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. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Gakpo nets but flag up for offside

  2. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Is this Thiago donkey really single handedly going to ruin my GW?

    1. Tic Tacs
      • 6 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      He’s ruined mine

    2. Cojones of Destiny
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      same , true donkey when u own him

    3. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Mine too...

  3. Voronins Pony Tail
    • 2 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Get with it Gakpo. Awful

    1. Albrightondknight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      We can be the Liverpool rant team. Lazy 2-3 yards offside. Everyone walking around is really getting to me - no urgency. Make a simple overlap run do anything but no stand there are play sideways or backwards. There is no shape starting to have serious doubts about Slot.

  4. Qaiss
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    20 points down on transfers and O’Reilly hasn’t played yet

    Hits are not worth it

  5. Tic Tacs
    • 6 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Thiago going crazy the week I bench him but third on bench is my stupidity. He’s literally tone nothing for weeks, sums up my season

    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      13 goals for the season

      1. Tic Tacs
        • 6 Years
        3 months, 8 days ago

        Not lately

        1. g40steve
          • 8 Years
          3 months, 8 days ago

          Everton were due a thumping, no decent striker & replying on defence

          1. Tic Tacs
            • 6 Years
            3 months, 8 days ago

            Yeah well it’s just how my season is going so not surprised but infuriating nonetheless

    2. Ady87
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Wilson third on my bench. Played Thiago though.

  6. PogChamp
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Can’t believe I kept Thiago.

    1. SpaceCadet
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Same. All thanks to Gabriel. Planned to do Thiago > Bowen till gab became essential

  7. dansmusen
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Did Thiago/Lacroix to Watkins/Gabriel for a hit. Looked good yesterday.

  8. adstomko
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Is a wildcard still feasible now despite the double gameweeks in the future?
    I’ve got too many unreliable players like Ekitike & Fofana, possibly O’Reilly next week vs Brighton.

  9. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Not having thiago hurting

  10. JoeSoap
    • 12 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Funny old game. Take Wolte out for Thiago and Wolte outscores Thiago, take Thiago out for Ekiteke and Thiago outscores him. Patience is key maybe.

    1. The Reptile
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Yes that is the key

  11. The Reptile
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    After that awful display v Spurs I sold Thiago for DCL as thought Everton away was going to be a tough game and he had little chance of scoring..

    1. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Didn’t even think he’d start

      1. The Reptile
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 8 days ago

        Yes I heard rumours of that as well

    2. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Likewise, can't beat yourself up too much with this game because it's just too random

  12. Hughes Your Daddy
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    At last a yellow card to Newcastle (Gordon)

    1. Sandy Ravage
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      story of his season

  13. tutankamun
    • 16 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Gordon YC

    1. tutankamun
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      And subbed

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      F off

    3. Sgt. Schultz
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      noooo

  14. wowo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Gw 19 & 20 have 30+pts sitting at bench. While BB gw18 got me 10pts. Fh19 got me nothibg extra against orignal team. TC haarland against Leeds got me 2 extra point. Time to give up!

    1. Tic Tacs
      • 6 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Yep basically my season too, terrible

    2. wowo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Just Forgot wildcard Gw 10 out DCl and foden when they haul like this post GW10.

      1. Tic Tacs
        • 6 Years
        3 months, 8 days ago

        Yep same, season in the bin

        1. wowo
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 months, 8 days ago

          What's your rank btw.? Mine is 3m. Anthing chip function properly would guide me whoth 1M. I m not greedy. 1M is aatisgy for me instead of 3M

  15. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Brentford are such a brilliantly run club

    1. adstomko
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Is ridiculous how many people write them off every sesason

  16. MIGHTY JOE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Gordon stinker confirmed.

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Annoying

    2. ball c
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Don’t know why I went there.. even though I knew this would happen. Give him couple of game weeks

  17. Pep Roulette
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Bruno G mega haul loading

  18. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Gordon has always been a troll. Didn’t he go a whole year without scoring?

  19. paulojdsc
    • 6 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    So now i have to do Ekitike to Thiago?

    Two weeks ago i made the opposite.

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Strikers are a mess this season.

    2. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Yes
      Then do the opposite next gw bringing back Ekitike for Burnley at home .
      After Thiago blanks or get's rested

  20. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Need a place goal having gone Cash and Keane over Thiaw

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      *Palace

      1. Hughes Your Daddy
        • 13 Years
        3 months, 8 days ago

        With this ref we dont have a chance.

  21. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Hooooold Thiaw

    1. Supersonic_
      • 4 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Yes

  22. FourLokoLeipzig
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Bringing in Tark for double Everton defence and benching Thiago was only going to end one way, wasn’t it?

    1. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Ouch!

  23. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    People being smug about still owning Thiago, should look at what would have been, had they swapped to DCL in gw 14

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Then Watkins
      Mateta
      And
      Mane from Gw17 onwards?

  24. Gizzachance
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 8 days ago

    Gordon such poor pick, y/c, then early sub
    Brought him in for rice last gw, wished I’d just benched rice, then had him for this week

  25. Machine Gun Skelly
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Oh well, let's just pray our city players haul!

      1. TheBiffas
        • 5 Years
        3 months, 8 days ago

        Foden brace would be lovely wouldn't it

    • Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 8 days ago

      Buy Gordon or Schade?

      1. Machine Gun Skelly
          3 months, 8 days ago

          100% Schade

        • Royal5
          • 14 Years
          3 months, 8 days ago

          No

        • Hughes Your Daddy
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 8 days ago

          Gordon no show here (even with a ref on their side) 😀

        • Supersonic_
          • 4 Years
          3 months, 8 days ago

          Not Gordon

      2. tutankamun
        • 16 Years
        3 months, 8 days ago

        Bruno G hits the bar from a corner

        1. z13
            3 months, 8 days ago

            No way he tried it again

        2. z13
            3 months, 8 days ago

            Thiago's haul is a lesson - hold Ekitike, Foden, Cunha etc. Even O'Reilly.

          • Sgt. Schultz
            • 9 Years
            3 months, 8 days ago

            G Beto

            1. Sgt. Schultz
              • 9 Years
              3 months, 8 days ago

              Grealish A

            2. AC/DC AFC
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 10 Years
              3 months, 8 days ago

              Bundles it in

              1. AC/DC AFC
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 10 Years
                3 months, 8 days ago

                Take it back

                Nice header

          • Machine Gun Skelly
              3 months, 8 days ago

              beto goal