Dugout Discussion

Holgate and Sidibe benched as Everton face Palace in Gameweek 26 opener

The first of ten Premier League matches in as many days takes place between Everton and Crystal Palace, with Gameweek 26 getting underway at Goodison Park at 12:30 GMT.

Carlo Ancelotti has delivered a blow to owners of Mason Holgate (£4.5m) and Djibril Sidibe (£5.4m), with both of those defenders only among the substitutes.

That is Holgate’s first benching since Gameweek 9, with the budget Fantasy Premier League asset losing his ever-present record under his new manager.

Michael Keane (£5.2m) and Seamus Coleman (£5.3m) come in at centre-half and right-back respectively, with Bernard (£6.4m) ousting Alex Iwobi (£5.6m) on the left flank.

Ancelotti’s other change is an enforced one, with Morgan Schneiderlin (£4.4m) replacing the suspended Fabian Delph (£5.3m).

Richarlison (£8.1m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.1m) again form a two-man strike force for the hosts.

Speaking of his line-up changes, Ancelotti said:

We need more of everything. More quality, more intensity, more pressure, more concentration. It’s not easy to pick the line-up but I want everyone to be involved and the players accept my decisions.

The Palace team news is nice and easy to digest, with the Eagles unchanged from their defeat to Sheffield United last weekend.

Martin Kelly (£4.3m), who lost his place to Joel Ward (£4.3m) in Gameweek 25 anyway, is absent with a minor calf injury.

Vicente Guaita (£5.0m) is between the posts again after his clanger against the Blades, with Roy Hodgson saying:

You don’t drop first-choice goalkeepers because they’ve made one mistake – it can happen to anyone. We’re very happy with him and very happy he’s playing today.

Palace are without a clean sheet since Gameweek 16, which is the longest barren streak in the top flight at present.


Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Bernard, Walcott, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Ward, Tomkins, Cahill, van Aanholt, Milivojevic, McCarthy, McArthur, Zaha, Ayew, Benteke.

1,580 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Henderson was the pretty clear choice for England's number 1. Now its obvious. Has to happen

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Probably bad for our prospects of signing him though!

    2. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      If Southgate still picks Pickford shows how clueless he is

  2. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone considering Benteke as an Aguero replacement?
    Plays NEW, BHA, WAT, BOU next
    On form, with lethal finishing against the England #1 GK
    Only 5.7m, which is more than half that of Kun despite him being twice the player

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Definitely a “wait and see”

  3. Bun Rab
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Richarlison G.

    1. Bun Rab
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      DCL A

  4. Ginkapo FPL
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    What year was it when Bentekkers was good?

    1. Kip
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      2014 or 2015

      I remember putting the armband on him in DGW1

      1. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        16/17 he got 15 goals

  5. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Fantastic goal FROM Richarlison

  6. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    OMG richarlison

  7. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Pope or Henderson should surely play ahead of Pickford in the euros?

  8. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Rich G
    DCL A

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      OMG

  9. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    DCL assist possibly

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes, nice little header onto him.

    2. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Probably? 😆 of course it is

    3. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Possibly 😀

  10. jia you
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Benteke(C) yes!

  11. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    What a goal, Rich

  12. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Richarlison Goal, DCL Assist!

  13. HonestBlatter
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    RICH you beauty

  14. FPL Pillars
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Benteke Smelling blood

  15. SirStevieG
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    YES DCL assist 😀

  16. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Terrible defending by Cahill

  17. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    DCL assist... piss off

    1. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Thought you said DCL owners were in tears a little while back.

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        pure jam. Should have been off injured instead gets a casual assist with no effort put it

        1. IRBOX ⚽
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Great flick on to allow the counter

    2. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      So much salt.

  18. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    DCLLLL YESSSSS

  19. EL tridente
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Richa!!

  20. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Guaita sucks

    1. Jullepuu
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Well that just isn't true lol

  21. jia you
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Missing the deadline sucks 🙁
    My boy Richarlison...

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

      You had all week.

      1. jia you
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        it only entered my head today but got the deadline mixed up...Martial could still outscore him anyway 🙂

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

          Oh well. Hopefully Martial matches him for you.

          1. jia you
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            yeah just had a feeling about him today and the fact I had no Saturday players... wouldve been very panty anyway with Martial at home to Watford in 27

            1. jia you
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              *punch lol

              1. jia you
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                *punty! too much sun!

  22. Bun Rab
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Tompkins down.

    1. Bun Rab
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Off, Replaced by Scott Dann.

  23. FPL Pillars
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    One of my league transferred in Richarlison. Noice

  24. The Fed
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Richarlisoooon!

  25. DycheDycheBaby
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    DCL assist. Lovely

  26. Francescoli
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Another cheeky return please DCL

  27. Ginkapo FPL
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    3 year since Bentekkers was good

    1. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      3 years generous

  28. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Come on Digne grab a goal or assist

  29. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Finally DCL with an attacking return yes

  30. HD7
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Do you think Richa can be consistent and play like lets say Suarez for Barca soon?

    Rumor was Barca gave 80M for him...