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. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Come on Ingsy, finish em!

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

      Yesssssssss

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

    Zaha is absolute pony

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

    Laca big miss. 🙁

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

    Get the 2nd Jack ya pup!

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

      © ?

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

        Nah, Harold.

        Need them points though 😛

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

    Ings vs tired legs

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      1-0 up no chance.

      1. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        2-0 absolutely no chance!

        1. Bushwhacker
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          And he’s on ... lol me

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

        Idk, Chelsea look very open on the counter.

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

    Can someone please wipe Burnley and Everton clean sheets..

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

      Hold my beer.

  7. EL_FENOMENO
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Hendo to:
    a) Rams
    b) Heaton

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

      Ederson

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

    Cmon Tammy grab a goal my Son

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

      Son? Red card inbound then.

  9. Paul Psychic Octopus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    The problem with now doing Pulisic > Willian is that Pulisic is now likely to start on 29 Dec, and Willian rested (although personally I would not rest Willian vs. the Arse).

  10. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    If we were any more clinical we'd be leading 3 or 4 goals. Bring Pepe on already!!

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

      Laca always takes too long to shoot. 🙁

    2. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      For Bournemouth?

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

    Ancelotti needs replacements for Siggy and DCL. One with age catching up, the other is just not good enough.

    1. BNMC
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Kean will develop well under him.

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

      I’ve liked DCLs play of late.

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

        Not sure we're watching the same DCL. Quite sure one I'm watching has poor run. Closing space instead of spread them defence wide open during counter.

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

          Ha ha. Good one mate. 🙂

    3. Clintymints
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Sit needs to adapt to cm and DCL has done well for Ferguson

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

    No more goals please!

  13. LIARS POKER
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Zaha to Grealish?

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

      Did that for this week...already paid off.

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

      Should of done this weeks ago my friend, I’m in the same boat.

  14. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    is Pukki doing anything?

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

      Avoiding a 2nd YC

    2. BNMC
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Yes, but so is Heaton.

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

      He's busy preparing a party.

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

      No. Needs to go.

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

    I like that Hasenhuttl has brought on Ings even though they're 1-0 up. Intention to kill the game by getting a 2nd.

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

      Timing.

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

    Remond g

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

      Redmond

  17. manu4life99
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    A) Grealish Digne Kiko
    B) Grealish Sidibe Webster
    C) Maddison Kiko Webster

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

    G REDMOND

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

    Mount wasting Tammy assist...

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Mount should’ve had one for Tammy ; crappy passer.

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

    How does Ozil look? Moura punt didn't work.

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

      Looking very good

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

    Redmond goal 0-2

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

    Redmond G
    Armstrong A
    Ings C

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

      Kante assist**

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

    Elredmond ggoalalalal

  24. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Redmond attacking returns 😯

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

    Chelsea back to them old selves

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

    The annual Redmond bandwagon begins.

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

    Chelsea...so unpredictable that they are predictable

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

    POGBENCHED

  29. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Redmond G Armstrong A

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

    F off tammu