they can help us there and they are good players.
“And today I think Dango has been very good. Antoine also as a number 10 at the end, very good.” – Andoni Iraola on Dango Ouattara, via the Bournemouth Echo
The Cherries will very likely swoop for a bona fide striker in the transfer window, so Ouattara’s stint as a line-leading striker may be a short one.
Bournemouth have recalled Ryan Jebbison (£4.5m) from his loan spell, too. The budget forward came off the bench here to score the Cherries’ fifth.
‘Coming off the bench’ is probably as much as we can expect, however: he was overlooked from the start when Iraola was similarly striker-less at the beginning of 2024/25. His loan spell at Watford was unremarkable, too.
Elsewhere, Antoine Semenyo (£5.6m) emerged as a half-time substitute to score and assist. Brooks teed up three goals, too, the first a cross that was clawed into the path of Kluivert.
There was a debut for Julio Soler (£4.0m) at left-back. Milos Kerkez‘s (£4.8m) new deputy will now disappear back to his home continent for the 2025 South American U-20 Championship.
BRENTFORD OUT, HENRY’S COMEBACK
The only Premier League side to exit the FA Cup on Saturday were Brentford.
Yoane Wissa (£6.2m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£7.8m) were given breathers, only emerging as second-half substitutes, as Thomas Frank gambled on seeing off managerless Plymouth Argyle with a few second-string players – and it backfired.
The rotated Bees could only muster nine shots against their Championship opponents, five of which came from Fabio Carvalho (£4.6m). The midfielder was part of a front two with Kevin Schade (£5.1m), with Mbeumo and Wissa benched.
A positive was the return of long-term absentee Rico Henry (£4.3m), who got through an hour.
“He looked good, of course still a little bit obviously still to his highest level but good to have him back.” – Thomas Frank on Rico Henry
