Dugout Discussion

3pm team news: Keane starts, Woltemade benched again, no Ekitike

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
977 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Hughes Your Daddy
    10 months, 10 days ago

    We will still lose these lot, terrible record away up there 🙁

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

      Yeah

      Palace look okay with the ball but you'd think Newcastle have enough at home

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  2. PartyTime
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wissa couldn't keep his fat arse on

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    1. MIGHTY JOE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Shocking really

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

    Boooo

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  4. Differentiator
    10 months, 10 days ago

    My gordon goal 🙁

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    1. SM001
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Same. I hate this game.

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

        Hate the VAR

        It was just the lean of Wissa

        Feet onside

        Miles out of the box

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  5. Pep Roulette
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Garner Defcon beast

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  6. Zalk
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Thiago you beauty!

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  7. Jacquet or chips
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Look at me with my Thiago sub. Ooooh.

    I’d have sold without other issues, he’s actually looked awful.

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  8. keefy59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Thiago's first goal since gw13
    Yet he's currently the second highest scoring forward & in the TOTS

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    1. THE Wild Rover
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Only one assist since then as well. Amazed that people still own him tbh.

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      1. keefy59
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        10 months, 10 days ago

        He's coming back into my squad soon along with DCL
        When I'm done with Ekitike & Bowen
        Raising funds for Bruno or Palmer

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    2. Sgt. Schultz
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Weird season this

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  9. Fifa las vegas
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Really could’ve done with that Gordon goal. Team is a bit of a shambles now and will be for a few weeks after what seemed like a good stretch before Christmas. How quickly it all changes.

    ML leader keeping Rice while I took him out and holding onto Thiago is a killer.

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  10. Kaneyonero
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Ekitike would've buried that

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

      What about Isak?

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  11. jam
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Ekitike out, Rice my second sub.
    Roll eyes emoji.

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    1. Utopsis
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Need to change your name

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      1. jam
        10 months, 10 days ago

        True!

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      2. Fifa las vegas
        10 months, 10 days ago

        The anti jam man

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  12. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    10 months, 10 days ago

    That Liverpool XI doesn’t ooze ”we spent £446 million this window”.

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    1. Gudjohnsen
      10 months, 10 days ago

      No Salah, Ekitike or Isak

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      1. JBG
        10 months, 10 days ago

        2 out of those 3 are stinky this season

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  13. The Mandalorian
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Only Arne Slot could make Liverpool players look like seaside crabs

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

    Spurs GOAL

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

      Davies

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  15. Mr. O'Connell
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Van de Ven goal. Rip

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    1. Mr. O'Connell
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Davies actually. Van de Ven assist.

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      1. Mr. O'Connell
        10 months, 10 days ago

        "Mr Pigden..."

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      2. Fifa las vegas
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Shite

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

      Rank slumps

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  16. Sgt. Schultz
    10 months, 10 days ago

    G VDV

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Could do with h getting a brace again!

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    2. Sgt. Schultz
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Davies G
      VDV A

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

      Excellent, bought him in this week...was choosing between him and Keane...got the right one!

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  17. Brosstan
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Its strange how bad so many strikers are at staying onside. A lot of the time when an attack is building up you'll be rolling your eyes at the TV looking at the striker whos clearly offside by like half a yard begging for the ball. Its like these strikers relied on the non existence of VAR and crappy linesmen and now they dont know what to do when VAR catches them every time.

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  18. Fifa las vegas
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Ekitike out for who even.

    Back to Thiago?

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    1. Effe
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Watkins maybe

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      1. Fifa las vegas
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Maybe

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      2. Fifa las vegas
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Wouldn’t mind downgrading and getting Rice back into midfield and upgrade defence a little however.

        In saying that, could just do Saka > Rice and be done with it after a few weeks too

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  19. Utopsis
    10 months, 10 days ago

    VdV lol

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    1. Utopsis
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Oh sorry Davies G, VdV A

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  20. THE Wild Rover
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Davies g VdV a

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  21. pundit of punts
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Guess who got Van de Ven on WC 😎

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    1. TheBiffas
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Was it you by any chance

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    2. x.jim.x
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Might actually break 1 million this week wow

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      1. TheBiffas
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Team must have been pretty bad to have wildcarded now

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        1. pundit of punts
          10 months, 10 days ago

          That is true

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      2. pundit of punts
        10 months, 10 days ago

        lol

        Already 600k

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        1. x.jim.x
          10 months, 10 days ago

          Nosebleed territory

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  22. DandyDon
    10 months, 10 days ago

    VDV has been my Gabriel this season! Only an assist in the end. Shame

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    1. DandyDon
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Almost a Harry Wilson goal to follow…been a fun start to today’s games

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

    Marco Silva would do well at a big club I reckon. Done well with Watford, Everton and now Fulham.

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  24. Brosstan
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Of course when I need Mukiele to come off the bench he does f all. Last week he hauled against Man City. Useless trash.

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    1. #1 Arne Engels Fan
      10 months, 10 days ago

      What do you want him to do, score a hat-trick?

      He's a 4m defender playing for a recently promoted side. Best you should be hoping for is 90mins + defcon, which he'll likely get.

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      1. Brosstan
        10 months, 10 days ago

        I want him to get a CS when hes not on the bench for once. Hate his guts.

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  25. g40steve
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wilson G

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

      being checked, but looks onside

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    2. g40steve
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Raul A

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  26. Mr. O'Connell
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Spurs CS locked. Absolutely no way Sunderland scoring here. 1 win in 20 Vs Spurs. Bogey team and a half.

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

    Fulham take the lead over Liverpool?

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

      VAR check

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  28. Yes Ndidi
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Somewhere there’s a one week team out there with Bavies TC.

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  29. Utopsis
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wilson onside

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  30. Jam0sh
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Seems to be onside to me

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