Dugout Discussion

Alonso and Werner benched as injured Cavani misses out

Two more teams get their Gameweek 26 double-headers underway this afternoon at Stamford Bridge.

Kick-off in the clash between Chelsea and Manchester United is at 16:30 GMT.

All eyes are on Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) from a Fantasy perspective, with his ownership in excess of 60% overall and sitting at 96.8% in the top 10k.

Over 14% of the leading 10,000 managers have made Fernandes their captain in Double Gameweek 26.

Thomas Tuchel continues to tinker with his starting XI, making five alterations from Gameweek 25.

Ben Chilwell (£5.8m) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m) replace Marcos Alonso (£5.7m) and Reece James (£5.0m) at wing-back, with Andreas Christensen (£4.7m) in for Kurt Zouma (£5.4m) at centre-half.

There are changes further forward, too, with Timo Werner (£9.2m) benched and Hakim Ziyech (£7.9m) starting his first match since Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Barnsley in the FA Cup.

Olivier Giroud (£6.7m) is also preferred over Tammy Abraham (£7.1m) as the spearhead of the hosts’ attack.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer make two changes to the Manchester United side that beat Newcastle United last weekend.

Scott McTominay (£4.9m) and Mason Greenwood are recalled, with Nemanja Matic (£4.7m) and Anthony Martial (£8.7m) benched.

McTominay and Donny van de Beek (£6.6m) had been injury doubts for this weekend, with the Dutchman also recovering to make the bench.

Edinson Cavani (£7.9m) isn’t fit to feature, however.


Chelsea XI: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Hudson-Odoi, Kante, Kovacic, Chilwell, Ziyech, Mount, Giroud.

Man Utd XI: de Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Greenwood, Fernandes, James, Rashford.

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 26 SO FAR…

The game-changing impact that Gareth Bale (£9.3m) exhibited in a 45-minute showing at West Ham last weekend carried over into Tottenham Hotspur’s first Double Gameweek 26 fixture.

Bale conjured up memories of his Spurs heyday in the early-2010s, producing a performance that was brimming with confidence in the Lilywhites’ 4-0 win over Burnley: his 50-yard ball for Harry Kane‘s (£11.1m) 14th-minute goal evidence of that.

The Welshman scored two of his own, twice latching onto Son Heung-min (£9.5m) passes to beat Nick Pope (£5.6m). His second strike, in particular, could have been taken straight from his 2012/13 highlights reel.

Bale was actually the least-popular asset in the Spurs starting XI on Sunday, with just 0.4% of FPL managers owning the on-loan Madridista.

He would appear poised to feature in his side’s second Double Gameweek 26 fixture, with Jose Mourinho sparing the Wales international for the final 20 minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Bale, Son and Sergio Reguilon (£5.5m) all banked double-digit hauls against the Clarets, with the Spurs left-back teeing up Lucas Moura (£6.6m) for the hosts’ third goal.

Owners of Kane, by some distance the most-captained player in the top 10k in the current Gameweek, may have been feeling short-changed with their six points, however.

Kane wasted a stoppage-time ‘big chance’ that would have doubled his Gameweek 26 score after bonus.

That was one of of a remarkable seven chances that Son created throughout.

As for Burnley, a rare day to forget defensively and the first time that Pope has shipped more than two goals in a single match since Gameweek 7.

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1,034 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Bruno(C) fail

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      its a TC fail for many.

    2. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      I've triple captained him and I'm content.

      1. jammie26
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 28 days ago

        Why would you be content with a blank?

    3. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Chelsea was always the much tougher fixture. Feel lucky in a way that Kane only outscored Bruno by 3pts.

  2. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Borefest

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Yep

  3. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    You can never fault Bruno’s consistency in the big league games.

    1. ChelseaGuy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Lol

    2. HNI
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Agreed. He is like Salah from his initial years...Used to be shadow in Liv v Manutd games..Hope he turns it next season Like salah did after 2 seasons

  4. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Rudiger on my bench I wouldn't mind Cancelo missing again

  5. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    DDG Haul means BB is moderately successful even with triple leeds

    Other keeper being Martinez

    1. Dont_Win_Friends_With_Salah…
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Your 2 keepers have scored more than my entire team so far

  6. Athletico Underachieving
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Mendy couldn’t catch a cold

    1. Neevesy
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Caught me 10 points

      1. Nightcrawler
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 28 days ago

        8 points

  7. Fred54
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    0-0 points for everyone.

  8. Gross Blank Point
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Double Utd defence, I'll take the Bruno blank

  9. HNI
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Barnes just ruined my drive to top 1000...Being too clever came to bite me...back to taking template players without disturbing it too much

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Disagree totally with your statement

    2. F_Ivanovic
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      what on earth.... a) he was very template for this week. b) he was unlucky and got injured. nothing you can predict.

  10. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    How many more bore draws involving united

  11. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Glad that garbage is over. Chelsea are the worst team to watch in the league except Wolves.

    1. Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      I think we (Palace) are pretty bad to watch right now as well.

    2. jammie26
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      And UTD

  12. Salan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Good 0:0

    Happy Bruno 3pts

  13. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Terrible game and now I can ‘enjoy’ Salah scoring 4 as I don’t own him.

    1. HNI
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Then why remove him! Liveepool is a top 4 team you know it. Plus Fulham in next gw

  14. Dannyb
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Salah is gonna haul big time, I can just feel it.

    1. Neevesy
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      I was just thinkig this

  15. Muchentuchel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    tasty Rüdiger cleany!

  16. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    And that's the diff between the two Manchester clubs.

    Am a United follower but seriously no one other than City deserves to lift the trophy.

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      United aren’t remotely close ; and they’ve been fortunate with injuries compared with others

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      United are nowhere near city

    3. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      yep, City have a way to deal with low defensive blocks. And don't forget how to play a final pass.

    4. Salan
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      It's a joke ppl still comparing Utd to City.

      Miles apart

  17. Bushwhacker
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Two dropped pts for Tuchel. He’l be disappointed but that team selection was way too passive.

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      i'm just glad he's out the bonus lol

  18. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Get in Luke Shaw! 😀

  19. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Christensen FINISHED a match, with maximum bonus?

    I never thought I'd see the day!

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Oh Mendy beat him with that save. Still.

  20. mezza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    My keeper is Pope while every other keeper is getting double digits

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Could still get a cs against Lei...

  21. Neevesy
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Barnes injured was crap, but I'll take this 0 - 0 with Shaw and Mendy

  22. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    People tried to tell me 'go Bruno'... I said 'no no no'.

    TC Son here!

  23. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Fpl insider was right that Adrian will start

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Not a surprise

    2. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Was totally expected

  24. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Fernandes was fairly bad today again

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Yup

  25. Salan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Bruno seems fatigued after 70th mins. Not big chance but Ole may rest him next match.

  26. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Given neutral Mo EO my only interest tonight is in Liverpool cs. Cup opponent (former world number 1) has brought in Nat Phillips!

    Can SHU do me proud? Lord is surely due one

  27. The Senate
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    another 2 points dropped due to a major refereeing error. Although apprently it's 'varchester united'. what a joke PL referees are - it's not just us that are suffering!

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Chelsea didn’t get a VAR call? Which one?

  28. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Salah TC show to start in 50 mins 😉

    get readyyyyyy

    1. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      2 points incoming

  29. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    3 - Mendy (33)
    2 - de Gea, Christensen (32)

    1. Patson Dabaka
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Shaw gonna sneak that last one?

    2. Free Hat
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Strange seeing that DDG has 6 saves and Mendy 4

  30. Balls of Steel
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    That game had a 0-0 written all over it before ever a ball was kicked! Now onto the next set of fixtures this gameweek and hopefully a Bruno haul 🙂

    1. JJeyy
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      thats why I have shaw and Rudiger