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. JoeSoap
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Mount/Rashford out for Son/Mousse really going well

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

      Did a Mount for pulisic hit right before deadline

      1. JoeSoap
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Held onto Mount and lost patience with him

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

    Cmon Robbo and VVD pay back time 😡

  3. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    I need a neutral point if view.

    Is that honestly a penalty?

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

      It's so soft but in slow motion there is contact.

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

    Should be a pen for Everton

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

      no way

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

    Shocking penalty call for Rashford. Absolutely pathetic that VAR doesnt step in.

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

      But for Vardy, they give a YC 😆

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

      Contact was there. Penalty was fair

  6. Will Kane
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Took out Mount this week, Tammy the week before. For Zaha and Kane. Not my best few days all in all.

  7. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Pen for Everton ???

  8. Am sorry to say again it�…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Took out Abraham for Rashford last week, and I want abraham back but I also have vardy and jimenez and dont want to lose Rashford, dilemmmmasssss

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

    DCL misses golden opportunity

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

    Pen to Everton?

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

      Not given

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

    LiVARpool

    That looked a pen.

  12. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Played Perez over Mount ffs

  13. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Let's get this party starting Vardy.

  14. Railwayman
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    I am already in a big dilemma, who to bring for Jesus, Tammy or Rashford..?

  15. dshv
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Kane Sterling and Perez FOR Rashford Son and KDB ???

    Now si or no ?

  16. SHOOTER MCGINN
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Benched Mount for Cantwell, classic.

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

    Peps piss boiling watching that.

  18. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    I no longer own VVD and he gets lucky

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

    Chelsea turning the screw

  20. inSane in the ManeKane
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Lei penalty

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

    Omg fred

  22. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Digne on the floor. TAA YC

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

    Trent needs to relax

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

    That’s a penalty for Eve

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

    This is the gw from hell.

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

      bet you cant get close to me,

      sold dilva and mount
      double pool defence
      three players booked already

  26. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Leicester pen

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

    How many YC 🙁

  28. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    TAA should have had a Red Card

  29. Mo Salah No Mane
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Willian with 2 AAs ffs
    Atleast I played Mount 🙂

  30. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Vardy gets a pen