Dugout Discussion

Mount, Pulisic and Ings benched as Boxing Day rotation strikes

There are six Premier League matches kicking off simultaneously at 15:00 GMT this afternoon.

Aston Villa v Norwich City, Bournemouth v Arsenal, Chelsea v Southampton, Crystal Palace v West Ham United, Everton v Burnley and Sheffield United v Watford are the half-dozen fixtures in question, with two more games to follow later this evening.

The headline team news perhaps comes from Stamford Bridge, where there are benchings for Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Danny Ings.

Frank Lampard has seemingly stuck with a 3-4-3 for the visit of Southampton, with Fikayo Tomori again lining up at centre-half.

Marcos Alonso, the suspended Mateo Kovacic and Mount drop out of the team that defeated Spurs, with Jorginho, Emerson and Callum Hudson-Odoi promoted to the starting XI.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s alterations both come in attack, with Ings and the injured Shane Long replaced by Che Adams and Michael Obafemi.

Bjorn Engels, Frederic Guilbert, the injured John McGinn and Conor Hourihane make way for Aston Villa, with Ahmed El Mohamady, Ezri Konsa, Marvelous Nakamba and Trezeguet recalled.

Norwich City are unchanged.

At the Vitality Stadium, Jack Simpson, Callum Wilson and the fit-again Steve Cook replace the suspended Diego Rico, the injured Simon Francis and the benched Philip Billing.

Mikel Arteta makes three changes from the side that started the goalless draw at Everton.

Sokratis returns from suspension and replaces the banned Calum Chambers, while Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil oust Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe from the starting XI.

Mamadou Sakho returns from suspension for Crystal Palace, with Cheikhou Kouyate moving back into midfield and James McCarthy dropping to the bench.

Max Meyer replaces Christian Benteke in attack.

Neither Lukasz Fabianski nor David Martin have recovered from injuries, so the much-maligned Roberto starts between the posts for West Ham.

Pablo Zabaleta replaces the suspended Ryan Fredericks at right-back in the Hammers’ only other change.

Carlo Ancelotti makes two changes for his first match in charge.

Seamus Coleman and Bernard start, with Tom Davies and the injured Alex Iwobi dropping out.

Robbie Brady replaces the suspended Jeff Hendrick for Burnley, while Jay Rodriguez is in for the benched Ashley Barnes.

There is one change apiece for Sheffield United and Watford: John Fleck is back from suspension and replaces Luke Freeman for the hosts, while Nathaniel Chalobah is in for the banned Abdoulaye Doucoure for the Hornets.


Aston Villa XI: Heaton, El Mohamady, Hause, Konsa, Targett, Nakamba, Douglas Luiz, Grealish, El Ghazi, Wesley, Trezeguet.

Norwich City XI: Krul, Aarons, Zimmermann, Hanley, Byram, Tettey, Trybull, Buendía, McLean, Cantwell, Pukki.

Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale, S. Cook, Mepham, Simpson, Stacey, L. Cook, Lerma, Gosling, Fraser, C. Wilson, King.

Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, David Luiz, Sokratis, Saka, Xhaka, Torreira, Nelson, Özil, Aubameyang, Lacazette

Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Rüdiger, Zouma, Tomori, Azpilicueta, Kanté, Jorginho, Emerson, Willian, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham.

Southampton XI: McCarthy, Soares, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand, Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Højbjerg, Redmond, Adams, Obafemi.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Kelly, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Kouyaté, McArthur, Meyer, Ayew, Zaha.

West Ham XI: Roberto, Zabaleta, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Snodgrass, Noble, Rice, Fornals, Antonio, Haller.

Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Mina, Holgate, Digne, Sidibé, Sigurdsson, Delph, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison.

Burnley XI: Pope, Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Brady, Cork, Westwood, McNeil, Rodriguez, Wood.

Sheffield Utd XI: Henderson, Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Stevens, McBurnie, McGoldrick.

Watford XI: Foster, Mariappa, Kabasele, Cathcart, Femenía, Capoue, Chalobah, Hughes, Sarr, Deeney, Deulofeu.

1,485 Comments Post a Comment
  1. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Im going to Costa, I need Zaha goal and Pukki brace while im away

  2. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Arsenal playing pathetically. Couldn't hit a barn door

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

      Now u said it, goal incoming

    2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Previous page reckons they’ve turned the corner

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        I don’t know what to believe any more

    3. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      what about a Bourne Mouth?

    4. Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      You aren’t watching the game then are you, clown.. been much much much better. Just confidence is shot in front of goal it seems

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

      Loads of chances, just poor finishing

  3. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    What happened to Mousset?

    Didnt he get like 4 goals and 3 assists in 6 gws before his 5 consecutive blanks he's currently on

  4. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    No premier league goal in first half hour

  5. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    I am quite happy with no goals so far. Anyone else?

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

      Quite

  6. Jamb0
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Goaaaaaal

  7. Meinhoff
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    And there it is

  8. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    1 nil saints

  9. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    First goal to Southampton...

  10. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Nelson you muppet

  11. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    West Ham so bad at defending. Gifted palace an open goal but Ayew missed

  12. WVA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    SAINTS GOAL

  13. SB007
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Clean sheet gone for Chelsea.

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

    Great finish Obafemi

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

      Ings would have finished it better.

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

        😉

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

    Bournemouth vs Arsneal game very entertaining and open

    Ozil looking a new man and constantly finding himself in space. As a Cherries fan fear we may be in for a thrashing!

    1. jimmyabs1987
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      You were saying

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

    A boy Michael!

  17. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Least we might get 90 from Tammy now 😆

    1. Meinhoff
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      We won't tho

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Ok. Thanks for confirming

  18. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Ings dropped for a reason

  19. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Jeff Bezos wondering what he paid all that money for at the minute

    Someone’s getting fired at Amazon

    Obafemi G btw

  20. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Ayew sitter missed. Not 2 yards

  21. Ninja Škrtel
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    that could've been Ings 🙁

  22. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Southampton will be 10 men behind the ball now.

    That's basically been their plan anyway.

    Chelsea you twonks.

  23. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Obafemi & Connolly future Ireland forward line

    The future’s bright

    The future’s green 🙂

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

      Zaha might have something to say about that

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Not eligible unfortunately

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

      +troy parrott

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Troy providing backup until he starts getting minutes

    3. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Looking good 🙂

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

    Frank & Ole both clueless against buses!

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

    Pulisic needed!

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      GET HIM ON FRANK GODDAMN YOU

  26. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Ings place under threat from Obafemi

    1. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Always. Thats how a squad works

  27. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    I benched Kelly for Tomori...

  28. Dele
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Chelsea the worst team in the Top 6, lucky to still be up there.

  29. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Sidibi nearly scores .

  30. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    DCL positioning doesn't look like quality?

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

      Role is to be the target man

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

      DCL & quality shouldn’t be in the same sentence.

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

      Why the heck he got in the away during counter? Shouldn't split them defence wide?

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

        *open wide