Dugout Discussion
24 October 2026 405 comments
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There are only two 3pm BST Premier League kick-offs on a wet and windy Saturday in England.

Reigning champions Arsenal can take advantage of Manchester City’s lunchtime defeat and draw level with the Cityzens on points with a win over Everton.

And is it too early to be talking about six-pointers in the other match? Coventry City host Fulham as 18th meets 19th.

TEAM NEWS

There are some high-profile benchings at the Emirates as Mikel Arteta makes five changes to the side that drew with Bayern Munich in midweek.

One alteration was, of course, enforced due to Bukayo Saka’s injury.

“I think it will be weeks. The extent of the injury, I think we’re going to have to repeat the scans in a week, 10 days.” – Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka, speaking ahead of kick-off

And no real shock to see Jurrien Timber and Bruno Guimaraes benched as the regular rotation continues at right-back and in central midfield.

But, for the first time in the Premier League this season, Riccardo Calafiori and Kai Havertz drop down to substitute duty.

Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres all come into the side.

David Moyes is not one for unnecessary tinkering, so no surprise that two of his three changes are enforced.

Jack Grealish is ill and Jarrad Branthwaite is observing the concussion protocol, so both miss out.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles drops to the bench after a couple of rickety displays.

In come Brennan Johnson, Tyrique George and Jake O’Brien.

At the CBS Arena, Coventry are unchanged from Monday’s defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.

Fulham make only one tweak, with Hugo Larsson in for Sander Berge.

LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Konsa, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Merino, Odegaard, Madueke, Eze, Gyokeres.

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Calafiori, Mosquera, Hincapie, Timber, Zubimendi, Guimaraes, Dowman, Havertz.

Everton XI: Pickford, Rohl, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko, Armstrong, Garner, Johnson, Dewsbury-Hall, George, Barry.

Subs: Travers, King, Maitland-Niles, Keane, Norgaard, Alcaraz, Hackney, Graham, Dibling.


Coventry City XI: Rushworth, van Ewijk, Thomas, Pinnock, Dasilva, Grimes, Yirenkyi, Sakamoto, Rudoni, Thomas-Asante, Cherif.

Subs: Bentley, Mason-Clark, Mfuni, Awoniyi, Onyeka, Kelser-Hayden, Torp, Gboho, Hamer.

Fulham XI: Leno, Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson, Larsson, Charles, Bobb, King, Iwobi, Garcia.

Subs: Lecomte, Tete, Andersen, Palacios, Muniz, Cairney, Kevin, Berge, Angel.


LIVE GAMEWEEK 8 PAGE + MATCH CENTRE

Calafiori Havertz

You can follow all the day’s action via the Live Gameweek page, which you can find in the 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.


405 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 hour, 33 mins ago

    Everyone will end up on triple Arsenal defence eventually

    1. TheTinman
      1 hour, 32 mins ago

      Agree seems a no brainer. They are tepid in attack

    2. JBG
      1 hour, 32 mins ago

      If White was nailed he'd be in my team ASAP. Might just wait for Saliba

    3. GreennRed
      1 hour, 31 mins ago

      2 is enough for now.

    4. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 hour, 30 mins ago

      I don't think I will

      When it works it's sweet but one goal takes out 3 of your guys points

    5. el polako
      1 hour, 30 mins ago

      Too much for me.
      They’re not watertight.
      Both Forest - Murillo and Everton - KDH were inches away from scoring.
      With tougher fixtures coming up not sure it’s worth having x3 defenders.

      1. GreennRed
        1 hour, 15 mins ago

        It's them inches that separate cleansheets from goals conceded. Other teams don't hate conceding goals as much.

        1. el polako
          1 hour, 7 mins ago

          Yeah but it’s also Forest and Everton who got in these positions.

          Liverpool, Newcastle, City and Brentford coming up.

      2. F4L
        1 hour, 11 mins ago

        wirtz will wipe that cleanie next gw 😉

    6. Deulofail
      1 hour, 25 mins ago

      I've had Gabriel, Calafiori and Konsa since GW1 (plus White for the first 3 GWs, and I shouldn't have sold him!). Plan was to upgrade Konsa to Timber this week, sinnce I'm likely WCing, but that doesn't look a go-er tbh. Raya is decent but a waste of an Arsenal defender spot, although I expect more people will be getting him as 'Arsenal defence cover', since Calafiori, Konsa and White are only going to become less viable, rather than more appealing going forward. A true triple defence doesn't include a GK imo, as GKs are a whole different FPL ball game. Just trying to add prestige to my strats, since I've not been getting many points from it.

      1. GreennRed
        1 hour, 23 mins ago

        You need balance. Probably no goalkeeper will get more points than Raya. If your money saved not getting Raya improves your points elsewhere there's no need for him.

        1. Deulofail
          1 hour, 21 mins ago

          What is balance and why do I need it?

  2. TheTinman
    1 hour, 33 mins ago

    James Maddison 6.2m could be a bargain

  3. F4L
    1 hour, 33 mins ago

    everton you had one job

    misson failed

  4. Deulofail
    1 hour, 33 mins ago

    OH! Gabriel vice captain. Pedro captain!

    1. TheTinman
      1 hour, 31 mins ago

      I still remember when you TC Dennis. You deserve this

      1. Deulofail
        1 hour, 23 mins ago

        😀 thanks. I didn't remember that,. Don't even remember who Dennis was. But I see a yellow kit behind my eyelids, where I keep the rest of my traumas

        1. Deulofail
          51 mins ago

          He got -1pt! I remember now! I also had his strike partner, I believe (Ighalo? Deeney?) . A Watford triple-up, too. Maybe with Chalobah or even a certain Gerard Deulofeu. 5 Watford in my team that week.

    2. GreennRed
      1 hour, 30 mins ago

      Good stuff for you sir.

    3. Kroenius
      1 hour, 28 mins ago

      That's lovely

    4. F4L
      1 hour, 27 mins ago

      fair play!

    5. JBG
      1 hour, 21 mins ago

      Wish I did the same-_-

  5. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 hour, 31 mins ago

    I had 4 threats to my rank earlier today.

    Haaland converted to captain and De Cuyper first sub for Pedro elimated two of them.

    The other two were Raya and Cherki.

    I'll take that twist

  6. Tonyawesome69
    1 hour, 31 mins ago

    Calafiori finished the game at left wing, with Madueke behind him at left-back.

    Italian has now gone straight down the tunnel after the full-time whistle.

    Hopefully not an injury.

    https://x.com/sr_collings/status/2114023618380280307

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 hour, 19 mins ago

      "He was holding his ribs after one challenge. So that would be that. Didnt look comfortable afterwards."

    2. F4L
      1 hour, 19 mins ago

      had the option to sub hincapie on as well.....

    3. GreennRed
      1 hour, 18 mins ago

      Prob bursting for a pee

  7. Pedersen
    1 hour, 26 mins ago

    Gabriel a good arsenal pick when having Cala? Or is there a better one

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 hour, 15 mins ago

      No rotation risk with Gab at least

    2. SalahFingers
      1 hour, 15 mins ago

      Good pick but too expensive when Cala, Raya and Konsa exist.

  8. Make FPL Casual Again
    1 hour, 25 mins ago

    Hmm things starting to change a bit, 2ft +1m itb means I can transfer Cherki out to a like for like or go to a 6.9 and get Jackson or upgrade Cali/Gvard to Gab...

    Gab starting to return like last year...

    Then there's the essential United triple up

  9. F4L
    1 hour, 24 mins ago

    palmer hat trick sorely needed!

    1. RICICLE
      1 hour, 13 mins ago

      this

  10. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 hour, 24 mins ago

    EO changes due to Pedro:
    De Cuyper +17%
    Haaland +15%
    Gross +10%
    DCL +7%
    Hall +6%

  11. Gazwaz80
    1 hour, 23 mins ago

    Dear mods. Please let Bobby Thomas’s 59th minute departure be amended to 60. Thank you..

  12. Warby84
    1 hour, 23 mins ago

    Leno benched

  13. Hazardous1221
    1 hour, 23 mins ago

    5 FTs, 0.0 in the bank. Need to make a move but not sure what, any suggestions?

    Kinsky
    Gabriel, Egan, Thomas
    Palmer, Rogers, MGW, Tavernier
    Haaland, Pedro, DCL

    Dubravka, King, Calafiori, Konsa

  14. Evasivo
    1 hour, 22 mins ago

    Oh Alonso you weasel 😮

  15. Brosstan
    1 hour, 21 mins ago

    Gabriel VC....

    1. Brosstan
      1 hour, 21 mins ago

      Season over

    2. Deulofail
      1 hour, 19 mins ago

      Same

      1. JBG
        1 hour, 18 mins ago

        Yeah but Brosstan has MGW C

        1. Deulofail
          1 hour, 16 mins ago

          Oh that seems like a mistake

  16. Riverside Red
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 hour, 20 mins ago

    Was it general or insider knowledge that Calafiori wouldn't be starting for Arsenal. On live FPL my players used increased to 5 but the top 10k and Legendary managers stayed at roughly the same number when he came on. Impossible to compete in FPL if insider knowledge required.

    1. Deulofail
      1 hour, 17 mins ago

      are the top 10k in the loop then? Aren't they 99% plebs like you and me?

      1. Riverside Red
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        1 hour, 14 mins ago

        Did you have Calafiori on your bench?

        1. Deulofail
          1 hour, 8 mins ago

          Nope. I played him ahead of Bruno Fernandes. But I knew about the Bruno RC

          1. Deulofail
            1 hour, 7 mins ago

            Delete this mods

    2. GreennRed
      1 hour, 10 mins ago

      Do those with 'insider knowledge' get 100% of their predicted scorelines correct?

      1. Riverside Red
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        13 mins ago

  17. Deulofail
    1 hour, 20 mins ago

    Oh and btw, I also have Brunfo coming off the bench for Pedro

    1. JBG
      1 hour, 19 mins ago

      When it rains it pours... points for Deulfail

      1. Deulofail
        1 hour, 17 mins ago

        Perhaps you misunderstood. It's Bruno Fernandes

        1. JBG
          1 hour, 16 mins ago

          Genuinely forgot that he might/probably is benched.

          1. Deulofail
            1 hour, 14 mins ago

            No surely not, it's Bruno Fernandes!

  18. PogChamp
    1 hour, 18 mins ago

    King 1 - 0 MGW. Even small victories are welcome.

  19. snow pea in repose
    1 hour, 16 mins ago

    Thomas in for JP, ugh