Dugout Discussion
4 October 2025 604 comments
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Three down, one to go – and the final Premier League match of the day is the headline act.

Chelsea v Liverpool kicks off at 17:30 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Alexander Isak starts for Liverpool this evening, with Hugo Ekitike only among the substitutes.

There had been an injury scare surrounding Ekitike in midweek, although the striker himself suggested it was cramp.

Florian Wirtz, like Ekitike, drops out of the Liverpool side after the loss in Galatasaray.

In comes Conor Bradley, which means that Dominik Szoboszlai switches from right-back to his usual advanced central midfield role for tonight’s game.

And back after his midweek rest is Mohamed Salah, who ousts Jeremie Frimpong on the right wing.

Alexis Mac Allister also replaces Curtis Jones in the middle of the park, while Giorgi Mamardashvili deputises for the injured Alisson.

As for Chelsea, it’s the expected centre-half partnership of Josh Acheampong and Benoit Badiashile amid injuries and suspensions elsewhere.

Acheampong is in for the banned Trevoh Chalobah.

Joao Pedro and Reece James, both handed breathers against Benfica, are the two other changes from Tuesday night.

Facundo Buonanotte drops to the bench, while Tyrique George is not in the squad at all.

Alejandro Garnacho gets his first Premier League start for Chelsea, too, having impressed in midweek.

LINE-UPS

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Acheampong, Badiashile, Cucurella, Caicedo, James, Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho, Pedro.

Subs: Jorgensen, Slonina, Hato, Emenalo, Lavia, Buonanotte, Gittens, Estevao, Guiu.

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili, Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Salah, Isak, Gakpo.

Subs: Woodman, Gomez, Endo, Robertson, Frimpong, Jones, Ekitike, Chiesa, Wirtz.


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604 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. ‘Tis the Season
    • 7 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Brace from Isak!

  2. Sting
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    gakpo’s last week to do something before I sell

  3. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Salah last chance for me or he's being sold for Kudus!

    1. Gooner Kebab
      • 13 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Kudus since day 1, great pick

      1. lilmessipran
        • 13 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        5 assists from an xA of 1.1 is an unsustainable.

        1. Third Eye Vision
          • 13 Years
          9 months, 16 days ago

          I wonder how accurate xA stats really are.

          Anyway, he totally passes the eye test when I watch the Spurs games though. I think he’s been unlucky not to have more points.

    2. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Point chasing that

      1. g40steve
        • 8 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        Had from start disagree 😉

        1. Qaiss
          • 10 Years
          9 months, 16 days ago

          Because of the fixtures

          Which get worse for Spurs now, who haven’t played very well in most of their games so far

          1. g40steve
            • 8 Years
            9 months, 16 days ago

            Points is points

            1. Qaiss
              • 10 Years
              9 months, 16 days ago

              Yes, it’s about predicting points. He’s saying that he wants to bring Kudus in when their fixtures get worse haha

  4. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Need Pedro to outscore Salah...

  5. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Gabriel has already overtaken his DEFCON tally from last season after just 7 games..

    2024/25- 4 DEFCON points from 28 games
    2025/26- 6 DEFCON points from 7 games

    https://x.com/allaboutfpl/status/1974507943354834975?t=byAf2v9yQ0O4P-MfLWd_9g&s=19

    1. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Wtf...

      Are Arsenal defending deeper or something?

      1. Qaiss
        • 10 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        Was the DEFCON tally from last season even accurate?

        1. Nightcrawler
          • 7 Years
          9 months, 16 days ago

          yes. there are far more defcon points this season cuz teams are prioritizing long throws and set pieces. give way more chances for clearances

    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      i guess fpl towers didnt see it coming but now he looks very very underpriced. has a 200 points season on the cards

  6. Gooner Kebab
    • 13 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Salah brace would be phenomenal

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 14 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Haha yeah right. He's finished.

      1. Gooner Kebab
        • 13 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        lol, he’s out if he blanks

    2. PartyTime
      • 5 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Hatty better

      1. Gooner Kebab
        • 13 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        Would save a FT if he does!

    3. Ball Ake
      • 2 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      He's been playing like he has one on both legs

  7. Moon Dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Gabriel getting more DefCon than Senesi is a curveball.

  8. JBG
    • 8 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    1-1 with unpopular FPL goalscorers here would be perfect

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Pedro & Salah for maximum pain

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      I think it might be 2-2

      Both teams would be happy not to lose three games on the spin

      Unless Liverpool really go at them?

  9. theshazly
    • 3 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Shitty start for the season so far at 4M rank

    Team is :

    Sels ( Dub )
    Porro Guehi Diouf (DeCuyper / Guddmnssn)
    Salah Kudus Stach Reijnders ( KDH )
    Haaland JP Gyokeres

    2 FT / 0 ITB

    Do what ?

    A ) Gyokeres, Salah, Stach >> Isak, Semenyo, Saka for -4

    B ) WC

    C ) Something else

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      I have 10 of your players & was 136k yesterday?
      Seems crazy such huge gap between us!

    2. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      No Semenyo & Gabriel are huge misses

  10. BECKS TO THE FUTURE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Never thought I'd be sad to see the numbers 11 & 9 next to Bruno & Timber. I should be really happy with bringing Timber in this week, but I'm still sad. Sort it out.

    1. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Timber got 11 points, stop whining lol

      1. BECKS TO THE FUTURE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        Awkward. That's literally the point of my post. But thanks for backing me up.

  11. Jordan.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    zubimendi is a terrific footballer

    1. Gooner Kebab
      • 13 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      He is, just not a great FPL player

      1. Ball Ake
        • 2 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        He makes others better fpl players, eg. Rice

        1. Four Letter Wirtz
          • 10 Years
          9 months, 16 days ago

          That Spanish trio in midfield (Zubimendi, Merino, Arroz) is so smooth and effortless

  12. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Just realised I scan afford a Haaland + Salah + Saka team. Looks decent as well.

    Do it? 🙄

    Petrovic
    Gabriel - Richards - Andersen
    Salah - Saka - Semenyo - Reijnders
    Haaland - Mateta - DCL

    Dubravka - King - Gudmundsson - Reinildo

    Only worry being no Chelsea attack for his good run

  13. theboss123
    • 5 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Is Fernandes due any dc points?

    1. space mercenary
      • 6 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      No, unless he gets upgraded from his current tally of 11.

  14. tuturututu
    • 5 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    BB active for next GW, what do you think?

    Petrović (cry), Dubravka (LEE)
    Timber (ful), Chalobah (nfo), Guehi (BOU), VdV (AVL), Esteve (LEE)
    Saka (ful), Doku (EVE), Semenyo (cry), Kudus (AVL), Enzo (nfo)
    Gyokeres (ful), Haaland (C) (EVE), Evanilson (cry)

  15. F4L
    • 11 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    anyone playing 4 back? even 5. how is it going?

    1. BECKS TO THE FUTURE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Back four. Not going well: missed out on DefCon with Timber.

      1. F4L
        • 11 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        unfortunate on that front but someone like timber must mean the 4 back is paying off

  16. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Maybe Opta recalculation on Bruno defcons

    https://x.com/FPLFocal/status/1974508783742111778?t=CohOYGc7gPuqOzDeZS-X7w&s=19

    1. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Extremely sad behaviour

  17. el polako
    • 9 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Darwin Nunez-> Timo Werner-> Viktor Shockeres

  18. Deulofail
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    I sold JP for Gyokeres
    Benched Porro of Isak

    Therefore in Themis game I would like
    - JP to blank
    - Isak to get at least 7 points*

    *if not then one of Munoz, Reijnders or Mateta to be rested and play no minutes

    Thank you for your thoughts and prayers

    1. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      *Benched Porro for Isak

      1. EDEN THE MAN
        • 9 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        What was the thought process behind that?

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          9 months, 16 days ago

          More people voted to bench Porro

          1. Four Letter Wirtz
            • 10 Years
            9 months, 16 days ago

            To be fair, Porro's "assist" was very lucky/questionable, and Leeds could easily have scored 2+ goals

  19. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    1-3 Liverpool win please

  20. SomeoneKnows
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Early GW8 thoughts...
    1FT + 1.7itb plan to BB GW8

    A) Vicario > Raya
    B) Bruno > Saka

    Vicario
    Gabriel, Senesi, Lacroix
    Bruno, Semenyo, Sarr, Anthony
    Haaland, Gyokeres, J.Pedro

    (Dubrovka, Reijnders, Porro, Gudmunson)

    1. Manani
      • 14 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      b

  21. Deulofail
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Glenn Hoddle keeps calling the Club World Cup the World Club lol

  22. Von Lipwig
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Come on Chelsea!!!

  23. Manani
    • 14 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    just WC last week, but already want to take a hit to take out Gyo lol

    1. Von Lipwig
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Classic mistake

    2. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Yeah and Bruno!

  24. Gazwaz80
    • 6 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    How did Eze look? Been doing housework, a man’s work and all that 😀

  25. The Big Fella
    • 9 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    I want a 0-0 result with both Cucurella and Virgil scoring and get DEFCON

    1. fedolefan
      • 12 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Step away from the keyboard.

      1. The Big Fella
        • 9 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        Too much to ask for? I will settle for 0-0 with both assisting and DEFCON then

  26. The Big Fella
    • 9 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    I think Amorim comes across as being quite unlikeable and prickly - not just recently with the pressure either. I have thought this since he got the job. Any thoughts?

    1. Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Cute little hedgehog

      1. The Big Fella
        • 9 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        Here hedgy hedgy hedgy hoggy!

  27. Make FPL Casual Again
    • 7 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    So Richie benched after last 2 euro games, then started in the following pl game...now its only an international break so should start vs villa, right?

    1. nonaynever
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Brazil play in Japan.....cool for Richie's air-miles though

      1. Make FPL Casual Again
        • 7 Years
        9 months, 16 days ago

        Its ok though cos Japan timezone is far ahead so he basically gets back the extra time when he travels back to UK...

    2. mookie
      • 12 Years
      9 months, 16 days ago

      Doesn't matter one bit. Comfortably outscoring that Bendtner wannabe for 2m less.

  28. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    • 9 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Salah needs to keep quiet here

  29. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Sanchez flapping

  30. Make FPL Casual Again
    • 7 Years
    9 months, 16 days ago

    Lets go Salad, punish the sellers as they say, jammy brace would be nice