Dugout Discussion
16 August 2025 656 comments
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Three more Premier League matches follow on from the goalless draw at Villa Park.

Sunderland and Burnley contest their first top-flight games since promotion from the Championship, while two of the sides who just missed out on Europe last season meet at the Amex.

Guiu Dubravka

Budget Fantasy picks take centre stage today.

Burnley have four £4.0m defenders – Kyle Walker being the odd one out – and a £4.0m goalkeeper in their starting XI this afternoon, with Martin Dubravka getting the nod between the posts.

Lyle Foster, a £5.0m forward, leads the line.

The Clarets make their Premier League return against Tottenham Hotspur, who make three changes from the Super Cup clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Lucas Bergvall, Brennan Johnson and Archie Gray come in for Joao Palhinha, Kevin Danso and Rodrigo Bentancur.

In the north-east, the big hope from the £4.5m forward pool, Marc Guiu, is on the bench.

The Black Cats have two £4.0m defenders in their team, Jensen Seelt and Reinaldo Mandava.

Mandava is one of seven new signings in their starting XI, alongside Granit Xhaka, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra and Robin Roefs.

Mads Hermansen is straight into the West Ham United team, with Alphonse Areola having to settle for a place on the bench.

El Hadji Malick Diouf gets his Premier League debut but £4.5m midfielder Freddie Potts drops to the bench, despite having started West Ham’s final three friendlies.

Finally, at the Amex, Fabian Hurzeler makes just one change from his final pre-season line-up: Carlos Baleba is in for Diego Gomez.

Danny Welbeck is only among the substitutes.

Fulham boss Marco Silva matches Hurzeler in making one change from last weekend.

It’s an enforced alteration, too, with Ryan Sessegnon missing out. Jorge Cuenca comes in.

LINE-UPS

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbuggen, Dunk, van Hecke, Wieffer, De Cuyper, O’Riley, Ayari, Baleba, Minteh, Mitoma, Rutter.

Subs: Steele, Gruda, Welbeck, Milner, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Gomez, Veltman, Coppola.

Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Bassey, Anderson, Cuenca, Lukic, Berge, Wilson, Iwobi, Jimenez, King.

Subs: Lecomte, Reed, Muniz, Cairney, Adama, Pereira, Castagne, Diop, Emile Smith Rowe.


Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Seelt, Ballard, Reinaldo, Sadiki, Xhaka, Diarra, Talbi, Mayenda, Adingra

Subs: Patterson, Neil, Guiu, Roberts, Rigg, Alderete, Isidor, Le Fee, Jones

West Ham United XI: Hermansen, Todibo, Kilman, Aguerd, Wan-Bissaka, Rodriguez, Ward-Prowse, Diouf, Bowen, Paqueta, Fullkrug

Subs: Areola, Walker-Peters, Alvarez, Wilson, Mavropanos, Soucek, Scarles, Potts, Irving


Tottenham Hotspur XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Spence, Gray, Bergvall, Kudus, Sarr, Johnson, Richarlison 

Subs: Kinsky, Danso, Joao Palhinha, Tel, Vuskovic, Solanke, Odobert, Bentancur, Davies.

Burnley XI: Dubravka, Sonne, Walker, Ekdal, Esteve, Hartman, Mejbri, Cullen, Laurent, Anthony, Foster. 

Subs: Weiss, Worrall, Bruun Larsen, Ugochukwu, Edwards, Tchaouna, Flemming, Ramsey, Lucas Pires.

656 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. yousunkmybattleship
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Anyone activated wildcard yet?

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      I am planning for FH2

      1. yousunkmybattleship
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Why?

        1. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          1 year, 2 months ago

          MCI, ARS, BOU, CRY, EVE all at home and will Haaland [C]

          1. yousunkmybattleship
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            1 year, 2 months ago

            Fair enough

      2. jayzico
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Great name

    2. jayzico
      1 year, 2 months ago

      FH 2.

      GW 3 > Fernandes

      1. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        1 year, 2 months ago

        This

  2. TheBiffas
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Fullkrug will score today.

    1. el polako
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Highly likely.

    2. Deulofail
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Your Jedi mind tricks won't work on Mee

      1. Deulofail
        1 year, 2 months ago

        *Fée (??)

        1. Deulofail
          1 year, 2 months ago

          *Gui (??) (u)

        2. Ze_Austin
          1 year, 2 months ago

          Nor his Sonne

    3. Ze_Austin
      1 year, 2 months ago

      That Sunderland squad might need a few weeks to know each other and form passing patterns

  3. el polako
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Need Solanke to get 30 minutes and a goal.

    1. yousunkmybattleship
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Stranger things have happened

  4. Esraj
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Kevin Sanso

  5. Ze_Austin
    1 year, 2 months ago

    King is the only starting 4.5 attacker, then

    Potter really pulled a Potts trick there

    1. Gubby-Allen
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Yes and I am starting him too.

  6. Kiwivillan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Damn. Avoided Dubravka because of BB. Very sketchy info about him from Burnley

  7. Pep Roulette
    1 year, 2 months ago

    PMS time

    1. Dynamic Duos
      1 year, 2 months ago

      You will make a right mess

    2. The Philosopher
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Take care of yourself

    3. theshazly
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Yeaaaaaaah babyyy

  8. Zoostation
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Is it rational to expect a lot of players will use FH2?

    Get in Arsenal assets, Haaland etc…

    And or is that the right move or better to hold FH?

    1. jayzico
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Very

    2. THE Wild Rover
      1 year, 2 months ago

      I’m thinking about it, but concerned about losing value on the likes of Frimpong, Wirtz and Watkins

      1. Zoostation
        1 year, 2 months ago

        I see 100% the appeal just don’t know if there is a better time to hold it in the first half of the season?

      2. jayzico
        1 year, 2 months ago

        I'd keep Watkins. Frimpong a definite need to go. I'd ditch Wirtz for Saka

    3. Deulofail
      1 year, 2 months ago

      I don't expect a lot will be doing that, relative to the total player count

      Whether you should or shouldn't depends heavily on your team and plan

  9. ‘Tis the Season
    1 year, 2 months ago

    What the F is sunderlands TIFO about…ROFL

  10. The Night Trunker.
    1 year, 2 months ago

    If Spurs can pierce the low blockers early this could be an absolute massacre.
    C'mon Kudus! Do your ting.

    1. yousunkmybattleship
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Don’t think they will is the main issue

      1. The Night Trunker.
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Hmmmm!

  11. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    1 year, 2 months ago

    What happened to Andreas Pereira? Always thought he was a quality player

    1. Ze_Austin
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Silva really rates King, it seems

      1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Think Andreas would usually play in the 2 CM spots behind

        1. Ze_Austin
          1 year, 2 months ago

          Fair enough. I was thinking of ESR instead

  12. Gubby-Allen
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Just King and Bowen for me

  13. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    1 year, 2 months ago

    De Cuyper and Diouf watch!

  14. Thanos
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Get me some returns boys!

    Rutter, Porro and Diouf

  15. Mother Farke
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Dubravka save already.

  16. Sting
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Is Guiu third choice behind Isidor?

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      1 year, 2 months ago

      No 2nd choice

  17. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Van de Ven & King here, Haaland(c) later

  18. Drip Doctor
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Very underwhelming performance from Villa and Watkins.

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      1 year, 2 months ago

      They were dreadful, should be very happy with a draw

    2. g40steve
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Sky commentator mentioned Ollie hasn’t scored on the opening day of the prem, not seen that mentioned?

      1. Ze_Austin
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Salah's antithesis 😆

      2. iFash@FPL
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Interesting! I recall he started quite slow last season as well.

  19. TheBiffas
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Bowen close

  20. Ruinenlust
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Minteh goal!

    1. Gudjohnsen
      1 year, 2 months ago

      I went with Rutter

      oh well

    2. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Knew it 😛

    3. Mother Farke
      1 year, 2 months ago

      VAR'd. Would have been a Baleba assist.

    4. Zilla
      1 year, 2 months ago

      huh?

    5. have you seen cyan
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Really? BBC sport is so bloody slow at updating. No mention on it.

      1. Mother Farke
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Use an app like SofaScore, Livescore or FotMob.

        That's where the money is.

      2. TheBiffas
        1 year, 2 months ago

        It was disallowed instantly. OP probably not watching

  21. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    1 year, 2 months ago

    De Cuyper assist?

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Ah no Baleba

      1. Deulofail
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Slept on. He would have been in my team if I weren't going for an early WC. It is a certain fact!

  22. JBG
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Offside?

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Ball out of play

      1. have you seen cyan
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Typical, knew there would be some reason it wouldn't stand. Just to personally wind me up.

        BBC Live Sport is pure trash btw, still not even reached that point of the game yet, just lol.

      2. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        1 year, 2 months ago

        By a mile apparently

  23. Ze_Austin
    1 year, 2 months ago

    King's rather involved

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Could be a great enabler, even if not nailed

      1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
        1 year, 2 months ago

        It’s not the same Josh King that was at Bournemouth is it?

        1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
          1 year, 2 months ago

          If it is could be on pens!

        2. Deulofail
          1 year, 2 months ago

          No, the new one is Norwegian

        3. Kiwivillan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          1 year, 2 months ago

          I wondered that but this one is 18

        4. JBG
          1 year, 2 months ago

          It's not

    2. Deulofail
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Yes please

    3. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      1 year, 2 months ago

      You’d hope so as the head of state for the United Kingdom

      1. Ze_Austin
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Lmao

  24. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Spurs score

    1. Ze_Austin
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Rich G
      Kudus A

  25. Deulofail
    1 year, 2 months ago

    So I have Verbruggen, King, AWB and Diouf playing. Which game do I watch?

    1. Calafiornication
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Spurs

  26. Sgt. Schultz
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Good finish Richa!!!

    1. Sgt. Schultz
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Kudus A

  27. g40steve
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Herms straight into WHU goal Offt

  28. TheBiffas
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Rich G kudus A

    1. Gizzachance
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Put Roger’s back in after he was fit, took kudus out!

  29. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Is this site really slow at the moment?

    1. TheBiffas
      1 year, 2 months ago

      It is for me on mobile

    2. Deulofail
      1 year, 2 months ago

      y...e......s

  30. JBG
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Burnley definitely going down, they let a man who does the chicken dance score the first goal against then.