Dugout Discussion
5 September 2026 545 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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We’ve got five Premier League matches kicking off at 3pm BST today, including the fixture that influenced the activation of a flurry of chips: Manchester City v Coventry City.

Cherki Semenyo

TEAM NEWS

The big team news from the Etihad, after the usual wild pre-match rumours suggesting otherwise, is that Enzo Maresca largely sticks with the same Manchester City team that beat Crystal Palace. So, there are starts for Antoine Semenyo, Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki.

Nico O’Reilly had kept his place, too, but he has picked up an injury in the warm-up, allowing Enzo Fernandez to make his City debut.

Maresca’s other alteration sees another deadline-day signing, Iliman Ndiaye, replace the benched Phil Foden.

Coventry’s Frank Lampard switches to a back five as expected, with Ethan Pinnock and Frank Onyeka replacing Caleb Yirenkyi and Loum Tchaouna.

At the Amex, Fabian Hurzeler’s one change is enforced: the injured Mats Wieffer is replaced by Yasin Ayari.

One of Daniel Farke’s alterations is also necessary due to Joe Rodon‘s hamstring problem. Brenden Aaronson and Jaka Bijol drop to the bench, meanwhile, as Nico Elvedi, Ao Tanaka and the fit-again Gabriel Gudmundsson are handed starts.

It’s one change apiece in west London.

Dango Ouattara comes in for Jaidon Anthony for Brentford, while Sunderland manager Regis le Bris hands Kevin Danso a debut at centre-back. Trai Hume drops out.

Liam Delap makes his full debut for Nottingham Forest against Tottenham Hotspur, replacing Igor Jesus.

Daniel Munoz is named on the bench after his move to the Tricky Trees.

Savio also gets his first start for his new club, as Roberto De Zerbi promotes the Brazilian winger, Destiny Udogie and Conor Gallagher to his starting XI.

Archie Gray, Andrew Robetson and Mateus Fernandes have to make do with substitute duty.

Finally, at Fulham, Shea Charles comes in for Sander Berge.

Crystal Palace hand starts to two of their summer signings, too, as Axel Disasi and Quinten Timber replace Jorgen Strand Larsen and Takehiro Tomiyasu.

LINE-UPS

Brentford XI: Kelleher, Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Lewis-Potter, Sangare, Janelt, Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade, Thiago.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Henry, Yarmoliuk, Wilson, Carvalho, Anthony, Diouf, Schuster.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Meunier, Mukiele, Ballard, Danso, Reinildo, Angulo, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee, Brobbey.

Subs: Ellborg, Hume, O’Nien, Alderete, Methalie, Ahoka, Rigg, Fofana, Isidor.


Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Kadioglu, Vuskovic, Dunk, Boscagli, Gross, Yalcouye, Ayari, Gomez, De Cuyper, Kostoulas.

Subs: Steele, Hadjam, Struijk, Promise, Andres, Osman, Costinha, O’Riley, Oriola.

Leeds United XI: Trafford, Justin, Muharemovic, Elvedi, Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Stach, Gudmundsson, Okafor, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Zetterer, Bard, Bijol, Longstaff, Aaronson, Wilson, James, Bahoya, Nmecha.


Fulham XI: Leno, Robinson, Bassey, Andersen, Castagne, Iwobi, Charles, Palacios, King, Bobb, Garcia.

Subs: Lecomte, Larsson, Berge, Angel, Muniz, Affengruber, Kevin, Sessegnon, Smith Rowe.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Disasi, Richards, Canvot, Mitchell, Timber, Wharton, Khalaili, Kamada, Pino, Nketiah.

Subs: Benitez, Tomiyasu, Gozo, Hughes, Doucoure, Larsen, Mingueza, Chilwell, Osorio.


Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol, Anderson, Fernandez, Ndiaye, Semenyo, Cherki, Haaland.

Subs: Rulli, Aït-Nouri, Lewis, Kovačić, Nunes, Bouaddi, Foden, McAidoo.

Coventry City XI: Rushworth, Van Ewijk, Thomas, Amenda, Pinnock, Dasilva, Grimes, Onyeka, Rudoni, Mason-Clark, Awoniyi.

Subs: Bentley, Latibeaudiere, Sakamoto, Yirenkyi, Torp, Hamer, Simms, Tchaouna, Thomas-Asante.


Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Cunha, Milenkovic, Murillo, Aina, Schlager, McAtee, Williams, Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Delap.

Subs: John Victor, Hudson-Odoi, Dominguez, Wood, Diomande, Igor Jesus, Yates, Netz, Munoz.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Kinsky, Porro, van Hecke, van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Tonali, Gallagher, Savio, Marmoush, Tel.

Subs: Dubravka, Robertson, Senesi, Gray, Bergvall, Fernandes, Solanke, Kudus, Mudryk.


LIVE GAMEWEEK PAGE + MATCH CENTRE

You can follow all the day’s action via the Live Gameweek page, which you can find in the all-new FPL Toolkit section.

Here you can track 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.

And there’s also the all-new Match Centre to explore. Here, you’ll find stats, heatmaps, rolling xG graphs and more on every Premier League fixture.

A lot is free for all, with Chief Scout Members getting full access.

Enjoy!


Introducing our new UCL Fantasy toolkit! 7
545 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 hours, 11 mins ago

    Good luck all!

    Haaland (TC), Cherki, Gvardiol

    *gulp*

    1. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      1 hour, 36 mins ago

      Good luck to you too!

      Haaland (TC), Semenyo

    2. FantasyTony
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 35 mins ago

      We’re gonna feast

    3. F4L
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 29 mins ago

      good luck! same 3 minus the tc

      hoping for a mauling to make the fh worth it here 🙂

    4. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 19 mins ago

      Haaland TC + Cherki let's go!!!

  2. Bobby Digital
    • 9 Years
    2 hours, 11 mins ago

    Kinsky CS coming

    1. Brosstan
      • 12 Years
      2 hours, 9 mins ago

      Against NFO away? Long shot

    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 hours, 7 mins ago

      Probably given we all benched him for Verbruggen!

    3. DeSelby
      • 4 Years
      1 hour, 59 mins ago

      Haha. Nice one.

  3. Moon Dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    2 hours, 10 mins ago

    How much longer can we expect De Cuyper playing on the wing?

    1. Skonto Rigga
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 35 mins ago

      Mitoma out until after the international break, so likely till GW6 at the least.

      1. Moon Dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        1 hour, 32 mins ago

        Thanks Neale.

        He plays Arsenal in GW5, so I might go without on WC then and hide behind the sofa for the Coventry game in 4...

    2. Brosstan
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 32 mins ago

      Just long enough for Munoz to get properly rolling at NFO

  4. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 12 Years
    2 hours, 9 mins ago

    Foden owners unlucky !!

  5. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 7 mins ago

    If we ever get Doku + Cherki + Ndiaye starting together that would be a fun watch, 3 of the best dribblers in the league

  6. Brosstan
    • 12 Years
    2 hours, 7 mins ago

    Imagine being a Foden owner. Getting a leak that Cherki is benched and then turns out its a fake leak and its actually Foden on the bench.

    1. Firminooooo
      • 10 Years
      2 hours, 6 mins ago

      And have sold Ndiaye to Foden…….

    2. 17th Time Lucky
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 hours, 5 mins ago

      As a Cherki and Foden owner, the leak switch around did exactly nothing for me!

    3. Jordan.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      2 hours, 1 min ago

      it did cause a first class whine from you though brosstan,that was worth todays entrance money alone,good luck today ,time you had plenty man

      1. Brosstan
        • 12 Years
        1 hour, 56 mins ago

        Thanks Jordan, doesnt sound like youve had the best luck yourself the opening weeks, Ill accept it if your players do well even if I dont have them!

        1. Jordan.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          1 hour, 53 mins ago

          good man

    4. Pariße
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 57 mins ago

      Luckily, the deadline was yesterday, with all that nonsense going on this morning.

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        1 hour, 53 mins ago

        I'm glad I was busy doing something better instead.

  7. F4L
    • 11 Years
    2 hours, 5 mins ago

    a brentford clean sheet would be nice

    1. Babit1967
      • 10 Years
      1 hour, 27 mins ago

      No thanks rival has 3 defence in a FH weirdly.

      1. Utopsis
        • 6 Years
        1 hour, 18 mins ago

        Mine went double + Thiago, yikes

  8. Nomadic Spurs
    • 4 Years
    2 hours, 4 mins ago

    With Wissa and Dedic trolling a point apiece, it can't get much worse.

  9. Pep Roulette
    • 8 Years
    2 hours, 4 mins ago

    Let's guess at exactly which minute Foden comes in

    My guess is 72'

    1. Jordan.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      1 hour, 27 mins ago

      71

    2. FantasyTony
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 27 mins ago

      90 + 2

      1. Pep Roulette
        • 8 Years
        1 hour, 26 mins ago

        Ouch

  10. Pep Roulette
    • 8 Years
    2 hours, 1 min ago

    O'Reilly holding his back. Maybe Foden starts?

  11. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    2 hours ago

    O'Reilly goes down the tunnel. Apparently, back pain in the warm up

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 54 mins ago

      Ouch

      Just catching up on the japes on X with the false flag leaks earlier!

  12. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    2 hours ago

    NOR injured in warm up

    1. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 26 mins ago

      It's been one crazy day for City picks

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 26 mins ago

      What?! Who is replacing him?

      1. pundit of punts
        • 13 Years
        1 hour, 24 mins ago

        No idea

        Not clear YET if he’s going be back or not

    3. Supersonic_
      • 5 Years
      1 hour, 22 mins ago

      Serious?

  13. Von Lipwig
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 59 mins ago

    All these Haaland Trips. I captained him, but might prefer a blank

    1. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 17 mins ago

      Definitely not happening, he is inevitable

  14. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 59 mins ago

    Semenyo, Foden and Haaland C on FH.

    Hoping for a Haaland blank and Foden brace from the bench lol not asking for much

  15. DaveZubie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 59 mins ago

    What's the new name for Pep-roulette?

    1. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 25 mins ago

      Should I change it to Maresca Mayhem?

    2. Brosstan
      • 12 Years
      1 hour, 25 mins ago

      The MaresCarousel

    3. Jordan.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      1 hour, 21 mins ago

      maresca meddling

    4. fantasyfog
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 16 mins ago

      Maresca mixer

  16. DeSelby
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 58 mins ago

    I'm on FH with Haaland captain. Am I rooting for him to haul or blank?

    1. 17th Time Lucky
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      1 hour, 56 mins ago

      EO near me is 218%, I'm hoping for a blank (plus my wife and son both TCd him too!)

    2. AAAFootball
      • 1 Year
      1 hour, 56 mins ago

      Haul I think but it's close

      1. AAAFootball
        • 1 Year
        1 hour, 55 mins ago

        Near me it's 180%

    3. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 55 mins ago

      Waste of a FH if he blanks

      You'd have been benefiting without it

    4. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 54 mins ago

      Blank probably but you can check his EO here...

      https://www.livefpl.net/rank

  17. Bobby Digital
    • 9 Years
    1 hour, 56 mins ago

    Haaland hatty would be sweet

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 2 mins ago

      Yep please 🙂

  18. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 55 mins ago

    Nico pulled up in warm up

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 21 mins ago

      Holding lower back

  19. lilmessipran
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 54 mins ago

    Wheres that good and bad weekly article? I doubt anyone can beat me this week..Masterstroke of picking Scott on WC3 then benching him for Thiaw. I am Jose Mourinho

    1. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 52 mins ago

      Rough with the Smooth?

      Usually after the GW has finished bruv 🙂

    2. Jordan.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      1 hour, 51 mins ago

      crap luck that

    3. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 hour, 50 mins ago

      You might have some starters out later on

  20. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 52 mins ago

    Couldn't be going much worse for me with NOR + Foden + Haaland

    1. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 18 mins ago

      That's not looking good 🙁

    2. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 18 mins ago

      Maybe Foden comes in place of NOR?

  21. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 51 mins ago

    Is Scott now in the wildcard template picks?

    1. Jordan.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      1 hour, 16 mins ago

      not for me
      bit deep
      poor fixtures
      europe
      takes up m/f slot

      quality player though

  22. Amartey Partey
    • 7 Years
    1 hour, 49 mins ago

    Oh wow NOR out already.

  23. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 49 mins ago

    Commentator at the Etihad still announced NOR like he was playing

  24. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 49 mins ago

    Used my 2 FT to get in Wissa and Foden.. 2 1 pointers.. what a joke.
    Activating WC

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 hour, 45 mins ago

      Oh and got hume too.. l davis 1 pointer to come on

  25. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 48 mins ago

    Enzo starts

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 14 mins ago

      Sky sports

  26. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    1 hour, 48 mins ago

    Enzo starts

  27. Gizzachance
    • 11 Years
    1 hour, 47 mins ago

    O’Reilly out !

  28. Pep Roulette
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 47 mins ago

    Enzo in for NOR

  29. pundit of punts
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 47 mins ago

    NOR out

    Enzo in

  30. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 46 mins ago

    4 points in 3 games from 6.5m NOR is awful, can't believe I went there!

    1. FantasyClub
      • 5 Years
      1 hour, 34 mins ago

      Ive FH this week and i think ill WC now. NOR first one to go.