Dugout Discussion

Abraham fit to start as Martial misses out for United

There are six Premier League matches taking place this evening, with all bar the Merseyside derby kicking off at 19:30 GMT.

Liverpool v Everton gets underway at 20:15 GMT, meanwhile.

Perhaps the headline team news comes from Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea take on Aston Villa.

Frank Lampard is able to call upon Tammy Abraham (£7.9m) as the England striker makes a swift return from the hip injury that forced his absence in Gameweek 14.

Mason Mount (£6.6m), Christian Pulisic (£7.5m) and the recalled Willian (£7.1m) make up the attacking trident behind Abraham but there is no place in the starting XI for Fikayo Tomori (£4.9m), who is replaced by Andreas Christensen (£4.9m).

Jorginho, Emerson (£5.5m), Olivier Giroud (£6.6m) and Pedro (£6.8m) also drop out of the team, as N’Golo Kante (£5.0m) and Cesar Azplicueta (£5.9m) return.

Dean Smith has made three changes, two of which are enforced.

Douglas Luiz (£4.5m), the suspended Frederic Guilbert (£4.4m) and the injured Anwar El Ghazi (£5.5m) make way, with Marvelous Nakamba (£4.4m), Ahmed El Mohamady (£4.2m) and Trezeguet (£5.2m) taking their places.

The swirling media reports that suggested that Anthony Martial (£7.7m) would miss out have proven to be accurate, with the Frenchman not in Manchester United’s squad.

Speaking to MUTV before the game, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said:

Anthony got a slight injury on Sunday so he’ll be out for a little while.

Brandon Williams (£4.1m), Juan Mata (£6.2m) and Andreas Pereira (£5.0m) all drop to the bench, meanwhile, as Jesse Lingard (£6.3m), Ashley Young (£5.4m), Mason Greenwood (£4.3m) and Scott McTominay (£5.1m) come into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s starting XI.

Jose Mourinho is back at Old Trafford after a 12-month absence and has made two changes to his Spurs team, with Harry Winks (£5.3m) and Lucas Moura (£7.0m) replacing Tanguy Ndombele (£5.8m) and Eric Dier (£4.9m).

There were shocks at Anfield, too, with Jurgen Klopp making five changes: two of which see Mohamed Salah (£12.2m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.4m) drop to the bench.

Xherdan Shaqiri (£6.3m) and Divock Origi (£5.2m) come in, while Adrian (£4.2m) replaces the suspended Alisson (£6.0m).

Everton are unchanged.

Brendan Rodgers has made only one change to his Leicester City XI, with Christian Fuchs (£4.3m) replacing the absent Ben Chilwell (£5.9m).

Chilwell reportedly has a minor groin injury.

Hayden Mullins, in temporary charge of Watford, also makes a sole alteration, with Troy Deeney (£6.2m) in for the injured Jose Holebas (£4.7m).

That would seem to indicate a change of shape, with the 3-5-2 abandoned for a back four.

Continuing that trend, Nuno Espirito Santo has only made one tweak to his Wolves starting XI: Romain Saiss (£4.4m), who was banned for the 1-1 draw against Sheffield United, ousts Max Kilman (£4.0m) at centre-half.

West Ham’s only change sees Sebastien Haller (£7.1m) come in for Michail Antonio (£6.9m), who failed a late fitness test.

There is just one alteration at St. Mary’s, meanwhile: Norwich City are unchanged, while Shane Long (£4.6m) starts in Michael Obafemi‘s (£4.9m) stead for the hosts.


Chelsea XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Christensen, James; Kante, Kovacic; Pulisic, Mount, Willian; Abraham.

Aston Villa XI: Heaton; Targett, Mings, Konsa, Elmohamady; Hourihane, Nakamba, McGinn; Grealish, Wesley, Trezeguet.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Fuchs, Soyuncu, Evans, Ricardo; Ndidi; Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Perez; Vardy.

Watford XI: Foster; Masina, Mariappa, Cathcart, Femenia; Capoue, Doucoure; Hughes, Deulofeu, Sarr; Deeney.

Liverpool XI: Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Milner, Lallana; Shaqiri, Mane, Origi.

Everton XI: Pickford; Digne, Keane, Mina, Holgate, Sidibe; Sigurdsson, Davies; Richarlison, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin.

Manchester United XI: De Gea; Young, Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; Fred, McTominay; Rashford, Lingard, James; Greenwood.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Gazzaniga; Vertonghen, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Aurier; Winks, Sissoko; Son, Dele Alli, Lucas Moura; Kane.

Southampton XI: McCarthy; Bertrand, Bednarek, Stephens, Cedric; Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Djenepo; Ings, Long.

Norwich XI: Krul; Byram, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Aarons; Trybull, Amadou; Hernandez, McClean, Cantwell; Pukki.

Wolves XI: Patricio; Saiss, Coady, Dendoncker; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Doherty; Jota, Jimenez, Traore.

West Ham XI: Martin; Cresswell, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Fredericks; Rice, Noble; F. Anderson; Fornals, Snodgrass; Haller.

3,820 Comments Post a Comment
  1. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Mourinho out?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Needs time to sort the defensive mess out.

      1. JustPark
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        These Man United boys are slowly turning to men. Even Fred!

        1. InSaneMan-e
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Calm down. Utd are awful at retaining a lead.

          1. InSaneMan-e
            • 10 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Holding *

    2. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      His best defender is 30 and being held there against his will. Needs to buy a CB

  2. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Man U are up for this.

  3. Lukakuna
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Gazz a season keeper!

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Have to get him in at that price!

  4. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Was just starting to regret selling tammy for rash. Good start...

    1. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Lol

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

        Jinx

  5. Eat my goal!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Tammy to Rashford managers the real winners!

    1. Legendary!
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Tammy to Jesus owners say hi!

      1. CheesyZoot
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Ings says hi too

    2. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I was 0.2M off when he first got injured 🙁

  6. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Kane streetwise wins dangerous free.

  7. Don Kloppeone
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Omg lol. Was never going to pick Rash tbf

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Mistake?

      1. Don Kloppeone
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        No I meant I can’t be annoyed that I don’t have him as I never planned to

  8. JJO
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Ofcourse I chose Wilson on WC instead of Vardy with plan to bring him in after 2 GWs
    Ofcourse I didnt do that after 2 GWs
    And ofcourse I brought Vardy this GW for -4 and for Rashford

    1. Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Noob

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

    Gazzaniga's days are numbered...

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

    Fred being Fred 🙂

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Annoying

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Sounds like a movie.

  11. Egg noodle
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    It's going to be so painful to see Tammy blank tonight

  12. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Punting on Kane was a BIG mistake... he is done for.

  13. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Which game are you watching? Got Leicester in here

    1. KGFC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      ManU on TV, Chelsea on iPad

  14. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Maddy looking lively?

  15. The Overthinker
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Salah rage transfer anyone ?

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      No before Bournemouth

    2. FFSbet.com
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Rage TC maybe

  16. Alan The Llama
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Moiurinho down

    1. circusmonkey
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Serves him right for being out of his technical area (and for being himself).

  17. WrightnBright
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    To any Stubborn Salah owners like myself, he surely has to stay with arguably 2 of the worst form teams up next?

    1. InSaneMan-e
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Yes unfortunately.
      But it's so frustrating

    2. SH
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Own him from the start but thinking of getting Alli/Son

      1. WrightnBright
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Same here but think they can wait.

    3. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      gets Bournemouth and that'll probably be it.
      Owned him every game he's been at Liverpool.
      Can do Salah & Dendoncker to all sorts of exciting midfield double ups.

  18. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Harry 😉 😉 YC

  19. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Jose, James injured

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

    Maureen broken

  21. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Daniel James just headbutted Jose.

  22. Lukakuna
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Vardy got such high EO that even a Lundy goal would be better for my rank!

  23. ClassiX
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Mourinho - the Injured One...

  24. Paulie Walnuts
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Tomori to Kelly?

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

    Mctominay got no time for Dele showboating

  26. RealVirg
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Looking forward to screaming Jiminez soon enuf!!! Hopefully I won't sound like his husband

    1. Ze_Austin
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Giggity

  27. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Fred wins free, Rashy range.

  28. lindeg
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    imagine splashing 12m on salah still thinking this is two seasons ago

    1. JJO
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Imagine yourself crying when he get 15+point this weekend

  29. The FPL Units
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Bye bye Salah from my team this week.

    1. WrightnBright
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      2.more.games.

      ....then it’s over for me barring a barrage of goals.

  30. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Come on Rashy, I need another goal my son