Dugout Discussion

Rashford, Lacazette and Sterling benched as Sane, Aguero and Aubameyang start

Six Premier League matches will take place this evening to bring Gameweek 28 to a close.

Two of those fixtures, Arsenal v Bournemouth and Southampton v Fulham, kick off at 19:45 GMT, while Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace v Manchester United, Liverpool v Watford and Manchester City v West Ham United start 15 minutes later.

The headline team news arguably comes from Selhurst Park, where Marcus Rashford is only fit enough for a place on the bench after suffering an ankle injury in the 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

Fred, Diogo Dalot and Alexis Sanchez are handed a start, as Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard miss out.

Palace are again without Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with Martin Kelly replacing the injured Mamadou Sakho in Roy Hodgson’s only change.

Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy are among the substitutes for Manchester City as Sergio Aguero is joined by Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez in the hosts’ starting XI for the visit of West Ham United.

There is no Marko Arnautovic in the Hammers’ squad as Andy Carroll gets the nod to lead the line.

Samir Nasri, Ryan Fredericks and Pedro Obiang also start, while 19-year-old full-back Ben Johnson is handed his Premier League debut.

Roberto Firmino has failed to recover from an ankle injury so Divock Origi leads the line for Liverpool. Trent Alexander-Arnold replaces Jordan Henderson in Jurgen Klopp’s only other change, so James Milner moves back into midfield.

Watford are unchanged.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is dropped after the farcical scenes at the end of the EFL Cup final, so Willy Caballero starts in goal.

Marcos Alonso is also recalled, along with Mateo Kovacic and Gonzalo Higuain. Emerson Palmieri, Ross Barkley and Willian make way.

Kieran Trippier, Davinson Sanchez, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies replace Serge Aurier, Juan Foyth, Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose for Spurs, as Harry Kane and Son Heung-min lead the line.

Alexandre Lacazette is the premium forward who misses out for Arsenal this time, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returns to Unai Emery’s starting XI for the visit of Bournemouth.

Mesut Ozil is also recalled, while Carl Jenkinson gets his first league start for the Gunners since November 2016.

Emery has made six alterations to his line-up in total, with Granit Xhaka, Alex Iwobi, Aaron Ramsey, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Shkodran Mustafi dropping out.

Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal and Matteo Guendouzi are the other players to come in.

Lys Mousset replaces the injured Dominic Solanke up front for the Cherries in Eddie Howe’s only change.

David Brooks is back on the bench for the visitors.

Jack Stephens, Matt Targett and Stuart Armstrong make way for Southampton as Maya Yoshida, Charlie Austin and Ryan Bertrand are handed recalls.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Kevin McDonald replace Jean Michael Seri and Ryan Sessegnon for Fulham.

Arsenal XI: Leno, Sokratis, Koscielny, Monreal, Jenkinson, Torreira, Guendouzi, Kolasinac, Aubameyang, Özil, Mkhitaryan.

Bournemouth XI: Boruc, Clyne, Mepham, Aké, Smith, Ibe, Gosling, Surman, Fraser, King, Mousset.

Southampton XI: Gunn, Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Valery, Hojbjerg, Oriol Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Bertrand, Redmond, Austin.

Fulham XI: Rico, Odoi, Ream, Nordveit, Bryan, Chambers, McDonald, Anguissa, Cairney, Babel, Mitrovic.

Chelsea XI: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic, Pedro, Higuain, Hazard.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies, Winks, Sissoko, Eriksen, Lamela, Son, Kane.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Ward, Tomkins, Kelly, van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Schlupp, McArthur, Townsend, Zaha, Batshuayi.

Manchester United XI: De Gea, Young, Smalling, Lindelöf, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Dalot, Pogba, Sanchez, Lukaku.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Milner, Mane, Salah, Origi.

Watford XI: Foster, Janmaat, Mariappa, Cathcart, Masina, Doucoure, Capoue, Hughes, Pereyra, Deulofeu, Deeney.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Danilo, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, Gundogan, Silva, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Sane, Aguero.

West Ham United XI: Fabianski, Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Johnson, Obiang, Rice, Antonio, Nasri, Felipe Anderson, Carroll.

4,674 Comments Post a Comment
  1. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kola was a beautiful signing

  2. tafrère
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kolasinac is the new Digne : don't own him, hate him.

  3. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Boruc clean sheet wiped after 4 mins

    1. tafrère
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Did you expect one ?

      1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        No but didn't expect it to be gone after 4 mins lol + no Auba involvement

        1. tafrère
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Don't matter when it happens lol.

          1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Well the longer they hold on the more hopeful you get, it's like an accumulator being ended after 4 mins

  4. Jones Kusi
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Özil essential?

  5. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kolegend.

    Just need Sterling to come off the bench early and score some mega pts

  6. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Eurgh bog off Kolasinac.

    Will probably score an OG anyway 😛

  7. BIG TONES
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Emery is such a clown for not playing Ozil more often

    1. Ghost Gooner
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Emery was trying to prove a point and it failed. He under estimated Ozil's fanbase and resolve

  8. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kola assist...Boom 😎

  9. Twisted Saltergater
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Rest Auba for the Spur game now, Emery 😉

  10. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    kola is so annoying.

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      gives me wind

  11. Arteta
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    😉

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Fortnite servers down? 😉

      1. SweepaKeepa
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Apex up.

  12. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kola points so early means a cruel twist is coming 😀

  13. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    As long as it is not Aubameyang I don't care.

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      a matter of when

  14. Scotty B
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Rashford in my starting 11 and Bednarek first sub.

    This isn't going to end well...

    1. FPL_Gyarados
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Ditto

  15. Comment removed. Please refer to our terms and conditions on posting comments.

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Third on my bench 🙁

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Glen Kamara - Rangers 1-0 up

      😀

      1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        FFS! 😆

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          😛 😆

    3. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      NOOOOooooooooooooo

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Not for Fulham. Your Southampton punt is still alive.

        1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          😆 'Twas funny though!

    4. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Trap set. Bait hooked

    5. My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I once did this when Sergio hit a great shot. Garcia it was. Got put in the sin bin

  16. The Blackadder
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Says Mikhi assist on sky sports app?!

  17. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Unreal how attackive Kolasinac is!

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      He's taken mate.

      1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Hahaha bit too butch for my liking

  18. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kola Bear you beauty.

  19. Big Ping
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Hmm, which game to illegally stream tonight...

  20. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kola needs to just stop

  21. aborg
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Wrong player scores for Arsenal !! Damn it !!

  22. andrewe63
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kola, Kola Kola, Kola Kola Kola

  23. LarryDuff
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kola assist Auba goal would be lovely

  24. drughi
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kola been a rollercoaster to own these 4-5 gameweeks

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Been great this past week and a half 😉

  25. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Almost a 2nd Kola assist, Ake clears a Mkhi shot away.

    1. tafrère
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      It was a Mkhi center to Aubameyang, not a shot.

  26. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Cue MotM percormance for willy caballero

    1. TAT
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      After what happened in the final, he deserves it.

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Will save 5 penalties.

    3. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Bet you Sarri will keep playing him if he does well enough

  27. Bobby
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    For once in this god forsaken season I would have liked my player to score within four minutes so I can feel some kind of mild happiness.

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Dis

    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Aguero has already scored inside 60 seconds for me

  28. Superflymonk
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Hmmm how many assists for the season for kola. He's the one player I've never owned. But will be in my wildcard plans

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yep
      Could be good on WC gw 34 for BB next gw.
      Arsenal will have their dgw in 35

  29. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    1 Min and then its time to log out due to all the carnage and loss of ability to keep up with all the posts

  30. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Kepa. Got to be feeling a little bit embarrassed.

    1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Would be funny if Spurs get a 93rd minute pen and Kepa is screaming at Sarri to bring him on.

      1. Werkself
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        With Caballero making the save.