Dugout Discussion

Abraham absent from Chelsea squad as Mount and Ighalo start on the bench

Tammy Abraham (£7.7m) is missing from the Chelsea side named to face Manchester United on Monday evening.

The centre-forward came into Gameweek 26 as an injury doubt but has failed the fitness test over the weekend.

Michy Batshuayi (£6.6m) leads the Chelsea line in Abraham’s place, flanked by Pedro (£6.8m) and Willian (£7.1m).

“Tammy Abraham is the same injury that has frustratingly come from Arsenal, played against Leicester, and now out. We will see how that develops for the games ahead.” – Frank Lampard

Meanwhile, Mason Mount (£6.1m) finds himself among the substitutes as Frank Lampard goes for a midfield trio of Mateo Kovacic (£5.3m), Jorginho (£4.9m) and N’Golo Kanté (£5.0m).

In the red corner, Odion Ighalo (£6.5m) has managed to make the bench after signing on loan from China.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s starting XI certainly looks experimental in nature with Eric Bailly (£4.9m) coming in to make his first start of the campaign as part of a back-three with Harry Maguire (£5.2m) and Luke Shaw (£5.4m).

That has allowed Brandon Williams (£4.1m) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.3m) to push on as wing-backs while Bruno Fernandes (£8.0m) makes his secnod start in a row since joining from Sporting.

Chelsea XI: Caballero; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Christensen, R James; Kovacic, Jorginho, Kante; Pedro, Batshuayi, Willian.

Man United XI: De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Bailly; Williams, Matic, Fred, Wan-Bissaka; James, Martial, B Fernandes.

1,067 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Martial lazily exits the pitch

  2. tm245
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Ighalo and Deeney were FPL gold.

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

      Already have Deeney tempted to reunite them in my FPL team 🙂

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

      Already own Deeney didn't even realize i could get that nostalgia double up with 1ft.

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

        That would be worth it - at least on our dreams. Ighalo was amazing for a while, remember getting him in quite quickly before rivals.

    3. tm245
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      You guys could bring in Mahrez and Vardy and have a fully vintage team.

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

        Already have Mahrez too, will be tough dropping Ings for Vardy though 🙂

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

    Ighalo 🙂

  4. Ady87
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    I’ll take 8.

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

      If united concede now he might nick a bap too

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

      nine if you use lube

  5. Pat Bonner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Martial hates bps

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Maybe if he was involved in the match he would get some 😉

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

    I'll take the Bruno 6 points tbh. Should have been more tho

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

    Portuguese Barkley CS banked.

  8. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Igahlo epic fail wow

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Careful now, you will mobilise Nigerian Twitter hard.

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

      Nothing to do with me.

  9. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Regarding the VAR decisions

    Got it wrong with Magurie he should have been sent off
    Got it wrong with the Zouma goal should have stood
    Got it right with the Giroud goal he was offside

    1. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Sums it up.

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

      Such wonderful insight.

      Your talents are wasted.

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

        Your words are too kind

    3. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      So two wrongs do make a right...

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

      So silly... unfair

  10. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    How many will Watford win by at the weekend?

    1. Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Oh man united will win that game. But Everton, Man City And Spurs after they’ll probably lose all of those.

  11. Gnu
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Who forgot to lock the door, they're all piling out now.

  12. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Come on blow the whistle, I want my dirty clean sheet points for Williams

    1. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      3rd on my bench, damnit

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        This is the one benefit to having virtually no bench!

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

    BAPS:
    3 Maguire (44)
    2 Wan-Bissaka (34)
    1 Shaw (29)

  14. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Oles at the Wheel!

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes, yes he is.

      Hail to the bus driver...

    2. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Slabhead working the wipers in heavy rain.

  15. Says
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    "And now I'll just down the wing run past Wan-Basaka"

    how did that work out for you?

  16. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    What exactly were UTD thinking bringing in Ighalo? Lump it forward hope for the best?

    Surely Greenwood would have been simpler.

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

      He can play alone up top when OGS wants to sit back and play 4-5-1 so just gives an extra option.

  17. Qaiss
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    The only bad decision in this game was Maguire on Batshuayi. But tbh, so was Jorginho not getting a 2nd yellow against Arsenal in December which got them 3 points that day.

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

      Aspi trying to outpace AWB was a pretty bad decision

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

      Okay you have a good memory we get it

      1. Qaiss
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Well me having a good memory doesn’t stop referee bias, corruption and anti-Arsenal behaviour. Been happening for years.

  18. George Sillett
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Two extremely poor sides.

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

      Yup.

    2. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Embarrassing

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

      Extremely poor? Lol.

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

    LMS safety score is currently 38... I'm on 45 with KDB left. Am I safe :/

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

      I would think so yes

    2. Ragabolly
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

    3. pollz
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Im on 40 with KDB left. Disaster of a gameweek. Martial to save my broken back.

    1. Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      It won’t happen and they’ll probably get the CL ban overturned as well.

      1. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Theyre guilty as hell and there's evidence. Not happening.

    2. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Are you the editor of this fine newsletter?

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

      Is this some troll site?

        1. Gnu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          The Ole'Haaland ones a good read as well.

    4. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      😆

    5. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Those teeth are magnificent

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

      😀 😆

    7. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      😆 😆

      Love this news heading on same page.

      Pickford on Neville: “Call me T-Rex Arms to my Face”

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

      This would be amazing and hilarious if it happened

  20. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    8 for Martial. More than I expected.

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

      More then he deserved

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

      Indeed

    3. El Presidente
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      More than you believe

  21. NorwichCityLad
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    KDB > son good move or hold

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I am doing it, just waiting the West Ham game

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      See what happens on Wednesday first.

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

        There is blank after west ham game son stats very good

  22. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Ole will be proud of the respect shown by the referee/VAR tonight...showed how far they have come.

  23. thomashl
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    So what do you think it will take for Lamps to get the sack?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He won't be

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

      Think he will get a summer transfer window regardless of what happens rest of this season

      1. thomashl
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Agreed. Will be exciting to see what kind of pressure mounts if they somehow fail to get CL next season though

    3. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Do you think he will or should?

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Not should. And he wont be

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

      Won't happen this season but no Champs league and a few good managers available could be enough.

      1. thomashl
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah. Hope he gets time, will be interesting to see how the summer transfer window develops

    5. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Team loses a game

      Lets sack the manager

      1. thomashl
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Didn't say that, mate. Just read the post.

    6. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      A breach of contract?

    7. El Presidente
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Truth is Chelsea is bottling it big time...

  24. Now I'm Panicking
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Man U just one point behind the behemoths of Sheffield United now.

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Ole’s At the steel

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

        under rated

    2. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Ole's at the wheel we are back!

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

      It's true

    4. El Presidente
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      The clear favourite for that 4th spot is definitely Tottenham now... unbelievable, Mou does it again.

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

    The only team without away goal in 2020, they said.

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

    Martial owners... How you feeling? Goodbye present or enough to stay for Watford. Only really the one chance which he took well but very quiet otherwise :/

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

      Great atm and will keep for Watford, could be better if Ighalo comes in with Martial wide.

    2. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Surely keep for Watford at home

    3. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He was terrible tonight and massively failed the eye test....

      But....

      He is an OOP striker for United who have Watford at home next.

      I’d have thought most would have bigger issues to resolves so I’m definitely holding at least 1 more week.

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

        Agree with all but I was thinking Martial, Maupay to Traore, Jiminez. Vardy or Alli other options to downgrade but nicer fixtures and Alli had loads of chances

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

          Maupay needs to go ASAP.
          I’m not a fan of Traore - definitely has a long term Issue with that shoulder

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

      fancy watford to beat them tbh

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

        If Watford win 4-3 and martial gets a hattrick that’s fine

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

      Ighalo did more in 2 minutes than Martial did in 90

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

        Other than score 😉

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

        You have nothing better to do than troll here 😉

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

          Could be on pens?

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

          Not sure some light trolling is that much worse than posting seriously on an FPL site. 😉

      3. thomashl
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah. He easily could've had a dream debut

  27. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Janmaat due back this weekend, could be a great enabler at 4.0

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      What makes you think he will start?

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Was pretty much nailed before injury, ahead of Kiko

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

      rotation risk / even a starter? , he's a no go

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Gameweeks 7 to 12 he was fit I think

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

          better picks out there

  28. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Can't really see how someone could complain about VAR tonight.. It's like complaining that hitting the crossbar isn't a goal

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

      Magurie Red Card?

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

        It’s never a red card (but I don’t think Son’s should have been either)

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

        Yeah fair that one is controversial but most I've seen complaining were about the disallowed goals

    2. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      First Newton's law!!!

  29. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Early thoughts for next gameweek? Transfers already used (price movements and a few too many whiskeys!):

    McCarthy
    TAA | Lascelles | Williams
    Salah | Mane | KdB | Son | Cantwell
    Vardy | Ings

    Button | Greenwood | Hanley | Reid*

    0ITB

    Thanks