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. WVA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    I captained Vardy so many times this season, 0 returns

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Same, we seem to have had the same bad luck with the same group of players.
      Like they say it’s all about timing

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

    As much as I like Leicester that is a blatant cheating play from Vardy

    1. Sir Ledley
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Indeed. Not even suggested by the blind commentators. Hardly surprising knowing how biased one of them is

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

    Watkins please take it

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

      Please no

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

      El Ghazi

  4. fr3d
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Bruno to Mane this week was the most obvious transfer of the season

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

    Argh Mendy could have redeemed with a penalty save

  6. Party time
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Kane gonna get the golden boot?

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

        Yep, Salah is a bottler

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

      Chelsea you idiots.

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

        This!!

        Going to have to win the Champions League final.

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

      OMG el ghazi

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

        What’s so OMG about that?

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

      Villa penalty....

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

        Goal!!!!!

    • diesel001
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      El Ghazi G
      Traore A

    • Mike2795647
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Villa 2nd goal

    • Red Devil Swede
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Chelsea win CL final please then

    • TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Chelolsea

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

      3 nil Manchester City!!

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

        Wel who’s scored?!!

      2. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Aguero????

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

          Not even on the pitch mate lol

    • g40steve
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      El Ghazi G

    • SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Tuchel will be gone by January

    • Bubz
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Put Torres on... my god

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

      Foden yes!

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

        Sterling assist

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

      Traore assist
      El Ghazi Goal

    • FantasyHero
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Foden!!

    • FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Fak Werner bring Tammy in !!! At least he can score

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

      Hope City tear Chelsea a new one next week

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

        It's a shame they can't both lose. Greedy traitors.

    • Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Nice one Villa

    • Limbo
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      You think Greenwood gets minutes? El G 2nd on my bench…

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

        Yeah I reckon he'll come on

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

      Pep you moron you’re 3-0 up in a pointless game and you still won’t play Aguero.

      Hope you lose champions league final

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

      Torres on please!

    • ivantys
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Kane greedy af

    • Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Tuchel is doing an incredible job with Chelsea, they will surely be challenging for the league next year if they keep playing like this...

      Wait... is it still ok to say this?

    • HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Watkins get your goal...Chelsi is done now

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

      Hoping we get 5 English teams in the Champion's League next season. Need Chelsea to finish 5th and win the Final.