Dugout Discussion

Antonio starts up front for West Ham and Saint-Maximin returns to Newcastle side

There are no big line-up surprises for the two early Gameweek 35 kick-offs this afternoon.

Michail Antonio (£6.9m) continues in the striker role for David Moyes’ West Ham.

The FPL midfielder looks set to be flanked by Pablo Fornals (£6.0m) and Jarrod Bowen (£6.4m).

Behind that trio, Mark Noble (£4.9m) returns from a minor injury to retake his spot in midfield – alongside Tomas Soucek (£4.8m) and Declan Rice (£4.7m) – as Andriy Yarmolenko (£5.2m) drops to the bench.

Daniel Farke has named an unchanged Norwich XI from the GW34 defeat to Watford.

However, Todd Cantwell (£4.5m) is fit enough for a place on the bench after completely missing that 2-1 loss with a hamstring problem.

Norwich will be relegated if they suffer defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers West Ham, while a draw and Watford avoiding a loss to Newcastle will also seal their fate.

Nigel Pearson’s team, perhaps less surprisingly, is also unchanged after an acrobatic Danny Welbeck (£5.8m) goal saw the Hornets sting the Canaries for all three points on Tuesday.

The ex-Manchester United and Arsenal forward was only behind fellow goalscorer Craig Dawson (£4.8m) for transfers in of Watford assets ahead of this morning’s deadline.

After a 5-0 drubbing away to Manchester City, Steve Bruce has reverted to a more familiar looking 4-4-2/4-4-1-1 formation with Fabian Schar (£5.0m) expected to take up a central midfield role again.

There is a return to action for both Jamaal Lascelles (£4.3m) and Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.4m), who were both absent for that Etihad hammering.

Dwight Gayle (£5.0m) starts up front, with Miguel Almiron (£5.8m) set to play beside or behind the striker.

Both Gayle and Almiron were substitutes in Gameweek 34, with Javier Manquillo‘s (£4.3m) replacement of Emil Krafth (£4.3m) at right-back making it five changes in total for the Magpies.

Before kick-off, Bruce said:

What we’ve all had to do with the amount of games we’ve had is hope you can keep a few of them fit. We’re delighted we’ve been able to freshen the team up which will give us more up top.

Norwich XI: Krul; Lewis, Klose, Godfrey, Aarons; Tettey, Vrancic; O Hernandez, Stiepermann, Buendia; Pukki.

West Ham XI: Fabianski; Creswell, Ogbonna, Diop, Fredericks; Soucek, Noble, Rice; Fornals, Antonio, Bowen.

Watford XI: Foster; Masina, Dawson, Kabasele, Femenia; Hughes, Capoue; Welbeck, Doucouré, Sarr; Deeney.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka; Rose, Fernandez, Lascelles, Manquillo; Ritchie, Schar, Shelvey, Saint-Maximin; Almiron, Gayle.

1,665 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Alnair
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Never a pen

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

      Keeper should have saved the pen anyway. Deeney was always going down the middle there

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

    If Alonso starts vs Norwich...

    Keep giving away dangerous frees, if he doesn’t take some he’ll cause carnage in the box.

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

      I could do TAA > Alonso to go with Azpi and Willian .... means I can play Greenwood and Vardy up top
      Otherwise Kane > Giroud / Tammy and bench Greenwood

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

      Could see it - Reece James has been playing poorly from what I've heard

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

    Don't feel guilty about benching Dubravka for Foster now!

  4. TheTinman
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Ritchie clumsy

  5. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Antonio hat-trick

    No assist.

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

    Antonio hatty
    No assist

  7. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Kiko. Hurrah!

  8. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Kikooo over Jamal!!!

  9. MagicMessi
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Antonyooooooooooo
    Yaaaaaaaaas

  10. Stupendous
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Gayle second on bench behind Aurier! Ugh.

  11. Le _ Professeur
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    I love you ANTONIO ♥♥

  12. Reg83
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Any chance for a full rest for Trent? Kiko first on bench

  13. Guy Demel
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    \o/

  14. the dom 1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    wow Hatty

  15. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Oh eff off Antonio for the love of God!!

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

    Omg antonio

  17. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Maybe should have put DCL first on my bench instead of third, after all 😆

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

    Well done punters!

  19. GAMBIT
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Plan was to do Mahrez to Antonio all week.

    Ended up doing Cantwell to Saka

  20. MagicMessi
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Come on Antonio we want more #_#

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

    Omg did Kiko get an assist???

    1. Greek Freak
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yep, see last page.

  22. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Don’t you just this season

  23. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Well done antonio owners.

    I couldn't squeeze in.

    Chelsea FH triple up incoming.....

  24. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Antonio punters in heaven. Fair play lads, never even considered it but he’s been playing decent and perfect fixture

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

      Yea next is Watford too !

    2. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Was in my FH I didn’t go with 😆

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

    Congrats to that guy who had Antonio (C)

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

      Congrats to the guy who did it by accident as well! Failed a Vardy (c), incredible scenes

  26. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Brilliant stuff from Antonio

  27. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    My FH would of worked out just for Antonio! Ouch

  28. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Antonioooooooo! Youuuu beautttyyyyy!

  29. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    I'm sure I considered Antonio once...