Dugout Discussion

Chelsea v Liverpool team news: Lukaku, Alisson, Matip + Firmino absent

Sunday’s Premier League action continues at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea host Liverpool.

Kick-off is at 16:30 GMT.

The big team news is that Romelu Lukaku is not in Thomas Tuchel’s matchday squad.

The 28-year-old has scored in his last two Premier League appearances but found himself at the centre of a controversy this week after an interview was broadcast in which he said he was unhappy with his role at Stamford Bridge.

As a result, the Belgian forward has been dropped, with Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic lining up in the attacking positions.

At the back, Andreas Christensen and Reece James are out, while Jorginho and Callum Hudson-Odoi are substitutes, with N’Golo Kante and Kai Havertz amongst those coming in.

For Liverpool, they make three changes from Gameweek 20, as Alisson, Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino miss out after suspected positive Covid tests, in addition to manager Jurgen Klopp who won’t be at today’s game.

That means Caoimhin Kelleher starts in goal, with Ibrahima Konate and James Milner also featuring in the starting XI.

GAMEWEEK 21 LINE-UPS

Chelsea XI: Mendy, Chalobah, Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kante, Kovacic, Alonso, Mount, Havertz, Pulisic

Subs: Kepa, Jorginho, Saul, Barkley, Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Sarr, Vale, Hall

Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Henderson, Milner, Salah, Mane, Jota

Subs: Adrian, Keita, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Beck, Williams, Morton, Pitaluga

1,173 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Zladan
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    How has TAA not been moved to a different position yet? I’ve never seen a RB less capable of defending. Time after time players skip by him or balls are threaded round him.

    I think we are all waiting for the Kimmich-esque transition.

    1. JBG
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      But his passing and crossing though.

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

      Because he is top for assists in the league. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

    3. Ginkapo FPL
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Because he is protected by Three CMs

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

    Mane...

  3. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    FH the other week so I can keep Salah for the Leicester game, misses a penalty.
    WC this week so I can fix my mess and have DCL for the doubles, misses a penalty.
    This is not my year

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

      Think everyone is having similar luck this year. Every time I take out a player who has been blanking he goes and scores as soon as

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        I can barely remember a player of mine missing a pen and it happens a few days apart this year. It’s a special one

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

      It's only the second day of this year

  4. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    We need to stop normalizing ref abuse. The commentators on this game trying to play down how tough it is to be a linesman. It is not easy to tell offside in a split second decision down a line at the speed that this game is played at.

    The refs are not great in the PL but saying their job is easy is also wrong. Refs also never get credit when they're good. Only when they're bad.

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

      Ref's a w****r though

    2. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      You are calling for the closing of the stable door when the horse bolted 40 years ago, lived out its life, died and is now glue.

      1. Ze_Austin
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Funniest thing I've read in a while. Thanks for this laugh 🙂

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

        Then people need to stop complaining because it ain't gonna get better. No one wants to be a ref. It's a self fulfilling prophecy.

    3. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      I agree. I think for the most part they do a pretty good job considering they can only see things once, in real time, from one angle. And all while they are getting shouted at and abused by players, managers and fans

    4. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Hear hear!! Best bit of sense I've seen on here in ages. Great shame we can't have treatment of refs like they do in rugby. The troubles is that it's so deep-rooted - even the school kids do it.

    5. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      It’s an old boys game

      Refs protected by the office. Refs who were awful moving to top positions in the office after retirement

      Needs a complete overhaul

    6. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      100% agree. The other day a commentator confidently said a player was offside in real time before the replay showed he clearly wasn't. He gets that wrong and of course nobody bats an eye because he's only a commentator. But the same commentator will go on about it for 5 minutes if a linesman gets a similar decision wrong in real time.

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

      VAR is useless in a league format, there are dodgy desicions going against and for you. Scrap VAR and stop showing exact high quality slow mo replays would be good for the game.

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

    Salah so close.

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

    Wow

  7. Nate(U)dog(ie)
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    What an effort and what a save

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

    omg Salah almost. Great save by Mendy

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

      That was Mane.

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

        It was the Salah shot that Mendy saved.

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

          That was about 5 minutes ago lol

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

            u gotta type here as soon as something happens? Weirdo

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

        ? i was talking about the Salah shot

  9. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    As a non Salah owner this is a very uncomfortable watch. He looks so dangerous.

  10. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Come on Mo get that winner and 3 BAPs!

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

      What's wrong with you lately?
      You don't have Salah.
      You don't have Gray.

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

        *Gordon

  11. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Mane close

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

      Touchdown!

    2. NorCal Villan
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Imagine Comic Book Guy has a take regarding that tweet

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

    Mendy costing me stupid amount of points

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

    Crying out for Keita, even Ox, for Milner.

    1. dark91
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Both are coming on

  14. Bishopool
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Origi 90+2 min

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

    What a save!

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Good save but luckily for Liverpool was straight at him

  16. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Never seen a game like this

  17. OneDennisBergkamp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    How is that a Jota assist?!
    FPL is a farce recently. Along with PL referees and VAR.

    1. Walter White (WW)
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Yeah. I have had assists like that in past seasons not given. This game stinks when they try to cheat others

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

    Jota is very poor today.

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

      He’s the most overrated player in the league

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

        Agree

    2. Marvin Moon
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      To be fair a typical Jota performance is poor overall, with a goal.

    3. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      It’s hard to play alongside 2 of the most greedy forwards in the league

      1. Jensen Luiz Coleman
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Only Bowen has more assists than Salah.

        1. thegaffer82
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Get out of here with your facts.
          Most of those assists were no doubt him shooting & others getting the rebound 😉

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

    Alonso last on my bench and probably most benches lol

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      2nd on mine.
      Livramento ahead of him.

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

        Ye so got Livramento who would come in ahead of him. Though if Livra plays then it's a decent fixture at home for him so could outscore Alonso.

    2. Keep calm and hoof me the b…
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      I've got Bilva, Alonso and Gelhardt on my bench (facepalm)

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

        Oh sweet Jesus

      2. Do I Not Like Orange
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Bilva Alonso Livra on mine. First 2 coming on for Foden & Watkins.

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

      Last on mine too. Not too worried, never fancied playing him today.

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

    1 more goal Mo. C'mon

    1. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      -1

  21. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Gibbs coming on

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

      Stayin' Alive?

      1. Philosopher's Stones
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Well it's alright, it's okay

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

      Andre Marriner has left the chat.

    3. NorCal Villan
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Tragedy?

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

      If you don't know me by now.

    5. NorCal Villan
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      I Started a Joke

  22. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    jota off

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

    Jota protected as expected.

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

    Jota rested

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

    Jota disappointing as ever.

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

      He's very poor in general play. Even the 'assist' was a poor pass.

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

        Agree.

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

    What a portion for Chelsea to be in, close game and you bring on the 3rd best player in the world.

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

      And Tuchel will still whinge about having to put under 23’s on his bench

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

      Must be expecting to get a pen.

  27. Walter White (WW)
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Nonsense from fpl to give the assist to Jota. It stinks!

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

      still havent read the rules i see. Rules not going to change no matter how many times you comment on FFS lol

      1. Walter White (WW)
        • 2 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        What if Chalobah attempted a backpass?!

      2. Walter White (WW)
        • 2 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        That assist & Cancelo’s assist to Gündo vs Leicester was nonsense. I remember 2 seasons ago Vardy crossed one in, keeper diverted the ball like Schmeichel, assist wasn’t given.

        It happens every season that’s why it sucks!

  28. Roy Hudd
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Jota 5 points. Zero damage

  29. thegaffer82
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Yep, may as well run the Afcon guys into the ground and give Jota a rest