Dugout Discussion

Wednesday’s FPL team news: Vardy and Antonio start, James and Gundogan absent

There are six Gameweek 14 matches taking place this evening, with four kicking off at 19:30 GMT and two getting underway 45 minutes later.

Southampton v Leicester City, Watford v Chelsea, West Ham United v Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers v Burnley get us started, with Aston Villa v Manchester City and Everton v Liverpool to follow at 20:15 GMT.

Gianni, Toby and Ed will be following the action in the embedded video below and over on our YouTube channel.

As for the team news, it’s Thomas Tuchel who rotates the most – he’s made six changes from the Chelsea side held to a draw by Manchester United last weekend.

The injured Reece James misses out, while Hakim Ziyech, Jorginho, Timo Werner, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Thiago Silva drop to the bench.

Andreas Christensen, Christian Pulisic, Saul Niguez, Mason Mount, Cesar Azpilicueta and Kai Havertz are recalled but Romelu Lukaku again has to be content with a place among the substitutes.

Opposite number Claudio Ranieri has made only one alteration from Gameweek 13, with Joao Pedro replacing the benched Cucho Hernandez. That means that Emmanuel Dennis is fit to start despite picking up a knock at Leicester.

Jamie Vardy and Michail Antonio both start their sides’ respective matches despite concerns about a midweek breather.

Leicester are indeed unchanged for their meeting with Southampton, who bring in Kyle Walker-Peters, Nathan Redmond and Nathan Tella for Lyanco, Romain Perraud and Armando Broja.

Antonio isn’t among David Moyes’s two changes; Vladimir Coufal and Jarrod Bowen come in for the injured Aaron Cresswell and the benched Arthur Masuaku.

Pascal Gross and Tariq Lamptey also have to make do with substitute duty at the London Stadium, with Adam Lallana and teenager Jeremy Sarmiento brought into the starting XI.

At Molineux, there are two changes apiece, three of which are enforced through suspensions to Ruben Neves, James Tarkowski and Ashley Westwood. Francisco Trincao drops to the bench as Leander Dendoncker and Adama Traore come in for the hosts, while Nathan Collins and Jack Cork replace their banned colleagues.

As for the later kick-offs, Jurgen Klopp has made only one change for the Merseyside derby: Joel Matip is recalled at the expense of Ibrahima Konate, with the front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota all starting.

Richarlison and Demarai Gray are in for Alex Iwobi and Anthony Gordon for the Toffees.

Jack Grealish and Phil Foden are only among the substitutes for Manchester City’s clash with Aston Villa, while Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and John Stones miss out altogether and Aymeric Laporte is suspended.

Nathan Ake, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fernandinho come into Pep Guardiola’s starting XI.

Douglas Luiz and Emiliano Buendia replace Jacob Ramsey and Ashley Young in Steven Gerrard’s two alterations.

GAMEWEEK 14 TEAM NEWS

Southampton XI: McCarthy, Livramento, Bednarek, Salisu, Walker-Peters, Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Tella, Adams, A.Armstrong.

Subs: Forster, Lyanco, Long, Perraud, Broja, Djenepo, Smallbone, Elyounoussi, Valery

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Castagne, Soyuncu, Evans, Thomas, Soumare, Ndidi, Maddison, Lookman, Barnes, Vardy.

Subs: Ward, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Perez, Amartey, Choudhury, Dewsbury-Hall, Vestergaard, Daka.


Watford XI: Bachmann, Femenia, Cathcart, Troost-Ekong, Masina, Louza, Joao Pedro, Cleverley, Sissoko, King, Dennis.

Subs: Ngakia, Rose, Gosling, Fletcher, Tufan, Kabasele, Hernandez, Kucka, Elliot.

Chelsea XI: Mendy, Chalobah, Christensen, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Saul, Alonso, Pulisic, Mount, Havertz.

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Jorginho, Silva, Lukaku, Werner, Barkley, Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Sarr.


West Ham United XI: Fabianski, Johnson, Dawson, Zouma, Coufal, Soucek, Rice, Fornals, Benrahma, Bowen, Antonio.

Subs: Masuaku, Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Vlasic, Areola, Noble, Perkins, Diop, Kral.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Sanchez, Veltman, Webster, Dunk, Cucurella, Bissouma, Lallana, Moder, Trossard, Sarmiento, Maupay.

Subs: Mac Allister, Mwepu, Lamptey, March, Steele, Duffy, Locadia, Burn, Gross.


Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sa, Semedo, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Ait-Nouri, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Traore, Jimenez, Hwang.

Subs: Moulden, Ruddy, Hoever, Trincao, Silva, Cundle, Bueno, Campbell

Burnley XI: Pope, Lowton, Collins, Mee, Taylor, Gudmundsson, Cork, Brownhill, Wood, McNeil, Cornet.

Subs: Hennessey, Norris, Roberts, Lennon, Rodriguez, Pieters, Vydra, Long, Thomas


Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Mings, Konsa, Targett, Luiz, Nakamba, McGinn, Bailey, Buendia, Watkins.

Subs: Steer, Hause, A. Young, J. Ramsey, Chukwuemeka, A. Ramsey, Philogene-Bidace, Archer, Davis.

Man City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Ake, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Sterling, Mahrez, Jesus.

Subs: Steffen, Carson, Grealish, Foden, Mbete, Palmer, McAtee, Lavia, Wilson-Esbrand.


Everton XI: Pickford, Keane, Allan, Richarlison, Gray, Digne, Townsend, Doucoure, Godfrey, Coleman, Rondon.

Subs: Begovic, Kenny, Delph, Iwobi, Tosun, Gordon, Gbamin, Branthwaite, Dobbin.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Fabinho, Van Dijk, Thiago, Mane, Salah, Henderson, Jota, Robertson, Matip, Alexander-Arnold.

Subs: Kelleher, Konate, Milner, Oxdale-Chamberlain, Minamino, Tsimikas, Origi, Williams, Morton.

2,748 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Londongeezaa
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    When did West Ham sell Antonio?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Sold him to Jamacia a few months ago.

  2. Feanor
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Took a hit to get Jota in for Gray. Unbelievable.

  3. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Get salah off at half time

  4. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Manchester City goal

    2 nil

  5. Scots Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    I'm captaining Salah, boring or not, from now on. No one else is worth the greif

    1. Konstaapeli
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Wait till he blanks once. You'll see plenty of Kane, Vardy and James cappers.

      1. Scots Gooner
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        I gambled on Alonso. Stupid in hindsight

  6. MikeS
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Dennis essential... Vardy to the big d?

  7. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Banger from Bernardo

  8. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Gerrard OUT

  9. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    All aboard the Bernardo wagon!!!!!

    What could go wrong?

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

    It was Bilva over Gundo then.

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Until next week when it’s Foden
      Then Gundogan
      Then Mahrez
      Then KDB
      Then Grealish
      Etc!

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

        Yup

      2. Lanley Staurel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Doesn’t matter if you have a good bench. I have Foden and Bernardo. Been brilliant so far.

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

        Not even bothering to hope Jesus might ever be in demand again

    2. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Well, I went for Gundo, next week it can be his turn.

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

      Yep, my instinct was Silva all week then looked at the 'data'. Went Gundogan for Foden.

      Football is played on a field not in a spreadsheet!!

  11. sminkypinky
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Gray buried on my bench but luckily Livra coming in.
    Would’ve got rid tbh but bigger fires. So pretty glad to still have him I guess.

    1. FOMFF
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Same here. Painful. 1 and 2 pointers all over my team this week.

      1. sminkypinky
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Normal for most this week. Let’s just enjoy a good game for now. 🙂

  12. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Gray YC

    Diving toffees.

  13. DycheDycheBaby
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Forget Jota. I'm getting Bernardo Silva. What a goal!

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

      will he play next game though?

      1. DycheDycheBaby
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        When was the last game he missed? Must be too long for me to remember lol

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

          True, which makes me think he's due a rest lol

  14. Old Bull
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Gray off the bench for James. I can’t claim any credit for that whatsoever.

    1. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Own it!

  15. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Gray booked for diving 😆

  16. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    All Everton!

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

    I was good first 8 games with picks like Townsend. Not so good since haha

    KDB then Foden over other miss who are cheaper and better…

  18. Randaxus
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    The amount of diving is disgraceful from everton

  19. Zalk
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Bilva you beauty

  20. EL tridente
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Bernardo the perfect replacement for Raphinha?

    1. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      yes

    2. DycheDycheBaby
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      I like it

  21. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Moving to Spam defence; nobody can open the can now.
    Moyes has evolved as a manager, Utd would do well to get him back.
    Total respect.

  22. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Cancelo broken

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

      Oh ffssssssssssss

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

      oh fantastic stuff!

  23. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Cancelo in pain....

  24. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Barnardo you sexy sexy man

  25. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Dias ownership about to soar.

  26. JabbaWookiee
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Going Gundo over Bilva was another classic case of overthinking things. Pep himself had said he was undroppable. Least Dias has bagged one.

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

    FML rival did Foden to Bilva

    Me: Sanchez 2 TAA 2 Rudiger 2 James 0 Liv 0 Gallagher 1

  28. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Lamptey on

  29. Feanor
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Maybe I can get in the "rough" this week.

    Brought in James
    Took a hit to get in Jota for Gray
    Williams 3 points 2nd on the bench
    Sissoko 4+ points 3rd on the bench

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

      Sissoko should always start .Lol.

  30. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Jesus got the assist. Is he going to keep it this time?!?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Did he touch it last?

    2. Zalk
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Only if he was the last to touch the ball. Looks to me like he was.

    3. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Pleases Pleases Pleaseeeeeeeeeee

    4. Stranger Mings
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Jesus haul