Dugout Discussion

Alisson and Mane miss out for Liverpool as Barkley makes Aston Villa debut

The final match of Gameweek 4 – and the last Premier League fixture before the October international break – sees two sides with 100% winning records square off at Villa Park.

Aston Villa v Liverpool gets underway in the West Midlands at 19:15 BST.

There are two significant changes to Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI, with Sadio Mane (£11.9m) and Alisson (£6.0m) both missing for the visitors.

Mane’s absence we knew about, with Liverpool confirming on Friday that the Senegal international had tested positive for COVID-19.

Diogo Jota (£6.3m) comes in for his first Premier League start for the Reds.

Alisson’s shoulder injury we weren’t aware of ahead of Saturday’s Fantasy Premier League deadline but rumours had gathered momentum about his unavailability this afternoon and the Brazilian indeed sits this one out with a shoulder injury.

Adrian (£4.5m) deputises between the posts.

Klopp shed more light on his first-choice shot-stopper’s injury before the match, saying:

Yesterday an incident in training, very unlucky – two players clash with each other, one gets up, one doesn’t. The one who didn’t get up was Ali.

So, after the first few things, we don’t know 100 per cent. But he cannot play today. We have to do further assessment but he’s injured, let me say it like this. Now we hope it will go really quickly.

It’s an international break, I’m pretty sure after that he will not be ready. Then we have to see week by week.

On Mane, the Liverpool boss added:

He’s good, he’s good. We are obviously in contact pretty often.

He is fine. Monday night, we played Arsenal, played a really good game, after the game it was a really good feeling. And then the problems started immediately. That’s how it is. That’s how life is, that’s how our life is as well, that’s completely normal.

Jordan Henderson (£5.4m) has recovered from a muscle problem but the England midfielder is only among the substitutes this evening.

Aston Villa’s starting XI shows only one change, with Conor Hourihane (£6.0m) dropping to the bench.

Ross Barkley (£5.9m) comes in for the Irishman and makes his Aston Villa debut, following his loan move from Chelsea.

Three-quarters of Liverpool’s backline and Mohamed Salah (£12.2m) boast double-digit ownerships in FPL, with the Egyptian and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) the fourth and third most-owned assets overall.

Emi Martinez (£4.6m), who has racked up 19 points in his new club’s first two Premier League matches of the season, is Villa’s most-owned player.


Aston Villa XI: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Luiz, Barkley, Trézéguet, Watkins, Grealish.

Liverpool XI: Adrián, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Keita, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Jota.

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2,840 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Homer21
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    So no pool or city players from here on in?

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

    Adrian another blunder, lets in weak Watkins shot...

    1. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Very poor attempt, must try harder.

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

        Attempt at what? :p

    2. Werkself
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      That was NOT a weak shot.

  3. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Watkins in rather than DCL

  4. Doctor Evil
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Scenes!

  5. Lev Yashin
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Ollie Ollie Ollie....

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

    Would you guys rather go:
    A) 343 with DCL Maupay Wilson up front, Son + 6.0mid
    B) 442 with Kane DCL up front, JRod +Son

    1. Homer21
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      B

  7. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Well this isn't going well

    1. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Official slogan of FPL 2020/21

  8. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Mark has Grealish doesn’t he?

    Mark knows

    1. KGFC
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      He also got double Pool defence.. meh

  9. F4L
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Fackkk, where was this last week Watkins 🙁

  10. @persecuted_by_mods
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Grealish is England's most talented player

    • BremerHB
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      This season is so topsy-turvy!

    • Saxe-Gotha
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      The good new is, I did not sell Ollie for this match. The bad news, I sold him last night for Maupay.

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

        I'm sorry but hahahaha.

      2. Hulk Smash
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        He won't play Adrian every week

      3. FC Hakkebøf
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Still a goof transfer

    • Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Rejuvenated Villa!

    • Paul Psychic Octopus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I remember last week people slagging off Watkins as being useless. I also remember saying he was a good finisher who only needed a first goal to boost his confidence.

      1. FC Hakkebøf
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Cool story

        1. FC Hakkebøf
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Sorry :p

          1. Paul Psychic Octopus
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            NP! Have him in my Sky Sports teams, happy with that.

    • GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Wont play pool every week.

    • jdp219
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      So, Davis > Watkins, then?

    • Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Jimenez + Zaha -> Son + Watkins after IB. Easy

      1. FC Hakkebøf
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Zaha will come good over the next couple of gameweeks

    • Zimo
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      That 2 assists for grealish?

    • Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Grealiiiishhhgg 🙂

    • Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Watkins essential now too ?

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

      Martinez, how many saves at the end of this game?

      1. Steinburg FC
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Hopefully 12 but I wish Liverpool would score soon so I don’t get disappointed when I lose my cs

    • Fred54
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Ollie at the wheel.

    • Muchentuchel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      nooo we don't need Van Dijks counterpart. Got Gomez ...

    • Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      The funniest thing is people talking up Everton as champions. They soon go all Everton again

      1. FC Hakkebøf
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        This

    • Joey Tribbiani
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      love it!

    • nerd_is_the_werd
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      That kind of finish is what you'd see in FIFA, sliding in.

    • ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Watkins over Maupay?

    • FC Hakkebøf
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Thoughts on this wc team?

      McCarthy
      Robertson Chilwell Saiss
      Salah Son Pulisic Zaha/Rodriguez*
      Kane DCL Maupay
      ____
      Forster Lamptey Bissouma Ferguson

      *start with zaha, enough itb to shift to rodriguez

    • Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Don’t worry, Liverpool defence has Everton up next.

    • have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      lmao, Watkins. Is this real