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. FantasyHero
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Wow chelsea

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

    Salah deciding that the golden Boot is not really his thing.

  3. Zladan
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Jota to Foden last week a success.

    2G.

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

      Jota to Torres here. Had to choose between Foden, Torres and Willock and went with Torres ffs

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

    Everton are toilet

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

      Try supporting them. Take a lot of rough with the smooth.

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

    This Chelsea side is pathetic. Tuchel should have planned better. No excuses.

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

    Need Greenwood to come on

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

      Mahrez first on bench here. Please no

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

    Grim end to Everton’s season. Going to need some amazing work in the summer window.

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

    FODEN!!!

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

    Hahahaha. Chelsea bottle the FA Cup, Top 4 and probably UCL. Hahahahaha

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

    Who assisted Foden Goal?

    1. El-Kloppico
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Raz

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

      Sterling

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

    Foden goal.

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

      Mahrez assist.

    2. Stoic
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Overrated duck

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

    Nerve wrecking this. Atm I’m losing my ML battle and 600€. Going down to the wire.
    Love it! 😀

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

    Lol. Johnson in all the Champions League places!

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

    Werner, Havertz, Ziyech been significant flops. So Chelsea have noone to rely on for goals if Plan A isn't working

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

    2 for Arsenal

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

    How many penalties they are going to give for Leicester and against Chelsea? Scandalous!!!

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Foxes love it!!

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

    If Chelsea finish 5th and the win the CL, do 4th place (Leicester as it stands) lose their CL spot?

    1. leeboy104
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      No, will have 5 teams in CL.

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

      No. 5 in UCL.

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

    Pepe G (2nd)

  19. Yank Revolution
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Thank you Foden....closing in on top 100k...let's goooooo!!

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

    CSs rolling in

  21. El-Kloppico
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Pepe double

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

    Torres over Pepe was a disaster

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

    Pepe explodes

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

    Ooh la la Pepito

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

    Pepe could be a serious option next season, 10 League goals in 15 League starts

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

    Lovely Arsenal (cant have Brighton finish above us)

  27. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Arsenal for Champions League!!!

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

    Thank you Phil!!

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

    Ah Pepe was the arsenal player to get

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

    Chelsea down in fifth while Leicester and Liverpool 69 each other is a a beautiful sight.

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      😀