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. Party time
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Bruno + Martial. Absolutely loving this!

    • Bring the Cavalry
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Is martial getting the first assist yet?

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

        No, doesn’t look likely. Took a big deflection off lerma b4 hitting the hand

    • Jimmy Boy
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Fernandes (c) you beauty!

    • JELLYFISH
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Well done those Bruno TC’ers

    • Strchld
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Hate this. Everyone in ML have Martial nyt I have Rashford.
      Martial have outscored him last three weeks. Well done.

    • Chandler Bing
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      One more goal for Martial please

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

      It's rashy turn

    • goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Gonna need Salah hattrick tomorrow

      1. AC Yew
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        This please

    • grumpyman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Taking a hit to bring in Greenwood so I could bench KDB might be my maddest and best FPL move ever.

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

        Maddest and best move ever confirmed.

    • FreddyP3
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Who hot assist on that fk?

      1. FreddyP3
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Got

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

          Martial won the fk

          1. FreddyP3
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 9 months ago

            Thnx

    • Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Imagine not having Bruno as captain.

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Living it

    • Ady87
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I’ve been absolutely destroyed here by ML leader with Bruno(c), Greenwood and Martial! Good to watch as a United owner even if I won’t catch him now in 3rd!

    • Pointless
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      What is Bruno's EO? I've got but not captained!

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

        120

    • Ginkapo FPL
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Why arent they giving Martial an assist for that?

    • sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Pogba not to be mentioned anywhere. His turn next?

    • Zladan
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Why did I captain Mahrez...

    • HollywoodXI
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I still want the second Martial assist

    • TheDragon
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Salah double hattrick to save the gameweek

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 9 months ago

          A brace and clean sheet is pretty close to the score you'd get from a Bruno cap

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

        AWB is a fair pick: he earns his corn in assists. Can't legislate for donkey Maguire.

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

        Bruno, Martial and Greenwood. Kicking myself for not captaining one but feel Salah will replicate this

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

          I've got the exact same set up...it's still points I guess

      4. JELLYFISH
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Every other post on here is about Martial assists......get over it

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

        If Martial gets the assist it could be worth 4/5 points if Bournemouth finish with 2 goals.

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

          Surely they would have decided to give it by now, it’s not happening

      6. FER FUSCH AKE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        what's the verdict on Martial's first assist??

        1. HNI
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Maybe they will decide at end of day..Has to be assist as directly responsible for penalty

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

          I believe the big deflection off lerma that forced the handball means it’s not an assist sadly :/

      7. Egg noodle
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Just started watching. What is this 'first Martial assist' everybody is talking about? Do we expect it to be given? Thx

        1. Over Midwicket
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Nope. Should be but won't be given.

          1. Egg noodle
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 9 months ago

            Ok thanks

        2. Bobby Digital
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          It took a deflection, don't think they'll give it.

          1. Egg noodle
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 9 months ago

            Ah! OK cheers bud

      8. Alnair
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Piss off Rashford

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

        Nacho off
        Pratt on

      10. H-SF
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        is martial gonna get 2 assists?

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

        i almost captained Rashford...

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

        Glad I used my Free Hit to bring in 3 Utd attackers for this

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

          Same here

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

          Yeah same here, another Rashford goal would be the icing on the cake

        3. Srv210
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Changed martial for AWB...not very good for me

      13. For Fuchs Sake
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        45 TC points 🙂

        1. Jack Burton
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Nice aint it

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

          Nice one

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

          Happy days