Dugout Discussion

Alonso and David Luiz drop out as Sarri rings the changes

Fulham take on Chelsea in the second of three Premier League matches to be contested on Sunday afternoon.

The kick-off in the west London derby is at 14:05 GMT.

Maurizio Sarri promised to change “three or four players” in his press conference on Friday but has gone one better at Craven Cottage, making five alterations from the side that beat Spurs in midweek.

The stand-out team news sees David Luiz and Marcos Alonso make way from the Chelsea starting XI, with Andreas Christensen and Emerson Palmieri handed recalls.

Luiz is among the substitutes but Alonso misses out altogether.

Kepa Arrizabalaga returns between the sticks after his benching at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, so Willy Caballero drops out.

Willian and Ross Barkley replace Pedro and Mateo Kovacic in two of the more predictable changes that Sarri has made.

Scott Parker takes charge of Fulham for the first time against his former employers.

The ex-Chelsea midfielder has made only one change to the starting XI that Claudio Ranieri named in the 2-0 defeat to Southampton on Wednesday: Ryan Sessegnon is in for Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

That alteration could well mean a return to a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 formation, with Sessegnon and Ryan Babel flanking Aleksandar Mitrovic in attack.

Chelsea won the reverse fixture 2-0 back in December, with both of their goalscorers that day – Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek – on the bench this afternoon.

The Blues have lost their last three away matches on the spin, conceding 12 goals without reply in that time.

Eden Hazard has blanked in his last four appearances on the road, meanwhile.

The Blues and Hazard have an excellent chance to break those barren runs today: Fulham have conceded two or more goals in each of their last eight Premier League games.

Fulham XI (4-3-3): Rico, Odoi, Nordtveit, Ream, Bryan, Chambers, McDonald, Cairney, Sessegnon, Babel, Mitrovic.

Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Christensen, Emerson, Kante, Jorginho, Barkley, Willian, Higuain, Hazard.

997 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Tcheco
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Come on Fulham

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

      A post worthy of 1st comment

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

        Or is it a comment worthy of 1st post?

    2. Richd
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Agreed. Really need chelsea to stay quiet as usual

    3. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      It’s one of those weeks.

  2. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Nice 1-1 with Willian g and Haz og please

  3. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Go gonzaloooo

  4. fr3d
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Hazard pen miss and yc?

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

      afraid not as I don't have him

      1. Majestic Chanka
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Aub & Pog both?

    2. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Another penalty miss?

      Wonder what the bookies odds on that are

  5. Don Kloppeone
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Chances of Luiz staying off?? Have Jota first on bench so either need him to not play or come on and go wild with a hattie 😆

    1. MTPockets
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Christiansen, so low

        1. Don Kloppeone
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Soo frustrating!!

          1. MTPockets
              5 years, 1 month ago

              Just kidding b/c Christiansen has history of being subbed before 60 mins.
              Have Pereira coming on for zero if Luiz stays on the bench, so that will probably happen

              1. Don Kloppeone
                • 6 Years
                5 years, 1 month ago

                This games a killer lol

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

          Good chance he will not feature i reckon.

      • how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Not owning chelsea player is worrying.

        Switching off.

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

          yeah I'm going for a walk

          1. i am jose mourinho
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Youll need a long one

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

          Stick around Brown Cow you might get to see a Hazard pen miss. 😉

      • drughi
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Sofa time

      • Chucky
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Glad I didn’t buy any leic def... had maguire during their great run last season but failed to keep a single CS... learnt my lesson 😀

      • NABIL - FPL otai
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Higuan (c) time to shine please

        1. SB007
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Oh yes - I'm not a fantasy island after all!!

      • Tcheco
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Chambers bossing the baps

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

        Lets go Gonzalooooo

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

          😀

      • AbsolutelyNoIdea
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Great week
        Brought in Luiz and have Pereira (0) as sub if he doesn’t come on
        This game is cruel sometimes

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

          Did you captain Pogba and own Auba ?

      • Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        gonzaloooo Looking lively.....

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

          Pogba cappers looking super lively...:

          1. Jafooli
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Poggy cappers looking livid.....

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

              😀

              1. Jafooli
                • 12 Years
                5 years, 1 month ago

                Spewing....useless fud sucker....

        2. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Big points for owners......10k OR here you go....

      • SB007
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Anyone else captain Higgy ?

      • Rainer
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Eden getting into Odoi's pocket.

      • Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        1/3 of my team playing against Fulham right now. Come on Chelsea! Make it a 7-6 loss!

      • i am jose mourinho
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        I got 20 points from last match . How does it look?

        1. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          2 0 p o i n t s

          1. i am jose mourinho
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Yup deneey tiele and schmeichel

          2. Chucky
            • 10 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            😀

        2. Hotdogs for Tea
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Looks like a boast to me 😉

          Doesn’t generally go down well on here

      • NABIL - FPL otai
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Great week
        Pog (c) Sterling pereira luiz.. Shows that being herd here is not necessarily the right thing to do

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

          All good picks just one of those weeks

          1. NABIL - FPL otai
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            All about timing

      • Tcheco
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Higuain donkey

        1. NABIL - FPL otai
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Giroud effect?

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

            Giroud would've buried that header

      • TyroneGAA
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        What’s Higuaín a nick name on here .. Higgy?

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

          Gonz

        2. Numb
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Pipita

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

          Zola

        4. KukaVain
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Giguain

        5. i am jose mourinho
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Meatball

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

            Lol

        6. DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Greggs

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

          Lump.

        8. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Dave

        9. Hotdogs for Tea
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Uain

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

            Zero points?

        10. Ginkapo FPL
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Higuain

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

          Captain Gonzo The Great
          To go with vice captain, Razzo the Rat

        12. Chucky
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          HIGUAIN

        13. Business Cat
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Moratwo

      • Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Very happy with my Foster 2pts....should’ve captained him 😮

        1. La Roja
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          😀

      • DR0GBA
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Higuain wastes another Hazard assist FFS

      • Don Kloppeone
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Come on Higgy!! Make up for a poor -4 so far!!

      • Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Higuain fluffs second Hazard assist

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

          🙁

      • Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Pepper Kepa

      • 007 [RoboKlopp]
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Come on El Pipita!!

      • Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Can anyone see Scott Parker being a good manager? He was a tidy midfielder but didnt have the greatest vision imo.

        1. Numb
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Surely he can just wear glasses now?

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

            It didn't help Ranieri

        2. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Should’ve gone to SpecSavers...

        3. NABIL - FPL otai
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          At least a visible playing career. Try arsene or mour

          1. Ginkapo FPL
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            A visible playing career often has more to do with ball control than with tactical nous... and in Scottie Parkers case a well timed tackle.

            1. NABIL - FPL otai
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              As you wish Gink.. those tackles and 007 look

        4. Ógie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Hard to say as playing ability does not have much to to do with managerial ability.He has had a better start than many managers and is very young to be in charge of a PL team and that is should be a good education for him.

      • Numb
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Wow, Higuaín and Hazard owners could have had a haul here

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

          Nice attempt at jinxing

      • g40steve
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Nice touch ref

        1. g40steve
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          100% pass completion

      • JELLYFISH
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Luiz out ffs....sh1te gw