Dugout Discussion

Bamford, Bale, Aguero and Forster on the bench for Gameweek 38 matches

Patrick Bamford is on the Leeds bench for their Gameweek 38 meeting with West Bromwich Albion.

Ahead of facing the Premier League worst defence this season, Marcelo Bielsa’s number-one forward was the most-bought player for the final round of matches.

But the Leeds boss has taken the return of Leeds fans to a home top-flight game for 17 years to offer farewell starts to Gaetano Berardi and Pablo Hernandez.

The latter starts at number 10, pushing Rodrigo into Bamford’s centre-forward berth with Raphinha and Jack Harrison on the flanks of what appears to be a 3-3-3-1 formation.

As promised, Kiko Casilla starts in goal ahead of Illan Meslier while Fantasy favourite Stuart Dallas keeps his place on the right-hand side of Leeds’ second bank of three.

Ryan Mason’s two alterations are both at the back, with Matt Doherty and Davinson Sanchez in for Japhet Tanganga and Eric Dier.

Gareth Bale is benched again.

If Sergio Aguero is to sign off his Manchester City Premier League career with a goal, he will have to do it from the bench where he is named alongside Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres.

Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden appear to be either side of Gabriel Jesus while Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne look set for slightly deeper midfield roles.

Liverpool are as to be expected with Diogo Jota only fit enough for a bench role and Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah either side of Roberto Firmino in the front-three.

Crystal Palace have opted for a more robust set-up than their usual 4-4-2 set-up in what appears to be a 4-3-3 system featuring Cheikhou Kouyate, Jairo Riedewald and James McCarthy protecting a back-four of Tyrick Mitchell, James Tomkins, Gary Cahill and Joel Ward.

David Moyes has made two changes to the West Ham United side that beat West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday.

Lukasz Fabianski has passed a late fitness test on a knee injury and replaces Darren Randolph between the posts, while Jarrod Bowen comes in for Said Benrahma down the right flank.

Southampton make five alterations to the team beaten by Leeds United in Gameweek 37.

The return of Danny Ings to the starting XI is the headline news, with Ibrahima Diallo, Nathan Redmond, Takumi Minamino and Jan Bednarek also recalled.

Alex McCarthy keeps his place, with Fraser Forster only along the substitutes.

The injured Che Adams misses out, with Oriol Romeu back on the bench after three months out.

Moussa Djenepo, Theo Walcott, Nathan Tella and Jack Stephens make way.

Dean Smith has named an unchanged team, with Jack Grealish handed another start.

There’s only one tweak to Thomas Tuchel’s line-up, with the injured N’Golo Kante replaced by Mateo Kovacic.

The fit-again Kai Havertz has to make do with a place on the bench.

Arsenal have made two changes to the side that won 3-1 at Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka are back in midfield, with Mohamed Elneny and Bukayo Saka dropped.

Brighton also make a pair of alterations.

Lewis Dunk and Leandro Trossard start, with the injured Danny Welbeck and the benched Steven Alzate missing out.

Martin Dubravka, Joe Willock and Allan Saint-Maximin are deemed fit to start for Newcastle, with Sean Longstaff in for the injured Joelinton the only change that Steve Bruce has made.

Alphonse Areola, Mario Lemina and Harrison Reed make way from Scott Parker’s first XI, with Marek Rodak, Kenny Tete and Josh Onomah brought into the fold.

Burnley are in 4-5-1 for their trip toSheffield United, featuring Chris Wood as a lone centre-forward. Ben Mee and Nick Pope both miss out due to injury, replaced by Will Norris and Jimmy Dunne.

As expected, Manchester United are heavily rotated for Gameweek 38. Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are on the bench but Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani are all absent.

Gameweek 38 Line-ups

Arsenal XI: Leno, Chambers, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Xhaka, Partey, Ødegaard, Pepe, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Sánchez, White, Webster, Dunk, Burn, Jahanbakhsh, Groß, Bissouma, Trossard, Moder, Mac Allister.

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

Chelsea XI: Mendy, James, Rudiger, Silva, Azpilicueta, Chilwell, Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount, Werner, Pulisic.

Fulham XI: Rodak, Tete, Ream, Adarabioyo, Bryan, Anguissa, Onomah, Cavaleiro, Carvalho, Lookman, De Cordova-Reid.

Newcastle United XI: Dubravka, Krafth, Fernandez, Dummett, Murphy, Willock, S Longstaff, Shelvey, Ritchie, Almiron, Saint-Maximin.

Leeds United XI: Casilla; Berardi, Cooper, Ayling; Alioski, K Phillips, Dallas; Harrison, Hernández, Raphinha; Rodrigo.

West Bromwich Albion XI: Johnstone; Bartley, Ajayi, O’Shea; C Townsend, Gallagher, Yokuslu, Maitland-Niles, Furlong; M Phillips; Robinson.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Thomas, Fofana, Soyuncu, Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Maddison, Albrighton, Vardy, Iheanacho.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris, Doherty, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Winks, Alli, Kane, Son, Bergwijn.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Robertson, N Phillips, R Williams, Alexander-Arnold; Thiago, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Mané, Firmino, Salah.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; Mitchell, Tomkins, Cahill, J Ward; McCarthy, Riedewald, Kouyaté; Zaha, Ayew, Townsend.

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Zinchenko, Stones, Dias, Walker; Mahrez, Fernandinho, De Bruyne; Foden, Jesus, Sterling.

Everton XI: Pickford; Digne, Godfrey, Keane, Holgate; Doucouré, T Davies, Allan; Sigurdsson; Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.

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

Burnley XI: Norris; C Taylor, Dunne, Tarkowski, Lowton; McNeil, Cork, Westwood, Brownhill, Gudmundsson; Wood.

West Ham United XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Bowen, Lingard, Fornals, Antonio.

Southampton XI: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Salisu, Diallo, Armstrong, Minamino, Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Ings.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Patrício; Saïss, Coady, Boly; Aït-Nouri, Neves, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Semedo; F Silva, A Traoré.

Manchester United XI: D Henderson; Telles, Bailly, Tuanzebe, B Williams; Matic, van de Beek; D James, Mata, A Diallo; Elanga.

2,075 Comments Post a Comment
  1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    No goals? Boring

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Will be soon!

    2. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Fibre broadband?

  2. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Where do we think the first goal is scored?

    1. KEN YA DIG IT
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Elland Road

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      City.

    3. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Lei tot

    4. JJO
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Jebinson 🙂

    5. Podge
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      England

    6. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Salah

    7. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      King power

    8. dark91
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      West Ham

  3. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    No goals yet, bit of a let down....

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Season over

    2. DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Worst GW ever

    3. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Everybody gets clean sheets

    4. KEN YA DIG IT
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Is that you Chucky?

      1. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 hour ago

        Chucky’s in prison...doing a 5 stretch

  4. The Ilfordian
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Is Bamford on yet?

  5. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Somebody random score.

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      As is tradition. Zinchenko or some random will score first.

      1. Collie01
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 hour ago

        Reece James please

    2. The Ilfordian
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Someone like Semi Ajayi you mean?

  6. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Zaha close

  7. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Jafooli and Bemba living in different basements, same house, confirmed.

  8. HonestBlatter
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    PALACE very close

  9. REDMOND IN SANDALS
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Bamford hit masterclass

  10. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Cooper yellow

  11. vincentwsho
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Will Saka come off the bench you reckon? Have JWP as 1st sub

    1. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      I think so

  12. dark91
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Zaha very selfish but thanks for not passing 😀

  13. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Palace looking dangerous

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Yep they would do

  14. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Thiago not good enough at EPL

    1. Podge
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Awful

  15. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Palace bossing it

  16. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Townsend close

  17. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Townsend close

  18. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Leeds goal.

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Wiped.

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 59 mins ago

        Offside from Jack Harrison!

    2. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Bamford celebrating ?

  19. Je suis le chat
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Lovely, I'm up 1k in rank already after a hit!

  20. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Salah TC fail.

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Dude 5 mins in......

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 58 mins ago

        Getting it in early to save time.

  21. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Leeds goal...

    1. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Disallowed. M

    2. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Wiped

  22. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Come on Palace, do it for Roy!

  23. OLD Rafiki
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Rodrigo playing. Beautiful!!!!!!!!!

  24. 420king
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Disallowed?

  25. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Harrison disallowed goal - bruh!

    1. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Spewing...

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Yep, I own him, just typical

    3. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Season over

    4. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 hour ago

      Gutted ... what a start that would have been.

  26. dark91
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    Very strange decisions/transfers by the 1st and 2nd overall. Looks like the 3rd placed guy will surprise them and win it

  27. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 hour ago

    All teams on the beach.....

  28. Burger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 59 mins ago

    The differential goal I needed, wiped. This better not be the theme this afternoon.

  29. Pukki Blinders
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 59 mins ago

    All games still 0-0 what an absolute joke

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 57 mins ago

      10 mins in joker!!

  30. Sandy Ravage
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 59 mins ago

    Leicester 5-0 (Iheanacho hat trick) to pip Liverpool

    1. The Ilfordian
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 58 mins ago

      Not sure Liverpool will even win based on early minutes