Dugout Discussion

Greenwood absent and Pogba benched as Solskjaer names surprise starting XI

The last of four Premier League matches to take place on Saturday sees Manchester United head north to face Newcastle United.

Kick-off at St James’ Park is at 20:00 BST.

We suspected there’d be changes to the visitors’ team following the 6-1 humiliation at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight ago but not many of us would have anticipated Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s starting XI.

There are five changes to the line-up that started in north London, with the suspended Anthony Martial among the players dropping out.

Marcus Rashford moves up front in the Frenchman’s absence.

That tactical alteration was much-predicted but the omission of Mason Greenwood from the matchday squad was a curveball, while Solskjaer has also sprung a surprise by changing both of his holding midfielders.

Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic drop to the bench, with Scott McTominay and Fred coming into the side.

Victor Lindelof also ousts Eric Bailly at centre-half, with the hitherto peripheral Daniel James and Juan Mata given the nod to replace Martial and Greenwood.

New signing Alex Telles is only on the bench but the under-fire Harry Maguire has recovered from injury to line up in defence.

The hosts’ team news is much more straightforward.

Steve Bruce has made only one change from the team that originally lined up in the 3-1 win over Burnley, with Jamaal Lascelles replacing the injured Fabian Schar at centre-half.


Newcastle United XI: Darlow, Krafth, Fernandez, Lascelles, Lewis, Hayden, Shelvey, Hendrick, Saint-Maximin, Joelinton, Wilson.

Manchester United XI: de Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelöf, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Mata, Bruno Fernandes, James, Rashford.

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1,065 Comments Post a Comment
  1. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Bruno could've scored a hattrick - as a non-owner i am still pleased

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

    One of the nicest team goals of the season from United of all teams. Great stuff.

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

      They are great at counter attacking

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

    AWBBBBB GOAL
    RASHFORD ASSIST

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

      Lol absolute joke

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

    I never thought awb knew how to score wow

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

    Where was this MU for 80 bloody minutes??!!!

  6. Hulk Smash
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    I hope the scoreline holds. Newcastle deserve to be punished for their boring defensive game.

    1. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      What rubbish. Huge difference in resources . A team can only set itself up with the players at its disposal. The Arsenal invincibless were incredibly defensive but that won them a title.

  7. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    AWB stealing Bruno points. GET INNNNN

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

      Yes!

    2. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      He's not tho

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

        Is

        1. Zimo
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          How?

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

            Just look

            1. Zimo
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 6 months ago

              At what? Bruno still has more bonus and still has to get winning goal bonus

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

    Bruno essential. Heart of this Man United team and was the best player in the Prem since his signing, so no brainer?

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

      Lmao

    2. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      ''Was'' you said. What happened to him.

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

    When did awb learn to shoot?

    1. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Stunning finish!

      He used to be a winger at youth level, so it's in there somewhere.

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

      A broken clock is right twice a day. He just smashed it and hoped for the best

  10. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Rashford assist

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

    Boo was looking forward to the Bruno fail.

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

      It still is a fail

      1. Zimo
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Is salah a fail too?

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

          I’d certainly say so, measly 7 pts

          1. Zimo
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Wow u really think 7 points is a fail?

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

              It's par for course... definitely not a fail. 266 points a season if you get 7 every game.

              1. Zimo
                • 5 Years
                3 years, 6 months ago

                Exactly

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

                Yes, every game, which won’t happen. I’d be disappointed with it anyways

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

        same point as Salah

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

    Amazingly enough, and I know you’ll all find this hard to believe, right, but AWB never did that when I had him last season.....

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

    Bruno on 2 baps after penalty miss is silly. Some changes need to be made. Massive minus baps for pen miss. Also large increase in minus baps for goals conceded for defenders so we don't get defenders with bonus after conceding 2+ goals just because they had 1 assist

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

      Make the rules up as they go along, always have and the bps system will always be a joke

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

      Agreed. And should be -3 in points too.

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

      I remember end of last season when Ings missed a pen and had all 3 bonus points snatched off him even though he had the only goal in the match at that point...

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

        Cost me top 10k , I remember it well

    4. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I agree about defenders but penalty misses are already fairly punished. A single miss shouldn't completely destroy 90 minutes of good work done.

    5. @persecuted_by_mods
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Why is that silly, does a pen miss mean you didn't play well?

        1. BeaversWithAttitude
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          See Ings...

      • jumpinjeffflash
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        They should just copy Bundesliga fantasy. It doesn't have a BPS (bar 1 point for being on the winning team) and instead just hands out points for stuff like shots, passes leading to shots, tackles etc. It puts way less emphasis on goals/assists/cleanies, because there's lots of other ways to build a good score.

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

      Bruno is just going to keep on hauling isn't he. Missed pen and offside away from +10 points

    7. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Juan Mata baller. MOTM.

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

      United looking almost as dangerous as last season again, with Liverpool and City faltering could push for the title. Good on Ole

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

        Lmao

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

      3. Hulk Smash
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        This guy's good.

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

      Ffsssss

    10. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      that was actually a cross

    11. Don Kloppeone
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Was so inevitable!!

      And just like that my green arrow turns red again!

      Bruno will be up at the top of the points by end of the season.

      Rashford looking lively but I trust him less...

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

      Even with 2 assists Rashford's still behind Bruno on BPS

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

      Love seeing DVB playing, a clever boy

    14. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Bruno and Rashford back in tonight’s template then.

    15. Kip
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Seems like ManU started to click after DVDB got subbed in. Just a coincidence?

    16. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Rashford 2 assists is a nice bonus from this

    17. Pork Pie Sausage Roll
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      The Bruno hatred on here makes that all the sweeter

      1. Kip
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        This

    18. FPL_trail_runner
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Maybe should have kept Rashford 2 weeks ago, been decent returns since.

      Anyway 30k green arrow today up to 120k with 7 left to go , all while having DCL and Hamez on the bench.

    19. Pointless
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Worth the Liverpool defensive double up... Matip + Gomez?!

      1. Kip
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Maybe when Alisson returns

    20. Pratik
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Its a really tough dance b/w Salah/Son/Fernandes/Sterling/KDB/Bruno/Mane this year. Expect all of them to do really well over the course of the season. You will get some points, and inevitably miss some.

      I'm happy with no united in the next 3 fixtures.

      1. Hulk Smash
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        True. I honestly think Bruno could outscore them all though. Most premiums blank a fair bit but make up for it with massive hauls, whereas Bruno seems incredibly consistent and hardly ever blanks - and he hauls. If United can sustain any type of form I will consider going without City cover to have him.

      2. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Bruno looked very good this game

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

      RASHFORD GOAL
      BRUNO ASAIST

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

      Rashy haul!!!