Dugout Discussion
13 December 2025 522 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Gameweek 16 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) gets underway with two 3pm GMT kick-offs, on a quieter-than-usual Saturday of football.

Salah Liverpool

TEAM NEWS

He may have sufficiently made amends with Arne Slot to be back in the Liverpool squad but Mohamed Salah, once again, has to settle for a place on the Reds’ bench today.

Slot does make two changes to his side from the impressive midweek win in Milan.

Alexander Isak, who had picked up a knock in the UEFA Champions League, drops down to substitute duty.

So too does Andrew Robertson as Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez come into the side.

Federico Chiesa recovers from illness to join Isak, Robertson and Salah on a ‘waffer’-thin bench, which is one man short.

As for visitors Brighton and Hove Albion, they make two alterations.

Maxim De Cuyper and Danny Welbeck make way for Jack Hinshelwood and Brajan Gruda.

Kaoru Mitoma, James Milner and Yasin Ayari are all back from injury and on the bench.

Chelsea make four changes from the defeat at Atalanta on Tuesday.

A rested Cole Palmer, who had a “mixed feeling” after training on Thursday, is one of the four players promoted to the line-up.

Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana and Alejandro Garnacho also come in for the Blues as Josh Acheampong, the suspended Moises Caicedo, Jamie Gittens and Benoit Badiashile make way.

Bar Joao Pedro in for the injured Liam Delap up top, this is the same side that drew at Bournemouth.

Everton’s one and only alteration is a predictable one. Idrissa Gana Gueye, back from suspension, ousts Charly Alcaraz.

LINE-UPS

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella, Fernandez, James, Neto, Palmer, Garnacho, Pedro.

Subs: Jorgensen, Tosin, Badiashile, Hato, Acheampong, Santos, Gittens, Estevao, Guiu.

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

Subs: Travers, Patterson, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Campbell, Alcaraz, Dibling, McNeil, Beto.


Liverpool XI: Alisson, Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Jones, Ekitike.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Robertson, Lucky, Ramsay, Chiesa, Ngumoha, Salah, Isak.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba, Gomez, Hinshelwood, Gruda, Minteh, Rutter.

Subs: Steele, Kostoulas, Milner, Ayari, Veltman, De Cuyper, Boscagli, Mitoma, Welbeck.


price change predictions
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  1. putana
    10 months, 12 days ago

    wirtz is genuinely not good. I dont see any way he is an upgrade over Elliot

    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      he gets pushed around alot

      1. JBG
        10 months, 12 days ago

        Considering he's as tall and big as I was at age 8, no wonder.

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Elliot can’t get a game with Villa either through which I’m surprised by

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 12 days ago

        Wasn't the managers signing

        Apparently

    3. Utopsis
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Completely different type of player. Wirtz is a playmaker, Elliot is an inside forward

  2. Miguel Sanchez
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Defcon magnet James Tarkowski is currently on zero contributions coming up to half time.

    I just don’t understand this game sometimes

    1. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Wirtz and Konate 8, Virgil 3...

    2. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      They are sometimes quite random

  3. F4L
    10 months, 12 days ago

    sanchez making some saves. is this what it feels like to have a GK that makes saves 🙂

    1. Utopsis
      10 months, 12 days ago

      I'll find this out soon after selling Raya for Verbruggen 🙂

  4. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Benched Chalobah for James. Chalobah hoovering Defcons as per, looks like it may have been a mistake

    1. Utopsis
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Why have Chelsea double if you don't play both vs Everton at home?

  5. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Who got the Chelsea goal?

    2-0

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Gusto

      Hauls

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 12 days ago

        Neto sets him up superbly

      2. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 12 days ago

        Neto assist

  6. JBG
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Gusto G, Neto A

  7. Thanos
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Munoz to Gusto on FT 🙂

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Well done

    2. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Congrats!

    3. Utopsis
      10 months, 12 days ago

      That's genius

    4. Effe
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Nice

    5. F4L
      10 months, 12 days ago

      nicely done

    6. Thanos
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Ta!

  8. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Gust has been quality this afternoon

  9. THE Wild Rover
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Gusto huge haul

  10. F4L
    10 months, 12 days ago

    gusto g

  11. ZeBestee
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Brought in Gusto on FH

    1. Utopsis
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Inspired

      1. ZeBestee
        10 months, 12 days ago

        Its a game of luck, and sometimes you just need to go with your guts and hope it works out.

        1. Utopsis
          10 months, 12 days ago

          But absolutely nobody even mentioned Gusto on here, or on social media. So you should be proud of your decision!

          1. ZeBestee
            10 months, 12 days ago

            Yeah obviously it was a risky pick in terms of the opponent but I knew he will start given he was a sub in the CL. I went with my guts here, picked a bit of a risky FH team. White is the next risky one hoping he starts.

            1. ZeBestee
              10 months, 12 days ago

              And I was very close to picking Ekitike, removed him and brought in Bruno but I kmew he will do well. He might come out with a big haul here.

              1. Utopsis
                10 months, 12 days ago

                I hope so, I brought him in for Mateta

  12. PartyTime
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Pedroooo Neto(C) Get INNNNN

    1. Utopsis
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Lol

  13. WVA
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Of course it’s a Gusto haul and not Chalobah

    1. mixology
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Isn’t it usually the Chelsea RB who hauls?

  14. Kaneyonero
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Is James doing anything?

    1. JBG
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Not getting injured

      1. FantasyTony
        10 months, 12 days ago

        or red carded

  15. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Everton were dominating again only for Chelsea to score again

  16. Feanor
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Mykolenko was done like a dinner

  17. F4L
    10 months, 12 days ago

    gomez bad tackle

    1. ball c
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Ref bottled the red card

  18. ball c
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Gomez has to be a red card

    1. JBG
      10 months, 12 days ago

      RC to Pool player, funny

      1. JBG
        10 months, 12 days ago

        Wrong Gomez, my bad

      2. ball c
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 12 days ago

        The one on the other team
        Almost killed Wirtz

        1. JBG
          10 months, 12 days ago

          Yeah just saw that..

    2. F4L
      10 months, 12 days ago

      got away with it

  19. DeSelby
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Kicking opponents in the stomach apparently now acceptable.

  20. Free Hat
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Gusto. Thats not Cucurella....

  21. F4L
    10 months, 12 days ago

    fofana got defcon by HT

    szobo isnt gonna get it damn, only on 2

  22. Ady87
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Ekitike surely a safe buy now.

    1. NABIL - FPL otai
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Will be a strong pick against Wolves in GW18

    2. ZeBestee
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Not necessarily a safe buy but he will get loads of minutes as he looks miles ahead of the rest of attackers on form.

    3. F4L
      10 months, 12 days ago

      yeah youd thought so. next time isak starts should be alongside ekitike

  23. NABIL - FPL otai
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Gisto not nailed in Chelsea D right? Is he a.safe option for GW21 onwards when the fixtures look good?

    1. ZeBestee
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Unfortunately no. He rotates eith James and sometimes Chalobah plays at RB. Also plays in the midfield when 2 of Caicedo/Enzo/James misses.

      1. NABIL - FPL otai
        10 months, 12 days ago

        Worth a gamble when the fixtures turn in GW21?

        1. ZeBestee
          10 months, 12 days ago

          Yeah if you have a good bench but gw21 is a bit far to think about him.

          1. NABIL - FPL otai
            10 months, 12 days ago

            Indeed my man

  24. _Greg
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Might pick up Fofana. Never comes on as sub. Plays or doesn't.

    1. Utopsis
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Just be prepared for heavy rotation over Christmas, so have a good 4th /5th def

  25. Geriatric Unathletic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 12 days ago

    O.K. so having a 'debate' with my son. Does anyone know absolutely when it was made common knowledge (on the FPL site) that we would all be given 5 additional transfers for AFCON? I reckon it was when the game opened but he reckons only on the FPL site very recently.

    1. panda07
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      When the game launched.

      1. Geriatric Unathletic
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 12 days ago

        TY 🙂

      2. Bobby Digital
        10 months, 12 days ago

        This

      3. Studs Up
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 12 days ago

        this

    2. JBG
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Since the start of the season

    3. panda07
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Father 1, Son 0

      1. iFash@FPL
        10 months, 12 days ago

        😉

    4. Tonyawesome69
      10 months, 12 days ago

      New changes given before the start of the season 21/07/25

      https://fantasy.premierleague.com/help/new

    5. iFash@FPL
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Congratulations on winning this one. 🙂

  26. have you seen cyan
    10 months, 12 days ago

    when to use FH if you still have it left?

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Depends on you team
      Use it GW17 and target Man City vs West Ham or
      go with GW18 and target Liverpool vs Wolves

      1. have you seen cyan
        10 months, 12 days ago

        Yea. Just the issue is that my team doesn't look bad any week really, so its basically using it for the sake of using it. Wish I had used it earlier.

    2. Hairy Potter
      10 months, 12 days ago

      GW19 has some good fixtures for Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd and Newcastle. You might be able to get players that others can't for a week.

  27. henrysquire
    10 months, 12 days ago

    JPedro is shite.

    1. JBG
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Welbeck a better CF, Brighton did well by selling him

    2. have you seen cyan
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Penalty merchant with no pens.

  28. Tonyawesome69
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Oft cheeky nutmeg then a goal from his own half!

    https://x.com/i/status/1999867979467776507

  29. Brosstan
    10 months, 12 days ago

    I owned Ekitike through a string of 1s...with Isak either injured or deemed unfit he still did f all. Since I sold he is becoming essential

    1. TOLV TUMS
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Salah, on the other hand, not looking essential at all

  30. SpaceCadet
    10 months, 12 days ago

    Pardon my French but how is that challenge not a red?

    1. Brosstan
      10 months, 12 days ago

      Precedent was set long ago with De Jong's legendary challenge on Xavi. Not a red.