Dugout Discussion
4 March 2026 1399 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Five more Premier League matches take place on Wednesday night, with the top four and Chelsea among the teams in action:

(times in GMT)

TEAM NEWS

There was plenty of uncertainty with the Gameweek 29 starting XIs, with several key names flagged as doubts.

The teamsheets provide mixed news for Fantasy managers, no more so than at the Etihad, where Erling Haaland is fit to start. Nico O’Reilly, however, misses out.

Haaland takes the place of Omar Marmoush, while Phil Foden comes in for O’Reilly.

Nottingham Forest also make two alterations as they change formation, with Nico Dominguez and Jair Cunha replacing Omari Hutchinson and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

At the Amex, Declan Rice shrugs off an injury to start for Arsenal, who are without William Saliba. He has an ankle knock.

Cristhian Mosquera replaces the Frenchman, while Gabriel Martinelli is in for Leandro Trossard.

As expected, Brighton hand rests to veterans James Milner and Danny Welbeck.

Carlos Baleba and Georginio Rutter come in for those two, while Olivier Boscagli replaces the absent Lewis Dunk.

Harry Wilson is missing for Fulham this evening, while Joachim Andersen has to make do with a place on the bench.

Marco Silva makes four changes in all: Antonee Robinson, Samuel Chukwueze, Tom Cairney and Josh King are recalled, while Emile Smith Rowe, Ryan Sessegnon and Oscar Bobb drop to the bench.

West Ham United bring in Jean Todibo and Callum Wilson for Konstantinos Mavropanos and Soungoutou Magassa.

Over at Villa Park, Unai Emery responds to the defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers by swapping Jadon Sancho, Lucas Digne and Pau Torres for Leon Bailey, Ian Maatsen and Tyrone Mings.

Ollie Watkins starts again up top.

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior drops goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, with Filip Jorgensen replacing him.

Wesley Fofana, Alejandro Garnacho and Malo Gusto come in for Mamadou Sarr, Andrey Santos and the suspended Pedro Neto.

Marc Cucurella is back from injury and on the bench.

Finally, in the later kick-off, Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe makes two changes.

Aaron Ramsdale and Harvey Barnes are in for the benched Nick Pope and the ill Nick Woltemade.

Manchester United’s only alteration sees Noussair Mazrouai come in for Diogo Dalot, who is on substitute duty.

Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are fit to start.

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Onana, Luiz, Bailey, Buendia, Rogers, Watkins.

Subs: Bizot, Digne, Torres, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Abraham, Alysson.

Chelsea XI: Jorgensen, James, Fofana, Chalobah, Hato, Caicedo, James, Palmer, Fernandez, Garnacho, Joao Pedro.

Subs: Sanchez, Badiashile, Sarr, Tosin, Cucurella, Santos, Lavia, Delap, Guiu.


Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Boscagli, Van Hecke, Kadioglu, Gross, Baleba, Gómez, Hinshelwood, Mitoma, Rutter.

Subs: Steele, Minteh, Welbeck, Milner, Ayari, De Cuyper, O’Riley, Veltman, Howell.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Hincapie, Rice, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.

Subs: Kepa, Jesus, Norgaard, Trossard, Madueke, Havertz, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman.


Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Diop, Bassey, Robinson, Berge, Cairney, Chukwueze, King, Iwobi, Jimenez.

Subs: Lecomte, Castagne, Andersen, Sessegnon, Reed, Lukic, Bobb, Smith Rowe, Muniz.

West Ham United XI: Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka, Disasi, Todibo, Diouf, Bowen, Soucek, Fernandes, Summerville, Wilson, Castellanos.

Subs: Areola, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Mavropanos, Adama, Lamadrid, Magassa, Scarles, Kante.


Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri, Rodri, Silva, Foden, Semenyo, Cherki, Haaland.

Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Marmoush, Doku, Nico, Savinho, Khusanov.

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Cunha, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White, Jesus.

Substitutes: Gunn, Morato, Hudson-Odoi, Awoniyi, Ndoye, Hutchinson, Yates, McAtee, Netz.


Newcastle United XI: Ramsdale, Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Ramsey, Tonali, Joelinton, Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.

Subs: Pope, Botman, Murphy, Shahar, Willock, Wissa, Osula, Murphy, Neave.

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro, Shaw, Casemiro, Mainoo, Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha, Šeško.

Subs: Bayındır, Dalot, Malacia, Heaven, Kukonki, Ugarte, Fletcher, Zirkzee, Diallo.


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:

Weds team news: Haaland + Rice start, no Wilson or O'Reilly 1

price change predictions
  1. Gudjohnsen
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 10 days ago

    Is it time to get rid of Mbeumo and Rogers?

    1. Ze_Austin
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Who are you buying?

      1. Gudjohnsen
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Wilson and Wirtz depending on fitness

        1. Ze_Austin
          • 7 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Wouldn't sell Mbeumo for either

    2. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      I’d sell Rogers over Mbuemo.
      Mbuemo was poor tonight but still could’ve had an easy goal

    3. nanxun
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Rogers most def, but I'm holding Boomo

  2. nanxun
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 10 days ago

    Boomo bust.

    1. JBG
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Been poor lately

      1. Moon Dog
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Can't believe he missed that chance earlier. Absolute sitter.

          1. JBG
            • 7 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            I understand he's not rightfooted, but to miss it by that much?

            1. Moon Dog
                1 month, 10 days ago

                Crazy. He's usually such a lethal finisher.

            2. Baps Hunter
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 8 Years
              1 month, 10 days ago

              He had time also. When in form he would have scored. Small margins, he misses that, Timber hauls by giving ball to Saka with 0.01 xA and Semenyo gets 2nd with his back.

          2. Baps Hunter
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Not this bad though. He really should have scored in this game.

      2. Pep Roulette
        • 8 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Don't end up on 11 DefCons Bruno ffs

        1. Mr. O'Connell
          • 13 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Would sum up my night tbh as a (c) with nothing else but a Rogers yellow card to show from it

      3. JBG
        • 7 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Why is Spurs v Palace on tomorrow? They should just cancel it, probably the most pointless match this GW

        1. Mr. O'Connell
          • 13 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Relegation 6 pointer

          1. JBG
            • 7 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            6 pointer for people who don't watch it

        2. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Games scheduled well in advance. Could be decent, 2 poor defences. Yer man Tudor sounds like a chancer.

        3. Count of Monte Hristo
          • 12 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          If it puts Spurs nearer the drop I’m there for it.

        4. The Knights Template
          • 12 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          For the prisoners in dungeon.

      4. HuttonDressedasLahm
        • 16 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Haaland….. what we doing?
        Nearly 15mil
        Not many actual options

        1. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Pedro

          1. Tic Tacs
            • 6 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Exactly this

          2. HuttonDressedasLahm
            • 16 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Already own

      5. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Trippier yellow card for erm...Tripping

      6. nanxun
        • 4 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Alderete and Hill 1 and 2 on bench.

        Their combined 15 pts. saved my bacon since Wilson and Andersen never got on the pitch.

      7. Count of Monte Hristo
        • 12 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Pick one for BGW31

        a) Haaland > Ekitike @ Brighton (11 starters)

        b) Rogers > Wilson (h) to Burnley (10 starters)

        1. Ze_Austin
          • 7 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Getting closer to A here

      8. Stimps
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Rival has Pedro off the benched for O'Reilly.

        That's some serious benches Jam.

        Also who benches Pedro?

        1. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Rival

          1. Mr. O'Connell
            • 13 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Needed that chuckle

        2. Tic Tacs
          • 6 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Silly but lucky people

      9. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        What to do with Rogers......

        1. JBG
          • 7 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Get rid 10gws ago

          1. Mr. O'Connell
            • 13 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Now you tell me!

        2. Count of Monte Hristo
          • 12 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Send him back to Boro

        3. Gizzachance
          • 11 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Bench/sell

        4. GreennRed
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Wilson, Dewsbury Hall etc

        5. Revival
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          I'm benching GW30, will keep for GW31

        6. Stimps
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Out for the cheapest bench fodder mid possible and play him

      10. Gizzachance
        • 11 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Haaland just one double digit in last dozen games
        Getting bit frustrating for his cost, like we did with Salah ages ago

      11. Wet Bandits
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Where do we go to cry in the Sememyo ghost goal.. is that likey to get reviewed?

          1. Wet Bandits
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Semenyo Capo here.. disappointing!

          2. The Knights Template
            • 12 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            AI fake!

          3. Baps Hunter
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Great!!!

          4. Scoring freely
            • 10 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Unless Sangare's elbow is surrounded by an invisible forcefield that looks like it definitely comes off Semenyo's back.

            1. Four Letter Wirtz
              • 10 Years
              1 month, 10 days ago

              I wish... but judging from the change in ball rotation, it's off Sangare

        1. The Knights Template
          • 12 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Looks like they’ll pretend it never happened.

        2. All Hail K
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          It'll defo get reviewed, getting changed is another story. Probably an 8 pointer too.

      12. Hutchiniho
        • 7 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Where did Rice’s defcon go?

        1. RICICLE
          • 3 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Bit of a joke how they gave them and just taketh them away

          1. Hutchiniho
            • 7 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            He went up to 13.
            Brought back down to 11

        2. The Knights Template
          • 12 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Mark ate it for dinner.

          1. RICICLE
            • 3 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            I was shocked you knew my name then! But you meant the other Mark haha!!

            1. The Knights Template
              • 12 Years
              1 month, 10 days ago

              No I didn’t.

        3. All Hail K
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          The same place as Semenyo's second goal.

      13. JBG
        • 7 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Can't believe I'm saying this but, MU sorely missing Dorgu, no width from Cunha or Mbuemo

        1. Kaneyonero
          • 9 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Said it weeks ago no one listening ofc

        2. Sun Jihai
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Back in training I think I read, maybe not too far away

      14. Maddamotha
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Only 2 of my threats got points, 7 each, and im still 15 points behind safety score and 67% drop in rank whaaaaat

          1. g40steve
            • 8 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            That’s conclusive Rodri G

            1. Scapegoat Salah
              • 9 Years
              1 month, 10 days ago

              As a Semenyo C I unfortunately agree

          2. Moon Dog
              1 month, 10 days ago

              Damn, really needed that 2nd goal this week.

          3. g40steve
            • 8 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            That’s what everyone’s talking about.

            Rodri reeled away celebrating but id defo looked to come off Semenyo?

        1. g40steve
          • 8 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Will Palmer sneak 1 extra DC?

        2. fusen
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 10 days ago

          The Rodri goal looks to have hit Sangares' elbow instead of Semenyo's side.

          I have Semenyo so would like the goal but it doesn't look like it's going to get changed

          1. Make FPL Casual Again
            • 7 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Actually looks like it might have hit both Semeyos back and maybe elbow, but looks like his back changed the ball direction

        3. Moon Dog
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Malacia sighting...

            1. Mr. O'Connell
              • 13 Years
              1 month, 10 days ago

              Superb defending for the goal

          • RICICLE
            • 3 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            That’s definitely off Sangare and not Semenyo fwiw

            1. Scoring freely
              • 10 Years
              1 month, 10 days ago

              Ball changes direction before it gets near Sangare, the ball changed direction after hitting Semenyo's back. The slow mo replays 100% confirm it.

          • JBG
            • 7 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Predicted a 1-1 here.. so not surprised. Newcastle sh*thousing a draw here

          • tiger
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Newcastle goal!

            1. tiger
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              1 month, 10 days ago

              Osula g

          • Revival
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Bruno racking up the key passes, unfortunate to only have 1 assist

          • Ignasi M
            • 8 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Is Semenyo going to be awarded City's second goal??

            1. DARE TO BISCAN
              • 7 Years
              1 month, 10 days ago

              As a Semenyo capper, who didn't watch the match, he absolutely should be on a brace.

          • Ze_Austin
            • 7 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Osula G

            But Ramsdale POTM

          • JBG
            • 7 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Nevermind Newcastle actually won this, fck off

          • GENERATION X
            • 12 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Newc should have chucked Pope weeks ago

          • Mr. O'Connell
            • 13 Years
            1 month, 10 days ago

            Bruno in defcon purgatory

          • Moon Dog
              1 month, 10 days ago

              Ramsdale is now 1st choice surely. Great saves from Mainoo and Zirkzee.

            • AC/DC AFC
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 10 Years
              1 month, 10 days ago

              Great goal

              Newcastle smash Man U title challenge!?!?!

              1. The FPL Units
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 16 Years
                1 month, 10 days ago

                What challenge?