Dugout Discussion

Mané benched as Salah makes immediate return to Liverpool line-up

Sadio Mane (£12.1m) only makes the Liverpool bench, as manager Jurgen Klopp continues to carefully manage his injury-ravaged squad. There are four changes to the side that beat Leicester last weekend, with Mo Salah (£12.2m) recovering from the coronavirus to start his second game in 72 hours.

It’s a disappointment to Mane’s owners, who were hoping his scoring drought of one goal from eight games in all competitions could end against Brighton – a side he has never scored against in four appearances.

Takumi Minamino (£6.0m) steps in to start his first league game of the season and the in-form Diogo Jota (£6.8m), whose ownership has shot up to 22%, plays again after notching eight goals since his £40m summer move from Wolves.

Long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk (£6.3m) and Joe Gomez (£5.3m) have forced Klopp into patching up his defence. As Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m) isn’t yet back from his calf injury, trust has been placed in youngsters Neco Williams (£3.9m) and Nathaniel Phillips (£4.0m) to play alongside Fabinho (£5.4m) and Andrew Robertson (£7.2m).

Jordan Henderson (£5.4m) also makes the bench, having picked up a knock on international duty with England, so the versatile James Milner (£5.3m) moves away from right-back to join Georginio Wijnaldum (£5.3m) in midfield.

Whilst the champions have a below-par away record by amassing only four points from four trips, they travel to a Brighton side who haven’t won at home. Defeats to Chelsea and Man United were respectable but the Seagulls also couldn’t find a way past West Brom or Burnley.

Thanks to beating Aston Villa last weekend, they are now seeking their first back-to-back league wins since November 2019. However, the impressive Tariq Lamptey (£4.8m) was sent off in injury time at Villa Park, depriving Graham Potter’s side of a huge attacking threat. 

Adam Lallana (£6.2m) also makes way from the starting line-up, after being withdrawn at half time due to a groin strain. Joel Veltman (£4.3m) and Aaron Connolly (£5.3m) replace the pair.

Another attacker low on goals is Neal Maupay (£6.3m), without a goal since his spree between Gameweeks 2 and 4. This hasn’t been helped by the disciplinary problems that saw him dropped for the recent visit to Tottenham.

Leandro Trossard (£6.0m) is named on the bench, after missing two matches with a thigh problem.

BRIGHTON XI (3-5-2): Ryan; Dunk, Webster, Veltman; Gross, Bissouma, White, March, Connolly; Maupay, Welbeck

LIVERPOOL XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; N Williams, Fabinho, Phillips, Robertson; Milner, Wijnaldum; Minamino, Jota, Salah; Firmino

FPLMarc Newcastle fan that spends far too much time thinking about FPL.

427 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Thank you Sterling, I deserve it that I put faith on a "footballer like you

    1. FourLokoLeipzig
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      At least he should be a sure starter for his captain duties next week now

  2. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    No Cancelo or Sterling! Ouch! That's gotta hurt some...

    1. Bring the Cavalry
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Sterling(c) in for a -4 and cancelo, closest to quit I’ve ever had

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

      Me

    3. Milk, 1 Šuker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Don't give up chaps. Plenty of fixtures to go yet!

  3. Captain Vantastic™
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Cancelo benching was waiting to happen with Mendy and Zinchenko fit. You just can't trust Pep.

  4. BeWater
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Pep ruining FPL every weekend.

  5. Well you know, Triffic
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    How many times do people need to get burnt by Pep roulette to see that the only nailed players for him are Ederson and KDB.

  6. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Hahaha no Cancelo

  7. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Keeps getting worse. No Sterling now!

  8. PogChamp
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Took a hit to bring in Sterling(c) and Cancelo...And I own Maupay.

    1. Milk, 1 Šuker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      It might not matter later, but who's your VC?

  9. JBG
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Got scared when I saw Stones was going to get a start. Happy now that I went with Dias over Cancelo.

  10. NETFLIX & CHILWELL
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Foden.

    LOL.

  11. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Dias to rub further salt in Cancelo owners wounds by getting an attacking return

  12. Sif
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    UTC!

  13. Jimmers
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    So Foden to Jota for a hit was worth it!!

    1. DannyDrinkVodka
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Foden could still deliver......but yeah......

    2. KAALI_DAAL
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Foden brace from bench incoming!

  14. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Sterling (C) 🙁 🙁

    1. Nanoelektronicar
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I decided not to go C, but still, massive blow this week. No way I get a green arrow.

  15. DannyDrinkVodka
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Cancelo and Foden in my starting line-up with no defenders to cover on the bench....fml

  16. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Game almost over and the article turns up. LOL

    1. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I think it had something to do with Fantasy5 deadline...

  17. SHOWSTOPPERRR
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Salah got an assist?

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yes

    2. Jack Burton
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah then off at 63 min

  18. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Another CB injured and no subs left, this is why you dont sub Salah

  19. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Now Philips plays! 2nd on bench.

  20. lordkippe
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Sterling & Cancelo benched. Disaster!

  21. deathcabofdevil
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Took a hit to bring Dias and Sterling (c) cuz I was 0.1 short of KDB.

    Well, atleast I didn't bring Cancelo which was my original plan.

  22. Sif
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Cancelo culture strikes again

  23. Pacer.
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I don't understand this. Irbox told me that Sterling would be a superior option to Kane or Son

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      He says a lot of things

  24. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Just hope Vardy hauls. This GW is going from bad to worse!

  25. King Drogba11
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Cancelo and Sterling C

    Yayyy

  26. denial
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    No Jota bonus?

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

      3bp

      1. denial
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Sorry refreshed now

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      On 3

    3. KAALI_DAAL
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      3

  27. KAALI_DAAL
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Jotaaaaaaaa!!!!

  28. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Hmmm bit worried for a Cancelo 1 pointer with no Zinchenko on the bench with Mendy starting, what do we think folks??

    1. Pacer.
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Likely

      1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Damn.... had a feeling Cancelo would be benched and put Lewis ahead of Ayling on my bench too!! Grrrr

  29. F4L
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    So close to a Robbo OG damn

  30. Black Knights
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Cancelo owners already getting to test out the theory that he’ll outscore Dias from a hand fewer.

    1. Black Knights
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      *game

    2. King Drogba11
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah regretting it now obviously. Arguably the best game for a CS