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. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Alli G

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

      Aiiight

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

      In da house

  2. Tcheco
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Aurier assist?

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

    Lol, that Aurier assist 😆

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

    Aurier assist

  5. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Son involved in celebrations

  6. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    WGTA?

  7. Egg noodle
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    FFS ALLI

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

    My god. I can't believe alli is back

  9. Bouncebackability
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    What’s the point of VAR honestly.

    1. Maddi Son
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      After seeing that replay I was sure that would've been given as a pen. VAR panel full of Stevie Wonders

    2. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Something prince Andrew helped Epstein sell to the league.

  10. Totally !rre!evant
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Soy YC

    1. Wilshere Knowledge
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      🙁

  11. Dont_Win_Friends_With_Salah…
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Wow. I need Alli

  12. Over Midwicket
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    What a goal by Alli. Genius.

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

    Ok this is ridiculous. Rank gonna plummet

  14. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    That was such a pen for vardy

  15. SHOOTER MCGINN
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Dele Alli unreal.

  16. Calvin Valance
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Alli is incredible

  17. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Xmas pressies for Leicester assets

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

    VAR check on Alli G

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

      Goal stands

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

    Amazing goal

  20. Limbo
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    What a goal. Brilliant.

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

    That was quality

  22. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Aurier has to be the jammiest defender in FPL

  23. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Handball LOL

  24. lindeg
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    is that an assist for aurier?

  25. Dont_Win_Friends_With_Salah…
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    This should not be disallowed

  26. Totally !rre!evant
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Villa G

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

    Funny thing is that the ref had awarded a penalty, VAR wouldn't have overruled it

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

    Laca Maddison to Tammy Alli easy

  29. Over Midwicket
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Alli goal disallowed. Lom

    1. Over Midwicket
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Nvm

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

    About to get var-ed