Dugout Discussion
18 October 2025 808 comments
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Five more Premier League games get underway at 3pm BST, with all three newly promoted clubs in action – so many Gameweek 8 Bench Boost outcomes ride on the next few hours.


TEAM NEWS

Starting with ‘El Boostico’ (rubbish), there’s one enforced change for Leeds United as Jack Harrison replaces the injured Noah Okafor.

Daniel James and Lucas Perri have recovered from injury but are only among the substitutes.

Scott Parker, meanwhile, makes three changes to his Burnley side, one of which is injury-related as Lyle Foster is absent with a dead leg.

Zian Flemming, Lesley Ugochukwu and Jacob Bruun Larsen come in, while Loum Tchaouna and Josh Laurent drop to the bench.

Jaiden Anthony is fit to start.

In another match that features a number of budget picks being ‘boosted’, Sunderland host Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The 7%-owned Omar Alderete has recovered from injury and is joined in the starting XI by Chris Rigg and Dan Ballard, with Arthur Masuaku and Simon Adingra making way.

Wolves bring in Rodrigo Gomes and the fit-again Matt Doherty for the injured Hwang Hee-chan and the benched Jackson Tchatchoua.

There’s a surprise benching for Josko Gvardiol at the Etihad, which naturally comes a day after Pep Guardiola praised the Croatian’s powers of recovery.

Oscar Bobb is also demoted to substitute duty and Rodri misses out, with Nico Gonzalez, Nathan Ake and Jeremy Doku handed recalls.

Omar Marmoush is on the bench after recovering from injury.

There are also three changes for Everton, who can’t call upon ineligible loanee Jack Grealish.

David Moyes brings in Carlos Alcaraz, Beto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as Tyler Dibling and Thierno Barry make way.

The absence of Evanlison, and a start for £4.5m forward Eli Kroupi, is the headline news from the Vitality. Evanilson misses out with a calf injury.

Alex Jimenez and Justin Kluivert also come in, with David Brooks injured and James Hill benched.

Crystal Palace are unchanged.

So too are Newcastle United for their trip to Brighton and Hove Albion, who bring in Georginio Rutter for the unavailable Brajan Gruda.

Kaoru Mitoma misses out again.

LINE-UPS

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Dunk, van Hecke, Kadioglu, Ayari, Gomez, Baleba, Minteh, Welbeck, Georginio.

Subs: Steele, Tzimas, Watson, Kostoulas, Milner, Boscagli, De Cuyper, Coppola, Oriola.

Newcastle United XI: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon

Subs: Ramsdale, Schar, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Murphy, Willock, Ramsey, Miley.


Burnley XI: Dubravka, Walker, Ugochukwu, Tuanzebe, Esteve, Hartman, Bruun Larsen, Cullen, Florentino, Anthony, Flemming

Subs: Weiss, Edwards, Tchaouna, Ekdal, Pires, Broja, Mejbri, Laurent, Barnes.

Leeds United XI: Darlow, Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson, Longstaff, Ampadu, Stach, Aaronson, Calvert-Lewin, Harrison

Subs: Perri, James, Piroe, Nmecha, Bijol, Tanaka, Bornauw, Justin, Gruev.


Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Munoz, Lacroix, Guehi, Mitchell, Richards, Wharton, Kamada, Sarr, Pino, Mateta.

Subs: Benitez, Clyne, Devenny, Canvot, Lerma, Sosa, Hughes, Esse, Nketiah,

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Jimenez, Truffert, Senesi, Diakite, Scott, Adams, Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo, Kroupi.

Subs: Dennis, Araujo, Smith, Cook, Adli, Hill, Milosavljevic, Christie, Gannon-Doak.


Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Ake, O’Reilly, Gonzalez, Reijnders, Foden, Doku, Savinho, Haaland.

Subs: Trafford, Stones, Gvardiol, Lewis, Kovačić, Cherki, Silva, Bobb, Marmoush.

Everton XI: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, Alcaraz, Beto.

Subs: Travers, King, Coleman, Aznou, Dibling, Rohl, Iroegbunam, McNeil, Barry.


Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Ballard, Alderete, Mukiele, Xhaka, Sadiki, Traore, Rigg, Le Fee, Isidor.

Subs: Patterson, Neil, Geertruida, Talbi, Brobbey, Mayenda, O’Nien, Adingra, Masuaku.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Johnstone, Doherty, S Bueno, Krejci, H Bueno, Munetsi, Trindade, J Gomes, Arias, Larsen, R Gomes.

Subs: Sa, Wolfe, Agbadou, Arokodare, Mosquera, T Gomes, Hoever, Lopez, Tchatchoua.


LIVE GAMEWEEK PAGE!

New to Fantasy Football Scout is the Live Gameweek page, which you can see on the side menu.

Here you can follow the scores, watch the defensive contribution (DC) points roll in, see who the leading players are for xG and more as the games play out, as seen below:

808 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 months, 20 days ago

    Goal

    Bournemouth

    Flick on and a header from DeCup

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      * Kroupi

  2. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 months, 20 days ago

    Sunderland goal...

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      ruled out

  3. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 12 Years
    5 months, 20 days ago

    1-0 Sunderland

  4. JBG
    • 7 Years
    5 months, 20 days ago

    Sunderland G, unless called lff

    1. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      Called off

      1. lilmessipran
        • 13 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        The 10 managers with a Wolves defender breathe a collective sigh of relief

  5. tangtastic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    5 months, 20 days ago

    On the bright side Ange is available for the Utd job

    1. PartyTime
      • 4 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      🙂

    2. el polako
      • 8 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      Match made in heaven.

    3. JBG
      • 7 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      A lot of ruined childhoods in this forum it seems

      1. tangtastic
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        aww I'm sorry about your hurt feelings :'(

        1. JBG
          • 7 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Case in point

          1. tangtastic
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 15 Years
            5 months, 20 days ago

            well at least you're not bitter!

            1. JBG
              • 7 Years
              5 months, 20 days ago

              Again, proving my point

              1. tangtastic
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 15 Years
                5 months, 20 days ago

                only thing thats been proven is how thin skinned and churlish you are mate but carry on!

  6. z13
      5 months, 20 days ago

      Kroupi anyone knows who got the Assist

      1. TheBiffas
        • 5 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        None

      2. F4L
        • 11 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        think its tbc for now, not watching though

        1. F4L
          • 11 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          *not sure if its whether the corner taker gets it or not

    • AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      Sunderland GOAL

      Offside

      Issidor

    • JBG
      • 7 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      Savinho is so bad, wtf was that??

    • Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      City is so vanilla nowadays

    • fedolefan
      • 11 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      Need the real JP to please stand up.

    • Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      5 months, 20 days ago

      Munoz to James on WC paying off….so far but no doubt Munoz at least scores.

      So attacking that guy it’s unreal

      1. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        In your 1st or 3rd team?

        1. Scapegoat Salah
          • 9 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Only 1 this season, my mate didn’t enter this year.

          I’m doing ok, 125k rank atm

          1. Baps Hunter
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            5 months, 20 days ago

            Your team link is incorrect in that case. Please do repair it.

            1. Scapegoat Salah
              • 9 Years
              5 months, 20 days ago

              Ah yes I think that’s last years

      2. NoOneCares
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Lies, yet again.

      3. el polako
        • 8 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        Bournemouth’s high press is something else, Palace struggling big time.

      4. F4L
        • 11 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        everton big miss, beto

      5. RICICLE
        • 3 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        Beto really is shocking

        1. Old Man
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          What does that say about Barry!!??

        2. lilmessipran
          • 13 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          And it's even more shocking that they signed Barry just to get benched by Beto

      6. Twisted Saltergater
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        Would’ve been an Ndiaye assist on my BB… arrrrghhh

      7. JBG
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        Savinho is actual trash, Pep should've started Bobb instead

      8. TheBiffas
        • 5 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        Sunderland G

        1. TheBiffas
          • 5 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Mukiele

      9. tiger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        Sunderland goal...Mukiele g

        1. Baps Hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Heaven for some bench boosters.

      10. JBG
        • 7 Years
        5 months, 20 days ago

        Mukiele G

        1. Sun God Nika
          • 5 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Fair play

      11. z13
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Mukiele 100% best 4.0 or 4.5 level with senesi

        • Strike me a Gakpose
          • 12 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          YESSSSS MUKIELE

        • Sandy Ravage
          • 10 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          BOOM

          1. AC/DC AFC
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            5 months, 20 days ago

            Savage!

        • TheBiffas
          • 5 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          A few mukiele owners on BB right?

          1. Mr. O'Connell
            • 13 Years
            5 months, 20 days ago

            65% EO

            1. TheBiffas
              • 5 Years
              5 months, 20 days ago

              Season over

            2. Scapegoat Salah
              • 9 Years
              5 months, 20 days ago

              Darn thought he was a differential!

        • Jasoooooooo
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Mukiele on bench boost

          1. AC/DC AFC
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            5 months, 20 days ago

            I started him but it opened up the BB too.

        • Bobby Digital
          • 8 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          So should've done Alderete to Mukiele after all...

          1. TheBiffas
            • 5 Years
            5 months, 20 days ago

            Yep 🙁

        • lilmessipran
          • 13 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Mukiele haul incoming with defcon and clean sheet to come

          1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
            • 9 Years
            5 months, 20 days ago

            Wont get defcons this game I think

          2. AC/DC AFC
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            5 months, 20 days ago

            He's possibly more attacking and less DefCon today at right back

            1. lilmessipran
              • 13 Years
              5 months, 20 days ago

              Ah didn't notice that

        • AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Dream stuff

          Started Nordi Mukiele

          Slots in at right back or centre back

          Played a 1-2 with the left back to set up his first ever goal for the Black Cats

        • tucaoneo
          • 7 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Semenyo TC fail

          1. Twisted Saltergater
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 16 Years
            5 months, 20 days ago

            vs Palace?!

        • panda07
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Mukiele - get in!

        • Revival
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          5 months, 20 days ago

          Dreamland! On BB and thanks to a yellow flag on Alderete this week I sold him for Mukiele instead.