Dugout Discussion
15 May 2026 322 comments
FPL Marc FPL Marc
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The penultimate weekend of 2025/26’s Fantasy Premier League (FPL) campaign begins on Friday night, when Aston Villa host Liverpool, fifth versus fourth.

Kick-off at Villa Park is at 20:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

No big surprises in the line-ups, as Arne Slot said there’d be a late call on Florian Wirtz‘s (£8.3m) illness, and partial Mohamed Salah (£14.0m) minutes. Both are on the Liverpool bench.

The Reds’ only change sees Joe Gomez (£4.9m) come in for Jeremie Frimpong (£5.7m).

That means another Rio Ngumoha (£4.3m) start, and no Alisson Becker (£5.4m)

As for their hosts, it’s a strong XI, considering that the Europa League final versus Freiburg is next Wednesday. Starts for Morgan Rogers (£7.4m), Ollie Watkins (£8.7m), John McGinn (£5.3m) and Emiliano Martinez (£5.1m).

Unai Emery’s three tweaks have Pau Torres (£4.3m), Lucas Digne (£4.5m) and Emiliano Buendia (£5.3m) replace Tyrone Mings (£4.3m), Ian Maatsen (£4.2m) and Ross Barkley (£4.8m).

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne; Lindelof, Tielemans; McGinn, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins

Subs: Bizot, Garcia, Sancho, Douglas Luiz, Maatsen, Bogarde, Bailey, Barkley, Abraham  

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Jones, Gravenberch; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Gakpo, Ngumoha

Subs: Woodman, Robertson, Salah, Wirtz, Chiesa, Nyoni, McConnell, Ndiaye, Wright  


price change predictions

FPL Marc Broadcaster, writer and overthinker. Hoping that ‘differential potential’ will catch on.

322 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Boxwoods
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 hours, 7 mins ago

    @The Knights Template - How are you feeling? 😉

    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 38 mins ago

      Dungeon!

      1. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        1 hour, 32 mins ago

        I am in it to get rid of the smell of ....

  2. The Knights Template
    • 12 Years
    2 hours, 7 mins ago

    Hard to see Liverpool winning from here.

  3. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 6 mins ago

    I take back everything I said about Virgil today, lol

  4. jacksonbarber125
    • 11 Years
    2 hours, 6 mins ago

    I have Ollie Watkins but my ML rival has Van Dyke and Szoboszlai :/

  5. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 hours, 6 mins ago

    Sold VVD for Saliba this week and have benched Rogers...there are levels to this game!

    1. Bod
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 8 mins ago

      I transferred Rogers out. We just have to hope our replacements do better over this week and next

    2. swanseag55
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 3 mins ago

      Welcome to the club. Played my free hit and took Van Dyk and Roger’s out. Got to laugh

      1. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        1 hour, 2 mins ago

        yep 24 points down the drain

  6. Do I Not Like Orange
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 hours, 6 mins ago

    This game has singlehandedly destroyed my season

    1. Boxwoods
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 8 mins ago

      Cole Palmer did mine

  7. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    2 hours, 5 mins ago

    Quickfire Salah brace to make it 4-4

    1. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 9 mins ago

      ?

  8. Winging it
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 hours, 5 mins ago

    Watkins to Gyokeres has gone well then

    1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 37 mins ago

      Early doors yet.

      1. Scapegoat Salah
        • 9 Years
        1 hour, 36 mins ago

        Yeah fancy Gyok to outscore Watkins tbf

        1. Utopsis
          • 6 Years
          1 hour, 35 mins ago

          Lol

          1. Scapegoat Salah
            • 9 Years
            1 hour, 33 mins ago

            Just needs hat trick, word on the street is Burnley gonna allow a walkover, should mean hat trick minimum surely

            1. Utopsis
              • 6 Years
              1 hour, 29 mins ago

              It could happen I guess, 15pts hard to overhaul though!

            2. JabbaWookiee
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              1 hour, 25 mins ago

              What street is that? Never heard such guff

    2. 2EyedTurk
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 35 mins ago

      Snap!

  9. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    2 hours, 5 mins ago

    3 pt lead in my ML.

    I have Rogers he has Watkins. Tight ain’t the word!

  10. Sandy Ravage
    • 10 Years
    2 hours, 4 mins ago

    Moral of the lesson, do nothing

    1. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 7 mins ago

      So in other words don’t enter a team

  11. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    2 hours, 4 mins ago

    Depressed Liverpool fan but bringing Szobo in has gone alright

  12. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 2 mins ago

    VvD hat trick incoming?

  13. Gazwaz80
    • 6 Years
    2 hours, 1 min ago

    Virg scored twice and not even in the baps

    1. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 33 mins ago

      Tbf his job is to stop goals and has conceded at least 4

    2. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 30 mins ago

      I have owned him from the start of the season until lately not, because of slot...

  14. Gazwaz80
    • 6 Years
    2 hours, 1 min ago

    Got Szob in my team and Virg in my benchie

  15. Liverpool need more beards I think.

  16. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 14 Years
    2 hours ago

    So, that's more or less officially five teams in next year's CL, not six?

  17. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    2 hours ago

    Was considering Szobo for two weeks now…went BrunoG after all, having cold feet now.

  18. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 59 mins ago

    Great to see the King back, looked great as well.

    Wildcard activated and the King is the first name on it as we speak!

  19. Qaiss
    • 10 Years
    1 hour, 59 mins ago

    Watkins playing for a World Cup spot

    Calvert Lewin, up you step

    1. JabbaWookiee
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 24 mins ago

      Up you trip more like

      1. Utopsis
        • 6 Years
        1 hour, 11 mins ago

        Ban

  20. Utopsis
    • 6 Years
    1 hour, 58 mins ago

    3 double digits hauls for highly owned players - rank killer

  21. Kiwivillan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 hour, 57 mins ago

    Was 30pts ahead of cash league rival and he sold Watkins but has VVD. That 2nd VVD goal hurt but Villa CL confirmed yeah baby!!!!

  22. Feanor
    • 16 Years
    1 hour, 57 mins ago

    Virgil on the bench, ugh

  23. Lahm and Lallanas Llama
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 56 mins ago

    What a gw.. 36 so far from 3

    1. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      1 hour, 27 mins ago

      Haha wow

      1. Lahm and Lallanas Llama
        • 11 Years
        1 hour, 24 mins ago

        Some higher power wants me to win this mini league

        1. Utopsis
          • 6 Years
          1 hour, 20 mins ago

          Good going and good luck!

  24. Gazwaz80
    • 6 Years
    1 hour, 55 mins ago

    Virg on 9 def cons

  25. Baps Hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 54 mins ago

    Okay, time to fight for green arrow with random results on last dgw. Gakpo was more likely to score 2 goals than Virgil, but here we go. At least this was never good season for me.

  26. ZeBestee
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 49 mins ago

    Any chance Vvd gets 10 defcons?

    1. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      51 mins ago

      Remove defcons FPL !

      1. ZeBestee
        • 11 Years
        6 mins ago

        Its a game, chill.

        1. Qaiss
          • 10 Years
          5 mins ago

          Yes so 2 extra points for a player doing nothing is all a bit silly isn’t it?

          1. ZeBestee
            • 11 Years
            2 mins ago

            Its not. Doing nothing means standing there not making any contributions, defcons means he has made those defensive work of clearances, tackles etc. Chill

    2. Gazwaz80
      • 6 Years
      just now

      Hope so

  27. Planet Head
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 45 mins ago

    The fact I transferred out Watkins, Rogers and Szoboszlai this week, sums up my season

    1. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      1 hour, 17 mins ago

      Oh my word

    2. Qaiss
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 16 mins ago

      Sorry for you

  28. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 38 mins ago

    Sold Rogers after owning since GW20, typical …

    1. andoman
      • 11 Years
      18 mins ago

      Rogers is such a troll - I sold this week too after owning since GW18.

      Had VVD on the bench- I really need a rest for O’Reilly now

  29. Utopsis
    • 6 Years
    1 hour, 37 mins ago

    Hmm players will want to put on a performance for their friends, family and the fans in their last home game of the season. One to note for GW38