Dugout Discussion

Arsenal v Liverpool team news: Ekitike absent, Saka starts

8 January 2026 582 comments
FPL Marc FPL Marc
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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
    3 months, 5 days ago

    Damn Saka subbed.

    Now Arsenal will win

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  2. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

    Saka has to go.

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  3. F4L
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

    tight for bonus, rice creeping up in the DCs

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  4. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

    Gabriel 3 defcon and no baps 🙁

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  5. Kaneyonero
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

    Madueke to Rice goal inc

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  6. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

    Struggling to see the value in Saka at £10.2m

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    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 5 days ago

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

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    2. mad_beer ✅
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 5 days ago

      A good place holder.

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    3. F4L
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 5 days ago

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

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    4. Atimis
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 5 days ago

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

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  7. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

    Rice goal would be lovely

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    1. Effe
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 5 days ago

      100%

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  8. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

    If only Ars had a goal poacher ?

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  9. mad_beer ✅
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

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

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  10. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

    Szoboszlai range. He's so due.

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  11. Capocannonieri
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 months, 5 days ago

    Saliba getting the bonus points for chasing Frimpong today

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  12. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 5 days 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.

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  13. MJF
      3 months, 5 days 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.

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      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        3 months, 5 days ago

        Would you go near a cross if you were him?

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        1. MJF
            3 months, 5 days ago

            Haha got me there.

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      2. Bigbars
        • 15 Years
        3 months, 5 days ago

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

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        1. Biggsy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 months, 5 days ago

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

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          1. Bigbars
            • 15 Years
            3 months, 5 days ago

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

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        2. Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          3 months, 5 days ago

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

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      3. MJF
          3 months, 5 days ago

          Top corner I reckon.

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          1. Supersonic_
            • 4 Years
            3 months, 5 days ago

            Close but no cigar

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            1. Biggsy
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

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

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        • F4L
          • 11 Years
          3 months, 5 days ago

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

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

            Gakpo instead certainly?

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            1. F4L
              • 11 Years
              3 months, 5 days 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

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        • Baps Hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 months, 5 days 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.

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        • Mr. O'Connell
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 5 days ago

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

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        • MJF
            3 months, 5 days 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.

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            1. Royal5
              • 14 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

              This

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          • F4L
            • 11 Years
            3 months, 5 days ago

            damn arsenal no shot this second half

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            1. Royal5
              • 14 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

              Embarassing

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            2. Biggsy
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

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

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            3. g40steve
              • 8 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

              Now 2

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          • HuttonDressedasLahm
            • 16 Years
            3 months, 5 days ago

            5 minutes for Gabriel to ruin my GW again

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          • Pep Roulette
            • 8 Years
            3 months, 5 days ago

            Timber winner written all over this one

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            1. Not again Shirley
              • 9 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

              The words chance and fat spring to mind.

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              1. Biggsy
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                3 months, 5 days ago

                Congrats. One of you is right

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          • MJF
              3 months, 5 days ago

              This is terrible.

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            • Bigbars
              • 15 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

              Rice's DC streak about to end...

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              1. Voronins Pony Tail
                • 2 Years
                3 months, 5 days ago

                He’ll get it

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                1. Bigbars
                  • 15 Years
                  3 months, 5 days ago

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

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            • Supersonic_
              • 4 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

              Arsenal goal with Rice and Gabriel involvement ideal

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            • Voronins Pony Tail
              • 2 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

              Gabs is a 3 point machine

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            • sminkypinky
              • 14 Years
              3 months, 5 days ago

              Such a boring match!

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              1. Royal5
                • 14 Years
                3 months, 5 days ago

                Horrible

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              2. Raoul Nogues
                  3 months, 5 days ago

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

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                  1. Raoul Nogues
                      3 months, 5 days ago

                      (express)

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                • Count of Monte Hristo
                  • 12 Years
                  3 months, 5 days ago

                  Gabriel sailing into 3 bonus dreamland.

                  Raya, Timber, Gabriel HOLD!!!

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                  1. Supersonic_
                    • 4 Years
                    3 months, 5 days ago

                    Triple - bold

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                  2. brianutd-why always we? 20
                    • 14 Years
                    3 months, 5 days ago

                    Gabs and Kerkez 29 each

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                  3. sminkypinky
                    • 14 Years
                    3 months, 5 days 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.

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                  4. Utopsis
                    • 6 Years
                    3 months, 5 days ago

                    A lovely 18 pointer

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                • Mr. O'Connell
                  • 13 Years
                  3 months, 5 days ago

                  Yellow cards all over the shop

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                • F4L
                  • 11 Years
                  3 months, 5 days ago

                  dont get booked gabby

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                  1. g40steve
                    • 8 Years
                    3 months, 5 days ago

                    Konate did 🙂

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