Dugout Discussion

Rodriguez returns to Everton line-up as Greenwood misses out for Manchester United

James Rodriguez (£7.9m) is back in the Everton starting line-up after missing the past two gameweeks through injury.

The Colombian has so far racked up 34 points in three home games, including one 18-point haul against Brighton in Gameweek 4.

Rodriguez is set to operate on the right of a front three for the Toffees, with Bernard (£5.8m) playing from the left in the absence of the suspended Richarlison (£7.8m).

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.8m), fresh from an overnight price rise, leads the line for Everton.

Seamus Coleman (£4.9m) is another injury returnee at right-back, while Lucas Digne (£6.1m) resumes his place on the other side of defence following a reduced one-game ban.

The fit-again Mason Holgate (£4.8m) is preferred at centre-back over Yerry Mina (£5.5m). Jordan Pickford (£5.0m) returns between the sticks for the Toffees, having been dropped in favour of Robin Olsen (£4.5m) in Gameweek 7.

Ancelotti made it clear in is pre-match press conference yesterday that Pickford would come back into the Everton XI.

On the pitch he [Pickford] has to be focused on what he’s doing. He has to know where his quality is. He knows what to do tomorrow. His mentality is good, I don’t want to change it.

I think sometimes he made mistakes because he thought too much. He has to use his instinct more, which is really good. – Carlo Ancelotti

Anthony Martial (£8.7m), back from a three-game suspension, begins up front for Manchester United.

Mason Greenwood (£7.2m) is absent from the Red Devils’ matchday squad so Juan Mata (£5.9m) earns a start in attacking midfield.

The Spaniard could play from the right or centrally, potentially interchanging with Bruno Fernandes (£10.5m), while Marcus Rashford (£9.6m) looks set to face off against Coleman from his usual left-side attacking berth.

Alex Telles (£5.5m) is back in training but does not make the 18, while Paul Pogba (£7.8m) is on the United bench.

Victor Lindelof (£4.9m) has recovered from a back injury to take up his spot in central defence beside Harry Maguire (£5.4m).

Victor is feeling okay in his back, hopefully he can last the game because he has had trouble with it. The energy of Scott McTominay and Fred after not playing this midweek [in the Champions League] will help us. – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

On Richarlison, who will return for the Toffees’ sweet clash away to Fulham in GW9, Ancelotti said last night:

it is impossible to replace Richarlison. There is no player in the world like Richarlison. So we have to replace him with another player with different quality.

We have to change a little bit our style of play without Richarlison, but the defeat [against Newcastle] was not because Richarlison was not there. It was because we did not play well. Simple.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, was full of praise for the Everton manager when quizzed by BT Sport on his decision to join the Merseyside outfit.

I needed to play under a coach who knows me; how I behave on and off the pitch. Carlo was exactly what I needed for coming to this club.

It was because of both reasons [Carlo and the club] that I moved here. They trusted me when no one else did. I;ll be forever grateful to the club and to Carlo. – James Rodriguez

Everton XI (4-3-3): Pickford; Digne, Keane, Holgate, Coleman; Sigurdsson, Allan, Doucouré; Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Rodriguez.

Manchester United XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; Fred, McTominay; Rashford, B Fernandes, Mata; Martial.

1,173 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Senate
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    How is that not a pen?

    1. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Maguire made him spill it first

    2. Ze_Austin
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      "Clear and obvious error"

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

      Offside

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

        Oh u mean the united one. I dunno

  2. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    It was a worse foul on Walcott yesterday and not given.

    Totally crazy decisions

  3. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    CLEAR FOUL BY MAGUIRE FIRST

    Commentator totally ignoring that

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        3 years, 5 months ago

        This. Ignored by everyone, Maguire does a push on Pickford

      • Third Eye Vision
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        He’s a kopite. Of course he ignores it.

        1. Marvin Moon
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Mcmanaman is an Everton fan.

          1. Third Eye Vision
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            Ha ha ha

            1. Marvin Moon
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 5 months ago

              Do your research.

              1. Third Eye Vision
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 5 months ago

                I’m well aware of who he supported as a child, but he’s so anti-Everton at every opportunity. I guess my research would involve listening to him every time we play.

                Soft lad.

                1. Marvin Moon
                  • 7 Years
                  3 years, 5 months ago

                  Ok.

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

        Cant understand why commentators not mentioning it.

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

      Pickford is a mess

    3. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Do they give Pickford some special treatment because he’s a spaz

      1. Third Eye Vision
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Disablism. Classy.

        1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          wasn’t meant in that way, apologies

      2. FPL.team
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Ban.

    4. Fer Fuch's Ake
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Is pickford on some sort of drugs?

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

      Pickford really is the worst keeper in the league, how was that not a penalty?

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

        He got pushed in the chest

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

      That's a pen, don't have Bruno but surely a pen

      Pickford is a clown

    7. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      pickford comedy genius

    8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Maguire crazy tackle

      That’s no better than the lascelles challenge

    9. Fer Fuch's Ake
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Maguire chopping wood now

    10. TomSaints
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      That’s an Everton penalty too if not offside

    11. Marvin Moon
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      An actual t-rex would be less clumsy in goal than Pickford.

      1. GreennRed
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        T_rex's have short arms. Would be poor goalkeepers.

        1. Forgetmeknot
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Their tails would make them do a good Higuita scorpion kick though

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

      Pickford dropped yet?

    13. King Carlos
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Ref is losing the plot

    14. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      That penalty would've ended Pickford's career right there. The next Kepa...

    15. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Clear red for Jerry Maguire

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

        That’s a horror tackle. Over the ball and out of control

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

          Too bad its offside. Pickford escaped punishment too against liverpool

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

        Clear red? Jesus Christ.

    16. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Digne down

      Offside but Maguire took out digne

    17. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      That's a pen if onside

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

        And red card

    18. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Digne crunched

      1. GreennRed
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        He's French. Not used to being hit.

    19. JBG
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Martial barely slaps Lamela, RC. Pickford injures VVD with a horrible 2 footed tackls and knees Maguire in the stomach, nothing... The refs are a joke.

      1. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Apparently Maguire fouled Pickford first

        1. Nightcrawler
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Yup onlynreason pick dropped it was to prevent corner after maguire push

      2. how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        it was a foul but maguire went down like a sack of spuds too. Seems a bit tougher on holiday.

    20. gooberman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Martial has been dreadful.

    21. Not again Shirley
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Have Martial in Draft. Get rid?

      Caveat, not a great many other options!

      1. Not again Shirley
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Lol at post just previous to mine. Timing!

      2. Pukki Blinders
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Imagine getting rid before WBA

        1. Not again Shirley
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          You say that but Martial is that bad even WBA no guarantee

      3. Baps hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        To whom?

        1. Not again Shirley
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Well yes and there lies issue. May just hold on and not play him otherwise will end up with Burnley strikers. Was thinking of getting rid for Adam’s who was available but in fairness I did see that they have West Brom next

    22. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      He got the fookin ball

      1. GreennRed
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Is that streetlish?

    23. columbo
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Sky fantasy have removed dcl assist, wonder if fpl do the same

      1. GreennRed
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        They did it in 2009

    24. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Frankenstein's monster should be off ?

    25. Tripleh123
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Need advice for upcoming weeks. A) Vardy Bruno (-4)

      B) Kane Rashford

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

        A

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

      Neither a penalty for me.

      Maguire push Pickford first, before Maguire got kicked. So should be a foul on Pickford against Maguire.
      Maguire tackle was a tough, but legal challenge. Sometimes you get crunched in tackles when things are happening quickly. It isn't a non-contact sport.

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

        Thank you!

      2. potatoace
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Agree first one. But as the FK to pickford didn't happen clearly var didn't make that the reason no pen for MAN.

    27. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Dreadful tackle from Maguire. Just awful. Got lucky that DCL was offside, though the Liverpool fans screaming for a Pickford RC may have something to say about that

    28. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Bruno being dealt with by Coleman

      Tackled to the ground