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. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Pen Man Utd ...

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Bruno pitch invasion?

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Under a green and gold scarf

      2. Collie01
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Let's go Patricio!

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

        Fernandes doing 100mph on the M60

    2. BobB
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Chelsea are a team of thugs

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

      United penalty but no Fernandes on pitch. Very odd

    4. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Man U goal ..... mata pen

    5. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Bruno surely being subbed on this instant to take the pen

      1. HonestBlatter
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        out of the squad

        1. Mighty Banana
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          So Serious...

    6. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      OMG mata

    7. SINGH
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Where's Antonio and Sons assists?

      1. HonestBlatter
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        FPL towers / Mark does not have them...

        1. SINGH
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Eh? Is this game rigged? I thought they follow BBC

      2. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Sofascore not giving either...

      3. WVA
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        This is ridiculous, add the son assist FFS

    8. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Liverpool and Leicester to go through. Would love Chelsea not to make it.

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

      Not Salah's day so far

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Never is

        1. Planet Jo
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Equal top EPL goalscorer before today

    10. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      VAR penalty decision for Man U...

      Mike Dean.

      Goal.

    11. KEN YA DIG IT
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      KANEEEEE

      1. Duke Silver ☑
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Again?!

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

        Second?

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

        I agree with your username.

      4. Mighty Banana
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Stream must be a little behind...

    12. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Salah getting desperate now. News of the Kane goal clearly got through to him.

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Shouldn’t matter, but Salah is a bottler

    13. KAALI_DAAL
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Chelsea breaking apart here. You wouldnt think this team has reached the CL final.

    14. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Only 2 attacking returns so far, raphinha and kane. Ffs

      1. Pompel
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        And none of them will make a difference whatsoever

    15. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Nice send off for Mata. Lovely bloke.

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

        Been class for United. Hope he gets a homecoming to Valencia

      2. KAALI_DAAL
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        A gentleman.

      3. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Agreed, very decent fella....

    16. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Who's more likely to keep CS? Holding or Cresswel? ML rank likely to be dependent on their scores.

      1. Cilly Bonnolly
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Cresswell hopefully.

    17. WVA
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Omg the ONE week I didn't captain Kane FFS

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        One goal

    18. Perthite
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      9 cleansheets left - surely that will be whittled away to not many by FT.

    19. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Ffs.... Coady gonna get me 0 or worse off the bench as usual. Useless

    20. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Flan played Mendy over Martinez

    21. KAALI_DAAL
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      I am inside Top 10K!!!

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Ok? Thanks

      2. Bartowski
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Congrats! Top 10K, is, despite the odd nick name, a lovely chap!

      3. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        good

      4. Pep bites Kun
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Well done - hoooldd for 45 mins+ 😉

    22. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Salah why are you so rubbish?

      1. Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        This

      2. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        What exactly is he supposed to have done?

        1. Podge
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Football

        2. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Erm, score? Or are you new to football?

        3. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Also, his job

    23. Planet Jo
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Not a bad first half with Ederson pen save, Kane, Willock, Kane, Raphinha and Mane (capt). Bit annoyed with Vydra benching but can't have everything.

      1. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Call Mum.

      2. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Oh posh off

        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Two Kane’s as well hey? Nice, now leave

    24. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      SON assy...give it

      1. Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Was it an assist?

        1. KAALI_DAAL
          • 3 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Son wont give his ass to you. Never.

          1. Mighty Banana
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 4 Years
            2 years, 10 months ago

            Painful memory?

        2. Bushwhacker
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          No

    25. Limbo
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Sod this. I’m watching the golf.

    26. Pompel
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Need Salah goal and Bamford coming on after the break to have any hope of saving this GW from catastrophe

    27. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Where’s the Antonio & Son Assists?

    28. Cojones of Destiny
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      OR3 is absolutely killing it so far

      1. The Ilfordian
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Remember, OR2 might get Willock off the bench

        1. Cojones of Destiny
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          even if he does third spot is already on 38 points

          1. The Ilfordian
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 10 months ago

            He’s killing it that’s a great first half score

    29. FCSB
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      No Son assist... the games gone mad

      1. Muchentuchel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        It's super crazy especially given the fact that Bruno's was given last week.

        1. FCSB
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          I remember Bruno getting as assist for a very similar deflected cross earlier in the season too

      2. CBonci
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        The issue for me is there is no consistency! For me his clear target is in Kane’s direction the deflection didn’t seem to change that!

      3. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Never an assist

    30. Pep's Money Laundry
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      No son assist yet ferandes got an assist for a ball he didn't touch, ridiculous