Dugout Discussion
4 January 2026 977 comments
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After Leeds United and Manchester United cancelled each other out at Elland Road, the Premier League action continues with four 3pm GMT kick-offs:

TEAM NEWS

The absence of Hugo Ekitike from the Liverpool matchday squad is the headline team news.

The Frenchman misses out due to a minor fitness issue.

Andrew Robertson and Jeremie Frimpong drop to the bench, with Milos Kerkez, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo coming into the starting XI.

Issa Diop, Timothy Castagne and Tom Cairney start for Fulham.

Kenny Tete, Sander Berge and Kevin make way.

At Goodison Park, David Moyes makes two changes to the side that beat Nottingham Forest.

Michael Keane and Jack Grealish replace Nathan Patterson and Merlin Rohl.

Keith Andrews brings in Aaron Hickey, Mathias Jensen and Mikkel Damsgaard for Brentford, with Rico Henry, Jordan Henderson and Keane Lewis-Potter dropping to the bench.

Jacob Murphy for Harvey Barnes is the only change for Newcastle United from Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Burnley.

Yoane Wissa consequently starts up front again in place of Nick Woltemade.

Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento return from injury as substitutes.

Oliver Glasner gives new signing Brennan Johnson his Crystal Palace debut as he replaces Justin Devenny.

Tottenham Hotspur give chances to Ben Davies and Mathys Tel.

Djed Spence and Palhinha drop to the bench.

Sunderland are unchanged from the side that drew with Manchester City in midweek.

LINE-UPS

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

Subs: Travers, King, Patterson, Beto, Rohl, Aznou, Armstrong, Welch, Campbell

Brentford XI: Kelleher, Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Hickey, Janelt, Yarmoliuk, Damsgaard, Jensen, Schade, Thiago

Subs: Valdimarsson, Henry, van den Berg, Pinnock, Nelson, Henderson, Lewis-Potter, Peart-Harris, Donovan


Fulham XI: Leno, Diop, Andersen, Cuenca, Castagne, Lukic, Cairney, Robinson, Wilson, Smith Rowe, Jimenez

Subs: McNally, Lecomte, Amissah, Berge, Ridgeon, Reed, Traore, Kusi-Asare, Kevin

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Gakpo

Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Ramsay, Frimpong, Gomez, Robertson, Nyoni, Chiesa, Ngumoha


Newcastle United XI: Pope, Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Hall, Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, J Murphy, Gordon, Wissa

Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Botman, Barnes, Livramento, Woltemade, Willock, A Murphy, Ramsey

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Lerma, Lacroix, Guehi, Clyne, Hughes, Wharton, Mitchell, Johnson, Pino, Mateta

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


Tottenham Hotspur XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Davies, Bentancur, Gray, Kudus, Odobert, Tel, Richarlison

Subs: Kinsky, Dragusin, Danso, Spence, Bergvall, Palhinha, Williams-Barnett, Kolo Muani, Scarlett

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Cirkin, Geertruida, Xhaka, Adingra, Le Fee, Mayenda, Brobbey

Subs: Patterson, O’Nien, Ballard, Hjelde, Neil, Jones, Tutierov, Mundle, Rigg


Introducing The Eye Test 2
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  1. Pat Bonner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Le fee assist

  2. Defcons are for Kinnear
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Should that be a Bruno assist?

    1. F4L
      10 months, 9 days ago

      think maybe too many deflections sadly

    2. tutankamun
      10 months, 9 days ago

      That’s what I thought

  3. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Ekitike's absence gets Wilson off my bench, excellent.

    1. Bleh
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Likewise. Not too bad.

  4. Machine Gun Skelly
    10 months, 9 days ago

    okay really, Thiago, Bruno G,Thaiw, VDV, Wilson and Schade haul, and all high owned players, and i don't have any

  5. TheBiffas
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Serious bench jam.... Wilson and Thiaw on for Minteh and Ekitike

    1. Sandy Ravage
      10 months, 9 days ago

      congrats

    2. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Nice!

    3. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Wow nice

  6. Zilla
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Thiaw seems like a way better pick than Hall.

  7. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Honestly this game is just infuriating. When it rains it pours. I’ve just used the WC and had Thiaw in every draft but decided to remove him last minute. This amongst many other poor decisions

  8. Mr. O'Connell
    10 months, 9 days ago

    All the popular picks banging this week. Non-Foden owners get behind the sofa.

  9. The Philosopher
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Bruno G might be a lock in my WC23.

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

    Newcastle second goal

    With a flick on

    https://x.com/i/status/2007855361295110264

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

      Is that a Joe Linton fantasy assist?

  11. Brosstan
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Mukiele 0 DC in second half..

  12. HuttonDressedasLahm
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Konate with 1 defcon… 1…. ONE!

  13. Baps Hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 9 days ago

    They aren't showing the lines for that Wirtz goal.

    1. THE Wild Rover
      10 months, 9 days ago

      They don’t do lines with this technology

      1. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 9 days ago

        Grass lines aren't straight?

        1. THE Wild Rover
          10 months, 9 days ago

          I thought you meant the VAR lines

        2. Baps Hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          10 months, 9 days ago

          Maybe it was communication error between VAR room and ref again?

    2. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 9 days ago

      It was clearly offside in replay. I feel robbed since I have Andersen as 1st sub for Ekitike.

      1. Pat Bonner
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 9 days ago

        They showed it earlier

      2. Supersonic_
        10 months, 9 days ago

        Snap plus the two lads breathing down my neck in ML have wirtz

  14. THE Wild Rover
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Dawson is so rude. He always shouts as loud as he can, regardless of whether someone else is reporting on a goal.

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Yeah, really unlikeable.

  15. Sgt. Schultz
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Wilson YC

    1. Effe
      10 months, 9 days ago

      ;(

      1. Effe
        10 months, 9 days ago

        Sorry reply fail!

    2. RICICLE
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Niiiice

    3. The Philosopher
      10 months, 9 days ago

      STOP THE COUNT!!

  16. PogChamp
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Thiago, BrunoG, Thiaw, Wilson. I’m having a super Sunday.

    1. Supersonic_
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Nice one

    2. TheBiffas
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Amazing

  17. Pep Roulette
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Get that one Defcon Bruno

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

      He's on 10 points as it stands

  18. Babit1967
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Bruno G was an excellent buy

    1. THE Wild Rover
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Not when I sold Rice for him 🙁

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

        7 points difference

        1. THE Wild Rover
          10 months, 9 days ago

          Hopefully 5

  19. Vasshin
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Was Thinking of benching Semenyo(Tot H) next week but with Gordon(Leeds H) constant 60 mins performance, should I bench him instead?

    Or choose 1 to bench from?
    Semenyo (tot H)
    Gordon (leeds H)
    Bowen (nfo H)
    Rogers (cry A)

    Thanks

    1. Vasshin
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Also have Thiago (sun H) but with his 2 goals this week. I removed him from the list to bench

  20. Effe
    10 months, 9 days ago

    1 more def con please Xhaka

  21. adstomko
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Did Wirtz > Rogers because Wirtz had a tight hamstring.
    Kept Ekitike over Watkins, and Ekitike is out with a tight hamstring.
    Sums up my luck.

  22. Supersonic_
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Wirtz off - fraud

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

      FrimpgON

  23. Biggsy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Andersen, Bruno G and VdV all 1 DC from Defcon points for me. Tense...

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

      6 mins added on at Spurs

  24. Mr. O'Connell
    10 months, 9 days ago

    11 more defcons Szob. Please.

    1. Supersonic_
      10 months, 9 days ago

      There is still chance....

    2. THE Wild Rover
      10 months, 9 days ago

      😆

  25. THE Wild Rover
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Wilson hits the bar with an open goal

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

      Close

      Keeper. Messes it up

  26. REDMOND IN SANDALS
    10 months, 9 days ago

    common Raul

  27. g40steve
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Fire sale of Palace incoming

    1. Gizzachance
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Def been poor recently

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

    Four

    Brentford

    1. Effe
      10 months, 9 days ago

      Thiago?

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

      Bees buzzing in Liverpool

      Thiago hattrick

      1. Gizzachance
        10 months, 9 days ago

        Nice

  29. Machine Gun Skelly
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Thiago bro

  30. TheBiffas
    10 months, 9 days ago

    Thiago hatty