Dugout Discussion
25 May 2025 1310 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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It’s the final day of the Premier League season, with all 10 Premier League fixtures kicking off at the same time (4pm BST):

starts Isak

It’s difficult to know where to begin with the team news given the numerous talking points across the country.

But let’s do so at St James’ Park, where Alexander Isak starts for the Magpies after recovering from injury.

His recall at the expense of Callum Wilson is Eddie Howe’s only alteration, but the Newcastle United boss does at least have the fit-again Kieran Trippier among the substitutes.

Everton bring in Charly Alcaraz, Jack Harrison, Ashley Young and Michael Keane, with Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dwight McNeil dropping to the bench and injured duo Jarrad Branthwaite and Seamus Coleman missing out as expected.

It’s teamsheet carnage at St Mary’s, with five changes apiece.

William Saliba is absent, while Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard are demoted to substitute duty.

In come Kieran Tierney, Mikel Merino, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri. 

Riccardo Calafiori is unexpectedly absent.

Ross Stewart, Yukinari Sugawara, Charlie Taylor, Lesley Ugochukwu and Jay Robinson are the new faces in the hosts’ starting XI.

Jack Stephens, Tyler Dibling and Taylor Harwood-Bellis are all injured, while James Bree and Joe Aribo are benched.

There are unexpected absences at the Amex, too, as Danny Welbeck and Pervis Estupinan miss out.

Jack Hinshelwood and Igor Julio take their places.

Ange Postecoglou makes just three changes from the starting XI that beat Manchester United in the Europa League final.

Mathys Tel, Archie Gray and Kevin Danso come into the team, with Sergio Romero, Yves Bissouma and Richarlison dropping out. The first two are injured.

The pre-deadline rumours were true about a Kevin De Bruyne benching, with Jeremy Doku coming in to replace him.

Nico Gonzalez for the suspended Mateo Kovacic is Pep Guardiola’s only other alteration.

Fulham boss Marco Silva meanwhile brings in Jorge CuencaTom CairneyAndreas Pereira and Harry Wilson for Calvin BasseySander BergeEmile Smith Rowe and Alex Iwobi.

Liverpool and Crystal Palace both pretty much go full strength at Anfield.

For the hosts, Virgil van DijkAndrew RobertsonCurtis Jones and Luis Diaz get the nod over Jarrell QuansahKostas TsimikasHarvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa

Trent Alexander-Arnold also starts on the bench.

As for Crystal Palace, four changes see Tyrick MitchellDaichi KamadaEberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta come in for Joel WardBen ChilwellRomain Esse and Eddie Nketiah.

At the City Ground, Forest are unchanged for their crunch match against Chelsea.

The Blues bring in Jadon Sancho for Tyrique George in their only alteration.

Brentford also name the same starting XI but Wolves make six changes, going back to pretty much full strength after some midweek experimentation.

Jose Sa, Matt Doherty, Nelson Semedo, Joao Gomes, Matheus Cunha and Marshall Munetsi all come in as Jorgen Strand Larsen (who had been a doubt for this game), Rodrigo Gomes, Pablo Sarabia and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde drop to the bench.

Dan Bentley and Nasser Djiga miss out altogether.

Another unchanged side are Aston Villa, whose opponents Manchester United side bring in Altay BayindirAyden Heaven and Victor Lindelof for Andre OnanaLeny Yoro and Luke Shaw.

Youri Tielemans is only fit enough for a place on the bench for the Villans.

Andoni Iraola makes three changes to his Bournemouth line-up. 

Marcos SenesiAdam Smith and David Brooks come in, with Dean Huijsen and Julian Araujo benched and Lewis Cook suspended.

As for Leicester City, three alterations see Victor KristiansenOliver Skipp and Patson Daka replace the absent Wilfred NdidiBilal El Khannouss and Jamie Vardy.

Kieran McKenna names two changes for Ipswich Town’s final match before the drop: Conor Chaplin and Nathan Broadhead come in for Jack Clarke and Julio Enciso, who is missing from the matchday squad.

Graham Potter makes five tweaks from Gameweek 37, with Lukasz FabianskiKonstantinos MavropanosOllie ScarlesEdson Alvarez and Niclas Fullkrug replacing Alphonse AreolaAaron CresswellVladimir CoufalGuido Rodriguez and Mohammed Kudus.

LINE-UPS

Bournemouth XI: Arrizabalaga, Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez, Adams, Brooks, Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo, Evanilson.

Subs: Dennis, Huijsen, Soler, Araujo, Hill, Scott, Winterburn, Jebbison, Silcott-Duberry.

Leicester City XI: Stolarczyk, Justin, Coady, Faes, Kristiansen, Skipp, Soumaré, McAteer, Ayew, Thomas, Daka.

Subs: Iversen, Okoli, Pereira, Aluko, Golding, Buonanotte, Monga, Braybrooke, Evans.


Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson, Lukić, Cairney, Traoré, Pereira, Wilson, Jiménez.

Subs: Benda, Bassey, Berge, King, Sessegnon, Smith Rowe, Vinícius, Iwobi, Willian.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, González, Gündoğan, Silva, Marmoush, Doku, Haaland.

Subs: Ortega, Aké, Lewis, Rodri, De Bruyne, Echeverri, Foden, O’Reilly, Savinho.


Ipswich Town XI: Palmer, Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis, Morsy, Cajuste, Hutchinson, Chaplin, Broadhead, Hirst.

Subs: Walton, Woolfenden, Burgess, Boniface, Taylor, Szmodics, Luongo, Delap, Clarke.

West Ham United XI: Fabianski, Todibo, Kilman, Mavropanos, Wan-Bissaka, Álvarez, Souček, Ward-Prowse, Scarles, Bowen, Füllkrug.

Subs: Areola, Cresswell, Coufal, Paquetá, Rodríguez, Irving, Kudus, Guilherme, Ings.


Liverpool XI: Alisson, Bradley, Konaté, van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Jones, Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Díaz.

Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Tsimikas, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Endo, Elliott, Núñez, Jota.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Lerma, Muñoz, Hughes, Kamada, Mitchell, Sarr, Eze, Mateta.

Subs: Turner, Ward, Kporha, Esse, Devenny, Nketiah, França.


Manchester United XI: Bayındır, Lindelöf, Maguire, Heaven, Mazraoui, Fernandes, Casemiro, Dorgu, Diallo, Mount, Højlund.

Subs: Heaton, Dalot, Evans, Fredricson, Eriksen, Ugarte, Mainoo, Collyer, Obi-Martin.

Aston Villa XI: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Kamara, Onana, Rogers, Asensio, McGinn, Watkins.

Subs: Olsen, Mings, Digne, Garcia, Barkley, Tielemans, Bailey, Ramsey, Malen


Newcastle United XI: Pope, Schär, Botman, Burn, Murphy, Guimarães, Tonali, Livramento, Barnes, Gordon, Isak.

Subs: Dúbravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Krafth, Willock, Longstaff, Miley, Wilson, Osula.

Everton XI: Pickford, Young, O’Brien, Keane, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye, Harrison, Alcaraz, Ndiaye, Beto.

Subs: Virgínia, Begović, Patterson, Welch, Doucouré, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin, Chermiti, Broja.


Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Milenković, Murillo, Williams, Sangaré, Anderson, Elanga, Gibbs-White, Domínguez, Wood.

Subs: Miguel, Morato, Toffolo, Boly, Yates, Danilo, Hudson-Odoi, Silva, Sosa.

Chelsea XI: Sánchez, James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernández, Madueke, Palmer, Sancho, Neto.

Subs: Jörgensen, Badiashile, Chalobah, Gusto, Acheampong, Dewsbury-Hall, Lavia, George, Guiu.


Southampton XI: Ramsdale, Sugawara, Wood, Taylor, Welington, Downes, Ugochukwu, Fernandes, Robinson, Sulemana, Stewart.

Subs: McCarthy, Manning, Bree, Kayi Sanda, Moore, Aribo, Smallbone, Archer, Onuachu.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Partey, White, Kiwior, Tierney, Merino, Rice, Zinchenko, Nwaneri, Sterling, Martinelli.

Subs: Neto, Ødegaard, Jorginho, Henry-Francis, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Trossard, Havertz, Kabia.


Tottenham Hotspur XI: Vicario, Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Udogie, Gray, Bentancur, Sarr, Johnson, Solanke, Tel.

Subs: Kinsky, Spence, Davies, Bissouma, Olusesi, Richarlison, Odobert, Moore, Ajayi.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Hinshelwood, Webster, van Hecke, Igor, Baleba, Ayari, Wieffer, Gruda, Adingra, Minteh.

Subs: Rushworth, Dunk, Cashin, Veltman, Milner, Mitoma, Gomez, O’Riley, Howell.


Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sá, Doherty, Agbadou, Gomes, Semedo, Gomes, André, Aït-Nouri, Munetsi, Cunha, Guedes.

Subs: King, Bueno, Lima, Sarabia, Bellegarde, Larsen, Hee-chan, Gomes, Mane

Brentford XI: Flekken, Kayode, Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter, Nørgaard, Yarmoliuk, Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Schade, Wissa.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Henry, Pinnock, Ajer, Jensen, Konak, Thiago, Nunes.



  1. brianutd-why always we? 20
    • 14 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Pen

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Where!?

  2. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Martinez RC

  3. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Martinez off

  4. Pat Bonner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Martinez red card

  5. JBG
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Emi Martinex RC

  6. Biggsy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Oh good old Emi, wouldn't expect any less

    1. JBG
      • 7 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Regret starting Konsa over Cunha now...

  7. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    martinez red !!

  8. WVA
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Of course the week I start Konsa

  9. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Nice farewell for Emi

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Almost Zidane esque

    2. The Mentaculus
      • 4 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Oops hope you ignored me

  10. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Red Card

    Martinez

    Villa

  11. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    I nearly got Bruno, was talking him up and all

  12. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    These MC cleansheets are covered in luck

  13. JBG
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Take Rogers off for the GK sub

    1. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Ascensio

    2. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Asensio

    3. djman102
      • 16 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Of course, it's the player I own, not the popular player...

  14. Boz
    • 13 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Outrageous scenes from Martinez

  15. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    No United pen on Martinez RC

    1. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Ok

  16. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Goodbye, Emi. That was absolutely idiotic.

  17. nanxun
    • 4 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Who TF made that backpass?? Cash??

    1. djman102
      • 16 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Yep.

      1. nanxun
        • 4 Years
        10 months, 24 days ago

        ffs

    2. el polako
      • 8 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Pass was on the money.

  18. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 12 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Just 45 more mins of this thankfully

    1. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      This. Good lord.

  19. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Martinez 😆

  20. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Classic Chels if we only get UCL cos Martinez got himself sent off.

  21. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke on their final game, Emi Martinez sent off hahahahahhahahahahhahaha

  22. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Christ where are all the goals? This is absolutely dire. Normally the goals are flying in on the final day.

  23. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Salah triple captain going as planned

  24. BeaversWithAttitude
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Martinez… who the f*** else!

    1. Fabreghastly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      He's a few chromosomes short of a Neanderthal

  25. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Getting Saka week early last gw instead of Bowen proves to be a great ending to this season.

  26. F4L
    • 11 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    ffs emi really. so happy this fpl season is 45 mins away from being over

  27. Hughes Your Daddy
    • 13 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    What's happened to Villa recently? So unreliable.

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Small squad

  28. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Olsen on, Asensio off

  29. Ady87
    • 12 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Had armband in Salah for a month out of defiance, not gone well.

    Had 4 FT so derisked from triple palace and sold Sarr.

    Played BB with Martinez.

    Being on next season.

    1. Ady87
      • 12 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      Rage typing apologies for typos.

  30. JBG
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 24 days ago

    Martinez is dumb... Højlund was the player through there.

    1. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      10 months, 24 days ago

      He made a great tackle though...would do well at Rugby.