Dugout Discussion

Fabinho at centre-back for Liverpool in Brighton clash

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has selected something of a make-shift defence ahead of Saturday’s trip to Brighton.

With Dejan Lovren (£4.9m) ruled out, midfielder Fabinho (£5.5m) has been named at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk (£6.4m), having played there against Wolves in the FA Cup on Monday night.

While that may not instil confidence in a Liverpool clean sheet at the Amex Stadium today, there is encouragement on the bench as Joel Matip (£4.9m), missing since Gameweek 16, is named among the substitutes.

Brighton look to have gone for a slight change of shape, switching to a 4-2-3-1, with Glenn Murray (£6.3m) leading the line and still in search of his first home goal since Gameweek 15.

Recently discovered budget midfielder Dwight McNeil (£4.4m) continues to hold down a place on the left flank of Burnley’s attack, while Ashley Barnes (£5.6m) strings together eighth consecutive start for the Clarets.

Callum Paterson (£5.1m) returns to the centre-forward position for Cardiff, while Victor Camarasa (£4.6m) is used in a traditional central midfield role for the Bluebirds.

Huddersfield hand a Premier League debut to Jason Puncheon (£4.2m), who has recently arrived from Crystal Palace, in a right attacking midfield position.

Vicente Guaita (£4.2m) holds down his place in Crystal Palace’s goal for the sixth match in a row, as Roy Hodgson goes for a 4-3-3 formation against Watford.

The Hornets continue with their 4-4-2 system, Gerard Deulofeu (£5.5m) and Troy Deeney (£5.9m) leading the line for Javi Gracia’s men.

Meanwhile, James Maddison (£6.8m) returns to the Leicester City line-up after an unused substitutes role against Everton.

Today’s visitors to the King Power Stadium Southampton have selected Shane Long (£4.7m) as the lone striker with Danny Ings (£5.6m) and Charlie Austin (£5.5m) both out.

Brighton XI: Button; Bong, Duffy, Dunk, Montoya; Pröpper, Stephens; Locadia, Groß, March; Murray.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Fabinho, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Shaqiri, Firmino, Mane, Salah.

Burnley XI: Heaton; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Hendrick, Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Wood, Barnes.

Fulham XI: Rico; Odoi, Ream, Le Marchand; Christie, Chambers, Seri, Bryan; Schürrle, Mitrovic, Sessegnon.

Cardiff XI: Etheridge; Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Bamba, Bennett; Gunnarsson; Mendez-Laing, Arter, Camarasa, Hoilett; Paterson.

Huddersfield XI: Lössl; Hadergjonaj, Schindler, Zanka, Durm; Billing, Hogg; Kachunga, Pritchard, Puncheon; Mounie.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt; Kouyaté, Milivojevic, McArthur; Townsend, Ayew, Zaha.

Watford XI: Foster; Kiko Femenía, Mariappa, Cathcart, Holebas; Doucouré, Capoue; Hughes, Pereyra; Deulofeu, Deeney.

Leicester XI: Schmeichel; Ricardo Pereira, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell; Choudhury, Mendy, Ndidi; Albrighton, Vardy, Maddison.

Southampton XI: McCarthy; Bednarek, Stephens, Vestergaard; Valery, Oriol Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Targett; Redmond, Armstrong; Long.

Become a Member and access our data

Memberships for the 2018/19 campaign are now available for the price of just £10.

Join now to get the following:

  • Plot your transfer strategies using the fully interactive Season Ticker.
  • Get projections for every Premier League player provided by the Rate My Team statistical model.
  • Use Rate My Team throughout the season to guide your selections and transfers.
  • Get access to over 130+ exclusive members articles over the season.
  • Analyse our OPTA-powered statistic tables specifically tailored for Fantasy Football Managers.
  • Use our exclusive tool to build custom stats tables from over 100 OPTA player and team stats.
  • View heatmaps and expected goals data for every player.
  • Use our powerful comparison tool to analyse players head-to-head.

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOUT MEMBER

1,929 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    As I said a few days ago, Klopp might come to regret his loser mentality in the FA Cup. If they drop points today as well it will have been a huge part of the momentum shift. Inexperienced sides are all about impetus and he did what he could to ruin Pool's with a cowardly team selection.

    1. Fantastisk
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      This

    2. Ady87
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Agreed. I work in Liverpool and for every supporter putting on a brave face about being knocked out of another trophy opportunity, there was another saying exactly this.

    3. Arch Stanton
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Going out of the FA Cup to League One Wigan didnt do Citeh any harm last season...

  2. Klip Klopp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    So happy I kept Fab. Look at his next run of peachy fixtures...

    Bournemouth (A)
    Wolves (A)
    Liverpool (H)
    Crystal Palace (A)
    Fulham (H)
    Man City (A)
    Newcastle (H)
    Cardiff (A)
    Huddersfield (H)

    1. Patch
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Ding Dong!

    2. Greenbackbøøg…
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Seems like a pretty normal stretch

    3. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Prob 2 clean sheets, 1 penalty save and a bucket load of save points in there.

  3. Party time
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Who will score the next own goal?

      1. Fantastisk
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        TAA

      2. Niho992
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Salah

      3. Bees4Lyf
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Knowing my luck it’ll be salah

    • TaiwanHC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Guess what transfer I made!

      Fabianski to Guaita of course.

    • Meinhoff
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Trent plays

    • Begbie.
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I have 0 ITB and my keepers are Guaita and Hamer lol... kill me.

      1. Garlana
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Button?

        1. Begbie.
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Either that or a hit 🙁

      2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Bad planning that

    • ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      TAA re-emerge. What injury?

      1. Hotdogs for Tea
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Just idiots on here stirring it up 😉

        1. Gentle_Turks
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          No, TAA fell awkwardly in the warmup. It was touch and go for a while whether he would play, and twice during the first half Milner was warming up to replace him. So, less of the 'idiots' please mate...

          1. Hotdogs for Tea
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            I am watching the game, he has been fine so far bombing and down the wing ?

    • Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Which one was best:

      A) Uncle Albert
      B) Grandad

      1. Marvin Moon
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        A

        1. Here's Tom with the We…
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          A

      2. Begbie.
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        B.

        Rodney knew he didn't like cheeseburgers and got him one anyway. Shocking.

      3. Dannyb
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        B

      4. Not again Shirley
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Both equally good in their roles. Everyone will have their favourites but both superb.

        1. Bouncebackability
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Couldn't choose! Awful question! Ha

      5. Miguel Sanchez
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        What's that dirty looking thing?

      6. Numb
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Both good in their own way

    • Dr. Rog
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Feels like it will be a low scoring week.
      The kind of week that needs Hazard hat trick captain please

      1. Dannyb
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        No

    • DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I've had enough of hiding behind my ottoman every week due to Salah. Brexit couldn't come sooner and Salah can go back to Asia

      1. Weasel Boy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        LoL

      2. Patch
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        That is exactly the tongue in cheek comment I made for Brexit and Son...I got banned for two weeks for saying he cheated or along those lines!

        1. DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Son could've been in Call of Duty instead of FIFA 19

        2. Marvin Moon
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          To be fair buddy I saw that comment. You didn't make it clear enough that it was a joke.

          1. Patch
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            I know, I will add a smiley face for those border line comments in future!

      3. Marvin Moon
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        The sad thing is mate some people will think this is serious and agree with you.

    • Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Knew i should have captained Richarlison 🙁

      1. Weasel Boy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Works every time

    • Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Did (former) Fabianski owners forget why you brought him in in the first place? Why would you drop the guy who manages to be top scoring cheap keeper even without clean sheets? (Etheridge doesnt count because penalty save jam)

      1. MrZ
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Because we have another keeper option?

      2. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Etheridge does count.

        And Fabianski's had his hand in the jam jar too

      3. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Would you like to recant your Etheridge statement now?

        No penalty saves, save point and max baps to boot...outscores Flappy and a much better prospect going forwards

        😉

    • Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      T-15 minutes until AWB cleanie and baps disappear

      1. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        propper Gross

    • fedolefan
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Man, all you guys getting me anxious with TAA news. These 2 points from him are going to be the hardest earned 2 points ever.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        He is fine.

      2. Alli 3',17',64�…
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        just ingore them, they are clueless and no doubt not even watching the game. Taa is fine
        Just report next person who says it

    • Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Button denies Salah.

      1. Patch
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Bloody hell

        Wish Button wasnt better than Ryan!

        1. Futile Tinkering
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Hopefully he will rise a few times before Ryan comes back.

    • DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      This proves we need a winter break. Players are tired from excessive football

    • FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      That's it. Selling Mitro!!!

      1. Bubz
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Rashford time

      2. Not again Shirley
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Why?

    • Greenbackbøøg…
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      ooo barnes on

    • Babit1967
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Don’t worrry fellow Salah cappers he will score

    • Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      SALAH WINS PEN

    • FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      This feccking penalties are unrealistic!!!

    • TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Pool pen.

    • tm245
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Thanks for staying on the pitch, Trent.

    • Bubz
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      All Salah does is score penalties

    • Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Cmon Mo!!!

    • Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Pool Pen

    • SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Liv pen oooo

    • LIARS POKER
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Feel like an absolute idiot taking out Fabianski for Guaita but just didn't see any clean sheets for West Ham against ARS, bou, wol, LIV, cpl

      Now i'm stuck with 2 non-playing keepers and only 0.4m itb

    • Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      How come Salah never gets penalized for using his arms?

    • Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      This is season defining.