Dugout Discussion

2pm team news: Starts for Gabriel, Saka + Gvardiol

26 October 2025 750 comments
FPL Marc FPL Marc
Share:

Four more matches get underway at 14:00 BST, with Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers particularly interested in the team news of Arsenal, Manchester City and Bournemouth.

TEAM NEWS

Starting with Arsenal, where there were strong doubts about Gabriel Magalhaes‘ (£6.4m) ability to start. Yet he and Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) are in the lineup, as both the Gunners and opponents Crystal Palace are unchanged from Gameweek 8.

Over at the Vitality Stadium, the first league match of Sean Dyche’s tenure sees four Nottingham Forest alterations. Igor Jesus (£5.8m) gets the nod over Taiwo Awoniyi (£5.2m), with hurt Chris Wood (£7.2m) sidelined.

Ollie Watkins (£8.5m) and Emiliano Buendia (£5.3m) replace Donyell Malen (£5.1m) and Evann Guessand (£6.3m), as Aston Villa host Manchester City. The visitors have recalled Josko Gvardiol (£5.9m) to their XI after last week’s rest.

FPL favourites like Erling Haaland (£14.7m), Antoine Semenyo (£8.1m), Viktor Gyokeres (£9.0m), Jurrien Timber (£6.0m), David Raya (£5.7m), Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.6m), Ismaila Sarr (£6.5m), Marcos Senesi (£5.0m) and Tijjani Reijnders (£5.7m) all start. However, the latter could be deployed in a deeper midfield role than usual.

Meanwhile, ultra-cheap forward Eli Junior Kroupi (£4.6m) plays again for Bournemouth, hoping to replicate last week’s brace. That’s because teammate Evanilson (£7.0m) has a calf problem.

GAMEWEEK 9 LINE-UPS

ARSENAL XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Zubimendi, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

Subs: Kepa, Mosquera, White, Hincapie, Norgaard, Merino, Lewis-Skelly, Martinelli, Nwaneri

CRYSTAL PALACE XI: Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Yeremy; Mateta

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

ASTON VILLA XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne; Onana, Kamara, McGinn; Buendia, Watkins, Rogers

Subs: Bizot, Lindelof, Mings, Maatsen, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Guessand, Malen

MANCHESTER CITY XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Stones, Ruben, Gvardiol; Reijnders, Bernardo; Bobb, Foden, Savinho; Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Ake, O’Reilly, Lewis, Kovacic, Marmoush, Nico, Cherki, Doku

BOURNEMOUTH XI: Petrovic; Jimenez, Milosavljevic, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Adams; Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo; Kroupi Jr

Subs: Dennis, Diakite, Cook, Brooks, Christie, Gannon-Doak, Unal, Adli, Soler

NOTTINGHAM FOREST XI: Sels; Savona, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams; Douglas Luiz, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Igor Jesus

Subs: John, Morato, Sangare, Yates, Dominguez, Hutchinson, Awoniyi, Jair Cunha, Kalimuendo

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS XI: Johnstone; Hoever, S Bueno, Krejci, H Bueno; Andre, Munetsi, Bellegarde; Arias, Strand Larsen, R Gomes

Subs: Sa, Wolfe, Toti, Tchatchoua, J Gomes, Agbadou, Arokodare, Hwang, Fer Lopez

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

Subs: Weiss, Ekdal, Pires, Broja, Foster, Edwards, Hannibal, Laurent, Tchaouna

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:

FPL Marc Broadcaster, writer and overthinker. Hoping that ‘differential potential’ will catch on.

750 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. JBG
    • 8 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Speaking of Gerorge Graham

    Open Controls
  2. L'Aeroplanino
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Get out of my team Phil

    Open Controls
    1. chocolove
      • 15 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Lol. So patient

      Open Controls
  3. el polako
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    No penalty means no points for Saka.
    He’s too short to score in a team which is relying on set pieces only.

    Open Controls
    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 13 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      He can assist and get defcons

      Open Controls
  4. Kaneyonero
    • 10 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    No one can deliver the ball in to Gyokeres that's the problem

    Open Controls
    1. Bobby Digital
      • 9 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      They do, he's just too slow to get to then

      Open Controls
      1. Bobby Digital
        • 9 Years
        10 months, 29 days ago

        *them

        Open Controls
  5. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    2 nil Arsenal

    Open Controls
    1. Kaneyonero
      • 10 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      No wide lol

      Open Controls
    2. chocolove
      • 15 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      What

      Open Controls
    3. RICICLE
      • 4 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Lol

      Open Controls
    4. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      My bad

      Side netting

      Fooled SofaScore too

      Open Controls
    5. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Go to specsavers 😛

      Open Controls
      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        10 months, 29 days ago

        It was the notification that got me

        Open Controls
  6. Shark Team
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Gabriel is really the most dangerous Arsenal player
    He just missed another huge chance

    Open Controls
    1. Ignasi M
      • 9 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      yeah. Gyokeres is so poor as a striker. I guess he's just there as a battering ram.

      Open Controls
      1. Shark Team
        • 9 Years
        10 months, 29 days ago

        I guess Gyokeres will be better against easier sides where Arsenal are already in front by 2 goals

        Open Controls
  7. Ignasi M
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Saka's been really ineffective since he's returned from injury. He looked good initially, but has struggled the past two game weeks. I was going to bring him in, but the defence look more like scoring than the attack.

    Open Controls
  8. JBG
    • 8 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Gabriel down

    Open Controls
    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Hit the post, with his post

      Open Controls
      1. Moon Dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        10 months, 29 days ago

        The Nutcracker came early this year

        Open Controls
  9. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Gabs clatters post

    Open Controls
  10. Kaneyonero
    • 10 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Gabs crocked in the jewels

    Open Controls
    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Oh dear

      Open Controls
  11. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Saka didn’t look 100% today

    Could be carrying a slight niggle

    Open Controls
    1. Hughes Your Daddy
      • 14 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Yep, need to get rid of Saka as well. So many fires to put out 🙁

      Open Controls
  12. Pedersen
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Gab going childless

    Open Controls
    1. el polako
      • 9 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Easier that way than wait on vasectomy through NHS.

      Open Controls
    2. chocolove
      • 15 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Lol

      Open Controls
  13. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Saka j pedro bowen doku gakpo.. lot of garbage players i need to boot out but no WC available or saved transfers.. who goes first?
    J pedro to mateta?
    Doku to mbuemo?

    Open Controls
    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Both transfers I like

      Open Controls
      1. Bluetiger1
        • 4 Years
        10 months, 29 days ago

        Doku to mbuemo-first

        Open Controls
  14. L'Aeroplanino
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Willy down

    Open Controls
  15. chocolove
    • 15 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Gabriel future offspring at the stake

    Open Controls
  16. Gudjohnsen
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Could have done Saliba to Gabriel 2 gws ago

    Would have gained 12.points

    stupid in hindsight

    Open Controls
    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Saliba is worst choice of arsenal defenders

      Open Controls
      1. Gudjohnsen
        • 9 Years
        10 months, 29 days ago

        In my defence I got in gw 2

        Open Controls
  17. Kaneyonero
    • 10 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Just as well I didn't activate BB despite Rodon on the bench

    Open Controls
  18. Capocannonieri
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Pedro is worthless. He's lost in this formation.

    7.5M but even Kroopi Jr can score more goals.

    I feel trapped with Trash. Am I wrong?

    Open Controls
    1. thegaffer82
      • 15 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Definitely something not right. He is a very good player and he looked good at the start of the season, but it’s gone downhill quick.
      I’m selling

      Open Controls
    2. Bluetiger1
      • 4 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      50/50 - some good fixtures coming & after International break heard Delap back in training
      I might hold at the moment

      Open Controls
    3. Ze_Austin
      • 7 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Playing through an injury

      Open Controls
  19. All Hail K
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 17 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Didn't think my Longstaff assist was going to be the highlight of my gameweek.

    Open Controls
    1. Capocannonieri
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      I don't even have an assist! Just straight blanks.

      All my players became Reijders-Level losers this week.

      Open Controls
      1. All Hail K
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 17 Years
        10 months, 29 days ago

        Ouch, I've got a few of those.

        Open Controls
    2. The Big Fella
      • 10 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      I had Rodon to save mine but have Isidor first in the bench

      Open Controls
  20. Ze_Austin
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Mbappe G

    Open Controls
    1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 10 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Inevitable

      Open Controls
      1. Ze_Austin
        • 7 Years
        10 months, 29 days ago

        Offside, VAR

        Open Controls
  21. Brosstan
    • 12 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    The Gyoke wasnt expecting to come up against world beaters such as Lacroix weekly when he went to the PL. Hes a few numbers too small for this league

    Open Controls
    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Hre’s blanked against worse defences

      Open Controls
  22. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Kroupi Jr subbed

    Open Controls
  23. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Which option?

    A) Reijnders and Pedro to Mbeumo and Foster/Guiu
    B) Mateta and max 5.5 mid
    C) Enzo and Pedro to Mbeumo and Thiago

    2 FTs, have Sarr

    Open Controls
  24. The Big Fella
    • 10 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    The match hasnt finished yet but I think I am going to get rid of Gyokeres for Mateta and buy Timber for Virgil and use the cash to upgrade Reijnders to Mbeumo. Then I will give Saka another 2GW to do something against Burnley and Sunderland and if not sell him for Gakpo and buy Calafiori and just have triple Arsenal defence

    Open Controls
    1. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Sounds like a good plan. Wait for Pool v Palace midweek if you can.

      Open Controls
    2. WVA
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Mateta has had one game good game week where he got pens, other than that he’s been the worst finisher in the league

      Open Controls
  25. Ze_Austin
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    NEW ARTICLE:

    https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2025/10/26/everton-v-tottenham-team-news-grealish-returns-to-xi

    Open Controls
  26. el polako
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Arsenal must be the most boring title contender in years.

    Open Controls
    1. Sun God Nika
      • 6 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      They a deserve a win nonetheless

      Been consistent for so long

      Open Controls
  27. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Rather than switching Gyokeres to Saka, I'm tempted to go with triple Arsenal defence - Raya, Gabriel and Timber

    Open Controls
    1. Bobby Digital
      • 9 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      I'd be tempted too if I had a WC

      Open Controls
      1. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        10 months, 29 days ago

        Already have 2/3 and 5FTs rolled

        Open Controls
    2. Brosstan
      • 12 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Welcome to the club!

      Open Controls
    3. Bluetiger1
      • 4 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Good call

      Arsenal last season or so gone like old Arsenal (one-nil) to the Arsenal
      scoring a lot of set play pieces

      Open Controls
  28. have you seen cyan
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    6 point bb, lol

    Open Controls
    1. The Philosopher
      • 6 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Shouldn't have BBed, mate

      Open Controls
    2. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      8 so far with Kudus yet to play

      Open Controls
  29. Capocannonieri
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Just a question:

    Is Kroupi Jr a nailed starter?

    Kid scores goals

    Open Controls
    1. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      We won't know until Evanilson is back

      Open Controls
    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      10 months, 29 days ago

      Nah

      Doesn't do the defensive work yet according to the manager

      Open Controls
  30. Limbo
    • 16 Years
    10 months, 29 days ago

    Seen enough of Reijnders. YC last straw. Rage transferred. He looked a bargain but is too deep and can't hold simply because he's good value.

    Done 2 FT

    Reijnders > Mbeumo
    Pedro > Thiago

    Open Controls

You need to be logged in to post a comment.