Dugout Discussion

Grealish absent through injury as Castagne returns for Leicester’s trip to Villa

Jack Grealish (£7.7m) is absent from the Aston Villa squad for the visit of Leicester City this afternoon.

Rumours had swirled about the midfielder’s potential absence over the last 48 hours and grew louder closer to kick-off, with the Athletic’s Gregg Evans reporting that Grealish will also miss the first part of Villa’s Gameweek 26 double-header against Leeds United, too.

The England international is owned by 37.0% of Fantasy Premier League managers overall and just over 35.0% in the top 10,000, so his absence will be keenly felt and cause a headache or two ahead of next Saturday’s deadline.

Anwar El Ghazi (£5.3m) is the man who benefits from Grealish’s absence and will line up on the left flank of Villa’s attack.

Dean Smith’s other alteration from Gameweek 23 is also enforced, with Matty Cash (£5.0m) ruled out for several weeks due to injury.

Ahmed El Mohamady (£4.3m) makes just his second league start of the campaign in Cash’s place at right-back.

Brendan Rodgers has also made two changes from the side that beat Liverpool last weekend.

The fit-again Timothy Castagne (£5.7m) and Luke Thomas (£4.2m) are recalled, with Daniel Amartey (£3.9m) and Marc Albrighton (£5.2m) dropping to the bench.

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Elmohamady, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Luiz, McGinn, Traore, Barkley, El Ghazi, Watkins.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Thomas, Ndidi, Tielemans, Castagne, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy.

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 25 SO FAR…

Grealish absent through injury as Castagne returns for Leicester's trip to Villa 2

West Ham United defeated Tottenham Hotspur in the first Premier League game of the day, with Jesse Lingard (£5.9m) continuing his purple patch of form in east London.

Lingard’s goal was his fourth attacking return in as many appearances for the Hammers and turned out to be the match-winner, which looks set to secure him maximum bonus points and a double-digit haul.

Michail Antonio (£6.6m) was passed fit to play and marked his return with an early goal, although his comeback was ever-so-slightly tainted with a second-half booking.

Grealish absent through injury as Castagne returns for Leicester's trip to Villa 3

Tomas Soucek (£5.3m) also picked up a yellow card en route to a one-pointer, with FPL’s most-owned defender, Aaron Cresswell (£5.8m), losing his clean sheet when Lucas Moura (£6.6m) nodded home Gareth Bale‘s (£9.3m) corner.

Soucek and Vladmir Coufal (£4.7m) were involved in separate collisions but recovered to finish the game.

Son Heung-min (£9.5m) and Harry Kane (£11.1m) both blanked but came within inches of a return: the former striking the woodwork late on with a freak, looping touch, with the latter seeing a potential assist go up in smoke in the process.

Kane had also teed the impressive Bale up for a second-half attempt that clipped the bar.

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1,215 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Ooooooo Harvey Barnes assist!

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

    Grealish to maddison after the final whistle!!!!

  3. Captain Vantastic™
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Cool kids benched Emi for Pope anyway

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

      Cool kids don't own both 😀

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

    That's there my question earlier Son + Raphinha > Barnes Maddison!

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

    Maddison or Gundogan?

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

    Pope(tot/LEI), Dallas(SOU), Raphinha(SOU), Antonio(mci)

    worth a bench boost?

  7. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Gonna get both Barnes and Maddison on WC at this rate

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

      It's the dream team right now, baby!

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

    Barnes had been so consistent for me, great asset.

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

      Well done. Will be joining the Barnes train on the next stop.

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

    Zero decisions have gone right. Zero.

    Areola benched for Martinez - after the reverse in a DGW last week.
    Antonio out for Ings
    Digne bench.
    Salah, Raph, Dallas, Bamford(c) blanks.

    Wtf, man... 🙁

    1. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Why bench Areola who has Sheffield for Martinez with Leicester....
      Rest were good decisions

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

      I believe many having similar situation and currently under 30 pts.

  10. Salan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Okay, I feel much better as playing McCarthy over Martinez

  11. Sandy Ravage
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Madders!

  12. Coys96
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bale on WC?

  13. Dannyb
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Barnes and Maddison on wc for me I think, great fixtures and bang in form.

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

    Son looked rubbish today

  15. Londongeezaa
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Leicester players essential.

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

    Wish I owned Barnes

  17. Coys96
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Barnes G
    Vardy a

  18. nolard
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    How was Kane? Quite involved going by the live text?

  19. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pereira on my bench is terrifying

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

    Really need 4 Leicester

  21. mattk lfc
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Harvey Barnes get in lad

  22. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Oh wow Martinez howler

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

    I need to get over my tendency to never own Leicester players

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

      Harvey Barnes has been a pleasure to own

    2. A. PRISE
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Useless team, trust me. When you get their players, the will blank forevermore

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

      Salah to Maddison weeks ago is huge success even last game they played against each other Salah 7 points Maddy 8 so Leicester Mid is essential I think Maddison or Barnes

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

      Leicester organized and have fight! I've gone for the triple, and I'm feelin' pretty good about it!

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

    Feck it, Martinez is going to come away with a 6 pointer here with these lame Ricardo efforts.

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

    Screw you Martinez

    1. A. PRISE
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Apologies mate, just bought him this week

  26. JBG
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Well, Raphinha to Barnes is going to be a easy decision.

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

    Barness

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

    Told you Martinez was on for a 1 pointer.

  29. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Of course it’s Maddison and Barnes involved

  30. 3 A
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Martinez. From hero to zero