Dugout Discussion

Bale benched as Grealish makes first start since Gameweek 24

Gameweek 37 has seen not only the welcome return of home supporters to Premier League grounds but also the revisiting of simultaneous kick-offs.

There are three top-flight fixtures getting underway at 18:00 BST this evening: Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United v Sheffield United and Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa.

Crystal Palace’s clash with Arsenal begins an hour later, meanwhile.

The headline story from north London is the benching of Gareth Bale (£9.2m) – something that Ryan Mason had hinted was a possibility when he faced the media on Tuesday.

Giovani Lo Celso (£6.9m) is also only among the substitutes, with Harry Winks (£5.1m) and Steven Bergwijn (£7.0m) coming into the side.

Despite widespread rumours about his future, Harry Kane (£11.9m) is part of the Spurs team this evening.

Aston Villa are the visitors to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium and Dean Smith’s troops will have Jack Grealish (£7.5m) in a Premier League starting XI for the first time since February.

Tyrone Mings (£5.4m) recovers from injury and Marvelous Nakamba (£4.3m) is recalled, as Ahmed Elmohamady (£4.2m), Douglas Luiz (£4.8m) and Jacob Ramsey (£4.5m) drop to the bench following the defeat to Crystal Palace.

There are two changes for Everton as Gylfi Sigurdsson (£6.9m) and the fit-again Yerry Mina (£5.5m) come into the side.

Mason Holgate (£4.8m) is benched, while – surprise, surprise – there is no James Rodriguez (£7.7m) in the matchday squad.

Nuno Espirito Santo has run wild with the changes over the last two Gameweeks and has made another five of them this evening.

Goalkeeper John Ruddy (£4.3m) makes his first Premier League start of the season, while there are also appearances for Rayan Aït-Nouri (£5.0m), Rúben Neves (£5.1m), Willy Boly (£5.4m) and Max Kilman (£3.8m).

Rui Patricio (£5.3m) drops to the bench, along with Vitinha (£4.7m), Romain Saiss (£4.9m), Leander Dendoncker (£4.6m) and Ki-Jana Hoever (£4.4m).

This game comes too soon for Raul Jimenez (£8.1m), who had been seeing a medical consultant on Tuesday in a bid to get the all-clear from a long-term head injury.

Newcastle United are unchanged from their seven-goal thriller with Manchester City last Friday.

Opponents Sheffield United hand another start to teenage forward Daniel Jebbison (£4.5m) and have made just one change from Sunday’s win at Goodison Park.

Jayden Bogle (£4.3m) comes in for the injured George Baldock (£4.9m) at right wing-back.

Roy Hodgson makes two changes to his line-up for his final home game as Palace manager, with James Tomkins (£4.4m) and Vicente Guaita (£4.8m) returning to the side.

Jack Butland (£4.5m) is on the bench, with Eberechi Eze (£5.9m) out with a long-term injury.

Mikel Arteta has also made a couple of alterations to the side that beat Chelsea last time out.

Calum Chambers (£4.5m) replaces Pablo Mari (£4.4m) in defence, while Nicolas Pepe (£5.6m) is in for Martin Odegaard (£7.6m).


LINE-UPS

Everton XI: Pickford, Godfrey, Mina, Keane, Digne, Coleman, Doucoure, Allan, Sigurdsson, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Holgate, Delph, King, Iwobi, Nkounkou, Bernard, Andre Gomes, Davies, Olsen.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Ruddy, Boly, Coady, Kilman, Nelson Semedo, Joao Moutinho, Neves, Ait Nouri, Traore, Silva, Gibbs-White.

Subs: Hoever, Marcal, Rui Patricio, Willian Jose, Vitinha, Dendoncker, Sondergaard, Saiss.

Newcastle United XI: Dubravka, Dummett, Krafth, Fernendez, Shelvey, Ritchie, Murphy, Almiron, Willock, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin.

Substitutes: Gillespie, Clark, Lewis, Manquillo, M Longstaff, Hendrick, S Longstaff, Carroll, Gayle.

Sheffield United XI: Ramsdale, Bogle, Stevens, Basham, Egan, Robinson, Fleck, Norwood, Osborn, Jebbison, McGoldrick.

Subs: Foderingham, Lowe, Jagielka, Gordon, Boyes, Lundstram, Seriki, Brunt, Brewster.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris, Tanganga, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon, Winks, Hojbjerg, Bergwijn, Alli, Son, Kane.

Subs: Hart, Doherty, Sanchez, Bale, Lamela, Lo Celso, Aurier, Moura, Ndombele.

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

Subs: Steer, Taylor, Luiz, Wesley, Barkley, Elmohamady, Ramsey, Philogene-Bidace, Chukwuemeka.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Ward, Tomkins, Cahill, Mitchell, Townsend, Kouyate, McCarthy, Schlupp, Benteke, Zaha.

Subs: Butland, Van Aanholt, Ayew, Mateta, Clyne, Batshuayi, Kelly, Rak-Sakyi, Riedewald.

Arsenal XI: Len, Tierney, Gabriel, Saka, Aubameyang, Holding, Partey, Pepe, Chambers, Elneny, Smith Rowe.

Subs: Ryan, Ceballos, Lacazette, Odegaard, Willian, Cedric, Mari, Xhaka, Martinelli.

867 Comments Post a Comment
  1. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    watking wtf is that

    1. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Lost connection on his ps

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

    Spurs have turned into Derby Co?

  3. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Digne HOLD !

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

    Where is the dcl goal i was promised?

    1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I’ve been wondering this too

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

      DCL has nowhere to hide. Mostly because he's a giraffe.

    3. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      just had a great chance

  5. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Bruno to Mane the easiest move last gw?

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Id be tempted by final day auba

      1. OPTA FPL
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        avoid all the team get nothing to play for mate, probably on the beach

    2. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Review after tonight's performance

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

    Yes Willock my son. All the players I took hits for returning so far while the ones that exited blanked: Dallas for Azpi and Willock for Mount!

  7. Guru Mediation
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Chickening out of Willock will haunt me forever if I drop out of 10k 🙁

  8. Steinburg FC
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Nah, just got the flip flops on. Sell GW38

  9. Salan
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    What is Mason waiting for? Wants to lose this match?

  10. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Rudiger confirmed to stay rooted on my bench, sigh

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

      Same

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

      same

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

    I need another Ziggy return.. not gonna happen, right?

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

      More likely to be subbed tbh.

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

    Bale coming on.

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

      Well at least that's the Son blank confirmed

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

    Wolves vs Man Utd on Sunday going to be a proper 'on the beach' game. Wolves got nothing to play for as can't finish top half. Man Utd want to protect their players for the EL final.

    But because it is an 'on the beach' game does that mean the defending goes out the window and it is a goal fest? Or the attackers are going to be lazy and it is a 0-0?

    1. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      2-2

  14. KAALI_DAAL
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Yayyy Willock!!!

    1. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      ?

    2. OptimusBlack
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      !!!!!

  15. MIGHTY JOE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Kane (C) going well. Spurs so awful

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

      Why he wants out like yesterday

  16. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Having extra cash really can be a curse. I went with Torres over Willock who I really wanted for the last 2

    1. Drexl Spivey
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Keep Torres though...

      1. Paqueta Rice
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Oh I will be but of all the options I weighed up, Willock, Maxim, Foden etc I went with him. Just frustrating

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

    Grealish subbed.

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

    Pickford doing Pickford things. Gonna be a nervy last 15 minutes.

  19. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Im so full of regret right now for going with Kane over Salah for captain. Spurs just utterly woeful.

    1. MIGHTY JOE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      This is what it all comes down to. I flipped the coin and lost

  20. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Kane + Son > Mane + Antonio?

    1. Steinburg FC
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      yes! i have both and will -4 or bench one 100%

  21. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Get them baps Digne!

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

      Wooooo

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

      1 or 2?

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

    Siggy very close

  23. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    The only reason Dele is still in is because he was a good players a few years ago

  24. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Wait Mason subbed out his best player of the game??

  25. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Close race for baps between the Everton defenders

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

    Kane SOT

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

      Martinez save point.

      1. Scholes Out For Summer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        this

  27. Cilly Bonnolly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    REALLY need a Wolves goal.

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

      Nearly had a pen. Close call.

  28. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Martinez save!

  29. djman102
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Well, that's save #3 for Martinez at least. Now get some goals, Harry!

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

    Tangy is rubbish