Dugout Discussion
7 January 2026 1398 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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A whopping eight Premier League fixtures to come this evening, with six kicking off at 19:30 GMT and another two underway 45 minutes later:

TEAM NEWS

The tinkerer is back: there are five changes from Pep Guardiola this evening, one of which sees returning loanee Max Alleyne – who isn’t even listed in FPL! – come in at centre-half.

Abdukhodir Khusanov, Nathan Ake, Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku are also handed recalls.

Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias are injured, while Nico O’Reilly, Rodri and Rayan Cherki drop to the bench.

Pascal Gross is in for his first Brighton and Hove Albion start since his return from Borussia Dortmund, with Maxim De Cuyper and Jack Hinshelwood also brought in.

Joel Veltman, Brajan Gruda and Charalampos Kostoulas drop out.

As for the other Manchester club, the big news is that they welcome back Bruno Fernandes from injury for tonight’s game with Burnley. The Portuguese playmaker starts in place of Leny Yoro.

Hannibal Mejbri, Maxime Esteve and Marcus Edwards come in for Burnley.

Antoine Semenyo starts as expected for Bournemouth in what could be his final match for the Cherries.

Andoni Iraola brings in Eli Junior Kroupi and Lewis Cook for the injured Justin Kluivert and the benched David Brooks.

There are five changes for Tottenham Hotspur, one enforced as Mohammed Kudus is absent.

Xavi Simons, Randal Kolo Muani, Djed Spence, Lucas Bergvall and Joao Palhinha are back in the starting XI.

Richarlison, Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies and Archie Gray are demoted to bench duty.

Sander Berge for Sasa Lukic is Fulham’s only change as they prepare to face Chelsea.

The Blues welcome back Robert Sanchez, Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo from injury and suspension, while Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap and Andrey Santos are promoted to the side.

There are two changes apiece at Brentford, who have Sunday’s hat-trick hero Igor Thiago in their starting XI.

The hosts bring in Rico Henry and Keane Lewis-Potter for Aaron Hickey and Mikkel Damsgaard, while the Black Cats’ Regis Le Bris prefers Dan Ballard and Chris Rigg to Dennis Cirkin and Eliezer Mayenda.

At Selhurst Park, there are also two changes for each side.

Crystal Palace’s alterations are enforced: Jefferson Lerma and Nathaniel Clyne are injured, so in come Jaydee Canvot and Justin Devenny.

Lucas Digne and Jadon Sancho replace Ian Maatsen and Emi Buendia for Aston Villa.

And would you believe it, also two changes apiece on Tyneside.

Nick Woltemade and Harvey Barnes come in for Yoane Wissa and Jacob Murphy for the hosts, while Leeds welcome Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon. Noah Okafor and Sebastian Bornaauw drop to the bench.

Up at Goodison Park, Everton bring in Harrison Armstrong for Tyler Dibling as they prepare to face an unchanged Wolverhampton Wanderers.

LINE-UPS

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Jiménez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert, Cook, Scott; Semenyo, Tavernier, Kroupi, Evanilson.

Subs: Forster, Soler, Brooks, Smith, Diakite, Adli, Unal, Milosavljevic, Rees-Dottin.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Vicario, Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Palhinha, Bentancur, Xavi Simons, Bergvall, Tel, Kolo Muani.

Subs: Kinsky, Dragusin, Danso, Richarlison, Gray, Odobert, Davies, Scarlett, Williams-Barnett.


Brentford XI: Kelleher, Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Henry, Yarmoliuk, Janelt, Jensen, Lewis-Potter, Schade, Igor Thiago.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Van den Berg, Pinnock, Henderson, Nelson, Damsgaard, Peart-Harris, Donovan.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Geertruida, Hume, Xhaka, Le Fee, Adingra, Rigg, Brobbey.

Subs: Patterson, Cirkin, Neil, Mayenda, O’Nien, Mundle, Hjelde, Jones, Tutierov.


Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Canvot, Lacroix, Guehi, Devenny, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell, Johnson, Pino, Mateta.

Subs: Benitez, Uche, Sosa, Richards, Rodney, King, Benamar, Casey, Drakes-Thomas.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Sancho, Watkins.

Subs: Bizot, Buendia, Torres, Garcia, Malen, Jimoh-Aloba, Maatsen, Bogarde, Hemmings.


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

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

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sa, S. Bueno, H. Bueno, Gomes, Arias, Hwang, Arokodare, Mosquera, Mane, Krejci, Tchatchoua.

Subs: Johnstone, Doherty, Andre, Moller Wolfe, Strand Larsen, Lima, Chirewa, Lopez, Ojinnaka.


Fulham XI: Leno, Diop, Anderson, Cuenca, Castagne, Berge, Cariney, Robinson, Wilson, Smith Rowe, Raul

Subs: Lemcomte, Sessegnon, Amissah, Reed, Lukic, Ridgeon, Adama, Kevin, Kusi-Asare.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella, Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Delap.

Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, James, Fofana, Hato, Estevao, Garnacho, Gittens, Joao Pedro.


Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Alleyne, Khusanov, Ake, Gonzalez, Reijnders, Silva, Foden, Doku, Haaland.

Subs: Trafford, Lewis, Mfuni, Cherki, Rodri, O’Reilly, Mukasa, McAidoo, Heskey.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Kadioglu, Van Hecke, Dunk, De Cuyper, Gomez, Hinshelwood, Ayari, Mitoma, Gross, Rutter.

Subs: Steele, Boscagli, Coppola, Tasker, Gruda, Milner, Howell, Watson, Welbeck.


Burnley XI: Dúbravka, Walker, Laurent, Esteve, Humphreys, Pires, Mejbri, Ugochukwu, Luis, Edwards, Broja.

Subs: Weiss, Hartman, Ekdal, Sonne, Bruun Larsen, Foster, Anthony, Tchaouna, Barnes.

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Dalot, Heaven, Martínez, Shaw, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dorgu, Fernandes, Cunha, Šeško.

Subs: Bayındır, Maguire, Malacia, Yoro, Mount, Mainoo, Fletcher, Zirkzee, Lacey.


Newcastle United XI: Pope, Miley, Schar, Thiaw, Hall, Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, Barnes, Woltemade, Gordon.

Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Botman, J.Murphy, Livramento, Wissa, Willock, A.Murphy, Ramsey

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

Subs: Darlow, Byram, Bornauw, Tanaka, Harrison, Gnonto, Okafor, Piroe, Nmecha.


price change predictions
  1. NZREDS
    • 12 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Not having Thiago is killing me!

  2. Effe
    • 15 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Could do with a Watkins goal

  3. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Everton CS wiped. Mane.

    1. Zilla
      • 8 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      mane and kroupi being serious options is nice lol

    2. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      You can't spell M.Keane without Mane

  4. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Thiago > DCL last week possibly my worst transfer ever

    1. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      Yeah… same

  5. Old Wulfrunian
    • 9 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Goaaaaaaalllll

  6. Prinzhorn
    • 5 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Season over after selling Thiago.

    1. Voronins Pony Tail
      • 2 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      If 20 points makes or breaks your season this game isn’t for you

      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 13 Years
        2 days, 23 hours ago

        That coupled with Rice last week kinda has broken me

  7. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Wow. No Thiago

  8. Snoop Udogie Dogg
    • 5 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    3? or 2?

  9. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 9 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Mane such a player!

  10. Gandalf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Held off on the Ekitike > Thiago transfer.. not looking great right now..

  11. Make United Great Again
    • 13 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Selling Thiago for Ekitike. Complete disaster

    1. Voronins Pony Tail
      • 2 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      This week? He may not even start and Thiago is Thiago?

      1. Make United Great Again
        • 13 Years
        2 days, 23 hours ago

        Not this week. About 4 weeks ago

  12. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Hands up if you brought Mane in

  13. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Tark CS wiped is very annoying }:(

    1. Effe
      • 15 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      He’s close to def con at least

      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        2 days, 23 hours ago

        Aha, good news

  14. RICICLE
    • 3 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Sometimes you just gotta fix a mistake as soon as possible. So glad I took a hit for Bowen > Thiago before this GW, hold my hands up, he’s amazing!

  15. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Sesko close

  16. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 13 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Thiago to .... possibly my worst transfer ever

    Insert your Ekitike, Bowen, DCL et al here

    1. MikeS
      • 11 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      Yep same and all the people saying don't bother getting him in now.. and another tow goals! I think I'll bin Bowen now anyway and get thiago he's on form at least if fixtures aren't great

    2. sminkypinky
      • 14 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      For once I got something right and kept him even though i bought Ekitike.

  17. DandyDon
    • 7 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Absolutely no score apart from Haaland. Almost panic stations. My decision last week to switch goal drought Thiago to Barry looking even worse this week. 5 goals to 1! This week i swapped Wolt to Watkins so expect a Wolt brace imminently folks!

    1. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      Umm.. Barry?

    2. Firminooooo
      • 10 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      Nightmare

  18. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    3 -0

    Brentford

    1. Effe
      • 15 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      Thiago again?

      1. Supersonic_
        • 4 Years
        2 days, 23 hours ago

        Dont think so, he'll probably get his hatrick though

  19. JabbaWookiee
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Actually feeling nauseous. Tarkowski cleanie lost and Thiago bags another. This has to be the worst 4 gameweeks in my two decades of playing this godforsaken game. 70k to 300k. FFS!!!!

  20. fedolefan
    • 11 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Was tempted to WC yesterday. Now leaning to quitting for the season .

  21. Feanor
    • 16 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Benched Senesi for Tark and Nunes, meh

  22. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    City defense looks awful

    1. MikeS
      • 11 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      It is

  23. sminkypinky
    • 14 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Brighton should’ve scored just now.

  24. Snoop Udogie Dogg
    • 5 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Please don't come on O'Reilly

    1. Snoop Udogie Dogg
      • 5 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      Guehi bench

    2. Effe
      • 15 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      This! Although I would have Virgil coming in…

    3. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      Unlucky

  25. MikeS
    • 11 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Mane on fire

  26. Feanor
    • 16 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Ekitike to Mane the smart move

  27. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Corner

    Slammed in

    90 games for his first goal ... Yarm

    Collins assist

  28. Prinzhorn
    • 5 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Never been closer to deleting the game lol

  29. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 13 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    Sunderland is so Jekyll and Hyde, home and aqay

  30. The Mandalorian
    • 13 Years
    2 days, 23 hours ago

    A few big content creators said no to Ekitike > Thiago.

    The casuals who copy them will be fuming tonight

    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      How do you know what they say

    2. RICICLE
      • 3 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      Makes me laugh it really does, I didn’t listen 🙂

    3. Babit1967
      • 9 Years
      2 days, 23 hours ago

      It was the move to make.