Dugout Discussion
8 January 2026 582 comments
FPL Marc FPL Marc
Share:

Gameweek 21 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) concludes at the Emirates Stadium, where Liverpool must face Arsenal without Hugo Ekitike (£9.0m)

It’s a huge clash between the league’s leaders and reigning champions.

TEAM NEWS

For the second successive match, Ekitike hasn’t made Liverpool’s squad because of a hamstring issue. Get your autosubs ready!

Arne Slot’s only change from the weekend brings in Jeremie Frimpong (£5.7m) for Curtis Jones (£5.4m), allowing Florian Wirtz (£8.2m) to keep starting.

Whereas tonight’s hosts have made two alterations to the victorious XI versus Bournemouth. Bukayo Saka (£10.2m) and Leandro Trossard (£6.9m) replace Noni Madueke (£6.8m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£6.8m), who join the likes of Eberechi Eze (£7.3m) and Mikel Merino (£5.7m) on a strong bench.

Arsenal are still without Riccardo Calafiori (£5.6m), as the Reds don’t have Mohamed Salah (£14.0m) or Alexander Isak (£10.3m).

LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

Subs: Kepa, White, Lewis-Skelly, Eze, Norgaard, Madueke, Merino, Jesus, Martinelli  

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

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


price change predictions

FPL Marc Broadcaster, writer and overthinker. Hoping that ‘differential potential’ will catch on.

582 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Damn Saka subbed.

    Now Arsenal will win

  2. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Saka has to go.

  3. F4L
    • 11 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    tight for bonus, rice creeping up in the DCs

  4. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Gabriel 3 defcon and no baps 🙁

  5. Kaneyonero
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Madueke to Rice goal inc

  6. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Struggling to see the value in Saka at £10.2m

    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Been saying that for a while. Sold Saka weeks ago, kept Rice, and not looked back

    2. mad_beer ✅
      • 11 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      A good place holder.

    3. F4L
      • 11 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      have no clue where to spend the spare cash though if sold. might as well keep for now

    4. Atimis
      • 9 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      As I wrote below, but may still sell him, maybe Rice DC more likely if Arteta plays such uninspiring football.

  7. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Rice goal would be lovely

    1. Effe
      • 15 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      100%

  8. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    If only Ars had a goal poacher ?

  9. mad_beer ✅
    • 11 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Saka, O'Reilly and Foden can suck it. Get out of my team.

  10. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Szoboszlai range. He's so due.

  11. Capocannonieri
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Saliba getting the bonus points for chasing Frimpong today

  12. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Not Saka's fault that no one helps him in the attack? He looked good imo but there's no one in the box to benefit from his cutting from the right wing.

  13. MJF
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Why is Jesus nowhere near that cross. At least you can see he's playing unlike Gyokeres, who I only noticed when he came off.

    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Would you go near a cross if you were him?

      1. MJF
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        Haha got me there.

  14. Bigbars
    • 15 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Players should be forced to wear proper sized shin pads, and none of those cut holes in their socks

    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Psssh. In my day they played in leather boots and didn't even have shin pads

      1. Bigbars
        • 15 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        but in your day, players probably were made of sterner stuff, unlike these ones who roll at the touch of an eyelash,

    2. Jafooli
      • 13 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      I’d like to see hob nailed boots return…see how the players cope with that..

  15. MJF
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Top corner I reckon.

    1. Supersonic_
      • 4 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Close but no cigar

      1. Biggsy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        Good. Wouldn't want a risk of Raya getting a save point...

  16. F4L
    • 11 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    worth bringing in Wirtz this gw or are his minutes going to be too inconsistent, especially when salah returns?

    1. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Gakpo instead certainly?

      1. F4L
        • 11 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        could do yeah, just think wirtz has looked pretty sharp recently

        although thats the thing with wirtz and gakpo, i dont know if they just share gametime now in the LW position. wouldnt want either in that case tbh

  17. Baps Hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    The annoying thing with 3 defenders and Rice in this game is that 0-0 is prolly what I want. Now I feel like stopping to watch this game. Perhaps it wouldn't be bad idea to take 15 minutes pause and go behind sofa.

  18. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Arsenal still nick this. Shouldn't be more than a minute added on, though.

  19. MJF
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Lol at Arteta being booked for leaving his technical area. He's never in the thing, if they booked him every time he wouldn't manage a single game from the touchline.

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      This

  20. F4L
    • 11 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    damn arsenal no shot this second half

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Embarassing

    2. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Arteta told them Allison on two saves so don't want him getting a point

    3. g40steve
      • 7 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Now 2

  21. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 16 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    5 minutes for Gabriel to ruin my GW again

  22. Pep Roulette
    • 8 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Timber winner written all over this one

    1. Not again Shirley
      • 9 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      The words chance and fat spring to mind.

      1. Biggsy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        Congrats. One of you is right

  23. MJF
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    This is terrible.

  24. Bigbars
    • 15 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Rice's DC streak about to end...

    1. Voronins Pony Tail
      • 2 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      He’ll get it

      1. Bigbars
        • 15 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        let's hope, but with no positive movements from liverpool, he's not been needed

  25. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Arsenal goal with Rice and Gabriel involvement ideal

  26. Voronins Pony Tail
    • 2 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Gabs is a 3 point machine

  27. sminkypinky
    • 14 Years
    1 day, 4 hours ago

    Such a boring match!

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      1 day, 4 hours ago

      Horrible

    2. Raoul Nogues
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        The artists can't exress themselves when it's raining

        1. Raoul Nogues
            1 day, 4 hours ago

            (express)

      • Count of Monte Hristo
        • 12 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        Gabriel sailing into 3 bonus dreamland.

        Raya, Timber, Gabriel HOLD!!!

        1. Supersonic_
          • 4 Years
          1 day, 4 hours ago

          Triple - bold

        2. brianutd-why always we? 20
          • 14 Years
          1 day, 4 hours ago

          Gabs and Kerkez 29 each

        3. sminkypinky
          • 14 Years
          1 day, 4 hours ago

          I’ve got Raya, Gab, Wirtz and Saka. Still would’ve liked something in this. Would’ve been better off watching anything else.
          But Saka not worth his price. Rice incoming.

        4. Utopsis
          • 5 Years
          1 day, 4 hours ago

          A lovely 18 pointer

      • Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        Yellow cards all over the shop

      • F4L
        • 11 Years
        1 day, 4 hours ago

        dont get booked gabby

        1. g40steve
          • 7 Years
          1 day, 4 hours ago

          Konate did 🙂