Dugout Discussion

Rare start for Adrian as Alisson sits out Liverpool’s Double Gameweek 26 opener

Two out-of-sorts sides meet in the last of five Premier League matches to take place on Sunday.

Kick-off at Bramall Lane is at 19:15 GMT.

Liverpool are in particularly woeful nick, sitting in the bottom three for form when Premier League sides are filtered by their last six, eight and ten matches.

The Reds have kept only one clean sheet this calendar year.

The good news for Jurgen Klopp’s side is that they are taking on a team that are rock-bottom of the division and who have lost 20 of their 25 league games this season.

Even the Blades have won more matches than the reigning champions in 2021, however.

Klopp has made two enforced changes to the side beaten in the Merseyside derby at Anfield last time out.

Alisson (£5.9m), absent following the tragic death of his father this week, is replaced by Adrian (£4.2m) between the posts, with Nathaniel Phillips (£4.0m) covering for the injured Jordan Henderson (£5.4m) at centre-half.

Academy goalkeepers Jakub Ojrzynski and Liam Hughes are among the substitutes, along with the fit-again James Milner (£5.3m).

Diogo Jota (£6.6m) had been on the cusp of a comeback but doesn’t make the matchday squad due to illness.

There are two changes for Sheffield United following their defeat by Fulham, with Oliver Norwood (£4.5m) coming in for the injured Chris Basham (£4.6m) in midfield and David McGoldrick (£5.2m) replacing Billy Sharp (£5.5m) up top.


Sheffield United XI: Ramsdale, Ampadu, Jagielka, Bryan, Baldock, Norwood, Lundstram, Fleck, Stevens, McBurnie, McGoldrick.

Liverpool XI: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Jones, Thiago, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 26 SO FAR…

A first blank in five matches for Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) arrived at an inopportune for Fantasy managers who had backed him with the Gameweek 26 captaincy.

The Portugal international was well shackled throughout, with his expected goal involvement (xGI) total a paltry 0.09 against Chelsea on Sunday.

Manchester United were fairly anaemic overall, mustering just two shots in the box in the stalemate at Stamford Bridge.

An easier test awaits in midweek, at least, with Crystal Palace unlikely to prove such stubborn opposition as a Chelsea side who have now kept five clean sheets in seven Premier League matches under Thomas Tuchel.

Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.7m) has quietly gone about his business under his new manager, averaging 6.3 points per match and starting every game since the change in the hot seat.

It was the two goalkeepers, plus Andreas Christensen (£4.7m), who took home the bonus points in west London, which gives the impression the game had more action than it actually did.

David de Gea (£5.3m) did make one excellent stop to keep out Hakim Ziyech (£7.9m) but clear-cut chances were scarce.

Timo Werner (£9.2m) and Marcos Alonso (£5.7m) were the latest victims of Tuchel’s tinkering, dropping to the bench for this dour draw.

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1,320 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Salah is blanking tonight imo.

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

      Ramsdale inspired

  2. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Sheffield goal

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

    kabak knew it was offside...

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Dangerous game 🙂

  4. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Kabak is a mess.

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

    Dumb luck.

  6. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Lol this Kabak guy

    1. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      he is horrid

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

    Ft score Sheffield 1-0 liv

    1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Wouldn't surprise me.

    2. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Kabak OG

    3. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Relegation teams will be looking forward to play LIV pretty soon.

  8. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Kabak in heaven...

  9. Supersonic Marv'
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Gordon Bennett.

  10. ‘Tis the Season
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Kakbak close to an OG

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

    Liv making sheffield attack look good

  12. Releasebreaks
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Cannot believe i own Kabak

    1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Why?

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

      ?!?!?

    3. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      no words

    4. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      you must enjoy pain

    5. Jindaljain
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Just 20 yr old boy

  13. GROBARI
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Lucky from Kabak

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

    Mane is absolutely shite at the moment

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      I guess he wants away.

  15. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    No jammy penalties been given so far, so expecting Liverpool to get one and Salah to convert.

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

      Liverpool haven’t had a VAR decision in months. What have you been following, badminton?

    2. Dthinger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Nah. It won’t come til after Milner subs on so Salah wont be the taker

  16. Salalalalah
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Even Sheffiled is looking like ManCity, what's happening to Liverpool!!

    1. Salalalalah
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Sheffield

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

      What are you watching?

    3. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Sh!te defense makes attacking a lot harder; also when your moves are either "long crossed ball to the wing" or "give it to Mo" teams figure it out pretty quickly.

  17. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Jags doing well today

  18. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    That was 33 points from Salah that just got blocked by a defender...

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

    firmino 😆

  20. thewakka
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Kabak 2bp

  21. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Bobby what are doing

  22. GROBARI
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    "Lucky for me as a Kabak user"

    -No one ever

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

      You'd be surprised.

  23. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    firmino has to shoot

  24. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    It's a pity that my time machine is broken 🙁

  25. jason_ni
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    How was the one at villa given as a goal, where rodri was offside, and tackled mings forcing him into the error.

    Where mcgoldrick is offside, and then doesn't even challenge the player and kablak puts it in the net?

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      The villa one was not a goal, PL did confirm later I think

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

        Oh right, that was useful for villa then.. good thing they aren't in a relegation fight.

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

          Also.. if only we had something like a video ref to rewatch and sort out those ones...oh wait..

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

      That goal cost me the next round in the FPL Cup. Martinez was having a monster game....

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

    What is Bobby doing!?

  27. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Firmino the master of not shooting when he should be shooting.

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

    kabak being bullied by mcgoldrick

    1. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Nearly as bad a performance as Lee Mason. Oh wait......

  29. tbos83
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Firmino really is woeful at the minute

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Liverpool as a team are right now.

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

    Ramsdale 5 saves ...