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. TRIPOS TOPPER
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    My one point from DCL currently giving me 5% rank boost

  2. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Tomkins done

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

      Kelly back on the menu?

      1. Kabayan
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        He needs uninjured first

  3. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Benteke misses a sitter

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

      Please.. the rubbish is unbearable. It’s great keeping

      1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        It was straight at him

    2. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Again?

  4. HonestBlatter
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Richarlison get another one. Today is your Hauling time

  5. Jullepuu
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Sidibe too slow or Rich not about assists lol?

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

      He is sh*t mate, out of my team soon

      1. Jullepuu
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Nah he is alright. Definitely leaving my team before next game week though

  6. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Absolute state of Barca thinking they could get Rich for €100m

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

      This. 150+

  7. tm245
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    At least this isn't boring.

  8. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Useless palace

  9. jia you
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Why these OMG posts on here on match days... it's just ugh

  10. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Benteke looking dangerous

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

      Benteke outscoring Vardy so far in 2020

  11. @persecuted_by_mods
      4 years, 2 months ago

      What was that defending, schoolyard

      1. Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Awful

    • Jebiga
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Who dumped Dcl on wc?

      1. Dosh
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Me

      2. OverTinker
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        I am moving him out for jimi after this week

    • diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Would like to see Palace play more long ball football. But Hodgson being stubborn.

    • Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Richarlison I love you

    • svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Do you guys remember when the most frequent thing to write during gameweeks was "TEKKERS!!!!"?

      1. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Captained Tekkers in a DGW when he scored away at Man Utd and then got a Hattie vs QPR

      2. Kip
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Good Times
        Tekkers and Wilf Bony aka Bonynator were great value those days

      3. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Ba vs Cisse

    • Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Siggy amazing solo

    • SirStevieG
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      OMG DCL SO CLOSE FFS

      1. FPL Pillars
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Less caps lock bro

    • Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Just checked scores... Guiata get out of my team, disgusting week after week

    • ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Siggy running through the whole palace defence. DCL trys a scorpion kick

    • Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Siggy wasting Richa assist

      1. Am sorry to say again it�…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        He did well to get a shot off

    • Bun Rab
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Barnard Off
      Davies On

    • Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Bernard shaking his head

    • Sgt. Schultz
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      If you had to choose one (at their very best), and why?

      A) Aguero
      B) Lewandowski
      C) Suarez
      D) Kane

      1. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Choose one for what?

        1. Sgt. Schultz
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          an argument with friends 😉

          1. Ginkapo FPL
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Suarez. The other three are far too timid to win an argument

      2. Esalman
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Suarez by a mile.

        1. Critical Observer
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Hate to admit it but absolutely this. Suarez at his peak appeared virtually unstoppable, monster monster.

          1. Esalman
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Also proved himself in multiple top leagues as well as national level.

            1. Sgt. Schultz
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              very strong argument for him

      3. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Lewandowski has never done anything in a top league

      4. Am sorry to say again it�…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        C, his 13/14 season was ridiculous

      5. Rover
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        C, A, B, D in that order

        1. Am sorry to say again it�…
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          agreed

        2. _Ninja_
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Agree

      6. Sgt. Schultz
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Suarez by a country mile then... Thanks guys!

      7. Kip
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Suarez by a mile

      8. Greek Freak
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Suarez, Aguero and Lewandowski are leagues ahead of Kane.

      9. OverTinker
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Aguero but then I am city fan

      10. @persecuted_by_mods
          4 years, 2 months ago

          CABD

          Though D has crazy goalscoring stats playing for arguably the worst team out of the teams they've all played for relative to league

          If he was at a Bayern for example or Madrid he'd be smashing records too

      11. Differential C (Mark)
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        5 minutes till meltd . . . . Oh wait 🙁

        1. Ginkapo FPL
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          FA Trophy third round today

        2. Revival
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          BMW start for Brentford today

      12. jason_ni
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Zero everton and palace.. 5k drop, at 190k.. not too bad so far, thought it would have been worse.

      13. Bun Rab
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        McCarthy Off
        Meyer On

      14. IRBOX ⚽
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Palace should be relegated

        1. Gudjohnsen
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Nah, there are worse teams in the league.

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

          Palace, Norwich, Villa

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

            Would prefer Bournemouth to go down over Villa, or Brighton. Such negative tactics

            1. UpTheCherries
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              Newcastle?

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

                Toon too yes

        3. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          I said it a while ago

          One of the most boring teams in the premier League. Hodgson has been let of the hook, he puts his side out to knick goals or play for the 0-0

          They don't use their best player (zaha) to their advantage

        4. The 12th Man
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          West Ham,Bournemouth,Norwich

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

            West Ham need to stay in the prem

      15. Am sorry to say again it�…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Who do you think should be England's no1 keeper right now?

        1. UpTheCherries
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Hendo or Rammo

        2. The 12th Man
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Henderson

        3. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Hendo or foster

          Surprising foster is not mentioned alot

          1. Am sorry to say again it�…
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Yes he's been quite impressive this season

        4. Revival
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Hendo

        5. IRBOX ⚽
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Pope

        6. DAZZ
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Foster or Henderson

      16. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Still time for a Tekkers hattie - the good thing is he’s prepared to miss. Sign of a top striker that

      17. DAZZ
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Who else has 0 players today? Boring

        1. Champions League Varane
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Me

          But I have 4 tommorow!

        2. The_Fish
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Me. I don’t like the winter break. Only have 2 tomorrow too.