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. WVA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sold Rob Holding for Cancelo and he's outscored my entire team so far.
    Cancelo 0
    Stones 0
    Gundogan 3
    Bruno 3
    There is absolutely no skill in the game and this proves it.

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

      I'd argue that takes a lot of skill, or lack of...

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

      Laporte was getting healthy, Walker needed a game, I think it’s just simple rotation. You have to average the hauls with the blanks when it comes to city

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

        Think about it logically. Why would you break up a centre back pairing doing so well. One thing City miss is consistency. Zinchenko playing over Cancelo was criminal too

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

          Every manager rotates in certain weak games; this is a great fixture to do it. I’m sure they are expecting more of a challenge at Turf moor

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

          Worked though

        3. St Pauli Walnuts
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          One thing City miss is consistency? They're the most consistent team in the league just now. They just equalled a record from the 19th century for 9 wins in a month. Unbelievable.

          Stones highly likely comes straight bak in against Burnley. As good as Cancelo is, he's much better on the right and Walker needed a game. Zinc actually had a good game, he is a reasonable squad player.

          it's a run of 6 league games of midweek/weekend games, there was always going to be some rotation.

      2. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Or you can overreact and blame it all on bad luck rather than having a bit of common sense like you. Most grounded people would accept the fact that there's a mixture of skill and luck in this game. The SS and Brostans are the rather annoying exceptions.

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

      The skill is knowing man city are likely to rotate therefore have an adequate bench or at least a full playing one...gundogan has done well recently, but surely won't excel every week and brunk has been off it for a number of weeks...

      Saying all that, I own them all too

      1. PompeyUpNorth!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Agreed

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

        I have a bench of playing players but they've all blanked too, it's all luck

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

          Luck in one week; not over the aggregate.

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

            This

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

    Damn why i didn't go Mane and went Sterling 🙁

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

      Some chance Mane is benched as well

  3. Salarrivederci
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    AWB in for Cancelo and Coufal in for Stones. Thank God Dias started.

    If Coufal returns a big 0, then I hope my Salah (C) and Mané returns some points! 😀

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

      incoming 12 points for Coufal

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

      Thinking Stones + Cancelo > Dias + Chilwell

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

    Fish-Roe should've been left on

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

    Holdings baps from the bench

    Wehey

  6. jason_ni
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Ddg and awb home to shu get me 2 points.
    Bench both away to arsenal and they get 13 points.
    Couldn't make it up.

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

      Lucky I get AWB off the bench

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

        Some reason I put Cresswell ahead of him.. so I get Cresswell likely zero for cancelo.
        Meanwhile rivals get holdings 8 points.

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

    Need Martinez, Grealish & Watkins’s blanks!

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

    Holding with a 45k rank swing from 3rd bench position

    Jam

  9. TheDragon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Adams -> DCL -4 not looking quite so bad now (still pretty bad)

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

    Keep faith in Rash or take out for Salah?

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

      Why on Earth would you have Rashford over Salah???

  11. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Knew it, should've captained Decordova-Reid, I am such an idiot.

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

      People always overlook the obvious... He was clearly the best captain this week

  12. Albrightondknight
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    AWB will hold the baps even with a yellow ?

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

      BPs are accurate I believe so yea

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

    Think holding has been my best transfer in this season in 16 for Lamptey. 5 CS, 6 bonus points + 1 assist.

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

    21 from 5

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

      That’s v good (serious)

    2. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      26 (-4) from 5 (6 counting C)

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

      18 from 4

  15. Bushwhacker
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Wow my bore draw prediction came true. Shocked. Two garbage teams.

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

      Really went out on a limb there didn’t you

  16. Scots Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I sold Holding for Digne. Congrats me.

    1. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Clap clap gif

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

      Almost did the same, instead I took Wilson out for Kane and then Kane out for Donkey.

  17. BeWater
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Matt Lowton got 2 goals in the 2012/13 season and hasn't scored since. Come on Matty lad, time to get back on the goal trail.

  18. PompeyUpNorth!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Jamal Lewis off the bench for me third sub with 11 and I’m taking it!!!
    I rarely have a spawny sub, but it feels good... lol

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

      My cup opponent also.. UGH

      1. PompeyUpNorth!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Nightmare

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

    Just like against Liverpool, United drop 2 points due to poor finishing and one worldie save. Shame no one else will be able to challenge City this year

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

      Liverpool right in it and couldn’t possibly do any worse. United was never a title contender

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

        Liverpool can’t compete without defenders

    2. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Got a point, should be happy

    3. jammie26
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Arsenal had more chances to win the game imo.

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

    18 from 4 feeling like a haul this week

  21. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Took Holden out for Digne for a -4 .... dear god will I never learn ... eh, no it would seem. Never take a hit for a defender!

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

      Thought Digne was a winger ...

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

      At least you didn't sell gme at 40

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

        Lol

  22. TheDragon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Everyone hating their weeks but remember it is all relative.

    The only players who have hauled who anyone could own are Dias (8), Wilson (13) and Holding (8)

    So the key to success this gameweek so far is not to have had too many players play yet

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

      I wonder what percent of teams have 3 playing subs

      1. PompeyUpNorth!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I have.. (I hope)

      2. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Unfortunate week for Mitchell not to start, doh. Owning Stones and Cancelo means I'll be a defender down.

    2. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Holding off the bench for Stones is my saving grace

  23. The Big Fella
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Nowhere to hide for Odegaard owners

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

      Nowhere to hide for anyone who plays this game