Dugout Discussion

Jota benched as Alexander-Arnold returns to Liverpool starting XI

Diogo Jota is the main omission from the Liverpool starting XI this afternoon as Watford welcome the Reds to Vicarage Road in Claudio Ranieri’s first match in charge.

Kick-off is at 12:30 BST.

Jota is only among the substitutes for the visitors but Trent Alexander-Arnold has recovered from a groin injury to return at right-back, with James Milner moving into midfield.

Caoimhin Kelleher lines up between the posts, meanwhile, with Brazilian duo Alisson and Fabinho not involved after representing their country in the early hours of Friday morning.

Naby Keita starts in place of the injured Curtis Jones, with Roberto Firmino brought in at Jota’s expense to line up alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Salah has been massively backed with the captaincy in Gameweek 8, with not far off 90% of the top 10,000 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers handing him the armband.

A total of 3.5 million Fantasy bosses captained Salah overall, while he was transferred in by just over a third of a million more FPL managers ahead of this morning’s deadline to swell his ownership to 63%.

The Egyptian’s highest-ever Gameweek score of 29 points came against today’s opponents back in 2017/18, and he has 10 attacking returns in six meetings with the Hornets.

As for the hosts, Ranieri has made three changes from Xisco Munoz’s final starting XI as Watford boss.

Francisco Sierralta and Joshua King are out injured, with Craig Cathcart and Cucho Hernandez replacing them. Ozan Tufan is benched, meanwhile, with Adam Masina taking his place.

It’s a 4-4-1-1 on paper for last season’s Championship runners-up but it remains to be seen if the veteran Italian has other ideas come kick-off.


GAMEWEEK 8 LINE-UPS

Watford XI: Foster, Rose, Ekong, Masina, Cathcart, Sissoko, Femenia, Sarr, Dennis, Hernandez, Kucka.

Subs: Bachmann, Ngakia, Louza, Cleverley, Pedro, Sema, Gosling, Fletcher, Tufan.

Liverpool XI: Kelleher, van Dijk, Milner, Keita, Firmino, Mane, Salah, Henderson, Robertson, Matip, Alexander-Arnold.

Subs: Adrian, Konate, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jota, Minamino, Tsimikas, Origi, Williams.

MATCHDAY LIVE WATCHALONG

1,403 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Walter White (WW)
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Thanks for nothing Pep

  2. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Ake starting. That's the clean sheet fooked then.

  3. Zimo
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Jimenez benched

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Beautiful

    2. Zilla
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Scenes

    3. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Now I’m in trouble … bench okay but not that okay …. Jeez.

    4. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Faaak

    5. pundit of punts
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Nice

    6. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Lovely stuff

    7. DycheDycheBaby
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      It's ok. Wolves will struggle and they'll bring Jimi on 2nd half and he'll score 🙂

  4. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    And I went for Dias for extra security

    Lol 🙄

    1. Thanos
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Same

      With Raph out down to 10 already 🙁

  5. CRO KLOPP
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Burnley is perfect fixture to rest Dias,its not that crazy from Pep

  6. Amartey Partey
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    If Liverpool concede does Trent still get a CS?

    1. El-Kloppico
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yes

    2. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yes lol

  7. Meechoo115
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Ffs brought in Dias and Armstrong on wildcard

  8. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    ⚽ Team News 📰
    AVL: Martínez, Tuanzebe, Mings, Konsa, Targett, Buendía, Douglas Luiz, Cash, McGinn, Ings, Watkins
    Subs: Steer, Young, Hause, Philogene-Bidace, El Ghazi, Sanson, Nakamba, Ramsey, Archer

    WOL: Sá, Coady, Kilman, Saïss, Semedo, Marçal, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Hwang, Traoré
    Subs: Moulden, Ruddy, Hoever, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Boly, Cundle, Podence, Fabio Silva, Jiménez

    LEI: Schmeichel, Amartey, Söyüncü, Evans, Tielemans, Castagne, Soumaré, Pereira, Iheanacho, Maddison, Vardy
    Subs: Ward, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Albrighton, Barnes, Choudhury, Pérez, Lookman, Daka

    MUN: de Gea, Shaw, Lindelöf, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Greenwood, Sancho, Pogba, Matic, Fernandes, Ronaldo
    Subs: Henderson, Telles, Bailly, Dalot, Mata, van de Beek, Lingard, McTominay, Rashford

    MCI: Steffen, Laporte, Stones, Aké, Cancelo, Bernardo, Rodri, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Sterling, Foden
    Subs: Carson, Cieran Slicker, Dias, Walker, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Palmer, Grealish, Gündogan

    BUR: Pope, Pieters, Collins, Lowton, Tarkowski, Cork, Cornet, Westwood, McNeil, Brownhill, Wood
    Subs: Norris, Hennessey, Bardsley, Roberts, Long, Gudmundsson, Lennon, Barnes, Rodriguez

    NOR: Krul, Gibson, Aarons, Hanley, Giannoulis, Kabak, Normann, McLean, Lees-Melou, Sargent, Pukki
    Subs: Gunn, Williams, Omobamidele, Gilmour, Dowell, Rashica, Rupp, Idah, Tzolis

    BHA: Sánchez, Dunk, Duffy, Burn, Groß, Cucurella, Veltman, Lallana, Moder, Trossard, Maupay
    Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Roberts, March, Bissouma, Mac Allister, Mwepu, Locadia, Connolly

    SOU: McCarthy, Perraud, Salisu, Bednarek, Livramento, Elyounoussi, Romeu, Diallo, Djenepo, Redmond, Broja
    Subs: Forster, Lyanco, Walker-Peters, Valery, S.Armstrong, Tella, Walcott, A.Armstrong, Long

    LEE: Meslier, Shackleton, Cooper, Llorente, Dallas, Klich, James, Roberts, Struijk, Harrison, Rodrigo
    Subs: Klaesson, Cresswell, Hjelde, Drameh, Summerville, McKinstry, Forshaw, Greenwood, Gelhardt

    1. Fitzy.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Thanks mate

    2. TomSaints
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Dialli one to watch for saints. Loads of talent and very cheap if he holds a starting place

      1. DycheDycheBaby
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Diallo? Don't think he will be getting any attacking returns lol

    3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Nacho starts

      Man he’s tempting for next week

    4. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Cheers Sim….Ronnie stricker?

      Greenwood on the right?

    5. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Jimenez 🙁

    6. dark91
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      The one week I finally transfer Traore out he starts. This game man 😀

    7. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Thanks Sim!

  9. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Scenes, South American, Scenes!

  10. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    haven’t even seen the lineups but can feel the pain 🙁

  11. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Come on saints, got to be beating a poor Leeds side here

  12. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Armstrong dropped!

    1. Flynny
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Wildcard failure... .

      1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        At least you can blame the FFS community . They picked it 😉

    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      This is gutting ...

    3. FPL_Crisis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      FFS he's my first sub for Jota

  13. Walter White (WW)
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Where is Raphinha?!

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      In business class

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Sleeping.

    3. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Sleeping

  14. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Mahrez(c), Cancelo, Cash, Sanchez, Vardy

    Let’s go!

  15. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Greenwood on the bench at St Marys

  16. Forgetmeknot
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Jiminez benched, didnt see that coming. Makes a mockery of keeping him over hwang argh

  17. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Anyone own Dias, Grealish, Jimenez, Raphinha?!

    1. DycheDycheBaby
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      My ML rival does 😀

    2. Slartibartfast
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Dias, Raphina and Armstrong.

      Raph expected, the other two super annoying.

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

      I own Grealish, Raphinha, Rudiger.

      Livramento, Dennis and Duffy comes on.

    4. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      The last 3, yeah

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Odegaard, Livra and Shaw are the backups

  18. Hairy Potter
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    No alarms and no surprises.

  19. Ady87
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Chance Jota stays benched?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Won't see him now, maybe Origi for Salah/Mane.

  20. Captain Haddock
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Open controls

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Permalink?

  21. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Traore is going to haul isn't he.

    1. DARE TO BISCAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      It's the hope that kills ya.

  22. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Livramento to the rescue!

  23. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Lol Adam Armstrong dropped

    1. Vlad Tepes
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I brought him in this week lol

  24. Peter O'Hanraha-hanrah…
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Jimi and Dias benched lol

  25. ClassiX
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    BURNLEY TEAM NEWS
    Starting XI: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Collins, Pieters, Cork, Westwood, Brownhill, McNeil, Cornet, Wood.
    Subs: Hennessey, Norris, Gudmundsson, Barnes, Roberts, Lennon, Rodriguez, Bardsley, Long.

    MAN CITY TEAM NEWS
    Starting XI: Steffen, Ake, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodri, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Foden, Sterling.
    Subs: Carson, Walker, Dias, Gundogan, Grealish, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Palmer, Slicker.

    LEICESTER TEAM NEWS – EVANS FIT TO START, MADDISON RESTORED
    Team to play Man Utd: Schmeichel, Pereira, Amartey, Evans, Soyuncu, Castagne, Soumare, Tielemans, Maddison, Vardy, Iheanacho.

    MAN UTD TEAM NEWS – MAGUIRE STARTS, RONALDO BACK
    Team to play Leicester: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Matic, Pogba, Greenwood, Fernandes, Sancho, Ronaldo.

    BRIGHTON TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Norwich: Sanchez, Cucurella, Dunk, Duffy, Burn, Veltman, Gross, Lallana, Moder, Maupay, Trossard.
    Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Connolly, Bissouma, Mac Allister, Mwepu, March, Locadia, Roberts.

    NORWICH TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Brighton: Krul, Aarons, Gibson, Hanley, Kabak, Giannoulis, Normann, Lees-Melou, McLean, Pukki, Sargent.
    Subs: Gunn, Rupp, Gilmour, Dowell, Rashica, Tzolis, Williams, Idah, Omobamidele

    WOLVES TEAM NEWS - TRAORE STARTS
    Team to play Aston Villa: Sa, Coady, Kilman, Saiss, Marcal, Semedo, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Traore, Hwang.
    Subs: Moulden, Ruddy, Hoever, Ait-Nouri, Jimenez, Podence, Boly, Silva, Cundle.

    ASTON VILLA TEAM NEWS - BUENDIA BACK
    Team to play Wolves: Martinez, Konsa, Mings, Tuanzebe, Cash, Targett, Luiz, McGinn, Buendia, Watkins, Ings.
    Subs: Steer, Sanson, Young, Nakamba, El Ghazi, Hause, Archer, Ramsey, Philogene-Bidace.

    LEEDS TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Southampton: Meslier, Shackleton, Llorente, Cooper, Dallas, Struijk, Klich, Harrison, Roberts, James, Rodrigo.
    Subs: Klaesson, Forshaw, Gelhardt, Hjelde, Cresswell, Drameh, Summerville, McKinstry, Greenwood.

    SOUTHAMPTON TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Leeds: McCarthy, Livramento, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraurd, Diallo, Romeu, Elyounoussi, Djenepo, Broja, Redmond.
    Subs: Forster, Walker-Peters, Lyanco, Long, A Armstrong, S Armstrong, Tella, Walcott, Valery.

    1. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Cheers Classix

  26. Ligdon
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Pep the goat playing Mahrez and cancelo and not Dias

  27. CRO KLOPP
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    So all that rumours about Laporte and Cancelo rest where true. Next week we will read this again I imagine

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      What

      1. CRO KLOPP
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        This morning there were so many posts about Zinchenko and Stones coming in for Cancelo and Laporte and no one mentioned Dias

    2. DARE TO BISCAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Que?

      1. CRO KLOPP
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Joke about people posting s*** here

        1. DARE TO BISCAN
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Irony.

          1. CRO KLOPP
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 5 months ago

            People still panic when they read ,its Pep ,I dont believe anyone else

  28. El-Kloppico
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Grealish and Dias..
    % ownership in top 10k plz

  29. FPL_Crisis
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Doesn't this just mean it's Cancelo's turn soon...

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Everyone gets one (really 15 though).

  30. Fer Fuch's Ake
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Bilva undroppable apparently?