Dugout Discussion
24 October 2026 408 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
Share:

Fantasy Premier League’s (FPL) second-most-owned player is absent from Saturday’s final Premier League match.

Joao Pedro, who sits in 73.8% of FPL squads, unexpectedly misses out on Chelsea’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur due to injury.

“Yesterday, in the training, he felt something. At the moment, he has some liquid, so we need to do some testing to know how big the injury is. For sure, it’s disappointment, but we need to carry on.” – Xabi Alonso on Joao Pedro

Kick-off in the closing Gameweek 8 fixture of the day is at 17:30 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Pedro’s place in Alonso’s side is taken by Geovany Quenda, who makes his first Chelsea start in any competition.

There’s another enforced change that comes as much less of a surprise: Mike Penders in for the injured Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine international suffered a fractured jaw in the 2-0 win at Everton last weekend.

As for Spurs, they’ve also made two alterations.

Mateus Fernandes and Mathys Tel come in for the absent Tosin Adarabioyo and the benched Dominic Solanke.

James Maddison, who Roberto De Zerbi expressed concerns about on Friday, does keep his place.

Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro are both fit enough for substitute duty.

LINE-UPS

Chelsea XI: Penders, Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill, Neto, Caicedo, Henderson, Hato, Rogers, Palmer, Quenda.

Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Fofana, Gusto, Palestra, Nicoll-Jazuli, Barco, Lacia, Estevao, Welbeck, Solanke.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Kinsky, Gray, van Hecke, van de Ven, Robertson, Tonali, Fernandes, Kudus, Maddison, Marmoush, Tel.

Subs: Dubravka, Porro, Senesi, Davies, Olusesi, Gallagher, Kulusevski, Williams-Barnett.


LIVE GAMEWEEK 8 PAGE + MATCH CENTRE

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.

408 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. ZeBestee
    4 hours, 16 mins ago

    If anyone says Gabriel is too expensive, when he is outscroing Palmer then I don't get it. I have owned Palmer and he has been nothing but a fraud. Not worth 9.5M, more so now Pedro is not there.

    1. Tic Tacs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      4 hours, 10 mins ago

      Agreed, I think Gabriel is looking great value currently

  2. Bobby Digital
    4 hours, 16 mins ago

    WC time... Then

    1. Jafooli
      3 hours, 24 mins ago

      Yep, 100%…

      1. Bobby Digital
        3 hours, 23 mins ago

        Looking at getting Gabriel and going 442

        1. Jafooli
          3 hours, 22 mins ago

          5-3-2

    2. The Philosopher
      3 hours, 21 mins ago

      Still4 more years for the WC mate

    3. Tic Tacs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      3 hours, 19 mins ago

      I’m seriously considering it

  3. Jafooli
    4 hours, 15 mins ago

    Team is in tatters… -1’s, 0’s, 1’s & 2’s and flags everywhere …

  4. Sandy Ravage
    4 hours, 15 mins ago

    I don't think anyone saw this coming. Shows what we know

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      3 hours, 23 mins ago

      Wow

      One of those weekends

      The second time that Spurs have won at the bridge in 36 years I think!

    2. Rice Krispie
      3 hours, 21 mins ago

      You actually know nothing. You only THINK you do. Truth is found in immediate experience, not thought/ the mind.

  5. Jafooli
    4 hours, 15 mins ago

    Spurs are back…

    1. have you seen cyan
      4 hours, 13 mins ago

      Oh yea, Talksport will be good xD

      Spurs on at half five again btw, what is with that lol.

      1. Jafooli
        4 hours, 10 mins ago

        Listening now, going off…

        1. have you seen cyan
          4 hours, 9 mins ago

          Cundy not there dammit

          1. Jafooli
            4 hours, 7 mins ago

            Will be on the phone soon…

  6. have you seen cyan
    4 hours, 15 mins ago

    Wow, Tel

  7. The Reptile
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    4 hours, 15 mins ago

    Can't believe I let myself do Saka to Palmer - he fooled us looking quite lively at the start of the season

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      3 hours, 23 mins ago

      Don't listen to the prevailing crowd

      Sometimes

      1. The Reptile
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        3 hours, 21 mins ago

        I know, that's what I did though my instinct was telling me not to

    2. Rice Krispie
      3 hours, 19 mins ago

      You didn't decide anything. You only THINK you did. Try find ( in direct experience) the one that's deciding or choosing or controlling experience.....you absolutely won't. If you are aware enough you'll see it's simply a thought.

  8. Gudjohnsen
    4 hours, 14 mins ago

    My midfield of 3 has 3 points.

    1. Nomar
      4 hours, 10 mins ago

      2 from 5, but 4 of them play tomorrow!

  9. F4L
    4 hours, 14 mins ago

    this is spurs' easiest match of the season so far

  10. Bod
    4 hours, 13 mins ago

    So glad I was able to afford doing Saka to Palmer

  11. F4L
    4 hours, 12 mins ago

    why the fck are chelsea players just booting gallagher

  12. Jafooli
    4 hours, 12 mins ago

    And now Rogers YC lol…

  13. JBG
    4 hours, 12 mins ago

    Kinsky lost 1bp because of Tel goal... oh Chelsea, even when you lose you hurt me

  14. Tic Tacs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    4 hours, 11 mins ago

    Gameweek from hell! Palmer captain, Cala and Thomas - 500k red arrow

  15. Jafooli
    4 hours, 11 mins ago

    JP, Palmer & Rogers = 0pts today lol…

    1. The Reptile
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      4 hours, 10 mins ago

      It's Fng ridiculous

    2. mad_beer ✅
      4 hours, 10 mins ago

      Rogers got you 1!

      1. Jafooli
        4 hours, 9 mins ago

        And Palmer -1pt = 0pts total…

        1. mad_beer ✅
          4 hours, 9 mins ago

          Oh right. Eek!

    3. PogChamp
      4 hours, 10 mins ago

      Ha yeah that’s so messed up

    4. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      4 hours, 10 mins ago

      -1 from all 3 with Palmer (c) lol

      1. Jafooli
        4 hours, 9 mins ago

        Absolute madness…

    5. Sandy Ravage
      4 hours, 10 mins ago

      Getting Cherki & Gvardiol 1-pointer off my bench isn't looking so bad afterall lol

    6. The-Red-1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      4 hours, 1 min ago

      F**k me

  16. The Philosopher
    4 hours, 11 mins ago

    Any small chance of a Verbruggen no-show?

  17. The Reptile
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    4 hours, 11 mins ago

    Wellbeck must be so p‐-d off being left on the bench for so long

  18. RICICLE
    4 hours, 11 mins ago

    so with Palmer captain, Rogers, and Pedro, i'm on a total net of -1

    I despise this game sometimes

    1. gooberman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      4 hours, 9 mins ago

      Same but also add in I went for Verbruggen over Kinsky. Lol

      1. RICICLE
        4 hours, 4 mins ago

        same but with only Verb as my playing keeper

  19. el polako
    4 hours, 11 mins ago

    Chelsea offensive trio total of 0 points today.
    lol

    1. RICICLE
      4 hours, 10 mins ago

      i have to laugh

      1. el polako
        4 hours, 9 mins ago

        I can see that pal.
        I was flip flopping between Palmer and Haaland myself.

        I’m sure you’re not alone in this suffering.

  20. FPL Sanky
    4 hours, 11 mins ago

    Pedro Rogers Palmer triple up combine 0 points.... thanks boys

  21. Hughes Your Daddy
    4 hours, 11 mins ago

    lol same old Chelsea

  22. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    4 hours, 10 mins ago

    RIP the Pedro, Palmer and Rogers triple up. Zero points between them.

  23. x.jim.x
    4 hours, 9 mins ago

    Can someone post how many points the Chelsea trio have got please?

    1. GENERATION X
      2 hours, 44 mins ago

      Thankfully I had Penders not Rogers

  24. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    4 hours, 9 mins ago

    Welcome to spurs.

    Next week spurs 0-3 palace

  25. Calafiornication
    4 hours, 8 mins ago

    Peak FPL moment:

    Bruno out for Palmer
    João Pedro (C)
    Palmer (VC)
    João Pedro not in squad
    Palmer red card

    Bruno haul incoming

  26. F4L
    4 hours, 8 mins ago

    iraola>alonso

    liverpool won there

  27. yousunkmybattleship
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    4 hours, 8 mins ago

    Palmer only misses EFL Cup game right?

  28. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    4 hours, 8 mins ago

    Glad to see Chelsea get embarrassed, a truly horrid club

    1. Hughes Your Daddy
      3 hours, 7 mins ago

      This.

  29. Twisted Saltergater
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    4 hours, 8 mins ago

    And there I was thinking Kinsky was the worst player on my bench boost.

  30. Tic Tacs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    4 hours, 7 mins ago

    Take risks, get punished - this is the way of FPL. Always play it safe.

    1. Utopsis
      3 hours, 38 mins ago

      Wise words