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

    Lolgate

  2. Party time
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Well done Carlo! Throw holgate In for that binary point

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

      Need a holgate goal to save my gameweek

      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Not even going up for corners

    • Woy_is_back
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      trollgate hehe

    • Baby Bowen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      What's happened to Siggy? I swear he used to be a good fpl option.

    • how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Dcl goal

    • pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Groan - at least it’s just one point missed and not five

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

      OMG DCL

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

      DCL G
      Rich A

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

      DCL GOAL!

    • sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Eve Goal

    • Francescoli
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes DCL!

    • Chucky
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      DCLLLLL

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

      Calvert

    • SirStevieG
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      DCL GET IN!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Jebiga
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yeeees Dcl!!!!
      Karma for trollers!!!

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

      Lewin

    • HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Rich assist?

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

        Yes, header onto the bar. Rebounded goal.

        Richarlison has done all the donkey-work today.

    • TyroneGAA
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yesssssss

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

      DDDDCCCCCLLLLLL

      MAX BAPS!!

    • Party time
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Oh for feck sake!

      • HD7
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Yes DCL YES

        1. squits
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Goal? My stream is slow

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

            yes mate!

      • squits
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Just gotta think if he started he'd have 2 points now. Only 1 less

      • Baby Bowen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Chances of Lundstram starting?

        1. Jebiga
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          O%
          Somewhere leaked that he's benched

          1. Baby Bowen
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Team already set when they play tomorrow?

      • Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        DCL and Richarlison are a combo

      • how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Well done rich and dcl double-uppers

      • Woy_is_back
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        RIP 🙁

      • jason_ni
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Damnit.. Richard and dcl are hammering me here..

      • OverTinker
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        DeeeCeeeeeeL

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

        Calvert lewin over

        Would have been a holgate assist