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. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Sunderland almost scored...just how bad can Villa get!

  2. Tonyawesome69
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Alderete hits the bar

    1. Bobby Digital
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Could've done with an Alderete goal there

  3. DeSelby
    1 year, 1 month ago

    If your opponent runs over to you (when you don't even have the ball) and intentionally fouls you then pushes you over I think you should be allowed to hold on to them as you fall and to extend your legs in order to keep them the maximum distance away from you. If your studs happen to make contact with their bathing suit area, oh well. They started it.

    1. Tonyawesome69
      1 year, 1 month ago

      "they started it" hahaha

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

      I've only seen it a couple of times but it did seem soft.

      Roy Keane thought it was a red.

      Not in his day.

    3. Peteex
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Are you serious?

      He kicked Cash. Well maybe that is what you call extending your legs then.

    4. Mr. O'Connell
      1 year, 1 month ago

      It's probably a red, but there wasnt really much force there at all. All about intent I guess. Punishment doesn't really fit the crime with a 3 game ban, though.

  4. g40steve
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Wolt diving pathetic

  5. g40steve
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Semy down

  6. Mr. O'Connell
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Rogers about to be subbed

    1. Gizzachance
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Be typical after holding his another week v Sunderland

  7. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Hopefully it's a better game at Arsenal

  8. JBG
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Newcastle trying to kill Semenyo

  9. Tonyawesome69
    1 year, 1 month ago

    No idea what Emery is waiting for to make subs. No control of the game here

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Trying to get Rogers his clean sheet point before hooking him

  10. z13
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Alderete with aerial threat now

  11. Zimo
    1 year, 1 month ago

    It's funny but I'm actually kinda bummed out. Sunderland will probs keep a cleanie too. Reinildo red on the Bench Boost when Sanchez already bent me over.

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

      Sounds like you need a rest.

    2. GoonerSteve
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Very harsh

  12. FantasyTony
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Watkins needs rest

    1. Haa-lala-land
      1 year, 1 month ago

      He's had a rest for 4 and a half games

  13. All Hail K
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    How is Ballard supposed to get defcon points if he's too busy trying to score on corners? :p

  14. Mr. O'Connell
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Digne 57 mins while on a clean sheet. Goat.

  15. el polako
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Nearly 1 hour of football and Watkins had 10 touches plus zero shots.

    God we’ve been lied to.
    (Pre season means jack shite)

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

      You've had 4 FTs.

      1. el polako
        1 year, 1 month ago

        And other fires like Palmer, Ait Nouri, Wirtz or my gamble (silly I know) Solanke.

        He’s gone now on WC and also on my „never again” list.

  16. nanxun
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Martinez down. Cash and Mings take each other out. Sums it up pretty well.

  17. Sgt. Schultz
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Together again - Saliba & Gab

  18. Tonyawesome69
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Merino, Zubimendi, Rice, Madueke, Gyökeres, Trossard

    Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Lewis-Skelly, Eze, Nørgaard, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli

    Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Foden, Reijnders, Doku, Haaland

    Subs: Trafford, Stones, Aké, Lewis, González, Nunes, Bobb, Mukasa, Savinho

    1. Tonyawesome69
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Saliba back in the starting lineup. Eze benched for Trossard. Saka back on the bench

      City unchanged for the third game in a row.

    2. el polako
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Eze not a starter, interesting.

    3. Gizzachance
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Cheers

  19. nanxun
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Finally. Buendia off for Elliott.

  20. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Trossard stars

    No Eze or Martenelli in the 11

  21. Defcons are for Kinnear
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Joe Willock is playing like the guy you bring along to make up the numbers

    1. Haa-lala-land
      1 year, 1 month ago

      "Hey Joe. Do you want to go in goal for a bit?"

  22. Pariße
    1 year, 1 month ago

    I think that’s a harsh red on Reinildo. He gets pushed down, his foot goes up naturally from the fall, and he pushes Cash back with his feet. Reds are often given for minor irrelevant incidents but influence the game way more than necessary.

    1. All Hail K
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      But on the other hand, the leader of my ML has him. Silver lining.

    2. Hughes Your Daddy
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Agree, without the additional play acting of Cash would of expected a yellow maybe, pretty harsh when you compare to other situations this season.

  23. Saka White Rice
    1 year, 1 month ago

    What's been more unpredictable. Leicester winning the league or Villa not scoring a goal in 5 consecutive games?

  24. OverTinker
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Sometimes I hate EPL for lack of goals

    1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Its an overrated league. All tactics and analysis, less football.

  25. Hughes Your Daddy
    1 year, 1 month ago

    What a boring pair of early matches for Sunday viewing 🙁

    1. JBG
      1 year, 1 month ago

      "Super Sunday"

  26. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    This is all set up for a Reijnders haul on many benches, isn’t it?

  27. Tonyawesome69
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Semenyo hits the DC threshold

    1. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Awesome!!!

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Matching Salah currently

  28. Lahm and Lallanas Llama
    1 year, 1 month ago

    I can't stand my Aston villa assets any more

  29. JBG
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Getting defcon points from Semenyo was not only my bingo card before this GW started.

    1. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      On 5 pts now... 🙂

  30. keefy59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Senisi 34 points now in the team of the season
    Replacing Ekitike 32 points
    The current team of the season is 5 at the back (the defcon effect?)
    I've got 4 of them