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. THE Wild Rover
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wow, Wilson another WC fail

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    1. g40steve
      10 months, 10 days ago

      You WC’d?

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      1. THE Wild Rover
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Yep. Mixed bag so far

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        1. g40steve
          10 months, 10 days ago

          Thought about it but only half way

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

    Amazed Woltemade is benched. He looked a handful against Chelsea recently.

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  3. TheBiffas
    10 months, 10 days ago

    SLOT OUT

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  4. thegaffer82
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Looks onside to me. VVD playing him onside

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  5. F4L
    10 months, 10 days ago

    davies nicking a romero assist damn

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  6. Sgt. Schultz
    10 months, 10 days ago

    G Given Wilson

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    1. Effe
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Lovely! He’s off my bench for Ekitike 🙂

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      1. Sgt. Schultz
        10 months, 10 days ago

        juicy

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  7. Atimis
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wilson wasn’t onside?

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    1. Atimis
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Another one I kept along Wilson, what a magic

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      1. Atimis
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Thiago

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  8. TheSteel
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Thats gotta be onside

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  9. Debauchy
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wilsooooon

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  10. TheSteel
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Jimmy assist

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  11. g40steve
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Given Wilson G Raul A

    Pool busted

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  12. FOREST FOREVER 2
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wilson for Estike, Finally some jam points .

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

      Same here but not jam
      Wise choice for first on the bench

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      1. FOREST FOREVER 2
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Yes. You're right.

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  13. F4L
    10 months, 10 days ago

    harry wilson golazo

    raul assist

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  14. Wolfman180
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Getting Wilson subbed on for Ekitike is like the only thing gone right this week lol

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

    Will take any points this week. Any. Szob defcons? Please.

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    1. TheBiffas
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Slot in his infinite wisdom has him playing right wing, so fat chance of that

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  16. Hughes Your Daddy
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Horrible head clash there 🙁

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  17. La Roja
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wilson coming on for Ekitike. I feel dirty

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

    https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2026/01/04/3pm-team-news-keane-johnson-start-woltemade-benched-again-no-ekitike?hc_page=1&hc_sort_by=comment_date#hc_comment_27496768

    Was Actually 17 minutes 😀

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    1. fantasist
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Or 32 mins if you meant he would scoring in 1st minute

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  19. The 12th Man
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wilson first on my bench.

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    1. g40steve
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Jam

      I got Rice 😉

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  20. Machine Gun Skelly
    10 months, 10 days ago

    I sold Wilson for paqueta just for paqueta to be injured and wilson to score 🙁

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  21. Utopsis
    10 months, 10 days ago

    We should all just stop making transfers for 3 weeks

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  22. Gizzachance
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Vvd really needs to go

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

      I agree, despite Burnley soon...

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      1. Gizzachance
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Same

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    2. Sgt. Schultz
      10 months, 10 days ago

      seriously don't let anyone convince u abt dat Burnley fixture.

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      1. Gizzachance
        10 months, 10 days ago

        I won’t
        Cheers

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  23. PogChamp
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Yes lovely bench jam with Ekitike and Wilson.

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    1. Effe
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Same here 🙂

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

    Thiaw down with a head injury and the Palace 8

    Lerner

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

      *Lerma

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  25. Ady87
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wilson last on my bench somehow

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  26. fantasist
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Rice on for Ekitike and Wilson goal
    It's redemption day

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

    Wilson and Thiago punishing sellers like me.

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    1. Stimps
      10 months, 10 days ago

      Wilson, Thiago, Cunha and VDV sold on WC here

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      1. Utopsis
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Goodness me

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      2. PogChamp
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Really? Wow 🙁

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  28. pundit of punts
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wish VdV got the goal

    I’m getting too greedy now 😛

    WC for the ages

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

      That Bavies goal?

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  29. Machine Gun Skelly
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Sold RICE and WILSON im gonna go cry in my room now...

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  30. Babit1967
    10 months, 10 days ago

    Wilson in for Ekitike woohoo - can see a few benefitting from this.

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

      VVD clean sheet wiped again helps

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      1. Babit1967
        10 months, 10 days ago

        Deffo, hoping Fulham keep theirs tho as have Leno in goal.

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