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. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Why is kante the most advanced out of those 3? Kovacic would have been much better

    1. Wilshere Knowledge
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Can’t trust Kante on the ball deep.

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

    Werner just stay onside ffs

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

    Werner >> Maupay?

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

      after next week im genuinely contemplating it

    2. Party time
        3 years, 6 months ago

        No brainer

      • ivantys
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        LOL

    3. Wild Card this!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Score prediction after 20 minutes?
      0:0 anyone?

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

        Haha! No! Salah looks really lively & Kepa is too crap to not concede

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

        can see 3 goals in this

    4. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Werner just stopped?

    5. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Havertz is looking much better this game. Nice touches under pressure. But still not enough to justify keeping his place in my team as yet...

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

        Looking good? I’m not sure if we are watching the same game. Chelsea should be staring with Gru and Havertz should be benched at this all rate. Not ready

        1. Wild Card this!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Indeed...for some reason - he is strolling around

        2. Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          I said 'he is looking much better'.

          Are you watching the same game? Because he has definitely done alright considering the ridiculous speed that Liverpool press.

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

            Then we can agree to disagree. Being rubbish doesn’t have levels. He is just strolling around.

            I’ve watched him last year few times, he was sublime. He’ll come good but seems he needs to adapt

            1. Wild Card this!
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 6 months ago

              Maybe he is sulking as not playing in preferred role or something...no idea...

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

        But last week was enough?

        1. Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          No, I just had Alli as a much bigger priority.

      3. DandyDon
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        If he keeps playing up front I’ll be bringing him in! Doubt this is the team Lampard has in mind longterm though

    6. potatoace
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      CHE do realise you have to shoot right?
      You don't get points for getting into the box then working it back to your GK

    7. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Werner as a winger doesn’t interest me

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

        my thoughts

      2. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Still trying things that would work on a bundesliga defence

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

            Bloody farmers

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

          Won't be a winger when Ziyech/Puli return

        • Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          ziyech and pulisic concur

          1. Wild Card this!
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Puli might be the “master key”

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

        Dele Alli has to be the worst pick I've ever made, damn you Amazon!!!

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

          At least Amazon stopped you from picking Rose 🙂

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

            haha, sadly not the case for Eric Dier though...

      4. scubasmithy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Wow, I have had a rough week.. Sold Son and Mitrovic for Fernandes and Brewster......for a HIT!

        What's that about a 45 point swing...

        BUT

        I bet on
        Mitrovic to score twice
        Mitrovic to score a header
        Son and Mitrovic to Both Score
        £23 staked..... just under £300 back

        And yet, I'd give it all back to just have done NOTHING. Lesson learned (or is it, I'm going to continue to back the things that could go against my FPL team....lol)

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

          looks like you are the real winner there

          1. The Suspended One
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Uhh yeah I would take that all day

      5. seewhyaxe
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Cue Jimenez hat-trick next.

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

          Sterlings turn next week

      6. tiger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        We've used up the goals quota for this gameweek...0-0's all the way now

      7. ace3.1415
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Thoughts on trossard?

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

          Don’t

        2. Right In The Stanchion
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Very cute

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

          Very good, but as mid-price mid, Grealish, Foden, Beaky, JRod sexier.

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

        Werner blanks today= I sell him for Jimmy or DCL

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

          Just in time for West Brom

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

          Go with the form players, reputations mean nothing.

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

            Agree

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

        Of course the game where I have 4 players is looking like this lool.

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

          4?

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

        Havertz is playing the striker role in the middle

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

          CF not a striker

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

        Pool's high line is scary as a double owner

      12. Prime
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Fabinho to keep his place if he does well today?

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

          No, and I think Thiago A will be wanting his spot.

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

            Not sure if Thiago is interested in the CB spot

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

              No. Gomez w ill be back and Thiago will want Fab's holding midfield position.

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

                Thiago won't play holding mid. He'll replace Wijnaldum.

      13. WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        I transferred out a player that scored more than more whole team, FML

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

          Been there, done that..

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

          If that includes your captain then damn!

      14. sirmorbach
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Don't get me wrong, Kepa is terrible, but not even Alisson or Ter Stegen would solve Chelsea's defensive issues. The problem is Lampard. I mean, he's got N'Golo Kante there. They should be doing better.

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

          Silva and Azpi both need to start

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

        Werner is playing on the left to target Trent's side. Difficult for him to participate in the attack with the space thats left for Werner's pace.

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

          Nice observation. Trent is cautious.

      16. Rhodes your boat
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Thoughts with 2ft 1.5itb, had a poor week

        McCarthy
        Taa holding Justin
        Salah auba havertz asm soucek
        Werner ings

        Button Mitchell buur davis

      17. Gobigorgohome
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Salah looks so sharp

      18. Pep Roulette
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Any chance of McCarthy losing his place next week?

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

          He wasn't the problem. The manager's high line was.

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

            Well he was at fault for the first goal. Should have come out to collect the ball. But overall, the high line killed them.

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

          Not at the moment. Hasenhuttl will persevere with him.

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

          Cheers guys

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

        TAA isn't bombing forward that much

        1. Gobigorgohome
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          well.. too risky you know

        2. tsm
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          After Werner exploited with that run he playing a bit deeper than normal.

      20. tsm
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Have 5m hole in midfield anyone got recommendations?

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

          soucek

          1. tsm
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Ta will take a look

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

        Havertz playing as a winger again

      22. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Is TAA even worth having anymore?

        1. Party time
            3 years, 6 months ago

            You have to sell him first to find out

          • tsm
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Yep he is, you got basically a 6th midfielder who has chance of clean sheets

        2. Cajunfit
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          That Lamptey knock really screwed up my doublet transfer for next week now that ASM is injured

          1. Nimby
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            I bet Lamptey is alright. And would you really want to play him against an admittedly poor looking man utd team?

            1. tsm
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 6 months ago

              He is on my watchlist

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

          Surprised nobody saying trent out yet