Dugout Discussion
21 September 2025 565 comments
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There are two Premier League matches kicking off at 14:00 BST today, with high-flying Bournemouth facing Newcastle United and Sunderland hosting Aston Villa, who are without a win or goal scored this season.

TEAM NEWS

Andoni Iraola makes two changes to the side that beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 last week.

Alex Jimenez and Bafode Diakite start, as James Hill and Veljko Milosavljevic make way.

Eddie Howe makes seven alterations from the midweek Champions League defeat to Barcelona, handing starts to Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall, Joe Willock, Lewis Miley, Jacob Murphy and Nick Woltemade.

Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes drop to the bench, while Anthony Gordon is suspended and Fabian Schar is ruled out due to concussion protocols.

At The Stadium of Light, Regis Le Bris brings in Chris Rigg and Enzo Le Fee for the injured Habib Diarra and benched Simon Adingra.

Aston Villa’s two changes see Boubacar Kamara and Evann Guessand replace Lamare Bogarde and Youri Tielemans, who picked up a calf injury last weekend.

Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho are both named among the substitutes.

LINE-UPS

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Jimenez, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert, Scott, Adams, Semenyo, Tavernier, Brooks, Evanilson

Subs: Dennis, Soler, Christie, Doak, Kluivert, Adli, Kroupi Jr, Hill, Milosavljevic

Newcastle United XI: Pope, Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Hall, Willock, Miley, Tonali, Murphy, Woltemade

Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Lascelles, Joelinton, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Elanga, Guimaraes


Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Reinildo, Xhaka, Rigg, Sadiki, Talbi, Le Fee, Isidor

Subs: Patterson, Neil, Ballard, Geertruida, Brobbey, Mayenda, Adingra, Traore, Masuaku

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, McGinn, Buendia, Rogers, Guessand, Watkins

Subs: Bizot, Pau, Lindelof, Maatsen, Bogarde, Jimoh, Elliott, Sancho, Malen

565 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Pino
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Come on Watkins!

    1. DeSelby
      • 4 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Hey, he just touched the ball. What do you want? Only went 18 minutes without getting a touch.

  2. Nightcrawler
    • 7 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Watkins will definitely score now. Silly from Sunderland player

    1. Pedersen
      • 7 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      He will manage to dodge them all!

    2. Feanor
      • 17 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Redcardo giving Watkins owners hope

    3. Cruyff's Eleven
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Not on current evidence. 7 touches all game.

    4. Porkchops Johnson
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      I have him myself but sorry, he won't. Even against 10 men Villa are looking absolute garbage:(

  3. SINGH
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    I captained Semenyo thinking he will attach but he is taking throwings lol

    1. Sun God Nika
      • 6 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Let’s hope for DefCon

  4. FOREST FOREVER 2
    • 1 Year
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Where are the Goals?

    1. chocolove
      • 15 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      All used up yesterday

    2. Pedersen
      • 7 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Coming from Haaland later today

      1. SINGH
        • 8 Years
        11 months, 8 days ago

        Consolation at best after going down 5 - 0

      2. FOREST FOREVER 2
        • 1 Year
        11 months, 8 days ago

        As a capper I won't mind.

  5. Toast and Spy
    • 1 Year
    11 months, 8 days ago

    so at 37 mins, there's no way Ballard can get clean sheet points? Or does injury time count

    1. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      I'll be interested to know this as well

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        11 months, 8 days ago

        No

    2. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      don't get them unless you start

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        11 months, 8 days ago

        60 mins

        So you can if you come on before 30 mins

        1. Mambino
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          11 months, 8 days ago

          oh, ok - I thought you had to start for some reason

      2. Feanor
        • 17 Years
        11 months, 8 days ago

        False

    3. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Injury time does not count.

    4. Studs Up
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      8 + 45 mins

    5. Cruyff's Eleven
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Effective playing time, injury time does not count.

      1. Pedersen
        • 7 Years
        11 months, 8 days ago

        Please tell FPL towers this so I can get back my -1 for 2 goals concede Sanchez...

    6. Toast and Spy
      • 1 Year
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Well that seems silly. Oh well

  6. Haa-lala-land
    • 5 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Roefs 11 pointer loading

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      • 9 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Villa have to shoot for that 😆 😆 😆

  7. Cruyff's Eleven
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Villa look utterly bereft of ideas.

    Even against 10 men, they look hapless.

    1. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      As last last season, when did well, they have the same players, same manager, same tactics.
      So I guess that means that the other teams have changed something that negates whatever they did were doing right before, system wise. What that something is I have no clue.

  8. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Rogers needs a rocket up his arse. Another pathetic display.

  9. F4L
    • 11 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    look forward to seeing wissa play with woltemade up top. could be great

  10. Dynamic Duos
    • 13 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Why is Emery not starting Elliott, is he anti goals?

  11. The Philosopher
    • 6 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    If Watkins doesn't score even against 10 men now.......

    1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 10 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      There shouldn't be an if in that statement.

    2. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Got Roger’s an Watkins!
      Gone after this week even if they manage something v a 10 man promoted team

    3. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      It's not all about Watkins
      How about if Villa don't score v 10 men
      But having said that Sunderland have a decent defence & dig in even more now down to 10.

  12. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Buendia, Rogers and Guessand should be subbed at HT. Utterly woeful.

  13. FPL Sanky
    • 2 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Senesi half way through the defcon points....5 more to go lad

    1. More Tragic
      • 11 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Burn already there

      😎

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      He’s on the end of every Newcastle attack. Some defenders are just a magnet to the ball!

  14. GoonerSteve
    • 16 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Where are my Chalobah defcon points?

  15. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 10 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    I nearly Bench Boost: Dubravka (4), Reinildo (-2), Josh King (1), Dewsbury-Hall (1)

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 10 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      I deactivated it at 10:30am after seeing the weather up north

    2. GoonerSteve
      • 16 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Dodged a bullet.

      Meanwhile, I bench boosted Dubravka (4), Esteve (4), Gudmundsson (4), Reijnders (tbc) and feeling pretty happy.

  16. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    No urgency from Villa. Elliot and/or Sancho on to quicken the play and add width against deep block

  17. Twisted Saltergater
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 17 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    At what price would people consider Watkins?

    a. 9m+ - he’s the main character
    b. 8m - still got it
    c. 7m - not on pens
    d. 6m - Villa not clicking
    e. 5m - WSM reject

    1. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      At the moment I don't think I'd want him in my squad even if he was for free !
      Taking up a valuable striker slot .

  18. HadiSLIM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    I do NOT want to wildcard now.... I want GW8...

    But double villa (Watkins and Rogers) stinking up my team every week tempting me to press it now....

    1. Brosstan
      • 12 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Patience will be rewarded surely

    2. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Same, also wirtz all blanking each week

  19. Brosstan
    • 12 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    I was promised points from Semenyo. What the h is going on at the Vitality

  20. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    HT defcons update (select players):
    Burn 10
    Semenyo 8
    Senesi 5
    Alderete 7
    Xhaka 5
    Watkins 1

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 14 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Alderete is god

    2. Brosstan
      • 12 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Is Semenyo getting DC as well? Even more essential

  21. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Keane would be complaining if he was sent off for that

    Soft really

    1. THE Wild Rover
      • 16 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      What?

  22. Hughes Your Daddy
    • 14 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Only just catching up on the scores, playing my Bench Boost this week with Reinildo on it will not be a highlight for sure 🙁

    1. Zimo
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Reinildo and Sanchez here. We're not in the same league :p

      1. Hughes Your Daddy
        • 14 Years
        11 months, 8 days ago

        😮

      2. Zimo
        • 8 Years
        11 months, 8 days ago

        What's worse is Sunderland will keep a clean sheet too lol

    2. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      And do you have Sanchez? Sorry, not trying rubbing it ...

  23. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Damn, benched Burn and Gudmundsson for VdV and Munoz this week. Bench killing it (the bar is low…)!

  24. theshazly
    • 3 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Wirtz to ?

    A ) King
    B ) Stach
    C ) Xhaka
    D ) Brooks

    So I can do Watkins > Haaland

    1. theshazly
      • 3 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Wanna do King but afraid he might be benched

      1. Mambino
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        11 months, 8 days ago

        Stach

    2. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Stach

    3. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Stach

    4. Mr. O'Connell
      • 14 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      The one who got the most points this week

  25. All Hail K
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 17 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Looks like Ballard could be ready to start against NFO next week.

    1. THE Wild Rover
      • 16 Years
      11 months, 8 days ago

      Hope so, although I will likely bench him regardless.

  26. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    No Villa subs at HT...

  27. JBG
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    Semenyo has been so bad... my C. 2 other options blanked, let's see whar Robot does

  28. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    I need a Woltemade goal so bad. Played him and benched Petrovic and Senesi

  29. Pep Roulette
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    If Rogers doesn't do anything against 10 men Sunderland, he's surely out of my team

  30. Mr. O'Connell
    • 14 Years
    11 months, 8 days ago

    God hits the bar