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.

GET IN-GAME DATA AT LIVE FPL

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

1,215 Comments Post a Comment
  1. fedolefan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Brendan is all smiles. Games in the bag already.

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

      Timing.

  2. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Harvey Barnes yah champ 😀 into the top 1 m now 😉

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

      Keep chugging along Chucky, nice one.

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

        Thanks..

  3. abcdef3
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bottomed.

    Sterling, Grealish, Raphinha > Gundogan, Maddison, Barnes (-8)

    Yay or nay?

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

      Would only get one from Leicester.
      Also consider KDB coming back for city

  4. Kaneyonero
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Need Sterling hattrick

  5. Drumandbaines123
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Definitely getting Barnes in next week now as will many others I imagine. Current owners about to lose their differential. Feast on it while it lasts folks!

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

    Nervy 90 minutes for Gundo starters with points on the bench.

    City probably need to have the game won for a no-show.

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

      I’ve only got DCL 4 pointer on the bench so I want him to play!

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

      Nervy for Gundogan benchers like myself, as no confirmation he is not starting yet...

    3. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Has he been confirmed out?

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

        Confirmed with the team

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

      Surely you’d prefer him to come on and haul. Hardly mega hauls on people’s benches this week

      1. Big Mac 24
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Barnes for me .....

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

          You don’t deserve that jam then :p

    5. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      He did train but doubt he starts.

  7. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Looks like Gundog 1 pointer coming in for Grealish.

  8. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pick 3 from these on a WC.

    A. Son
    B. Gundo
    C. Barnes
    D. Maddison
    E. Watkins

    Salah Bruno Kane DCL locked in.

    1. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B
      C
      D

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

      ABC

    3. Weeb Kakashi
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Acd

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

      BCD

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

    Elmo assist?

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

      McGinn

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

        Boo pointless

    2. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Targett unless McGinn got a touch.

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

        TY

  10. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Thoughts on this FH Team?

    Ederson
    Digne Cancelo Pereira Reguilon
    Salah Son Ghazi
    Kane Vardy DCL

    Digne can become Barnes (Triple Leicester)

    Thoughts Appreciated.

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

    There's my differential (currently in my GW26 WC) getting a goal! Great to see.

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

    Traore goal.

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

      Good man

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

    Schmeichel: "How dare you take a shot in my penalty area"

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

    Targett assist unless McGinn got a slight touch.

  15. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Targett for 4.5m was such a gem!

  16. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Didnt see match.
    Is kane still worth it?

    I may just get DCL (TC) instead.

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

      No avoid at all costs

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

    Justin cleanie wiped.

    1. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      why are you wiping him?

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

      🙂

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

    I really dislike Kasper Schmeichel

  19. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Targett yah beauty.. saving my GW...

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

      Sorry chucky.

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

        🙁

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

      Condolences

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

      Season over 🙁

    4. DAZZ
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Oops.. 🙁

  20. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Why is everyone so convinced Gundo is benched? I can definitely see him starting.

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

      Champions League coming up so would make sense to keep his minutes limited. Personally hope he starts though.

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

      why would pep start him, with him coming off a muscle injury, with Champions league next week, and literally saying he will rotate everyone

  21. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    This Traore lad has been going under the radar.

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

      Shh

    2. Bun Rab
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Set pieces too.

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

      Yes, been ticking over nicely the last 10 games or so.

  22. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Not so convinced by getting kane now nevermind TC him. What you guys doing ?

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

      (C) DCL Kane or Son. Mostly Son.

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

      Lots of options this week. He could be one of them. I am going Son

  23. teddypicker
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    McGinn assist given

  24. Well you know, Triffic
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    The only way i can get Kane is to sell Son for Barnes. Anyone else snookered?

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

      Forget Kane?

      1. Well you know, Triffic
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        He looked dangerous today.

    2. MrZ
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I may sell son regardless of gerting kane or not.
      It's between him or lookman

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

    McGinn touch & A.

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

    Traore is the one

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

    Straight choice between Salah & KDB.

    Who you going for?

    I’ve had enough and going to WC for the massive DGW

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

      wait 3 hours and you'll know

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

        True 🙂

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

    How many gangsters in the house benched Martinez? For whom?

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

      Benched for Dirty Sanchez.

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

      o/ for Ze Nipple.

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

      Areola

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

        Yep me Areola too. Was really expecting to regret it, but pleasant surprise.

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

      For Pope of course. At last, he outscored him.

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

      0/

      Areola

    6. MrZ
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Pope

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

      Benched for the Kraken ( poor Meslier) 😀

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

    was never a Targett assist, clear mcGinn touch

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

    Good, no CS for Justin owners... Oh wait.