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West Ham v Sunderland team news: Xhaka ruled out

24 January 2026 620 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Before the rumoured bedlam that will erupt with the release of the Manchester City teamsheet, we’ve got a more low-key start to Gameweek 23.

West Ham United v Sunderland gets us underway at 12.30pm GMT.

TEAM NEWS

The team news is fairly straightforward in east London, with West Ham unsurprisingly unchanged from their 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

El Hadji Malick Diouf has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) but has to settle for a place on the bench. Ollie Scarles keeps his place at left-back.

Lucas Paqueta‘s absence was confirmed by Nuno Espirito Santo on Thursday.

Something that Regis Le Bris didn’t do on the same day was divulge information about Granit Xhaka.

The Swiss international, one of just four Fantasy midfielders who were ever-present starters this season, misses out through injury.

Eliezer Mayenda takes his place.

That’s the only change from Gameweek 22.

The Black Cats have two of their own returning AFCON representatives on the bench, namely Habib Diarra and Chemsdine Talbi.

The Gameweek 23 matches are a re-run of the opening weekend of the season. In the reverse fixture of this encounter, Sunderland beat West Ham 3-0 on Wearside.

LINE-UPS

West Ham XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Scarles, Soucek, Fernandes, Bowen, Pablo, Summerville, Castellanos.

Subs: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Ward-Prowse, Wilson, Diouf, Magassa, Potts, Kante.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo, Hume, Sadiki, Le Fee, Mundle, Mayenda, Brobbey.

Subs: Patterson, O’Nien, Geertruida, Cirkin, Rigg, Diarra, Adingra, Isidor, Talbi.

620 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    2 months, 19 days ago

    Roefs hasn’t kept one clean sheet since I bought him, was racking them in prior

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    1. panda07
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      That's Roef!

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      1. Scapegoat Salah
        • 9 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        I don’t get it, I never get much luck with keepers!

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    2. Punned It
      • 1 Year
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Oh billocks. Let's hope for sixe saves, then.

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    3. z13
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Same, got him in GW20 for the Raya + X to Gabriel + Roefs switch

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    4. F4L
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      great intent showed by west ham playing with 2 strikers

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      1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 15 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        They look much better lately

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        1. The Philosopher
          • 5 Years
          2 months, 19 days ago

          Quite impressive you've been able to watch West Ham's recent games in between all the responsibilities.

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          1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
            • 15 Years
            2 months, 19 days ago

            I don’t watch many of the premier league games anymore as they completely bore me. However I have a free morning so I’m catching the game

            Usually I’m doing other things like many are. My post still stands the leaks are a joke to those who have other responsibilities. People work, different time zones

            To get the advantage over others you have to be online and checking right up until the deadline. There is no skill in that

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            1. riot
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 15 Years
              2 months, 19 days ago

              you got clowned a bit because it read like the epitome of a tedious perma haaland capper, but I agree the deadline should be the night before

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      2. RamaJama
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Will get better if they sign JSL

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    5. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Yeah West Ham are winning this. The must win factor for them plus no Xhaka for Sunderland.

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    6. adstomko
      • 9 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Wouldn’t have bench boosted if I knew Xhaka was out. So annoying

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      1. Saka White Rice
        • 11 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Why are you bench boosting in a single gameweek anyways? And with Haaland being leaked to not start?

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        1. adstomko
          • 9 Years
          2 months, 19 days ago

          Because I wildcarded last week not wanting to have the headache of making transfers from BGWs to DGWS.

          Plus, some players you may want to keep for full season may get rested/injured for a week in BGW

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          1. Saka White Rice
            • 11 Years
            2 months, 19 days ago

            I get it. And it is a simpler approach. But chances are it wont pay off. Navigating that with limited transfers and with a low ceiling is usually not optimal.strategy

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        2. riot
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 15 Years
          2 months, 19 days ago

          BBing in a double has been a trap for years and not all of us saw the leak

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      2. Ze_Austin
        • 7 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Injured since last match, but no mention at the presser

        Just bad luck for FPL

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        1. adstomko
          • 9 Years
          2 months, 19 days ago

          They didn’t mention Ballard when he was either

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    7. Saka White Rice
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      So glad I stuck with my gut and started Andersen over Mukiele. Regardless of whether defcon happens or not

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    8. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Is Summerville becoming a real option?

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      1. Jet5605
        • 11 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        He's competing with the likes of KDH who I would personally prefer

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      2. Halftime
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        He was good at Leeds, nice to see that wasn't a flash in the pan.

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    9. Bigbars
      • 15 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Dont we all just love the debates this morning, beats the usual rmt chat.. plus means some deviate from the template and walk their own path. I myself believed the leak and captained Ekitike and sold Foden for Schade, with Guehi and O'Reilly at the back.. may work, may not, but thats the beauty of the game

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      1. Brosstan
        • 11 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Using leaked info make a decision isnt "walking your own path" lol...

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        1. Bigbars
          • 15 Years
          2 months, 19 days ago

          would you believe me if i said I was always planning to ditch foden due to the arm injury, but the leak just encouraged me to change the captain

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    10. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      I guess I cursed Roefs when I brought him in
      Disaster!

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    11. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Played Alderete over Cash damn

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      1. Pep Roulette
        • 8 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        I played him over Haaland. Let's hope for DC points.

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        1. TheBiffas
          • 5 Years
          2 months, 19 days ago

          Now that's just crazy. I reckon Haaland gets 45 mins

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          1. FPL Blow-In
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            2 months, 19 days ago

            I sold Haaland

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            1. Mighty Duck
              • 1 Year
              2 months, 19 days ago

              For 4.5 Mane, I hope

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              1. FPL Blow-In
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 13 Years
                2 months, 19 days ago

                Nah Thiago and got Salah for Foden and captained him

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    12. F4L
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      oof ballard close, keep going

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    13. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Ballard close

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    14. @ocprodigy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Mukiele over Guehi. Whoops.

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      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        That was silly

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      2. Utopsis
        • 6 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Really?

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    15. FOREST FOREVER 2
      • 1 Year
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Robot captain. Bowen VC. Missed the rumors. Also usually pay little attention to VC.

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      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Well he has a return at least

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      2. Wengers Apprentice
        • 3 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Darn it also missed the rumours this morning! Do we think he doesn’t play at all then and is fully rested? Would have thought Pep may have used the game to get robots mojo back?!

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    16. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 14 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Any City team news this morning??

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      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Gvardiol still out

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    17. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Lot of content creators went for Saka (c) it looks like
      AndyLTFPL
      BigManBakar
      Ben Crellin
      FPL Focal
      FPL Harry
      + half of the analytics league

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      1. Voronins Pony Tail
        • 2 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Mugs

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      2. riot
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        the tedium

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      3. TheBiffas
        • 5 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Snore

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    18. adstomko
      • 9 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Penalty Sunderland. See you next season

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      1. adstomko
        • 9 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Sorry, penalty West Ham

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    19. F4L
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      scarles wins pen

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    20. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Pen west ham

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    21. F4L
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      who takes?

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      1. adstomko
        • 9 Years
        2 months, 19 days ago

        Bowen

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    22. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Pen to hammers

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    23. Gudjohnsen
      • 9 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Switched Alderete to.1st on bench instead of Thiaw.

      Punishment incoming

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    24. F4L
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      bowen g
      scarles a

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    25. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Doomed

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    26. FOREST FOREVER 2
      • 1 Year
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Xhaka is a big miss for Sundelrand.

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    27. Thanos
      • 4 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Bowen haul

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    28. Zilla
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Bowen is on fire.

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    29. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      OMG Bowen

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    30. Sgt. Schultz
      • 9 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      Bowen movement

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    31. fedolefan
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      YAASSSSS BOWEN!!!

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    32. Cojones of Destiny
      • 8 Years
      2 months, 19 days ago

      get da fak innnn Bowen !!!

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