Dugout Discussion

Salah and Jota start together as Klopp benches Mané against Aston Villa

Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) and Diogo Jota (£7.0m) start together for Liverpool as they host Aston Villa in Gameweek 31.

The two players contributed to the Reds’ impressive finish against Arsenal in Gameweek 30 and were both inside the top-five most-bought players for the most recent round of action.

Sadio Mané (£11.8m) is the man to make way this afternoon, dropping to the bench for the second time in four Premier League matches.

That means Jota starts on the left-hand side of Liverpool’s front-three, spearheaded by Roberto Firmino (£9.0m).

Curtis Jones (£4.4m) misses out as a precaution which means Georginio Wijnaldum (£5.3m), James Milner (£5.3m) and Fabinho (£5.4m) are the midfield trio today.

Nathaniel Phillips‘ (£4.1m) stock remains high, earning his fifth Premier League start from a possible six alongside Ozan Kabak (£5.0m).

There is also plenty of revived interest in Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.4m) this afternoon.

Having produced 33 points across his last five matches, the Liverpool right-back was purchased by 190,000+ managers ahead of the Gameweek 31, the most new owners for any defender this week.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa are still without Jack Grealish (£7.5m) who recently suffered a setback on his return from a shin injury.

Bertrand Traoré (£5.9m) and Trézéguet (£5.2m) provide the width either side of Ollie Watkins (£6.5m) while Marvelous Nakamba (£4.3m) and Douglas Luiz (£4.8m) both feature in midfield with John McGinn (£5.5m).

Gameweek 31 Line-ups

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Robertson, Kabak, N Phillips, Alexander-Arnold; Wijnaldum, Milner, Fabinho; Jota, Firmino, Salah.

Aston Villa XI (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Targett, Mings, Konsa, Cash; D Luiz, Nakamba; Trézéguet, McGinn, B Traoré; Watkins.

Gameweek 31 so far…

Fantasy Premier League managers who swerved from their Leeds assets found their Gameweek 31 win at Manchester City hard to watch.

Stuart Dallas (£5.1m) was the second-most benched player for the latest round of action but bagged a brace at the Etihad Stadium.

To add insult to that decision, Patrick Bamford (£6.6m), the third-most sold Fantasy asset ahead of Gameweek 31, provided the assist for his opener.

From a Manchester City perspective, this match was all about Pep Guardiola once again.

Kevin De Bruyne (£12.0m), Rúben Dias (£6.2m) and Riyad Mahrez (£8.2m) were all unused substitutes while Ilkay Gündogan (£6.0m) and Phil Foden (£6.0m) both emerged from the bench for one-point cameos.

Ferran Torres (£6.9m) and Bernardo Silva (£7.4m) got the only attacking returns of the afternoon.

Provisional bonus points

  • 3 – Stuart Dallas
  • 2 – Bernardo Silva
  • 1 – Oleksandr Zinchenko

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1,221 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Do we think James stays on the bench?

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Good chance he comes on for CHO who rarely does the full 90.

      1. Collie01
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Feared as much. Thanks

    2. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      5 minute cameo likely

    3. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I'm not having much hope, he always comes on for cameos whenever I start him.

    4. Weeb Kakashi
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I think he does. Unleashed for UCL.
      Kova Pulisic and one of Mount/Havertz coming off.

  2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    I am a striker
    I cost 6.0
    I have 18 returns in the last 28 gameweeks
    I have West Brom week after next
    I have a double gameweek somewhere after that
    Many knowledgeable football big-brains like to say I’m rubbish, I’m a championship striker, and not talented

    Who am I?

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Ollie Watkins?

    2. JBG
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Lacazette?

    3. mezza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I am on for 3 bonus

    4. Nanoelektronicar
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Still not better than Paddy.

    5. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      If you had said frustrating to watch I would have got it straight away.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Choupo Moting ???

    6. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I’ve also just got booked lol

    7. JBG
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I just go an unnecessary YC*

    8. MightyGar
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      You are Maximus Bonimus Pointimus, captainer of a blanking forward, bencher of a hauling fullback. And you will have your vengeance, in this season or the next

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Nice 🙂

  3. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Sold Dallas for a hit
    Benched Bamford
    Got Jota and captained him
    Didn't get Salah

  4. Nanoelektronicar
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Davis time with all injuries at Villa?

  5. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Very much depends on which Hudson turns up ... if he performs like a heavily inebriated geriatric circus seal ... James will be called upon.

  6. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    1 more Marty, 1 more!

  7. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    No Alonso or Dias would have left me with Bamford and Dallas off the bench!

    #preWCwins

  8. camarozz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Anyone else having issues with Flashscore?

    Any other recommendations where I can get footie n golf livescores?

    .

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Yeah it's down. Try livescore

  9. HashAttack
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    With Dallas getting his highest score of the season, that's now 5 times this season that a player has scored his highest points total the gw that I've sold him 🙁

    gw2 - Son - 24
    gw3 - Wilson - 16
    gw11 - Sterling - 13
    gw20 - Soucek - 15
    gw31 - Dallas - 17

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Who are you selling next week ? Asking for a friend

      1. HashAttack
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Rolling a FT 🙂

  10. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Watkins YC

    1. Bees4Lyf
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Yess

      1. Nanoelektronicar
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss

    2. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      That should’ve been red. Studs in.

  11. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Come oooon Jota Salah TAA and Mount

  12. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Watkins YC

  13. Flair
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Phillips 2BP

    TAA 0BP

    Interesting.

    1. Cookie Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      You get what you pay for

      1. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        🙂

        1. Cookie Kid
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Confirmed

  14. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Come on Mo ...

  15. WVA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Watkins booked

  16. Bushwhacker
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Slow motion Red for Watkins there ... studs

  17. Cookie Kid
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Phillips on 2 bonus and Mo will lose his shortly

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Erm no, he won’t

      1. Duke Silver ☑
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Mo doesn't like baps though. He's in rare territory atm.

      2. Cookie Kid
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Oh that’s good then, thanks for confirming

        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Welcome

          1. Cookie Kid
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Did he keep it then?

    2. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Alisson and Mo now sharing a Bap ... one Alisson save and Mo will prob lose it

    3. WVA
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Phillips on 2 baps for conceeding a goal!? Lol when my strikers score a goal they don't even get BAPS!

  18. Do I Not Like Orange
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Dallas > Alonso was a masterstroke. Can't wait for this rancid season to be over with.

    1. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Oh my...but no one could have seen it.

  19. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Jota looks like he's going off

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      But don't they need to score a goal?

      1. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Two on Weds

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I wish you meant he was scoring a brace, but alas.

  20. DandyDon
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Massively choose wrong this week. Went TAA and Jota(c) over Nat Philips and Salah(c)...

  21. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Shaq coming on. 1-1 confirmed.

  22. Pukki Blinders
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Not good enough from Salah, we want more.

  23. Roy Hudd
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Salah will be lucky to hold onto that bonus point despite having a massive impact on the game. Great Baps system

  24. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Shaqiri on
    Kabak off

  25. WVA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Everyone's gameweek hanging on jammy bench points, again shows it's all luck.

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      It’s always been luck, since it started to when it ends

  26. Big_Andy_GAWA
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Went Rudiger over Christensen during the week for one of my FT's. Would have gotten Dallas' 17 points if had done the other way round. Gutted...!!!

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Punished for making a good desision.

      Fpl in a nutschell

  27. Flair
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Imagine if Salah earned BP. Must have lost all of it by now

  28. 272MK
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Alonso Captain.
    Trent VC here.

    Arghhh

    1. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Why?

    2. nolard
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      and? 🙂

  29. JBG
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Holy f.. Mane has been poor since coming on. Basically continuing his poor form as of late.

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Jota's disappeared since Mané came on as well 😆

  30. las90855
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    had terrible start to the week so far, wildcarded my team, dallas on the 3rd sub, has neto for 1 pt, went for mane instead of salah, have TAA and Allison ffs, now with R James out, I don't know how it can get better.