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. Rotation's Alter Ego
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Fabs injured in warmup by the sounds of it. This season is just great fun isn't it.

    https://twitter.com/_thomasjclark/status/1395090991065993222?s=19

    1. Party time
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Wtf

      • Fudgy
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Not good at all as my rival has Periera

      • Forza Papac
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Thought you meant Fabinho

      • Pat Bonner
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        He always getting injured in the warm up. What are they doing to him!

      • Powers106
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Scott Sterling would just shake it off....

    2. zon
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      And Burnley playing their junior keeper. The bed is made for Salah

    3. Sandy Ravage
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Martinez > Dubravka (VC) paid off nicely

    4. Oggle22
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Guaita
      TAA Coady Holding
      Salah Bruno Jlingz Greenwood
      Ings Antonio DCL

      Forster Mahrez Ward Amartey

      Worth doing Bruno and DCL to Mane and Bamford -4?

    5. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Rival capping Salah, 3 points behind. Need to captain a differential to have a slight chance.

      A. TAA
      B. Dallas
      C. Antonio

      He has A and B as well.

    6. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Thank you Kane
      Captain Moo Salahh let's Gooo

    7. gooberman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Sofa time. Captained Kane, no Trent and no West Ham players.

    8. MIGHTY JOE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      What I need to save the season:

      1. Coufal CS + hattie
      2. Leno CS + penalty save
      3. Salah blank
      4. Trent red card

      Lets go.

    9. lifes a pitch
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Need to make 20points on my rival he will probably cap Salah...
      Who would you play Triple C on this gw?
      Apart from Dallas who's the best defender for 6.3m or less?

      1. FPL_Motty
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Bring mane in and TC Mane

      2. FPL_Motty
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Best def under 6.3 this week for me is Chilwell. Tierney and philips next best

    10. lifes a pitch
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Reguilon+Greenwood to Tierney and Mahrez....Yes or No ?