Dugout Discussion

Robertson starts and Wilson returns as FPL managers turn to Salah for captaincy

The final Premier League match of the calendar year draws a shorter-than-expected Gameweek 16 to a close.

Reigning champions and league leaders Liverpool take on Newcastle United this evening, with kick-off at St James Park at 20:00 GMT.

This is the only top-flight fixture of the day, following the earlier postponement of Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham.

Amid all the rotation and cancellations elsewhere, Liverpool’s teamsheet is reassuringly familiar from a Fantasy Premier League perspective.

The usual front three and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m) all start, along with Andrew Robertson (£7.3m), who hasn’t missed a single minute of Premier League football all season – earlier rumours that the Scot would be rested on Tyneside proving wide of the mark.

Jurgen Klopp has made two changes to the side that underwhelmed in the match against West Bromwich Albion in Gameweek 15.

The injured Joel Matip (£5.5m) and the benched Georginio Wijnaldum (£5.3m) make way, with budget FPL defender Nathaniel Phillips (£4.0m) and the versatile James Milner (£5.3m) brought in to replace them.

That means another start for the cut-price Curtis Jones (£4.4m) in midfield.

Thiago Alcantara (£5.7m) makes his long-awaited return from a knee injury, taking his place among the visitors’ substitutes.

Steve Bruce has made just the one change to the side that lost 2-0 to Manchester City on Saturday and it’s a significant one from a Fantasy perspective.

Callum Wilson (£6.5m) is back in the starting XI following his benching at the Etihad, with Miguel Almiron (£5.6m) dropping out.

Jamal Lewis (£4.3m) is again on the bench, where he is joined by fit-again goalkeeper Martin Dubravka (£4.8m).

Wilson, whose points-per-match average is inferior to just two other Fantasy forwards, is the only Newcastle starter owned by more than 2% of FPL managers.

There is unsurprisingly a lot more interest in the Reds.

Salah was the most-captained asset of Gameweek 16 overall, with over half of the top 10,000 handing the armband to the Egyptian.

Given that over a third of the other top 10k managers backed a non-playing Spurs or Manchester City asset, Salah will no doubt also be on vice-captaincy duties for many others.



Newcastle United XI: Darlow, Yedlin, Schar, Fernandez, Clark, Ritchie, Murphy, Hayden, M Longstaff, Joelinton, Wilson.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Fabinho, Robertson, Henderson, Milner, Jones, Salah, Firmino, Mane.

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1,622 Comments Post a Comment
  1. wantsharptv
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Sign off with 57. Considering I had 11 players start it's disappointing

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

      57 when the big 6 hitters (Kane, Son, KDB, Salah, Vardy, Bruno) can only muster one assist between them is not a fail.

      1. wantsharptv
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Had the armband on mane.. bad call

    2. Bobby
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      These kinds of posts are irritating - is there not a whatsapp group you could tell this to instead?

    3. Bourbon, Pot Still or Islay…
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Yeah..... the whats app group 'FFS leg-ends'

    4. JohnnyRev7
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      No link? BS.

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

    51 and a small green arrow, survived!

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

      50 from 9 players, delighted with that.

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

    ...and there ends the worst fpl week for a long time. New Years Day will be the time for recovery and hope.

  4. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Damn Darlow should've been penalised for holding Mané. I wonder how VAR missed that 😉

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

      I have just realized that too. Isn’t it “strange” how Mane doesn’t drop himself down for the penalty? Who would of taken the penalty I wonder 🙂

      1. Duke Silver ☑
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Mané knew he wouldn't be taking the pen 😆

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

          Exactly. On top of that it would be Salah 😀

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

    Decide to perma cap Salah and two blanks in a row 🙂

    1. Here's Tom with the We…
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      That’s exactly what I did! Lol

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

      He’s an utter waster

      1. Bourbon, Pot Still or Islay…
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Totally.....

        Wait..... is he top scorer in the league.....

        Perhaps just a tired performance....

        Mane a fraud too? Henderson? TAA? Grealish? Vardy? Etc etc...

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

    A decidedly jammy 50pts for me this week. Hope it wasn't too bad for the rest of ya's.

    1. Jebiga
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      17

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

        GW17?

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

    Do we expect to get more clatiry on Charie Taylor injury before deadlline? Could he be ready for the DGW or not? Press conferences tomorrow or not?

  8. Jebiga
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Ohhh Clark should score that and i will have early celebration

  9. tafrère
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    20 years of watching most Premier League playing for a draw since minute 1 of a game.

    The rules should changed.

    A victory shoudl earn you 4 pts.

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

      I’d like an extra point if you score 2 goals.

      Encourages teams to go for it at all times

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

      It is sport not entertainment, sometimes the two coincide but it isn't the objective of sport to be entertaining. Newcastle played according to a realistic assessment of their ability.

  10. I SPEAK ENGELS AND DRINK GI…
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Best Mitchell replacement (5th defender) for GW 18 and starter next two?

    A) Holgate WHU, wol
    B) Holding wba, CRY
    C) Coady bri, EVE

    1. Dion D's Solo Shower
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      B

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

    55 pts all out, cannot complain I guess.

    68 in my ‘other team’ lol

    1. I SPEAK ENGELS AND DRINK GI…
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Other team? Get out of here. Unethical

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

      Mods!

      Report this cheater!!

    3. JohnnyRev7
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      No link? BS.

  12. Whazza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    C stays on Salah. Soton will actually try to play

    1. BIG TONES
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Accurate. I'm going Son vs Leeds, should be open

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

        True!

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

      He question is, will Pool try to play?

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

    That late fernandes assist is even more annoying now

    1. Party time
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Oh it was even a deflected shot. It should have been a Saïss OG.

        Bruno(C)

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

      62 points! But cant help imagine what could have been if Bruno (C) didnt fail...

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

        Bruno got lucky mate

      2. JohnnyRev7
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        No link? BS.

    3. AzzaroMax99
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      61 pts if Robbo gets 3 bps.
      Finally 3 good scores in a row.

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

      Humble brag humble brag. Humble. Brag. Phew. Relief. Only much higher than average score. I’m so good. You are not.

      1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        They arent even humble and many are lies anyway

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

          See 2 posts down.

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

      Darlow is waaay better than Pickford

    6. Neves say Neves
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Just hit 1k points, feels tres bon

      1. JohnnyRev7
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        No link? BS.

    7. BIG TONES
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Considering a sneaky Brewster start over Zouma (MCI), thoughts?

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

      Just came to know that my only sub Burke picked up a yc 🙁
      As if Taylor and Adams were not enough and then comes Salah(c) - disappointment - hope Robo takes some baps now

    9. Neevesy
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Somehow a better week than last week, finished on 66 points. I'll take it...... Very jammy.

      1. JohnnyRev7
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        No link? BS.

    10. Dion D's Solo Shower
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      How does this team look for GW17?

      Pope
      Mitchell - Dier - Robbo
      Salah - Bruno - Son - Saka - Mahrez
      Bamford - Watkins

      Bench: Cancelo - Adams - Targett

      Considering doing a -4 for Mahrez --> Zaha as a 1 week punt.
      Should I consider WC'ing even, to set myself up for GW18 & 19?

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

      Well that was very disappointing again with Saah(c).

      Cheers though Robbo! Somehow getting me to 50pts from 9 this week

    12. Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Looks like 37 for cup qualification

      1. OptimusBlack
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Yes

      2. MIGHTY JOE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        36 points here 🙂

    13. Typo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Need help on price, tired, cant think.

      I’ve bought Grealish for 7.1. He is now 7.8, my sell price is now 7.4.
      If Grealish drops tonight, will my sellprice tomorrow be 7.4 or 7.3?

      Thanks

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

        7.4.

        If he drops to 7.6 then you drop to 7.3.

        1. Typo
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Thanks

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

        7.4

        1. Typo
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Thanks

      3. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        0.7 / 2 vs 0.6 / 2

      4. Keep Calm and Play On
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Still 7.4, he rose .7 so for him to rise .6 half is still .3 on what you paid

    14. SINGH
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      4TH WEEK IN A ROW CAPTAIN FAIL!!!!!

    15. Pepeye
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Some great performances by the Toon defence, unexpected after they were beaten at Man City easily

    16. Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      What a shame Kane cap, Son and Dier didn’t play. Would have been hauls hauls and more hauls.

      1. I SPEAK ENGELS AND DRINK GI…
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        0-0

    17. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Robbo on 3 bonus? Best news this week!

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

        Mine was when Lewis came on for a point near the end!! Haha

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

      One of my worst decisions during this season brought all my defender's points. Thank You Jamal!!!

      Omg, points is plural 🙁 How should I write this?!?