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. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pulisic close

  2. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Is Greenwood starting? Put him in my FPL team as I thought James or Martial might be dropped.

    1. Robson-Canoe
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Yes. James got dropped.

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Boom! Thanks

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

          But he might still subbed on

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

        Rested

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

    Martial to Grealish on wc? Martial needs Pogba imo.

    1. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Yep, for sure!

      1. The Sociologist
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Depending on later ofc.

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

    Pulisic so close

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

    Tammy just an assist would be ok... cmonn

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

      Offside

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

    People who held Tomori rewarded with a haul in easy home game 🙂

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

    Now that Arsenal's got a coach that, worst case scenario, is at least saner than Emery, is it time to start considering Laca (at 9.3, particularly)?

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

      I want to start considering a player that's twice as clinical at half the price. Martinelli rise!

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

        I'm a fan. Wish the young lad had any chance of being nailed in this team.

    2. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Maybe if he was 7.3

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

    Brought in Pukki. Bleh

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

    People expected Pogba to start after only playing 30 mins in the last 3 months?

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

      all you do is wind people up lol

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

        He is right though.

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

      They have 3 games in 7 days, they were one game earlier.

    3. Woy_is_back
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      noobs 😀

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

    Play Cantwell over Maddison they ALL said.....

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

    Could of saved the transfer and played Greeny 🙁

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

    Greenwood finally starts. Bandwagon.

  13. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Wickham noob

  14. Slitherene
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    This is the last week to WC, right?

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

      Yes

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Yes. You need to activate it now.

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

      yes...commence operation wildcard

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

    Vrancic, Steipermann, Hernandez ON
    Trybullm Tettey, Buendia OFF

    Norwich throwing the kitchen sink

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

    Pogba was always going to be a bench player. He just got a little cameo last game to show potential buyers that he isnt injured.

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

      Correct

  17. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Why are people being lazy, can someone post the lineups?

    1. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      You post them

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

      😆

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

      They’ve been up on Reddit for ages mate.

      1. GOTHAM City F.C.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        I'm too lazy to go look for it.

  18. L'Aeroplanino
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    wtf Pogba
    Ole at the wheel

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

    Biting my nails here.
    Is there time for us to f*** ourselves over?
    The answer, unfortunately, is yes.
    Nervous final minutes here.

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

      We will concede at least 1 in the 90s

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

        How utterly predictable.
        Motm for you?
        Armstrong by a mile imo. Immense, what a difference he's made since he's broken through.

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

    Is anyone watching the goals show? Absolutely hilarious listening to the absolute rubbish they talk to full the time

  21. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pogba benched yaaaaas

  22. Vasshin
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Where is Pukki Party?

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Weekends only

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

      Won’t start.

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

    Come on Lundstram

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

      Get the YC!!

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

        And/or goal

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

    Ah Wickham... the lad that was sitting about as my 8th attacker for way too long.

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

    Moise Kean coming on. Bandwagon about to start now that his old mentor Carlo is in charge, will get the best out of the kid

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

    Should have sub off Rich really. Loses possession for fun.

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

    Tammy to play 90mins??

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Use him up now. Rest him vs Arsenal. Play him the game after.

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

      Lampard could hook him tbh. Hasn't looked at the races. Hopefully not chasing goals though.

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

    Foster with a worldie save

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

    Ole’s being a naughty naughty boy trolling everyone with Pogba

    1. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      lovely stuff, my ML rival has (C) him

    2. Mikeharbrw
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I mean... he's been out for a long time. Not that surprising he's still on bench. He'll be on at half time when they're losing.

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

        You could have saved a lot of people a lot of hassle with this news earlier in the week 🙂

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

          There's no stopping a man u bandwagon when it's in full flow. Plenty of red tinted glasses on here...

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

    Adams off
    Boufal on