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2pm team news: Lacroix out, Xhaka a sub

22 February 2026 598 comments
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There are three Premier League matches kicking off at 14:00 GMT on Sunday.

TEAM NEWS

There are two alterations for Liverpool from the team that beat Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup.

Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike come into the side as Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa drop to the bench.

Vitor Pereira’s Nottingham Forest are unsurprisingly unchanged from their 3-0 win over Fenerbahce in midweek.

At Selhurst Park, there are four changes to the Crystal Palace XI from Thursday: Jaydee Canvot, Tyrick Mitchell, Will Hughes and Yeremy Pino in for the injured Maxence Lacroix and benched Borna Sosa, Daichi Kamada and Brennan Johnson.

As for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tolu Arokodare comes in for Angel Gomes.

There is just one change from Sunderland’s last Premier League XI.

Jocelin replaces the injured Reinildo Mandava, with Trai Hume consequently moving to left-back.

Granit Xhaka is named on the bench on his return from injury.

There is only one alteration for the visitors compared to Gameweek 26, too.

Samuel Chukwueze is injured, with Kevin taking his place on the left flank.

*Florian Wirtz has been injured in the warm-up for Liverpool. Curtis Jones comes in.

LINE-UPS

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Canvot, Richards, Riad, Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell, Sarr, Pino, Strand Larsen

Subs: Benitez, Clyne, Sosa, Kamada, Uche, Devenny, Cardines, Johnson, Guessand

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sa, Mosquera, S Bueno, Krejci, Tchatchoua, Bellegarde, Andre, Mane, H Bueno, Arokodare, Armstrong

Subs: Johnstone, R Gomes, Wolfe, Lima, Doherty, Toti, A Gomes, J Gomes, Edozie

Nottingham Forest XI: Ortega, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Jesus

Subs: Gunn, Morato, Ndoye, Dominguez, Lucca, Yates, Cunha, McAtee, Bakwa

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Szoboszlai, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Jones, Gakpo, Ekitike

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

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Hume, Sadiki, Diarra, Le Fee, Jocelin, Angulo, Brobbey

Subs: Ellborg, Geertruida, Talbi, Rigg, Mayenda, O’Nien, Mundle, Isidor, Xhaka

Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon, Iwobi, Berge, Wilson, Smith Rowe, Kevin, Jimenez

Subs: Lecomte, Reed, Muniz, Cairney, Bobb, Cuenca, Castagne, King, Diop

LIVE GAMEWEEK PAGE!

New to Fantasy Football Scout this season is the Live Gameweek page, which you can see on the side menu.

Here you can follow the scores, watch the defensive contribution (DefCon) points roll in, see who the leading players are for xG and more as the games play out, as seen below:

price change predictions
598 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    7 days, 17 hours ago

    Do something, Wilson

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  2. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    7 days, 17 hours ago

    Have only roefs in these 3 games

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  3. Ignasi M
    • 8 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Dear lord. I don't know who's worse? Liverpool, Arsenal, City, Villa, or Chelsea? Man Utd are the team in form since early December. Man Utd should easily finish third...

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    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Villa of these 5

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  4. OneTeamInBristol
    • 2 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Been watching football for over 30 years now and the quality seems to be getting worse every season. Barely any genuine world class players any more.

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    1. Ignasi M
      • 8 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Exactly this. I think, maybe; the teams outside the top 6 have strengthened well and the gap in quality has narrowed??

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      1. Sailboats
        • 10 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        I think the top teams have become worse, and the lower teams have maintained.

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        1. Ignasi M
          • 8 Years
          7 days, 16 hours ago

          yeah good point

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      2. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        15 years ago, a big 6 team could rock up to a Nottingham forest away and expect to win. But, not in the last five years.

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    2. Sailboats
      • 10 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      I agree. Especially this season, it has been one of the worst i have ever seen in terms of quality.

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    3. JBG
      • 7 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Been saying this myself for awhile. But also the amount of teams now who are much more "risk-averse" and care more about "surviving", then entertainment for fans.

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      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        Loads of money in the Premier League and with the squad wages relegation is a big deal.

        Squads are more competitive across the piece.

        I'd also say the Championship and League 1 etc the quality has improved

        And crowds

        Including at non League level with more professional and semi professional teams.

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    4. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Too much defensive tactics. Setup too defensive

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      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        The off the ball work is valued so much higher

        Even the stars usually have to work back

        But it's not new

        Beckham was one of the leading players on the beep tests at Man Utd

        Fergie demanded it

        But Cantona was given license to roam

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    5. el polako
      • 8 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Priorities shifted.
      Now it’s all about athleticism and results.
      No room for entertainment and joy.
      Matt Le Tissier these day would be playing 5 a side a the local gym.

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      1. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        ahhhh interesting ! yeah, it's more about competing in as many competitions as possible to secure as much money as possible.

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    6. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      The game has massively changed, the way the turnover and transitions are closed down from defence to attack and space attacked.

      I'm sure Waddle, Tino and Beardsley would still be fantastic players but I reckon they'd find less space.

      Fewer bad tackles tho would help them.

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      1. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        Yeah Theo Walcott would be a League 1 player

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    7. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      There are literally only about 5 world class players in the whole league, shocking state of affairs

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      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        None in Italy?

        They are either in Spain, Saudi, Germany or England...

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        1. x.jim.x
          • 11 Years
          7 days, 16 hours ago

          Bastoni (and Scotty Mac of course)

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          1. Goro Majima
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            7 days, 16 hours ago

            Saw Bastoni celebrating getting Kalulu sent off last week. He's a rotter, not having him.

            Scotty Mac obviously.

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            1. x.jim.x
              • 11 Years
              7 days, 16 hours ago

              If you disqualified world class plays based on their rottenness, there wouldn’t be many left

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              1. Goro Majima
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 6 Years
                7 days, 16 hours ago

                Not sure there's that many left right now rotten or otherwise but I take your point.

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    8. riot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      I completely disagree, I just think there's less space for players to show off now that it's so athletic

      A world class flair player from 30 years ago would get absolutely bullied in the modern prem, whether that is a good or bad thing is up for debate but it doesn't mean that players are worse

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  5. JBG
    • 7 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Hey NFO, how about a goal?

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  6. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Wirtz injury?

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    1. JBG
      • 7 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Or just back to his early season form where he was invisible on the pitch?

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    2. Ignasi M
      • 8 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      He's just crap

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    3. BobbyDoesNotLook
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      What? 😀

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  7. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    So I benched Timber and Van Hecke

    Started Chalabah and Mukiele

    I just wanted to double check

    How unlucky were my decisions?

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    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      U r not gonna bench chalobah at home to burnley. Nobody will.

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      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        Indeed.

        So that 3 out of 4 so far

        Luckily I'm going to sell Chalabah soon and I got lots of his earlier points

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    2. Ignasi M
      • 8 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      another terrible gameweek for everyone

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    3. Peteex
      • 13 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Understandable choices U made there. In the long run "the right choices" gives U points.

      Mostly just bad luck in a single gw imo

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      1. Sir Michael Taker
        • 11 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        Chalobah is a right choice to hold rather than moving to the next defender of choice probably

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        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          7 days, 16 hours ago

          I'm selling to Hill

          Albeit Mukiele may well be out for a few weeks at least

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    4. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      I bencehd NOR and Timber for Muk and Chalobah. Timber first haul since GW2 is inevitable.

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  8. Saka White Rice
    • 11 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    As a Mukiele and Wirtz owner, Ive been done dirty

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  9. Vasshin
    • 7 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Was planning on getting Wirtz in place of Enzo.

    So what should I do:
    1. Keep Enzo and Bowen
    2. Get Ekitike
    3. Just get Pedro and avoid Liverpool

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    1. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Get Rayan

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      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        He does look decent on the ball

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  10. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    They've got 0-0 written all over them!

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  11. Gazzpfc
    • 9 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    1 Pedro Enzo to Etiktika Dango
    2 Enzo Chalobah Dango Virgil

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  12. La Roja
    • 13 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Crikey, this season is cursed innit. What happened to Wirtz?

    Step up Harry Wilson!

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    1. kempc23
      • 11 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Injured in warm up apparently (I also have him. Krappi Jrs 2 points coming in)

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  13. Drizzle
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Liverpool will definitely win this. Forest are dominant but they have nobody to really threaten up front.

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    1. Ignasi M
      • 8 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      it's one of those penalty or own goal games

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  14. Ignasi M
    • 8 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Forest should be what? 3 goals up? Maybe that 0-0 draw for Arsenal wasn't a bad result in hindsight...

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  15. Sir Michael Taker
    • 11 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Liverpool have scored 1 goal in coming up to 3.5 games of football vs Forest under Arne Slot. Wirtz owners probably take the autosub points and run with them

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  16. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Wolves pen FFS

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  17. Ignasi M
    • 8 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    amazing tackle by van Dijk btw

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  18. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 9 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Mane wins a penalty

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  19. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Saved!

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  20. jonnybhoy
    • 13 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    GET IN

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  21. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 9 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Dean Henderson penalty save

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  22. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    And the Lord said 'There shalt be no goals!'

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  23. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Wilson defcons!

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  24. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Need goals from Ekitiké and Wilso, go go!

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    1. Ignasi M
      • 8 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      no service for ekitike. feels like a forest win or 0-0. no chances for Liverpool in 44mins

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  25. JBG
    • 7 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Henderson is such a good pen saver

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    1. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      He is but that wasn't exactly a hard one

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      1. JBG
        • 7 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        Didn't see it tbf

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    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      I would have saved that. Lame

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  26. F4L
    • 11 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    players dropping like flies in sunderland fulham match

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      Anyone off?

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      1. F4L
        • 11 Years
        7 days, 16 hours ago

        mukiele, bi, and kevin all subbed off injured

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        1. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          7 days, 16 hours ago

          Cheers

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  27. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 9 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    More injuries than proper action in Sunderland Fulham

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    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      I switched to Ekitike watch

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    2. Sir Michael Taker
      • 11 Years
      7 days, 16 hours ago

      No great shock. Two pretty bad attacks

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  28. Sir Michael Taker
    • 11 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Is that a 100% penalty miss record this season for Wolves? JSL missed one earlier in season also

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  29. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Anderson close ish

    Tipped over

    Liverpool going missing on the road, again.

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  30. Joke Insurance™
    • 2 Years
    7 days, 16 hours ago

    Yes! Henderson, my quadruple captain!

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