Dugout Discussion

Salah misses out as Alisson and de Gea recover from injury to start

The only Premier League match to take place this Sunday is a big one, with league leaders Liverpool hoping to maintain their unbeaten start to the season against old foes Manchester United.

Kick-off at Old Trafford is at 16:30 BST.

The headline team news sees Mohamed Salah (£12.4m) miss out through injury, with Jurgen Klopp telling Sky Sports ahead of the match:

Mo was not ready, that’s how it is. He couldn’t train with the team; I don’t know where it came from that everybody said he will play. There was pretty much no chance for today, maybe for Wednesday [in the Champions League], we have to see.

With Salah missing out, Sadio Mane (£11.8m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.6m) are joined in a front three by Divock Origi (£5.3m).

Alisson (£5.8m) and Joel Matip (£5.5m) have been passed fit to play, however, and rejoin the visitors’ backline in place of Adrian (£4.6m) and Dejan Lovren (£5.3m).

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m), Andrew Robertson (£6.9m) and Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) maintain their ever-present records in the top flight this season.

Despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having said he was unlikely to play, David de Gea (£5.5m) has recovered from the groin injury that he sustained on international duty and takes his place between the posts for the Red Devils.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.4m) has also recovered from tonsillitis, joining what may well be a back five for the hosts given that Ashley Young (£5.4m), Marcos Rojo (£4.8m), Harry Maguire (£5.4m) and Victor Lindelof (£5.4m) all start.

Luke Shaw (£5.4m) has failed to recover, however, while Paul Pogba (£8.4m) misses out as expected.

Anthony Martial (£7.5m) is fit enough to be among the substitutes and joins Mason Greenwood (£4.4m) on the bench.

With Martial not in the starting XI, Marcus Rashford (£8.4m) looks set to lead the line again.

The corresponding fixture to this game ended 0-0 in 2018/19.

This re-match indeed sees a meeting between the two sides with the best expected goals conceded (xGC) tallies in the top flight, although that tightness in defence hasn’t translated into too many clean sheets: United and Liverpool have just two each so far this season.

At the other end of the pitch, the Red Devils have the third-worst xG from open play among Premier League clubs.

Mane was the most-bought player of Gameweek 9, with Salah the most-sold.

Wan-Bissaka and de Gea were also shipped out by almost 400,000 Fantasy managers combined.

Salah was the fifth-most-captained player of Gameweek 9, although it’s probably fair to assume that a decent chunk of the 634,160 FPL bosses who handed him the armband may have given up the ghost already.

Manchester United XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelöf, Rojo, Young, McTominay, Fred, Pereira, James, Rashford.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Mané, Firmino, Origi.

1,461 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Eat my goal!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Fair result so far!

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

      This ... don't think it's entirely Salah factor ... prob surprised by Utd pressure

  2. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    No way this will stand after the disallowed Laporte assist

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Sorry Im on delay.

      Lindelof absolutely horrible as usual regardless of the result.

      1. The Ejiptian King
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Yeah, that was pathetic.

  3. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    I own Mane and was buzzing because I hate Liverpool. Real life is more important than FPL sometimes.

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

      Good lad!

    2. Rik Waller
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Just one game over the other

    3. Pumpkinhead *non-expert*
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Wrong

  4. Werkself
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Who would have gotten the assist?

    1. POLSKA GOLA
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      TAA

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

        Thanks. Suspected that.

    2. FPL_Sponge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Henderson (I think)

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

        Thanks. Didn't suspect that. 🙂

      2. POLSKA GOLA
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        I’ve received a notification from fix that TAA’s gotten the assist before VAR canceled the goal

  5. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Should be 0-0 if anything though

    1. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Rubbish. That slight tap wasn't enough to bring Origi down

    2. Pariße
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      True

  6. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Cleary not a goal, touched his nail

  7. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Mane actually handballed it twice 😆

    Cheats

  8. Don Kloppeone
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Scr”w you VAR 🙁

  9. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Great game so far

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

      Have to agree on this ... where does this Utd tenacity come from?

    2. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Really? Boring for me thus far. Tier 2 stuff.

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

    Is this Pool v (United + VAR) game?

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

      Y

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

      Yes, just like spurs, we have bought VAR!

    3. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Even Neville said VAR to help UTD win 🙂

  11. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Not a cricket score for liverpool after all, like many predicted here

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        4 years, 5 months ago

        One half of cricket to go yet

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

        Did they?

        1. Eleven Hag
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Yeah many have done but we are decent defensively and very unlucky not to rackup a few more CS namely vs wolves saints Newcastle, even the Arsenal goal cudve been avoided on another day

          1. Pumpkinhead *non-expert*
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            k

        2. Murder On Zidanesfloor
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Yes

      • FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        2nd half to come.

      • Pumpkinhead *non-expert*
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Good memory

      • HurriKane
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        United were written off against leicester and arsenal

        They tend to turn up for big games

      • Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Not me - this was always going to be a tough fixture for Liverpool.

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

        Countless idiots saying about Man U: look at that team and worst lineup ever

      • Maddamotha
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Yupp. Easy 3-0 or 4-0 trashing they said. Double Pool defence because Alisson is back. I said it would be a low scoring game, and got mocked.

    2. clodhopper
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Funny just thought all the city fans must be supporting utd

    3. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Weird feelings as a TAA and Mane owner.

      1. potatoace
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        ive just chalked it up with the rest of this wholly deflating gw.

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

      Utd getting the thumping everyone expected!

      1. Pumpkinhead *non-expert*
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        What are you on about?

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

          Sarcasm my friend!

    5. aborg
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      What a scam. So the foul on Origi before the Man Utd goal was ignored by the refs and a slight unintentional touch of the ball by Mané was given against for Liverpool goal !
      What a buyist game....

      1. Pumpkinhead *non-expert*
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Was it a fool though?

      2. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        And this makes it even sweeter. Ultimate shite-housery. GGMU

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

        owner ?

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

        Was it slight?

      5. Jon Snow
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        I also hate buyist games

      6. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Slight use of the arm to completely control the ball dead otherwise it would have flown past him into the net. He stole my TAA goal

      7. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        INTENTION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. How many times do I have to say this? The rules have changed, for at least a season or two now.

    6. FFSbet.com
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Need TAA corner and VVD header

      1. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        X3

    7. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Can’t believe how rubbish Liverpool have been.

      1. Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Or how gud we've been off d ball?

    8. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      How many Goals have been ruled out by VAR this season? How many have been given? VAR is the worst thing to have happen to the FPL.

      1. RealVirg
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Football not perfect but maybe best to just let it be a human only game

      2. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        If they lowered the bar for awarding penalties it would be fine. Right now the bar is so much higher for giving penalties than it is for disallowing goals.

      3. Treadstone
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        VAR will ruin football let's go back to refs occasional human error.

        1. Yank Revolution
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          You non VAR'ers need to go away, permanently

          1. Treadstone
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            No chance.

      4. Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Remember all the talk of squillions of extra penalties. Milo has been redundant this season.

      5. jtreble
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        VAR can’t overrule Atkinson’s appalling refereeing unfortunately.

    9. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      It's 3:20am here in aus.... why am I still up?!

      1. TheDragon
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Still coming to terms with the hammering you took in the rugby?

        1. Pukki Blinders
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Hahahaha fortunately I don't follow the rugby

    10. Ode
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Is there anything better than your captain scoring but it gets ruled out by var 🙂

    11. gooberman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Seriously hope they get rid of VAR. It's having an overall negative effect on the game even if it is identifying infringements. The handball was only the slightest touch on the hand that didn't give Mane any advantage at all. Disallowing it is pathetic. And then on the other hand, VAR is not over turning clear wrong deciisions by the referee like that foul on Origi. Get rid of it, it's ruining the game.

      1. The Ejiptian King
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        lol

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          I’m loving this I had no idea it would be like this. Might stay on here instead of watching it

          1. The Ejiptian King
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            I don't like VAR but to use those two examples of why it's bad is blinkered to say the least.

            1. Ask Yourself
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 5 months ago

              VAR has been completely 100% right today and it’s wonderful to watch

            2. gooberman
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 5 months ago

              2 examples? Are you having a laugh? So far this season there have been about 10 examples of clear and obvious errors that have not been overturned by VAR.

              1. The Ejiptian King
                • 5 Years
                4 years, 5 months ago

                I clearly meant the two examples you used from this game, I also said I don't like VAR.

      2. Ode
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        I agree, too inconsistent

      3. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Lol, the ball would literally have gone out of play if it werent for his hand.

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

        Mane owner by chance ?

      5. Pukki Blinders
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Liverpool or Mane owner? Absolute bias

        1. gooberman
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Both

      6. Pumpkinhead *non-expert*
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        You're joking right?

      7. Reiger
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Even though only a slight touch on the hand, it’s disallowed by the letter of the law. As long as that rule is on the books, that’s the right call.

      8. Regin
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        But in bundesliga it's used correctly. I guess the British don't like var.

      9. FPL.team
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        "The handball was only the slightest touch on the hand that didn't give Mane any advantage at all" - You are not watching the game are you?

        1. Celt Abroad
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          If it hadn’t hit his hand, a sudden gust of wind just at that moment would no doubt have propelled the ball into exactly the same position.

      10. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    12. SirStevieG
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      You've got to love a good rort at Old Trafford.

    13. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Liverpool owners of a defender and Mané must be sucking lemons 🙂

      1. TheDragon
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Ye - Salah owners are laughing at Mane owners now obviously

        1. Debauchy
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Yeah, but for how long

          1. Reiger
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            Concur. Mane will have his second half goal (or two).

        2. George Sillett
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          How many points for Salah this GW?
          45 minutes left for many.
          If they're laughing could well be very premature.

          1. TheDragon
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            I was joking obviously!!

      2. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Triple defence here. Woop woop

        1. TheDragon
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Your defence will still outscore
          Mine this week

      3. Pukki Blinders
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        As a united fan and Mane + TAA owner, I'm actually buzzing

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

          With you here

    14. circusmonkey
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      VAR, the new reason to go 541. 1-0 game I was at yesterday would have been 3-0 without VAR ( 81,365 at Dortmund, stood on a terrace, got soaked in beer). Poor game in all honesty.

      1. Hybrid.power
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Clean sheets are hard to come by though.

    15. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Never. Watch. Your. Defenders

      1. sunzip14
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        This. Especially towards the last 10 mins.

    16. Regin
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      If mane/ Robbo doesn't score/ assist nor does lundstram get a cs tmrw, I think it will be the first time in my 9 year fpl career that nobody in my team has a goal, assist , clean sheet or bonus point. Wow!

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

        Only a Tomori CS for me.

      2. TheDragon
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Just a Sterling assist for me - the dream of an AWB clean sheet is still alive though.

        Hard to take this disaster week particularly how bad last week was too

        1. The Ejiptian King
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Who did you start AWB over?

      3. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Happened a few of times surely

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

        Exactly the same here

    17. Says
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      It's interesting to see fast counter-attacking teams fair better against good teams than lesser ones. The good ones push forward so much trying to score themselves that they leave room for the opposition to break into. Bad teams get 7 behind the ball, crowd the box, constantly disrupt momentum with fouls and physicality. It takes patience, persistence, maturity and creativity to break through that. United might actually have a better chance against 'pool than Newcastle.

      1. Debauchy
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Yep, always the same. Mou ingrained this in MU. Boring but effective

      2. ZimZalabim
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        thank you captain obvious

    18. Ozzy smith
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      The consistency in VAR decision making is nothing short of a disgrace. The PL need to get a grip of their officials asap, we're a laughing stock.

      1. Differentiator
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        ? Both decisions were right. Stop being sour

        1. Royal5
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          This

        2. Ozzy smith
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          You think by consistency I mean those two decisions lol?

          I'm talking across the board, Dele yesterday Vs Mane today. Btw it was soft but 100% a foul on Origi.

      2. ZimZalabim
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        The problem with the way its being used in the PL is that they just want to back the ref because they believe that questioning the refs decisions will undermine them and make them less credible. Its a nonsensical paranoid view point from the Refs.
        Rather than use it as an asset they are using it like an obstacle or hindrance to them. They just need to use more common sense in its implementation.
        Both decisions today are fine, the handball rule is clear, intention is irrelevant if it strikes a hand its a handball.

        The Origi one is debatable but not enough to overrule a goal.

        But the overall usage of VAR in the prem has been a joke

        1. Ozzy smith
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          "Not enough to overrule a goal".

          That is exactly what's wrong with it's implementation. Laws of the game are being somewhat ignored on some kind of moral basis? He's kicked him, it's a foul. The subjective nature of that decision doesn't even exist for me.

          My point with the consistency isn't specifically about those two calls today because they're different in their own right. It's similar instances across the board that we keep getting different decisions for and It's not good enough.

          Irrespective of VAR, the handball rule is completely dead at the moment and needs addressing, as does offside.

    19. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Man Utd have never lost a game at Old Trafford when they were leading at half time

      1. Regin
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Never? Really?

        1. Differentiator
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Yep

    20. Monkey Hanger
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Getting close to it not be worth watching a match live. VAR destroying that magical feeling when a team score. Let's just hope the PL see sense, and vote no VAR next season.

      1. badgerboy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Must be a buzz to see the opposition get a goal scrubbed off when it previously would have stood though. Swings and roundabouts.

      2. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        You're a dinosaur and deserve your extinction.

      3. Reiger
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Just like football and baseball replay in the States, the best moments of the games are ruined... “Kindly hold off on your emotions while we check to see what actually happened...”