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. DycheDycheBaby
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    DCL get in

  2. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    YARSSSSSS

  3. seewhyaxe
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Lol why sub Holgate man ffs.

  4. SHOOTER MCGINN
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Sold DCL a week early. Brilliant.

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

    Palace suck my balls

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

      Thats nice of them.

  6. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    no way richa is still at everton next season

  7. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Great start in my WC dumping Dcl haha

    1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Same did not see that coming thought it would be a tight game

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

    Rich 3 baps due to winning goal and DCL 2?

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Yup

      • TyroneGAA
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Naw dcl 3

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

      Guess this was the wrong GW to play the WC after all.

      1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Only one game gone bit melodramatic.

        1. TAT
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Yeah, but it happens every time I play the WC – without exception.

          1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Sure if you knew that you should never wildcard! 😀

            I got rid of DCL as well overall if you get half decent luck - the wildcard should be an improvement based on the fixtures in the net few game weeks.

            1. TAT
              • 6 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              I must admit I've briefly considered burning a WC due to my track record with them. But then there's injuries and factors that leaves you with no choice; yet the original team somehow manages to pick up points – sometimes more than the WC one, over a number of GWs.

              I hope it will be an improvement in the long run! Team looks much more solid now at least.

              1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                After looking at how I wildcarded so far - maybe I should have burned the wildcard myself!

                1. TAT
                  • 6 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  I had to laugh when the double Sheffield U defence conceded and Lundstram came on to score!

                  It's 31 from 5 with the pre-WC team, and 3 from 2 with the WC team now.

    3. Ninja Škrtel
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Have both Richarlson and Lewin. I'm happy.

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

      Guiata is just crap. Might as well leave him for Newcastle home though

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

      Totally loving it yes. only one to own DCL in my ML

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

      Anyone got Rich and DCL?

      1. Ninja Škrtel
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Yes.

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

      Where’s Bhuna?
      He took out DCL for Long

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

      Best lundstram replacement?
      5.4 budget

      Keeping in mind the blank gw

      1. Crystal Alice
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Ritchie on corners and set pieces

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

      Maupay over DCL 3 weeks ago continues to haunt! 😀

      1. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Try it 6 weeks ago lol

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

          😀

      2. @persecuted_by_mods
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Aguero hasn't fared much better, hopefully he hammers the hammers

        • Gizzachance
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Maupay had me one assist since I got him, no show last week!
          Not sure on him today either
          Had other fires to put out

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

        DCL misses a sitter

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

        DcL miss

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

        DCL Misses sitter. Ruins Rich A

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

        DCL BIG Miss!

        Christ.

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

        DCL NOOOOOO

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

        Dcl almost what a sitter 🙂

      9. Chucky
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        DCL big sitter

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

        Dcl misses a sitter, Richarlison looked dangerous all game

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

        there goes baps

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

          3 down to 2 for sure

        2. DandyDon
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          just one

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

        Not sure whether to be happy with DCL now 😀

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

        Still gonna do DCL to Jimenez. Thanks DCL for the points but it's time

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

          Yep same move

      14. My heart goes Salalalalah
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        DCL howler right in front

      15. Maddi Son
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Patience being rewarded always feels the best. Selling DCL this week was a knee jerky newbie move.

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

        DCL owners beyond lucky. Done f all all game. That miss at the end just shows his true quality.

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

          agreed

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

          Hi non owner

        3. BNMC
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          How? He's consistently been one of the top players for shots in the box since Carlo arrived. Also keep in mind that he's only 6m.

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

          Unlucky, he should have scored tbh

        5. Colonel Shoe 肝池
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          yawn

        6. Vlad Tepes
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          He is still got an amazing talent, always at the right place

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

          Sucked in for not owning really. So much shite

        8. DandyDon
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          He gets on the end of more chances than many other strikers. same reason I brought in Ings alongside him this week. DCL had a decent run of games, been delivering but will still sell soon, probably to Abraham who also misses half his chances but with better fixtures so no brainer

        9. Old Man
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          He's a jolly good chap, but a bit of a dickhead for a missing a sitter (or so you are all telling me).