Dugout Discussion

Injury-hit sides in action in two early-evening Double Gameweek 26 kick-offs

The narrative surrounding the two early kick-offs in the Premier League on Wednesday evening is as much about the players who aren’t involved as those who make the four starting XIs.

The most-bought player of Gameweek 26 is one of the most noteworthy absentees: Harvey Barnes (£6.9m) was transferred in by over a million Fantasy Premier League managers ahead of Saturday’s deadline but has now been ruled out for around six weeks after undergoing knee surgery.

His club, Leicester City, are also without James Maddison (£7.3m) and Jonny Evans (£5.5m), among others, for their clash with a Burnley side who are no strangers to an injury crisis.

In the other game, Aston Villa continue to be without Jack Grealish (£7.6m) for their trip to a short-on-numbers Sheffield United.

Evans and Barnes are among three Leicester players who make way from the weekend, with Luke Thomas (£4.2m) also dropping out.

Nampalys Mendy (£4.2m), Daniel Amartey (£3.9m) and Hamza Choudhury (£4.7m) are recalled as Brendan Rodgers sacrifices a bit of width to flood the midfield.

For the Clarets, Chris Wood (£6.2m) returns to the hosts’ line-up and replaces Jay Rodriguez (£5.8m) up top.

At Bramall Lane, budget FPL forward Rhian Brewster (£4.4m) starts in place of Oli McBurnie (£5.6m) in Chris Wilder’s only alteration.

Dean Smith sticks with the same starting XI that began the 1-0 win over Leeds, with Ross Barkley (£5.9m) again only among the substitutes.


Burnley XI: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Brownhill, Westwood, Cork, McNeil, Vydra, Wood.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Castagne, Amartey, Soyuncu, Ricardo Pereira, Tielemans, Mendy, Ndidi, Choudhury, Iheanacho, Vardy.

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

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

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766 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Nonsense red card. there is no reason that video and stills are any better than the referee’s first instinct there.

    1. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      The whole thing is about judgement of speed and they are making a decision based on photographs

      1. The Train Driver
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Agree

    2. popey
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      not a red card for me and I'm a Villa fan

    3. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Definitely not a nonsense red... contentious sure, but nothing wrong with the ref deciding he was wrong the first time after looking at the replay.

      Just a matter of opinion if oyu think Keane was covering on the far side

  2. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Don’t personally agree with that decision, element of doubt there that should go with the defender imo

    1. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Best example of a decision where they should absolutely trust the instinct of the official. The idea that is clear and obvious is ridiculous

  3. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Wow, that's harsh on SHU. Wouldn't call that clear goal scoring opportunity...

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Agree, they emphasised the view that lopped off the covering defender

    2. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Stupid decision, how often do you see a defender get back when you think he won’t and make a last ditch tackle, all you could say was he probably would have got a shot off

  4. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Villa needs to get a few goals here now

  5. Traction Engine Foot
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Lowton going for another worldie.

  6. Fred54
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Bruno starts.

    De Gea does not.

    1. djman102
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      That's a relief! TC here, was worried with games against City and AC Milan coming up.

  7. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Shaw and Bruno start

  8. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Joke of a decision, ridiculous to emphasise on the view that cut out the covering defender.

    1. Postman Ty
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      That's a horrible decision, I don't see anyone agreeing with it. I was in favour of the red vs Madrid (whoever they were playing last week I can't remember). That defender clearly wasn't getting near him and he was in the box about to shoot. This one the defender is definitely getting across.

    2. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      The issue is that literally nobody watching expected it to be stopped and given. It’s a solution in search of a problem.

  9. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Full lineups anyone?

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      BBC sport is reliable

  10. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Jags TC's in tears

  11. mezza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Watkins minimum 2 goals required

  12. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    OGS does not rest players.

  13. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Don't think you can call Jagielka's RC a ref error. You can make a case either way on that one.

  14. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Bruno is scoring a hatrick tonight.

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      I am not confident.

    2. Jindaljain
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Sir Alex says that

  15. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Brewster blank...

    1. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      In a turbulent storm of a season Brewster has been the calm port of consistency.

      1. djman102
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        Point of consistency?

  16. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Mitchel not even on the bench?

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Injured

    2. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      knock

    3. tbos83
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Injured

    4. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Injured. Woy said this days ago

  17. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Brewster off

    1. Dthinger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      argh. did he get 60 minutes?

      1. The Suspended One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 26 days ago

        59 I believe

        1. Dthinger
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 26 days ago

          awesome.

  18. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Genuinely didn’t realise Brewster was playing

  19. Jindaljain
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Bruno & AWB starts

  20. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    #mufc XI: Henderson, Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Maguire, Shaw, Matic, Fred, Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford, Cavani.

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Meano Deano

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Let's go Bruno and Rashford!

  21. fedolefan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Thank god Villa already conceded. This is looking dire.

  22. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Watkins brace imminent

  23. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Red was harsh, but tbf, none of the other defenders were getting near him

  24. aborg
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    With all the clean sheets that Aston Villa have kept, Sheffield Utd was the last team I expected they would concede against! Unbelievable !!

  25. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Top cat bruno and shaw. Let's go.

  26. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    This has the making for a late Vardy winner

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Unless there's a typo and Vydra scores again.

  27. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Cavani back is massive...

    Bruno non-cappers need to accept he’s getting ~15 tonight, hope it’s under 20.

    1. grumpyman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Points won’t hurt that much as an owner. 115% EO so it will hurt rank less than Shaw getting points.

  28. Iceball
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Bruno to punish the non-TC-ers!

    1. Jindaljain
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      That won't happen

  29. Nimby
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Smith should have brought Barkley on at HT. Villa looking toothless.

  30. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 26 days ago

    Can't see 10 men Sheff Utd scoring again, good news for Villa defence holders to keep their 2 points

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 26 days ago

      Cheeky