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Everton v Arsenal/Leeds v Palace team news: Eze sub

20 December 2025 803 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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A chain of events involving Crystal Palace’s progression in the EFL Cup and ongoing participation in the UEFA Conference League means we’ve got two Premier League games kicking off at 20:00 GMT this evening.

Everton entertain Arsenal, while Palace are away at Leeds United.

TEAM NEWS

It’s three line-up changes apiece at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

All of Everton’s are enforced as Idrissa Gueye and Illiman Ndiaye are away on international duty and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is injured.

In come Dwight McNeil, Carlos Alcaraz and Tim Iroegbunam.

Only one of Mikel Arteta’s alterations is made out of necessity: Riccardo Calafiori returns from suspension to replace the injured Ben White.

Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard are preferred over Gabriel Martinelli and Eberechi Eze, meanwhile.

At Elland Road, Brenden Aaronson ousts Ao Tanaka in Leeds’ one and only tweak.

No surprises in the Palace XI – Oliver Glasner told us it yesterday!

Ismaila Sarr has left the Eagles to head for the Africa Cup of Nations.

LINE-UPS

Everton XI: Pickford, Keane, Tarkowski, McNeil, Barry, O’Brien, Mykolenko, Grealish, Alcaraz, Garner, Iroegbunam

Subs: Aznou, Dibling, Beto, King, Patterson, Rohl, Travers, Welsh, Campbell.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Saliba, Hancapie, Saka, Odegaard, Timber, Gyokeres, Trossard, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice

Subs: Kepa, Eze, Lewis-Skelly, Madueke, Martinelli, Merino, Nwaneri, Norgaard, Jesus.

Leeds United XI: Perri, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Ampadu, Struijk, Rodon, Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson, Bijol, Stach, Okafor. 

Subs: Darlow, Piroe, Harrison, Tanaka, Bornauw, Justin, Byram, Gnonto, Gruev.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Guehi, Lacroix, Richards, Mitchell, Hughes, Wharton, Clyne, Pino, Nketiah, Mateta.

Subs: Benitez, Lerma, Uche, Esse, Canvot, Sosa, Rodney, Devenny, Drakes-Thomas.

price change predictions
803 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Yes Ndidi
    • 6 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Makes Saka > Bruno a very easy move for me.

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    1. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Do it

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  2. TiAgoFPL
    • 6 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    How was Frimpong looking ? Will he start some games ?

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    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Subbed off despite being a sub himself - didn't bode well

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    2. Ignasi M
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Trash. No,

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    3. HVT
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Avoid, did ok, bit of a cry baby, then there’s Bradley

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      1. TiAgoFPL
        • 6 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        Cheers

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    4. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Don't go near him, made of papier mache

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  3. lumaunited
    • 7 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Why didn't he play Esteve?

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    1. NZREDS
      • 12 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      He played - just got 0 points

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  4. Ignasi M
    • 8 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    I've never trusted Saka on pens. Even when he scores, they're always too close to the goalkeeper. If Gyokeres hits them high, he will be the main penalty taker. Odegaard is worse than Saka on pens.

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    1. Nightcrawler
      • 6 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      no idea why saka was the main taker anyway. rice and havertz better pen takers than him

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      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        It's a conspiracy to vindicate Gareth Southgate

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      2. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        Yeah big time. Yeah would rather Rice and Havertz over Saka. I guess he's the st*r boy mandem.

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      3. Utopsis
        • 6 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        I'd agree Rice has better technique - it's like Semenyo taking pens over Tavernier, madness!

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  5. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Get the f out of my team saka

    10m+ and not even on pens

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    1. JT11fc
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Heart in mouth there, sold this gw...

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    2. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Hellooo Palmer!

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  6. JT11fc
    • 7 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    I feel robbed as a DCL owner, how was that not a pen

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    1. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Timing

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      1. JT11fc
        • 7 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        Riots called off

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        1. Utopsis
          • 6 Years
          2 months, 16 days ago

          LOL

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  7. Dank Squid
    • 7 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Saka is like KDB minus the 20 assists. "Pen? Sure, unless someone else wants it, I'm not really a fan". Easy downgrade

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    1. JT11fc
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Need a selfish streak at that price

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      1. Dank Squid
        • 7 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        Saka really wants to deliver, open play, but opponents know. Haaland is the only premium able to deliver regardless (atm)

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        1. JT11fc
          • 7 Years
          2 months, 16 days ago

          Ye we really need Palmer back 100% fit to shake it up

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          1. Dank Squid
            • 7 Years
            2 months, 16 days ago

            100% agree, template breaker needed

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  8. have you seen cyan
    • 6 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    ofc leeds score.

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  9. JT11fc
    • 7 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Get in!!!! DCL!!

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    1. JT11fc
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Wiping that Palace cleanie

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    2. JT11fc
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Saka blank, DzcL haul wish on track

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

    dcl g

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  11. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Damn, benched DCL to start Thiago again

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      At least he did me a favour as I have no Palace defs

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    2. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      I didn’t make that mistake this week! Woohoo!

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      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        Nice

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        1. The Knights Template
          • 12 Years
          2 months, 16 days ago

          Sold Thiago to Ekitike too for good measure.

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  12. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Palace busted DCL

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  13. NZREDS
    • 12 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Transferred Woltemade out, standard.

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    1. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      At least Eki got one

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      1. NZREDS
        • 12 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        Went to guiu and shifted to a 352 with Bruno F and Wilson!

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  14. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 12 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Do we need to buy DCL for the scoring to stop?

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    1. Capocannonieri
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      That's my specialty- I end streaks by transferring the players in.

      I need to make a ghost account and hold all the players I hate to end their careers.

      I will make Bruno a permanent captain on my ghost account. I hate that dude

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

    5 in a row for dcl. nearly half way to matching vardy...

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  16. FantasyTony
    • 8 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Saka and Raul > Cunha and Ekitike?

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  17. denial
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    I get giving the pub league striker a pen to give him a bit of confidence if it's a friendly match. What if he'd missed? They're going for the title.

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      He never misses

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      1. el polako
        • 8 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        *from penalties.

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    2. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Career penalty conversion rate
      Saka = 84%
      Gyokeres = 90%

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  18. fedolefan
    • 11 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Feck off Richards, get your annual goal now please.

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    1. FantasyTony
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      I’ll take defcons

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  19. Nightcrawler
    • 6 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    dcl!

    finally something good on bench boost

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    1. Babit1967
      • 9 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Same mate

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  20. DARE TO BISCAN
    • 7 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    For Thiago > Ekitike:

    a) Saka > Bruno F
    b) Saka > Rice
    c) Chalobah > Keane/Richards

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    1. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      A

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    2. FantasyTony
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      A

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    3. Yes Ndidi
      • 6 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      A. Bruno is more of a just have than Saka.
      Get Rice another week.

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      1. Yes Ndidi
        • 6 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        Must.

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    4. Atimis
      • 9 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      A obvious

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    5. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Not sure I'm 100% on ditching Thiago - 2 home games with Bournemouth leaky away from home and then Spurs

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      1. Euro Raiders
        • 8 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        When he can't score against Wolves! He's off from my team.

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        1. Dank Squid
          • 7 Years
          2 months, 16 days ago

          It's Brentford, though. Often struggle when expected to deliver, score when they're not the favourites

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    6. DARE TO BISCAN
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Cheers lads. Won't overthink it

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  21. Digital-Real
    • 9 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Has DCL ever scored further than 1 yard off the goal?

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    1. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Master poacher - Inzaghi-esque

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  22. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    People still ignoring DCL? Thiago > DCL happening? 😛

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    1. Atimis
      • 9 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Could be but SUN are sound

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  23. Amartey Partey
    • 6 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Thank goodness for TC Haaland because the rest of my team is pants.

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    1. DARE TO BISCAN
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      It's softened the blow of benching Wolte

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    2. Dank Squid
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Exactly how I felt back in GW 6 (my team is still pants)

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  24. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Selling Saka before Villa

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    1. DARE TO BISCAN
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      That was my plan. Going a week early now, to get Big Ek

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      1. DARE TO BISCAN
        • 7 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        *selling for Bruno, that is

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  25. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    I had Rice and switched to Saka on WC, doh
    Should have just stuck, feels the better long term pick with defcons and 3m saving

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    1. Ignasi M
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      you'd think Saka would be a bit more direct given how Madueke is waiting in the wings (and a better player in my opinion)

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  26. Ignasi M
    • 8 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    This is good from Arsenal, but they still haven't had a shot on target. Just have a crack. Too many backwards passes.

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

    fair point though that maybe pickford is the worst gk for saka to take a pen against as well. imagine in england training theyve done alot

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  28. fedolefan
    • 11 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Rooney is the oldest looking 40 year old alive.

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    1. Nightcrawler
      • 6 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      that was hulk hogan

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    2. Jet5605
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      And that's with at least one hair transplant. He'd look 55 otherwise

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      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        He had to do it - bald Rooney was just unfair for the rest of the league

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    3. DARE TO BISCAN
      • 7 Years
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Hard living, from a young age.

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  29. All Hail K
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    2 months, 16 days ago

    Like how Ampadu hands the towel back to the ball girl instead of tossing it. Class.

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  30. I have no Wirtz
      2 months, 16 days ago

      Thiago > DCL? Makes sense?

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      1. All Hail K
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        2 months, 16 days ago

        I'm doing it. Whether it makes sense or not is another question.

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