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

    Will Wilf score ?

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

      Not today

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

      Be happy with an assist

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

      Odds say no

  2. chaser123
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Best Sidibe replacement?

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

      Doherty. Most SoT by any defender this season. Decent games coming up.

      1. chaser123
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Could save cash on Lascelles?

    2. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I'm going for Boly or Saiss.

      1. chaser123
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Not a great fixture in GW28?

        1. badgerboy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          True. I've got one eye on gw 31 though.

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

    No lineups for the 3pm kickoffs? I remember the times when they were posted exactly at 2:00pm. This site is dying a slow death

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

      Where's Demi with those lineups?

      1. BENOIT
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Ha

    2. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      There are no matches at 3pm, do ur research pls

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

      Loach Alexander Reynolds Johnson Adams Akinola McBurnie Vilhete Walker Tutonda Sweeney

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

        Thats a strong team

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

    My greenie gone now. No players playing today though 😛

  5. BENOIT
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Thoughts on this for -4?

    Soy, Moura, Maupay ———> Egan/Basham, Barnes, Jimenez

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

      Looks nice. But Soy has some good fixtures coming up so do you want to get rid of him?

      1. BENOIT
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Leicester don’t convince by defensively at the mo. It’s a fair point though

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

      not for a hit

    3. Big Hands Barry
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Yeah

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

    Ward off
    Kouyata on

    Hodgson going for it

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

    What a dull game week. 4 garbage teams is all we get on the whole Saturday

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

      Everton are 7th.. garbage, no

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

        Garbage to watch

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

    Richarlison so good

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

      11 goals this Season. Pretty decent given Everton's bad start.

  9. Stoic
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Richarlison creeps into the season's dream team.
    Strong performance from Grealish or Son could knock him out though

  10. FFSbet.com
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Holgate > Fernandez tonight exact cash before Fernandez rise?

    Many games left but hope no injuries

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

      Nah
      Better waiting
      Would be annoying to have burnt a FT on a Fernandez if Salah gets a red card or something

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

    cmoon RICH

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

    BMW all start for Brentford. All out attack chip in-play.

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

      Theres only one Bee in London and they dont feature diving cheat Ollie Watkins

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

    Benteke shot wide

  14. Stoic
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Arsenal and United could easily finish out of top 6..Who saw that coming ? Probably all of us, with their horrendous displays

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

      Both throwing everything at the Europa League

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

    Holgate coming on 🙁

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

    Holgate coming on

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Noo

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

    Holgate on for Siggy.

  18. AbsolutelyNoIdea
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Gonna bring Holgate on now
    That sux

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

    Siggy off
    Holgate On

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

    WTF HOLGATE 1 POINTER 🙁

  21. tricky80
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Was desperately trying to be a dullard this week but then couldn't resist Deeney to Jiminez and the punty Cantwell to Armstrong.

    Team ended up being
    Pope
    Webster TAA Lundstram (Säiss off bench)
    Trossard Armstrong KDB Salah(VC)
    Firmino Jiminez Agüero (C)
    Säiss Traoré Lascelles McGovern bench

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

    Holgate 1 pointer

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

    Holgate in midfield v tired legs

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

    Holgate comes on to block bench players, savage.

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

    Nice Mason Holgate 1 pointer incoming

  26. Jebiga
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Holgate cameo

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

    I did say Holgate was being held back due to lack of midfield cover.

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Good point

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

    Only 55 minutes of stoppage time needed for Holgate clean sheet

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      And even then he still wouldn't get it. 😀

  29. Crystal Alice
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Ho1gate

    1. aborg
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      LOL

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

    Damn it Holgate on 🙁 🙁

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

      Do you deserve that? Exactly 😉

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

        😀