Dugout Discussion
17 October 2026 309 comments
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The first of five Premier League matches on Saturday is Everton v Chelsea at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Kick-off in the Gameweek 7 curtain-raiser is at 12:30pm BST.

TEAM NEWS

Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitalii Mykolenko have both recovered from injuries to start for Everton.

Meanwhile, Merlin Rohl gets the nod over the benched Brennan Johnson on the right wing.

Mykolenko ousts Michael Keane from the starting XI. The centre-back has not been included in the matchday squad.

Xabi Alonso’s only alteration for Chelsea sees Jorrell Hato come in for Pep Chavarria, who is absent.

There are no surprises elsewhere, with Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer joining Joao Pedro in the usual front three.

Reece James is set to miss three months of action after undergoing knee surgery, as reported on Friday.

LINE-UPS

Everton XI: Pickford, Maitland-Niles, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Armstrong, Garner, Rohl, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Barry

Subs: Travers, O’Brien, George, Dibling, Norgaard, Johnson, Alcaraz, Hackney, Graham

Chelsea XI: Martinez, Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill, Neto, Caicedo, Henderson, Hato, Palmer, Rogers, J Pedro

Subs: Penders, Fofana, Palestra, Barco, Lavia, Nicoll-Jazuli, Estevao, Quenda, Welbeck


309 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Esraj
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Penders coming on.

  2. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Rogers and Palmer coming off in a bit looks like

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      No wonder given YCs

  3. Baps Hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Emi conscious at least

    1. BeaversWithAttitude
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Aye, a relief. I couldn't see him move for ages and thought he might be out cold.

      1. Burton
        1 day, 7 hours ago

        Clear fencing sign as well, don't see that much in football

  4. ZeBestee
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Was it a head collision? The ugly part of football

    1. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      The ball wasn't very high when Martinez dived towards it.

  5. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    This is Chelsea's first away clean sheet since 6th December 2025!

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Nice jinx lol

    2. threeputt
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      and Martinez on my bench

  6. All Hail K
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Penders 6'7"

  7. Baps Hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Martinez season over 🙁

    1. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Hand working at least, showed his thumb. Thick people whistling.

      1. threeputt
        1 day, 7 hours ago

        Argentinian boos

        1. BeaversWithAttitude
          1 day, 7 hours ago

          I save those for uninjured Argentinians.

  8. have you seen cyan
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Barry must be truly abysmal if he can’t score vs Chelsea

  9. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Palmer and Rogers will keep their CS point
    So I got that goin for me

    1. All Hail K
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      A lot of us in that boat. Keep your chin up brother, lots of matches to come. On the other hand, I captained Cherki so i'll give up.

  10. oi no professionals
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Cherki and Guardiol on the bench is peakkkk

  11. FOREST FOREVER 2
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Pedro Close (To a YC).

  12. Dynamic Duos
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Stone Cold Stunner!!

  13. JBG
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Congratulations MGW owners that started him, benched him for Barry and Schade

  14. BIGREDDOG
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Really awful that the Everton fans booed Martinez off the pitch. on a stretcher 8, minutes of treatment, after being knocked out clean. His arm and body were completely locked. Do better Jesus

  15. SM001
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Did the Everton fans seriously just boo a player being stretchered off?

    1. Paul Psychic Octopus
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      They are scousers

      1. SM001
        1 day, 7 hours ago

        True

    2. Esraj
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Shame!

  16. Paul Psychic Octopus
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Who is the Status Quo guitarist on the Chelsea bench?

  17. Emiliano Sala
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    They said gvardiol and foden are pillars
    Well said
    Broken one maybe

  18. have you seen cyan
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    This place is ad city now and 90% of the time you click a comment to go reply, nothing even happens. This site only goes downhill.

  19. SINGH
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Rogers assist?

    1. Brosstan
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      No

  20. Esraj
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Offside merchant coming on.

  21. SINGH
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    BBC said Rogers assist

    1. have you seen cyan
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      For which imaginary goal?

    2. el polako
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Don’t believe anything BBC says.

    3. Brosstan
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Should have gone to specsavers

  22. Royal5
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Palmer wtf, Rogers would have scored

  23. Rice Krispie
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Apart from Jack Grealish, which other Premier League players have shown them to be open hearted? I don't really follow football but I'd be interested as I'd start supporting the teams of these other kind hearted players.

    Weird question I know lol

    1. el polako
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Christian Eriksen was.

      1. Rice Krispie
        1 day, 7 hours ago

        Thanks. I didn't know that.

  24. Cojones of Destiny
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    JP is such a donkey sometimes

  25. Feanor
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    On 8 from 4 players in this game

    1. el polako
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Consistency is key.

  26. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Neto brace

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Whilst everyone has Pedro, Palmer, Rogers...Neto grabs the goals

      1. Cojones of Destiny
        1 day, 7 hours ago

        exactly this !

  27. Feanor
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Neto goal

  28. fantasist
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    Assist for Neto goal?

    1. FantasyTony
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      no one I'd imagine

    2. BeaversWithAttitude
      1 day, 7 hours ago

      Unassisted?

  29. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    lol just tried to ask this but didn’t post because I’ve already posted it

    Assist for Pedro goal?

  30. Cojones of Destiny
    1 day, 7 hours ago

    three chelski player and none in points this game keeps on giving