Dugout Discussion

Arsenal without three key players as Pogba returns to wide role for Man United

Arsenal are short of key personnel as they host Manchester United in Gameweek 21.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.3m) misses a second Premier League match in a row as he deals with an ongoing personal issue but the premium midfielder is not the only absentee.

Kieran Tierney (£5.4m) was to be assessed for the calf injury that kept him sidelined for the Southampton game ahead of Gameweek 21 and he misses out third time in Arsenal’s last four league matches.

That means a third successive start at left-back for Cédric Soares (£4.6m) while Ainsley Maitland-Niles (£4.6m) remains a substitute amid rumours of a departure during the January transfer window.

Bukayo Saka (£5.4m) might have been viewed as an alternative on the left-hand side of defence but he is the third big name missing from Arsenal’s latest team-sheet, left out with a sore hip.

With Saka and Aubameyang missing, Mikel Arteta turns to Nicolas Pépé (£7.6m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£4.9m) to staff the flanks of attacking midfield either side of Emile Smith Rowe (£4.5m), whose recovery from a muscle injury is even more welcome than usual in light of Arsenal’s latest injury news.

Thomas Partey (£4.9m) has also shrugged off his yellow flag for a knock and features in defensive midfield alongside Granit Xhaka (£5.2m).

Following the shock defeat to Sheffield United, Paul Pogba (£7.7m) returns to a wider role for Manchester United.

The Frenchman features on the left-hand side of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s front-three with Bruno Fernandes (£11.4m) in the middle and Marcus Rashford (£9.6m) on the right.

They sit behind Edinson Cavani (£7.9m) who earns a deserved recall up-front at the expense of Anthony Martial (£8.8m)

With Pogba higher up the pitch, Scott McTominay (£4.9m) and Fred (£5.3m) anchor the midfield while Luke Shaw (£4.8m) returns at left-back.

Arsenal v Manchester United line-ups

Arsenal XI: Leno; Cédric, Holding, D Luiz, Bellerín; Xhaka, Partey; Martinelli, Smith Rowe, Pépé; Lacazette.

Manchester United XI: De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; McTominay, Fred; Pogba, B Fernandes, Rashford; Cavani.

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970 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Everyone has blanked and you know who's gonna score

    Bam bam

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      he will come on for Sterling so ok

    2. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'll take it

    3. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'd probably have sold him if it wasn't for the Kane injury

    4. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Coming on for Saka for me

    5. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah, Grealish, Ings, soucek, Antonio,Watkins, Salah and Mané all yet to play.

      1. Kellz86
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Salah and his brother Salah?

  2. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pepe has no end product

  3. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    esr subbed

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      lol

  4. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    A single Smith Rowe contribution would feel like Dreamland this week

  5. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    One for the watchlist

  6. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Stones, Cancelo, Sterling and Mitchell causing the following autosubs (in top10k, but similar numbers for top 1M):

    Players off bench:
    Coufal 30.7%
    Dallas 17.9%
    Soucek 12.9%
    Holding 11.2%
    Cresswell 10.9%

    Vice captains subbing for Raheem:
    Salah 9.7%
    Son 5.3%
    Bruno 4.6%
    DCL 4.1%

    1. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Holding jams

      1. F_Ivanovic
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Last on my bench but coming on because of Mitchell and Cancelo 🙂

    2. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Here I thought my Salah captain choice was differential this gw

    3. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Jammy Soucek haul incoming

  7. Clintymints
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    It’s Ødegaard

    Nice. Looking forward to this

  8. tbos83
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Does Maguire YC mean he's out next game?

    1. djman102
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No. Past 19 games

      1. tbos83
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Phew!

    2. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No, need 10 yellows for a ban now.

  9. MoSalad
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Changed this week ESR & Rashy —-> (B)arnes & Zaha could work out well tomorrow!

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Read the room my guy

  10. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    The BAPs from this game 😆

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Coinflip

  11. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Come ooooon Bruno!!!!

    Still time for goal and assist combo

  12. djoker_nole
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    The absolute state of Bruno

  13. Totalfootball
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is it just me or can everyone see SOLSkjAER Is a FCIn NOOB .

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      What’s he done wrong today?

  14. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Would love it if Bamford and Dallas hauled after being sold in droves

    1. MoSalad
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I’d take it

  15. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Cs for CP and City, stones and Mitchell on bench ffs

  16. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Arsenal's FKs are so useless

  17. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    my only hope is Barnes(C)

    1. MoSalad
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Same

  18. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Oh Xhaka get fecked. Receive the ball. 180. Pass to Luiz. What's the point?

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      If you stand still for 1 second to assess your options you would have made 10 times more progress.

  19. Jindaljain
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Those were the Days these players never made us Sad with Fantasy Gameweeks Miguel michu,Bale,Suarez, sturridge,RVP,Rooney,Hazard,Mata,Santi Cazorla,Yaya toure,Aguero,Eriksen,Diego costa

    1. Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Michu never made you sad? Michu had a few strong runs but ended up in the abyss

    2. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      exactly

      i finished Top 1K those seasons
      🙁

      now 1 million 🙁

  20. mezza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    One more save for 2 bonus David

  21. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Cedric's freekick soares above the top bar

    1. MoSalad
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Oh dear

  22. BenDavies
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Southampton goal is so, so important tonight.

    1. MoSalad
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Agreed

    2. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      They are hopeless in attack, 2 goals in last 6

    3. Jindaljain
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Inga might score 2

      1. Jindaljain
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        # INGS

  23. MoSalad
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Cavani wasting a Donkey assist!

  24. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    AWB Big BAPs boost.

  25. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Lmfao Rashford @ 44 doing toe taps in front of the open goal surrounded by Arsenal players behind him; what a stillframe that would be

  26. Homer21
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    50% of the goals scored today were split between West Brom and Fulham, who knew?

    1. Samwise
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      The day is young

  27. Clintymints
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Those Holding baps just flashed before my eyes

  28. BrockLanders
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I would like an Odegaard goal

  29. BeaversWithAttitude
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    That Cavani is really athletic for an old dude!

  30. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Come ooooon Brunooooo. Score the winner

    1. abhirup780
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      You captained him?

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Ofcourse i did