Dugout Discussion

Vestergaard returns as Minamino makes Southampton debut

Southampton take to the field at Newcastle with some welcome boosts following their 9-0 defeat to Manchester United.

Fresh from a horrendous defensive display, their most important centre-back, Jannik Vestergaard (£4.7m) is finally back in the starting line-up for the first time since Gameweek 14.

The Danish international has struggled with a knee problem during the winter and is sure to improve the Saints’ defensive prospects as he features alongside Jan Bednarek (£4.9m), whose one-match ban was overturned midweek.

Vestergaard’s return sees Jack Stephens (£4.6m) push out to the right-back berth where Southampton have had some problems this season. Kyle Walker-Peters (£4.7m) is still not fit enough to be involved today.

But defence is not the only area where Ralph Hasenhüttl has been handed good news as Takumi Minamino (£6.0m) is ready to feature for the first time since leaving Anfield on loan in the transfer window.

He is stationed on the flanks of midfield, with Nathan Redmond (£6.4m) on the other side, in support of centre-forward pairing Danny Ings (£8.4m) and Che Adams (£5.8m).

Newcastle’s own January loanee Joe Willock (£4.7m) also makes his Premier League debut for his new club, his arrival allowing Steve Bruce to go for a more adventurous shape than usual.

Willock sits in a number 10 role with Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.1m) and Miguel Almirón (£5.6m) either side of him in a 4-2-3-1 fronted by Callum Wilson (£6.8m).

The Magpies are somewhat short at the back though. Midfielder Isaac Hayden (£4.7m) starts alongside Fabian Schär (£4.9m) at centre-back.

Double Gameweek planners will have their eyes on the other 3pm match today as Burnley host Brighton.

As expected, the Clarets are in 4-4-2 formation with key Fantasy targets Nick Pope (£5.5m), Ben Mee (£5.0m), James Tarkowski (£5.3m) and Matt Lowton (£4.4m) all involved.

Charlie Taylor (£4.4m) is still not fit enough for a return and neither is Chris Wood (£6.2m), both players absent from today’s match-day squad, which means Erik Pieters (£4.3m) is at left-back again and Ashley Barnes (£6.0m) is paired up-front with Matej Vydra (£4.8m).

On a run of four successive clean sheets, Brighton are in 3-4-2-1 today with Dan Burn (£4.2m) and Joël Veltman (£4.3m) in the left and right wing-back roles respectively following Solly March‘s (£5.0m) injury at Anfield.

Gameweek 23 Starting Line-ups

Burnley XI (4-4-2): Pope; Pieters, Mee, Tarkowski, Lowton; Gudmundsson, Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Vydra, A Barnes.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI (3-4-1-2): R Sánchez; Webster, Dunk, White; Burn, Bissouma, Groß, Veltman; Mac Allister; Maupay, Connolly.

Newcastle United XI (4-2-3-1): Darlow; Lewis, Schär, Hayden, Manquillo; Shelvey, Hendrick; Saint-Maximin, Willock, Almirón; Wilson.

Southampton XI (4-4-2): A McCarthy; Bertrand, Vestergaard, Bednarek, J Stephens; Minamino, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Redmond; Ings, Adams.

GET IN-GAME DATA AT LIVE FPL

Check your own rank and in-play FPL stats on LiveFPL.net every Gameweek

1,274 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Kryptonite666
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    How have Burnley looked ? Is Pope enough for the double ? Mee + Pope an overkill you reckon ?

    1. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Need more HAUL candidates from Burnley...Gudmunsson?

      1. Kryptonite666
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I wouldn’t trust Burnley’s attack

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Pope and perhaps Pieters for potential attacking points against Fulham?

    3. zdrojo187
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      McNeil maybe...?

    4. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I think I'll just stick with using 1FT on Burnley and get Pope

  2. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Where’s the Kane rumours coming from all of a sudden?

    1. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Twitter

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Looks like it has some reasonable credibility

    2. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      What's the rumour?

      1. Pat Bonner
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Kane’s back involved tomorrow

      2. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        BREAKING TEAM NEWS

        It is our understanding that @HKane will feature for @SpursOfficial tomorrow as they take on @WBA

        A huge boost for spurs.

        #TrustInTheLion #COYS THFC #TOTWBA #WBA

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          @spurslion

        2. Big boy Bowen
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Thanks all

      3. kennethrhcp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers lads. Started him in case he was back

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

          I bottled it. 1st sub.

    3. MagicMessi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      We living in Twitter world where anything and everything is true 😀

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

    Newcastle's next game could be a thrashing, just no idea which Chelsea attacker will haul lol.

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Mount

  4. Ibra
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    6 points from 4 players and 16 points from 2 players on bench? Is that good this gw?

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

    Minamino ain't the most switched on, telling the Newcastle player's where he is going to pass it then looking surprised when it gets intercepted!

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

      Ha I saw that. Funny really

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

    Not feeling the saints equaliser. Only 5 points for Adams, very nervous about benching DCL now

    1. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bednarek

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

      Benching DCL is madness

      1. Tonyawesome69
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Not when you have 7 other attackers and think DCL is the weakest... on paper anyway

  7. Stupendous
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Wtf happened to the own goal for Bednarek? Needed that for my rival

    I'm guessing simple answer is it wasn't an own goal

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

      I think your rival took enough punishment last week.

      1. Stupendous
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Benched him

    2. Mile Plankton
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      It really looked like an own goal, but I saw the situation only once.

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

    People are underestimating how much Mourinho needs a result tomorrow, Kane will start if he’s involved. Just can’t see him putting him on the bench for a 10min cameo

    1. WE GO FOR IT
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Probable at HT

    2. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Kane is a 90 minute man. Won’t come off the bench.

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

      Surely more likely on the bench to come on if needed

      If there is ever a game they would hope they could win without him it’s WBA at home

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

      And what he said about Son before the Man Utd game - he likes playing injury mind games

    5. FantasyTony
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Mourinho will grind Kane's ankles to dust before he gets sacked in April and forces Kane to miss the euros.

      1. Pat Bonner
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Exactly. Ankles will be getting strapped up!!

      2. Baines on Toast...
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Kane has done this to himself many times before Mourinho. Never should’ve played the Champions League final.

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

      Yeah, if he wasn't going to start not sure if he's even be on the bench. Jose to play him till he drops

    7. Brimble82
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I’ve started him on the off chance that he plays.

      But that said... I also started him the previous two weeks Because I don’t trust Jose a single percent.

  9. Mile Plankton
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Come on Sanchez, please get some baps.

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

    How is Ings still blanking....

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Limping

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

    Fair play Newcastle. This is how you defend with 10 men and grind out a result. Third goal before half time was a killer

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

      9 men

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

      9 men 😀

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

      Jammiest win you’ll see this season

  12. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pieters 😎

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

      I paid the extra for mee 🙁

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

    FT: 1-1

  14. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Fpl cup opponent with soucek(c), Ogbonna and Fabianski

    I have Cresswell, Antonio and Soucek

    Not sure what to hope for apart from antonio goals!

  15. mgilbert86
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Captonio going to save my GW

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

      ANTONIO HATT TRICK WITH ARMBAND PRAYER

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

    Love to see that Pope blank.

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Makes up for it next GW

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

        Except everyone will have him nxt gw!

        Oh yes we will

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

      OH YES WE DO LOVE TO SEE IT!

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Your captain failing probably loses more points than a Martinez CS...

  17. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bought Pope so I could bench Sanchez
    Konsa also on bench

    I rule!

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ouch

    2. Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I benched Stones and Robbo. Can only result in bad news.

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

      Konsa should have been sent off. Just bad luck.

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

    Almiron should have been sent off for simulation twice now

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

      Haha look below

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

    Pope with a single save - what happened?!

    1. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Burnley actually played football

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

    Almiron should be off for two dives

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

      Yup

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

    Pope outscores Mee, get in!!!!

    1. Jimmy Boy
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Pope outscores me entire team so far

  22. dshv
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Robertson to

    1. Mee
    2. Digne

  23. fedolefan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sanchez 5 pointer. He's no Martinez but okay. Was quietly hoping for a 7 pointer when the baps were closer.

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

      Yep my first keeper returns in 19 weeks

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

    Perfect 3pm games for non-owners.

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

    Good start by Scotland. Hopefully an entertaining match.

  26. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Burnley (2.14) 1-1 (0.62) Brighton

    1. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Dayum

    2. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Brilliant, this is the opposite of how those teams usually work

  27. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Grandstand game up next.

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

    Antonio's EO does drop off outside the top 10k (where it is 97%). For example between 100k and 200k his EO is 78% 🙂

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Long 90 mins coming as a non-owner

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

      Main rival has captained him!

  29. Sterling Malory
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    For DGW 24? 2FT

    Mitchell > Lowton
    Maddison > JRod

    Areola
    Lowton Stones Cancelo Shaw
    Gundo JRod Salah Bruno
    DCL Antonio
    Martinez Son Bamford Dallas

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

    West Ham clean sheet garanteed, sold KWP for Mee and which meant benching Coufal

    1. Mile Plankton
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sold Ogbona for Tarkowski

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

      No team has conceded more chances in their left zone in the last 6 gameweeks than Fulham 🙂