Dugout Discussion

Three £4.0m defenders start in Saturday’s 3pm matches

Three £4.0m defenders have earned Gameweek 1 starts, two of them coming in the same match.

As predicted from our research of pre-season, John Lundstram (£4.0m) is deployed in the central midfield trio of Sheffield United, while Diego Rico (£4.0m) starts at left wing-back for Bournemouth.

The match at the Vitality Stadium also includes a Premier League debut for Cherries goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale (£4.5m) who appears to have won the hotly contested race to start between the sticks.

Fantasy managers backing Ryan Fraser (£7.5m), Callum Wilson (£8.0m) and Josh King (£6.5m) will be happy to see them on the team sheet.

Callum Robinson (£5.5m) starts up front for Sheffield United alongside David McGoldrick (£5.5m).

Meanwhile, Martin Kelly (£4.0m) features at centre-back alongside Scott Dann (£4.5m) for Crystal Palace.

The Eagles are still without Wilfried Zaha (£7.0m), who sitds on the bench. Christian Benteke (£6.0m) and Jordan Ayew (£5.0m) lead the attack.

There are few surprises for visitors Everton as Seamus Coleman (£5.5m) holds onto his right-back berth for now and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m) starts up front with Moise Kean (£7.0m) on the bench,.

Those unfamiliar with Graham Potter’s version of Pep Roulette were given a harsh introduction to it on Saturday afternoon.

After naming an unchanged 3-4-3 line-up for the last two pre-season friendlies, which included starts for Leandro Trossard (£6.0m) in the front trio, he has gone with 3-5-2 for the trip to Watford and benched the new Belgian signing.

Glenn Murray (£6.0m) and Jurgen Locadia (£5.5m) start in the front two while Pascal Groß (£6.5m) comes into central midfield alongside Davy Pröpper (£5.0m) and Dale Stephens (£4.5m).

Dan Burn (£4.5m) joins Lewis Dunk (£4.5m) and Shane Duffy (£5.0m) in the three-man defence while Solly March (£5.0m) and Martin Montoya (£4.5m) are the wing-backs.

Hosts Watford have gone with a 4-4-2 formation but Gerard Deulofeu (£6.5m), reclassified as a forward for 2019/20, has been named on the left wing of midfield.

Troy Deeney (£6.5m) and Andre Gray (£6.0m) lead the Hornets’ line.

TEAMS IN FULL

Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale; Aké, S Cook, Mepham; Rico, Billing, Lerman, Smith; Fraser, Wilson, King.

Sheffield United XI: Henderson; O’Connell, Egan, Basham; Stevens, Fleck, Norwood, Lundstram, Baldock; Robinson, McGoldrick.

Burnley XI: Pope; Pieters, Mee, Tarkowski, Lowton; McNeil, Westwood, Cork, Gudmundsson; Wood, Barnes.

Southampton XI: Gunn; Bednarek, Stephens, Vestergaard; Valery, Ward-Prowse(C), Oriol Romeu, Bertrand; Adams, Redmond; Ings.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; van Aanholt, Dann, Kelly, Ward; Meyer, McArthur, Milivojevic, Townsend; Ayew, Benteke.

Everton XI: Pickford; Digne, Keane, Mina, Coleman; Schneiderlin, A Gomes; Bernard, Sigurdsson, Richarlison; Calvert-Lewin.

Watford XI: Foster; Kiko Femenía, Dawson, Cathcart, Holebas; Capoue, Doucouré; Hughes, Deulofeu; Deeney(C), Gray.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Duffy, Dunk(C), Burn; Montoya, Pröpper, Stephens, Groß, March; Locadia, Murray.

1,670 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Azathoth
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What happened to Vert?

    1. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He took a knock at the end of their Audi Cup final at the end of pre-season, but not sure if that's why he's not there.

  2. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Anyone captaining Kane here? How do you feel?

  3. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Best 6 5 Trossard replacement?

    Thinking Lanzini

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Give tossard.another week

    2. patricktaynz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      stay calm. It was an away game and he is holding him back for home debut.

  4. jaybradlights
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Have Zouma, Pulisic and Abraham playing tomorrow - no chance Dunk comes off the bench for me is there?

    1. sirmorbach
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      There is. I mean, I don't think he will, but there is a chance if he's your first sub. Zouma, Abraham... there is still hope.

  5. Eat my goal!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Almost

  6. SETANTA
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    85 with AWB Vardy and Barkley to go.

    Brace from Vardy and I could break a ton.