Dugout Discussion

Fabinho starts at centre-half as injured Gomez and Matip miss Chelsea v Liverpool

The stand-out Premier League fixture of the weekend takes place at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.

Liverpool are Chelsea’s visitors, with kick-off in west London at 16:30 BST.

Both managers have made one change to their starting XIs for this clash.

Joe Gomez (£5.5m) misses out with a knock and with Joel Matip (£5.5m) also unavailable because of a minor muscle injury, it’s Fabinho (£5.5m) who is given the nod to partner Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) at centre-half.

New signing Thiago Alcantara (£6.0m) is only among the substitutes, while the rest of the Liverpool side is as expected.

Mateo Kovacic (£5.5m) comes into the Chelsea midfield in place of Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£6.0m) in Frank Lampard’s only alteration.

Cesar Azpilicueta (£6.0m) is still only a substitute, so that means another start for Reece James (£5.0m) and Marcos Alonso (£6.0m) at full-back – the latter going up against Mohamed Salah (£12.0m) down the Liverpool right.

Kai Havertz (£8.5m) gets another chance to impress after his quiet debut at Brighton, while Timo Werner (£9.5m) – still the most-owned forward in FPL by some margin – again leads the line.

Despite his overall popularity, Werner was the most-sold player of Gameweek 2, with over half a million Fantasy managers ditching him.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) wasn’t far behind him for transfers out and no defender was sold by as many FPL bosses as the Liverpool right-back following his Gameweek 1 blank.

The England international scored home and away against Chelsea last season, with the two league meetings between the two clubs returning 11 goals.

Only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£12.0m) was captained by more Fantasy managers than Salah this weekend, meanwhile.

The Egyptian, who hit a hat-trick against Leeds United last weekend, was handed the armband by over 560,000 of us ahead of Saturday’s deadline.


Chelsea XI: Kepa, James, Zouma, Christensen, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Mount, Havertz, Werner.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk, Fabinho, Robertson, Henderson, Keita, Wijnaldum, Mane, Firmino, Salah.

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2,462 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Does Salah realize that any shot has a 50% chance of going in?

  2. Andy_Social
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Kepaaaaaa

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

    Haverz playing more centrally with Mount out wide.

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

      Havertz*

    2. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Havertz playing CF, Werner on the left, Mount on the right

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

        Yup, looks like that

    3. Old and Slow
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      That's because I was so frustrated with his position that I traded him... Sigh

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

    Kepa 😆

    Firmino useless as usual, missing sitter Salah A

  5. FPL_Devil
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Sorry for the repost, posted on the wrong article.
    Thoughts on a -4 for Auba to KDB and JWP/ASM to Trossard?
    Cheers!

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Given how the season is going, probably best to wait until KDB plays.

      1. FPL_Devil
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Makes sense, LEI not the best fixture. Thoughts on Trossard? Hoping he won't be the same old trap and is a major differential. Cheers!

  6. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    What's Salah's ownership and EO?

    1. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      113%

      1. KGFC
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks

  7. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Glad we have Guaita and not the £70m kepa. Wow.

    1. KAALI_DAAL
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Doubt you could afford him even if you wished you had him.

      1. Tasty Jerk
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Obviously. But just glad we don't have that much money to make such expensive mistakes 😀

  8. Licky
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Should've tried backheeling that...

  9. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Semedo transfer imminent to Wolves. Pushes Adama to the RW spot and one of Neto and Podence will move to the bench....

    1. Chenku╰☆╮
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Podenc benched then.

      1. Scholes Out For Summer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        why not Neto?

    2. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Adama wasn't nailed last season. There will be rotation between those 3.

      1. Scholes Out For Summer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        I think less rotation now with no EL for Wolves

    3. KGFC
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Makes Jimmy even more important for their upcoming matches. Traore on wings is better for Jimmy.

      1. Scholes Out For Summer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Yeah this. First name on WC draft

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

      Correct

    5. sully29
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Podence. 🙁

      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        yeh would have been a greta choice with those fixtures

  10. Londongeezaa
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Imagine scoring 4 goals and only getting 2bps 🙂

    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      sort of thing that happens to salah....so yes i can imagine it

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

      FPL towers own Kane 😉

  11. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Kante should have tried to win a penalty there

  12. sonofunited
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Hello. Kindly advise please.

    Money remaining : £10.8

    (1) Brewster (£4.5) + Gomez (£5.5) @ Digne (£6.1) @ Justin (£4.6)

    (2) Bamford (£5.6) + Justin (£4.6) @ Saiss (£5) @ Coady (£5) @ Lewis (£4.5)

    Thank you.

    1. Dr. Rog
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      trying to understand what on earth this means

      1. sonofunited
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Sorry. Please refer below.

        Hello. Kindly advise please which one should i use : Option 1 or Option 2.

        Money remaining : £10.8

        (Option 1) Brewster (£4.5) + Gomez (£5.5) @ Digne (£6.1) @ Justin (£4.6)

        (Option 2) Bamford (£5.6) + Justin (£4.6) @ Saiss (£5) @ Coady (£5) @ Lewis (£4.5)

        Thank you.

        1. Dennis System
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          This is insane

          1. sonofunited
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            What is mate?

  13. Flynny
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Best forward line for wildcard??

    Thinking werner jesus and dcl...

    Thanks

    1. Whats the Huth
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Richarlison. Werner. Jiminez

    2. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Jimenez-Dominic-Mitrovic

      All good value and great fixtures - pens

    3. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Mine's Werner, Jimi and Rich.

    4. Robson-Canoe
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Why isn't anyone on Bamford?

    5. FPL_DON
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      dcl jimi werner

      Jesus in contention too, possibly for Werner but hard with west brom up next

  14. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    1-1 Mount and Wijnaldum would be nice to set some more panic in

  15. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Didn't watch brighton. How was trossard?

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

      looked very good, getting some chances

    2. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Brighton won't have him next season looks too good for club.

  16. LewanGOALski
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    This week is terrible for me AF...

    Should I WC this?
    Or rather take a hit or two..?

    McCarthy - 4.0
    TAA - Digne - Tierney - C.Taylor - Mitchell
    Salah - Auba - JWP - Soucek - Bissouma
    Werner - Martial - Mitro

    1 FT

    1. el polako
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I would WC to change goalies, JWP, Auba, Mitro and maybe Martial and Bissouma plus Tierney.

  17. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Kante...

  18. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Werner playing deeper than Kante...

    1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Delighted to hear that sold him on WC - worried about next gw though

  19. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Spurs and Brighton assets should go with a word of warning. Soton and Newcastle were horrendous

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Spurs play newcastle next.

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Hahaha! Didn’t realise! Stock up then 🙂

    2. KGFC
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      It's about gaining momentum as well.

    3. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yep noted & agreed. Knee-jerk is dangerous in the early stages of a season. You would imagine Sou at least will change dynamic from a less vulnerable def

  20. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    That passage of play is why Kante should never be near an opposing box. CDM set and forget for any manager

  21. Ze_Austin
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Fab lad

  22. el polako
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    "Suffering of young Werner"...

    1. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I get it 😉

      1. el polako
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        😉

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

      great team name

  23. Pukki Blinders
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Got rid of Havertz because he was deep last week and now Werner is playing deep ffs...

  24. Sterling Malory
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Where to start...?

    Ramsdale
    TAA Doherty Saiss KWP
    Salah Auba Soucek ASM
    Werner Vardy
    Cheap bench.

    2FT 0mitb
    Who to get rid off?

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

      Asm

    2. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Doherty and ASM

  25. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    C'mon Werner!

  26. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Werner fail

  27. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    What was Werner waiting for 😮

    1. Old and Slow
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      A 3rd defender? VVD to chuck him into next week? Sigh

  28. Danstoke82
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Any decent 4.9 defenders out there so I can upgrade Saliba to a 4.5?

    Or should I just stick with one of Saiss/Reece James to go alongside TAA

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

    Fabinho shutting down Werner

  30. Pedram
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    This match has 0-0 written all over it