Dugout Discussion

Fernandes and Pogba both start against injury-hit Bournemouth defence

Bruno Fernandes (£8.8m) and Paul Pogba (£8.3m) both start for Manchester United as Bournemouth come to Old Trafford.

The pair were subject of an injury rumour circling around some quarters of the media on Friday evening, but it would appear they came through the most recent training session unscathed.

In fact, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has named an unchanged line-up from the side that won comfortably at Brighton, much to the delight of Fantasy managers interested in their assets.

At a time when Manchester United options are in such high-demand, it is encouraging to know that the manager has found a settled selection. This is the first time since November 2006 that an unchanged XI has been named in three successive Premier League matches.

That means Mason Greenwood (£4.4m) is on the right-hand side of attacking midfield once more, joined there by Fernandes and Marcus Rashford (£9.1m).

Meanwhile, Anthony Martial (£8.2m) starts up-front hoping to replicate his most recent Old Trafford outing, which saw the Frenchman score a hat-trick against Bournemouth.

A further boost for Manchester United backers has emerged in the form of injuries to Chris Mepham (£4.3m) and Steve Cook (£5.0m), who was reprimanded by Eddie Howe this week for publicly criticising Bournemouth.

With Simon Francis (£4.4m) still on the sidelines, a dearth of options has forced the Bournemouth manager into some tough decisions with his defence.

Left-back Lloyd Kelly (£4.4m) has tucked into centre-back alongside Nathan Aké (£4.8m) with Diego Rico (£4.2m) earning his first start since Gameweek 26.

Elsewhere, Leicester host Crystal Palace, although that fixture has considerably less Fantasy interest.

Jamie Vardy (£9.7m) remains the most popular Fox, sat in 26.2% of teams, but has just two goals since Gameweek 19.

That statistic does not particularly bode well given that Roy Hodgson’s men have four clean sheets from their last six matches.

It is also frustrating news for the 15.1% still in possession of James Maddison (£7.4m), who does not make the matchday squad while Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) is among the substitutes for the third match in a row since the Premier League returned.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Chilwell, Söyüncü, Evans, Justin; Pérez, Tielemans, Ndidi, Albrighton; Iheanacho, Vardy.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; van Aanholt, Cahill, Sakho, J Ward; Zaha, Riedewald, Milivojevic, McArthur; Benteke, Ayew.

Manchester United XI: De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Lindelöf, Wan-Bissaka; Pogba, Matić; Rashford, B Fernandes, Greenwood; Martial.

Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale, Rico, Aké, L Kelly, A Smith; Stanislas, L Cook, Lerma, Brooks; J King, Solanke.

2,491 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    FPL Twitter did say TBC.

    They’re checking with Mark.

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      😆

    2. Hy liverpool
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Chill

  2. Snooze ya lose
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Greenwood a legit option it would appear!

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yeah he’s arrived - looks pretty focused too, not another air head like Lingard

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Definitely, and a great way to stack up the midfield next season too.

    3. Snooze ya lose
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Have to decide who to drop now! Dcl, Ings or Jimi?

  3. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    I'll give up if martial gets the assist I don't care at all mate

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yet you talk 😉

    2. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      gonna link this for when you complain tomorrow

    3. Arctic monkeys
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      It's normaly an assist. Not sure if it's deflected off a defender

      1. Tempestic
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        This

      2. Bubz
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        It did

  4. DandyDon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Where’s the assist!? Why does it take so long this season to add those points?

  5. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Just going to pretend Bruno would have missed the peno had he taken it

    1. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Was pretty obvious bruno wouldnt take it after the 2nd spurs one

    2. riot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      This

  6. pablospicks
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Martial TC is not a good place to be right now 🙁

  7. fusen
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Penalties and Free-Kicks

    In the event of a penalty or free-kick, the player earning the penalty or free-kick is awarded an assist if a goal is directly scored, but not if he takes it himself, in which case no assist is given.

    ----

    Did Martial "earn the penalty"?

    1. Respect My Authoritah
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yes

    2. DandyDon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Well the rules should be more detailed than this...I haven’t seen it to be fair but if it’s his cross which is handled would usually be given

    3. KDB4PREZ
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yes clearly in the rules

      1. fusen
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        I've pasted the rules, where does it say clearly that he did?

    4. Shark Team
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yes he made a headed pass which contributed to handball

      1. fusen
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        He was the last person to touch the ball before an opposition player accidentally hand balled it.

        Is that "earning" a penalty?

        I own Martial, but I can see why it may not be given

  8. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    WTF where is Martial aasit

  9. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Looked to glance of Martial’s hand, don’t think it will be given...

  10. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Mark's team: https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/21074/event/42
    Martial assist confirmed

    1. AzzaroMax99
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      No, it’s not.

    2. TheDragon
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Surprised he didn’t get word onto the pitch for Fernandes to take the penalty

      1. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Haha

    3. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Wow. He's having a shocker this season.

  11. Sailboats
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Why did Rashford take the pen?

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      He normally scores?

  12. JJO
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Just relax
    They will give him assist
    He is massively owned and even on twitter profile picture

    1. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I dont think they will because it wasnt an assist

      1. joker14
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Then what was Digne's assist against Everton?

        1. Bubz
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          That dodnt deflect off a defender onto the arm of another defender

  13. WVA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    FFS first Bruno doesn't take the pen then Martial gets given that as an assist

  14. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Such penalty decisions HAVE ALWAYS RESULTED IN AN ASSIST in Fpl

    It will be given

    1. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      this! Is this not common knowledge?

      1. Nightcrawler
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Apparently not

    2. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Not when it deflects off a defender

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Ah didn't spot that, not sure what the precedent is there

        • Tempestic
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Yeh this might be the case

      2. DandyDon
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Flipping better

    3. Sandy Ravage
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Rashford can be painful to own, but he's staying unless Kane convinces me to downgrade to Greenwood

    4. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I’m suing FPL if that ain’t an assist

    5. WVA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      THAT IS NOT AN ASSIST FFS

    6. Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Bournemouth have been quite good actually just let down on two instance by the keeper and defender

    7. seewhyaxe
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      nice to see all 3 players returned in the United game.

    8. Woy_is_back
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Why the outrage over an assist that only generates 3 fkin points 😀

      1. The Train Driver
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Every point counts

      2. Forza
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        6 for some!

        1. g40steve
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          9 for some

        2. Woy_is_back
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          True forgot about the captainers. There was so many better options so I did not consider it.

          1. Forza
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 9 months ago

            Timing 😛

      3. WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Because it's cheating

      4. DandyDon
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Lots have captained and failed last week. Who cares now GOAL

    9. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Alexis Sanchez was given a similar assist a few seasons back.

      1. WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        You can't just GIVE people assists that aren't assists

    10. Fudgy
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      IT TAKES A TOUCH OF A DEFENDER HOW IS IT AN ASSIST

      1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Want some more salt with those chips?

        1. Fudgy
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Sad troll!

        2. the snazzy viking
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          why would he, he's winning currently

      2. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Intended target/area might help him.

      3. Bubz
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Its not

    11. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Before anyone says “martial assist” after just reading it on a comment here, please actually have some evidence first

      1. Mo Mane Mou problems
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        https://www.premierleague.com/news/827842

        Remember that assists are also given to players who draw a handball from an opponent via a pass, cross, shot or final touch.

        The attacking player must be seen to force the handball with their action in order for the assist to be awarded.

        1. HashAttack
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          How can someone "force" a handball?

    12. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Where is my marty assist

      1. The Train Driver
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        2nd half

    13. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Ofc that s not assist. I can say that as objective Martial non owner

      1. the snazzy viking
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        I'm trying to ignore all my subconscious biases but when I zoom out from them it's clear to me there wasn't an assist

    14. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Assist will be added during HT break.. just relax 😀

      1. Woy_is_back
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        They are not giving it imo

    15. Meinhoff
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      TOOOONYYYYYYYY

    16. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Ahahah we don’t need the assist anymore 😉

    17. UKG
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Martial wow

    18. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Tony!