Dugout Discussion
4 March 2026 1399 comments
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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. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 month, 10 days ago

    At last Saka

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

    Timber Xreturns coming thick and fast after a long drought

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Sickening, I did everything I could possibly do wrong with him 😆

      In in Gw25 in preparation for the double, for O’Reilly no less! Then got rid on WC in 27, then he starts returning.

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

    We Timber sellers are being punished

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Blame the Cartel

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

      Supposing it was on target. Cheap A.

  4. Old Wulfrunian
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 10 days ago

    Timber what a troll...

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Yeah sold 2gws ago lol

    2. Eightball
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      I can't put into words how much I HATE him!!!

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

    Horrendous decision, James wiped out and no pen lol!

    1. DRIZ ✅
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Palmer owners in disbelief

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

        Wait til you see it later, even the Villa players appealed for it to be a pen 😆

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

      If ref gives it never over turned, yet VAR should intervene if ref misses it

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

        Exactly

  6. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 10 days ago

    Top trolling from Timber recently…..

  7. Defcons are for Kinnear
    • 12 Years
    1 month, 10 days ago

    How are FPL going to price premium mids next season? No one deserves to be over 10m

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

      Foden will still be 8.0m…

      1. Moon Dog
          1 month, 10 days ago

          Odegaard too 😆

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

        They will just lower the 100m limit

      3. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Change price rises to once per week if threshold is met with swings of .5

        Price conservative to begin with

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

        Every better asset is going to be 1-1.5 million more expensive

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

      Finally some Saka points, feels like it’s been forever, can’t even remember the last time he returned but oh well it must be feasting time

      1. Defcons are for Kinnear
        • 12 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        You own him!

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

          Yeah on Sun

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

            He’s done well champs league tbf

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

      Timber, the gift that keeps on giving (had to keep him because I had to take out Dorgu).

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

      Timber assist! The most in form defender attacking wise, wheyey!

    5. Brosstan
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Timber go step on bricks...

      1. Josh.E
        • 4 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        He's a thorn

    6. Jet5605
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Timber punishing recent sellers. Glad I held

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

        and me, he's been threatening attacking returns since December

    7. BrockLanders
      • 11 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Held Timber for almost 6 weeks. Did virtually nothing. Sold him, points every week

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

        same

      2. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Don't Pine over it or get yourself into knots. Woodn’t have happened if you kept.

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

        I sold him for O'Reilly

      4. Brosstan
        • 11 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        I held since gw3. For 25 gws I held this pos b**ch... once I sell he scores and then assists. This game is an utter joke. I'm cursed.. it's like magic the way my decisions influence player returns

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

      Good thing Brighton play more like a champions league team than a premier league team.

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

      Timber to Vvd 2 weeks ago
      Then timber gets a goal , assist since has chance of cs tonight

      1. Riverside Red
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Same here....take it on the chin

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

          Yep

      2. Here is Cash, give McGinn
        • 6 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Why would you sell a player who will score a lot?

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

          Because he wasn’t! Durr

          Couldn’t even get a cs

    10. Riverside Red
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      TNT multiscreen good for viewing this evening.

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

        Yep, can watch my CS’s get wiped simultaneously….

    11. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      I'm so bad at this game . sold Timber for vvd and benched Senise. I give up.

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

        Never bench Lt. Dan

    12. WVA
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      FML

      Rival got Timbers goal off the bench last GW for Haaland and is getting him off the bench again this week for Wilson!

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

        I never look at rivals until about gameweek 34 and I have to start getting creative

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

      Palmer saved by Martinez

      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 13 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Feck it, come on Palmer!!

    14. lilmessipran
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Sanchez dropped? Yikes

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

        Pope too

    15. Supersonic_
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Where are my Haaland goals?

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

        I have one eye on the city game and he looks unfit to me

    16. Nightcrawler
      • 6 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      surprised saka's been given the goal

      it was definitely going wide

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

        I wonder why

    17. DRIZ ✅
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Semenyo fail

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

        My apologies

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

      Brighton pushing and having more of the ball

      Most attacking

      Looking to get back on terms

    19. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Guess who my 2 gks are? Roefs and pope. Lol

      1. keefy59
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        1 month, 10 days ago

        Many might have that combo
        With the home & away rotation

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

        They don't get may points anyway

        Sell Pope

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

      Not just me regretting selling Timber then, although I knew it was the wrong decision as soon as I did it

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

        Sold him for Hill

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

          That’s lucky then

    21. Amartey Partey
      • 6 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      How is Semen looking?

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

        Forest set up like they did versus Arsenal. Low block, tough to get through.

    22. WVA
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Semenyo blank confirmed

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

        Palmer had a half chance

    23. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 10 days ago

      Rogers leading DCs with two….patience will be rewarded for us loyal owners

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

        Loyal owner, but also loyal bencher here.

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

        I only held due to the law of sod. Every sod was selling him, so thought he's bound to return. Usually works quite well for me.

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

          Who people even selling him to? Especially with Wilson out

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

            Anyone. People saw his price was dropping and panicked.

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

      xG for that goal was 0.01 = 1%
      Saka back makes Timber better asset, but that was just a lottery assist.

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

        Decent shot

        Bad goalkeeping