Dugout Discussion

Vestergaard absent for Southampton as Konsa returns on Villa bench

Jannik Vestergaard (£5.0m) misses out for Southampton’s trip to Fulham today after Ralph Hasenhüttl reported a knee problem.

In his pre-match press conference, the Saints boss revealed there was fluid on the joint and that the issue would need further investigation before confirmation could be made about his fitness.

With the glut of fixtures between now and the end of the calendar year, Hasenhüttl is taking no chances, going without Vestergaard for the first time since the Gameweek 2 home drubbing by Spurs.

Jack Stephens (£4.6m) comes in for the Danish defender, sitting alongside Jan Bednarek (£4.7m) in Southampton’s back-four.

With Danny Ings (£8.3m) still on the sidelines, Shane Long (£5.1m) comes into the side to pair with Che Adams (£6.1m) up-front.

That is because an injury to Nathan Redmond (£6.4m) has forced Theo Walcott (£5.8m) to continue operating on the flanks of midfield with Stuart Armstrong (£5.5m).

Southampton visit a Fulham side going with the so-called makeshift attack that spurred them on to win at Leicester and draw with Liverpool.

Ivan Cavaleiro (£5.3m) is back up-front as an out-of-position Fantasy Premier League midfielder, supported by an attacking midfield trio of Ademola Lookman (£5.0m), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£5.9m) and Bobby De Cordova-Reid (£5.3m).

Aston Villa welcome Ezri Konsa (£4.8m) back against Crystal Palace today although the centre-back is fit enough only for the bench following an illness.

Tyrone Mings (£5.4m) and Kortney Hause (£4.4m) occupy the heart of Villa’s defence for the third consecutive Premier League match, flanked by Matt Targett (£4.6m) and Matt Cash (£5.0m).

Jack Grealish (£7.8m) appears to be in a central attacking midfield position for the visit of Palace, Bertrand Traoré (£5.9m) and penalty taker Anwar El Ghazi (£5.7m) either side of him and Ollie Watkins (£6.1m) up-front.

The Eagles shape up in a 4-4-2 formation with Wilfried Zaha (£7.5m) out of position as a striker once again.

Aston Villa XI: Martínez; Targett, Mings, Hause, Cash; Luiz, McGinn; El Ghazi, Grealish, B Traoré; Watkins.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; van Aanholt, Dann, Kouyaté, J Ward; Eze, McArthur, Milivojevic, Schlupp; Zaha, Benteke.

Fulham XI: Areola; A Robinson, Adarabioyo, Andersen, Aina; Anguissa, Reed; Lookman, Loftus-Cheek, De Cordova-Reid; Cavaleiro.

Southampton XI: A McCarthy; Bertrand, Bednarek, J Stephens, Walker-Peters; Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Diallo, Walcott; Adams, S Long.

1,963 Comments Post a Comment
  1. BIG TONES
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Palace are very vulnerable on the counter, Vardy is on for a haul next GW

  2. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Hause 36
    Martinez 34

  3. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Villa defence is killing me!!!!
    I own Konsa
    Gw 8 benched for CS 6
    9 benched for goal 8
    10 benched him
    11 cancelled game v New
    12 benched CS v Wolves
    13-15 injured and missed 2 CSs. Came on for one point this game

    Martinez has annihilated him 🙁

  4. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Bednarek first on my bench.
    Coufal stay at home, support your wife and baby, its christmas time after all...

    1. FPL price manipulators are …
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Me too.

  5. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinez was on 4 saves at HT. Saved an Eze shot and one other shot. How's that only 1 save?

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

      he is on 6 saves

    2. jimmyabs1987
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      He has 6

    3. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Nah, he had 2 more saves towards the end of the match

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

    Another weekend of pain and suffering

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

    McCarthy goes from 3 saves and 3bp to 1 save and completely out the bonus PTS. WTF! Sick to death of Villa clean sheets!

    1. Tango74
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Why didn’t u get a villa defender then?

  8. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Did Mark sell McCarthy for Martinez or something?

  9. jimmyabs1987
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Another casual 10 points from Martinez, he is a machine

  10. FPL price manipulators are …
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    No baps for Watkins!

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

      None deserved!

  11. Isco Disco
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinez and Target points.....Get in!!!
    Good start to the GW.

  12. Stupendous
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinez 10 points boom!!!!

    Bednarek sadly 2nd on bench!

  13. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    What a nightmare Konsa has been!
    Lost 15 points in the last 3 weeks due to him being doubtful.

  14. sambyy
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Basically three assists for Watkins by missing three big chances

  15. Nanoelektronicar
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinez you legend 10 pointer yeeeeeeeaaahhh !!!

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      9 points

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

        It's 10 no?

        6 saves, 2 baps.

        1. Sim Simma
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          My bad, FPL was showing 7 points for me, 10 points it is

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

        10

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

    Palace are dreadful

  17. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Grealish is too good for Villa.

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

    Blimey Watkins

  19. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Should the Vardy non-owners be worried looking at this palace side ?

    1. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Yes, but not too much. When you have Spurs & Liv it negates it somewhat 😉 Can't have em all. Just playing for more points over time

  20. The Senate
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Do we think Robin Olsen stays as Everton keeper for the foreseeable?

  21. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Watkins an absolute garbage player. He should be dropped when Barkley is back and let the other guys play striker.

    Imagine having 3 """assists""" and not even getting a single bap. What an awful """footballer"""

    1. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Absolute legend he is mate

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

      What a garbage post id say actually

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

        Just admit youre a jammy casual if you actually own trashkins mate..

    3. MGMT
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Focal point in attack today, 2 shots off the post was just unlucky... Missed his chances but improved so much Villa's attack overall.

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

      The two sitters he missed are more of an accurate comment.

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

    Lil spurs were supposed to be title challengers and Villa are ahead of them with a game in hand 😆

  23. WVA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    KWP BAP!!!!!!

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

    Absolutely sickening owning McCarthy over Martinez

    Fpl rigged

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Try owning Meslier

  25. Black Knights
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    What happened to McCarthy? He went from 3 saves and 3 baps to 1 save and 0 baps.

    Got him on my bench, own Emi 🙂

    1. Traction Engine Foot
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Shenanigans

    2. HD7
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      This is my question too, how do you reduce the saves?
      Havent seen it so far

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

        Did he make saves from a situation where VAR intervened and ruled the play offside or something?

  26. Joey Tribbiani
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinez owner since gw2, best transfers this season probably

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

    Martinez and KWP = 18 🙂

  28. Bucket Man
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Team a mess as usual. Was planning Kane and Soucek for Brewster and KDB for BB. Think I need Bruno though so more likely to TC. 2FT 0.7ITB. KDB to Bruno?

    McCarthy
    Robertson, Cancelo, Taylor
    Salah, KDB, Son, Grealish, Bowen
    DCL, Bamford
    Dallas, Lamptey, Brewster

  29. Gandalf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    What happened to McCarthy's save point?

  30. UshFPL
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Did McCarthy just lose a save point?

    1. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      And 3 baps