Dugout Discussion

Wednesday team news: Alonso and Mount start, Havertz benched again

Four Premier League matches take place on Wednesday evening as a mammoth Gameweek 36 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) slowly winds its way to a conclusion.

The north London derby will draw the Gameweek to a close tomorrow but there is plenty of Fantasy interest in tonight’s fixtures, with eight of the 12 ‘doublers’ in action.

Leeds United v Chelsea gets us underway at 19:30 BST, with Leicester City v Norwich City and Watford v Everton kicking off a quarter of an hour later. Finally, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City starts at 20:15 BST.

As for the team news, Thomas Tuchel has made four changes from the Blues’ disappointing 2-2 draw with Wolves.

Mason Mount is recalled along with Jorginho, Andreas Christensen and Trevoh Chalobah, as Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Timo Werner drop to the bench.

Marcos Alonso keeps his place as Tuchel attempts to draw a line under the tiff that he and the Spaniard had in the first half of Saturday’s game, while Kai Havertz has to again make do with a place among the substitutes.

Jesse Marsch has matched his opposite number and made four changes from the 2-1 defeat at Arsenal.

Rodrigo, Liam Cooper, Lewis Bate and Pascal Struijk come in for Junior Firpo, Mateusz Klich, Joe Gelhardt and the banned Luke Ayling.

The changes are plentiful at the King Power Stadium, too. Brendan Rodgers has made five of them, with James Maddison and James Justin both returning from injury to start.

Jamie Vardy, Harvey Barnes and Ademola Lookman also come into the team, as Wesley Fofana, Kelechi Iheanacho, Patson Daka, Ayoze Perez and Nampalys Mendy drop out. Fofana doesn’t even make the bench.

Dean Smith recalls Angus Gunn, Lukas Rupp, Dimitris Giannoulis and full debutant Tony Springett at the expense of the benched Tim Krul, Brandon Williams, Jacob Sørensen and Kieran Dowell.

Roy Hodgson has beaten all of the above managers for team tinkering, making seven alterations – six of which are enforced.

Jeremy Ngakia, Joao Pedro, Adam Masina, Ken Sema, Dan Gosling, Christian Kabasele and Samuel Kalu all start at Vicarage Road.

Craig Cathcart drops to the bench, while Kiko Femenia, Hassane Kamara, Tom Cleverley, Ismaila Sarr, Josh King and Emmanuel Dennis are absent through either suspension, illness or injury.

Frank Lampard, by contrast, makes just one tweak to his starting XI, and that too is enforced.

Yerry Mina is ruled out because of a minor calf injury, so the Colombian is replaced by Michael Keane at the back.

In the late kick-off, expected recalls for Fernandinho, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden have materialised. The benched Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus and the injured Ruben Dias drop out.

There is again no place in the starting XI for Riyad Mahrez, however; that’s a fourth straight Premier League benching for the Algerian.

A ‘working from home’ Bruno Lage, still ill with Covid, has kept the Wolves changes to a bare minimum, as Chiquinho makes his first Premier League start in place of the injured Romain Saiss.

GAMEWEEK 36 LINE-UPS

Leeds United XI: Meslier, Koch, Cooper, Llorente, Struijk, Bate, Phillips, Harrison, Raphinha, Rodrigo, James.

Subs: Klaesson, Firpo, Gelhardt, Hjelde, Cresswell, Greenwood, Klich, Shackleton, Gray.

Chelsea XI: Mendy, Chalobah, Rudiger, Christensen, Alonso, James, Kovacic, Jorginho, Pulisic, Mount, Lukaku.

Subs: Kepa, Silva, Werner, Loftus-Cheek, Barkley, Ziyech, Azpilicueta, Havertz, Sarr.


Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Justin, Amartey, Evans, Castagne, Maddison, Tielemans, Dewsbury-Hall, Vardy, Lookman, Barnes.

Subs: Ward, Soyuncu, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Perez, Mendy, Daka, Thomas.

Norwich City XI: Gunn, Aarons, Hanley, Byram, Giannoulis, Rupp, Gilmour, Springett, Lees-Melou, Rashica, Pukki.

Subs: Krul, Gibson, Dowell, Placheta, Tzolis, Sorensen, Williams, Gibbs, Rowe.


Watford XI: Foster, Masina, Kabasele, Samir, Sema, Ngakia, Gosling, Sissoko, Kayembe, Kalu, Pedro.

Subs: Bachmann, Etebo, Ekong, Cathcart, Sierralta, Morris, Çukur, Blake, Grieves.

Everton XI: Pickford, Iwobi, Coleman, Keane, Holgate, Mykolenko, Gordon, Doucoure, Delph, Gray, Richarlison.

Subs: Begovic, Kenny, Allan, Calvert-Lewin, Gomes, Davies, Branthwaite, Rondon, Alli.


Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Jose Sa, Boly, Coady, Jonny, Chiquinho, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Ait-Nouri, Jimenez, Neto.

Subs: Ruddy, Hoever, Marcal, Trincao, Mosquera, Silva, Toti, Hee-Chan, Cundle.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Fernandinho, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodri, Gundogan, Sterling, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden.

Subs: Steffen, Ake, Jesus, Grealish, Mahrez, Egan-Riley, Mbete, Palmer, Lavia.

1,909 Comments Post a Comment
  1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    C'mon Leeds! _wipe that cleanie.

    1. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Want this tol, but can't see it happening now with 10 men

      1. Philosopher's Stones
        • 3 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        *too

  2. GE
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Salah/KDB -> Son maybe?

    (1FT, 0.8 itb)

    Schmeichel
    TAA/Cancelo/Laporte/Matip
    Salah/KDB/Mount/Kulu/Gordon
    Richarlison

    Bench: Foster, Alonso, Nketiah, Dennis*

  3. TyroneGAA
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    What position did Leeds finish last year when everyone was saying how unreal they where?

    1. Danno - Emre Canada
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      9th won 18 games I think

  4. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    No James, don't hurt too much please.

  5. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Standard Leeds red card

  6. TyroneGAA
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Leeds red

  7. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    James red

  8. ZimZalabim
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    red card

    1. ZimZalabim
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      James

  9. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    James and mount are going to feast. Shame Werner wasn’t in to grab a bite

    1. ZimZalabim
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      uh oh...

  10. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Dirtyyyyy

    1. NorCal Villan
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Sanchez

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

    Mahrez hasn’t turned up again.

    Lads are fuming.

  12. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Jeees! What a chuffing idiot.

  13. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Man United agent has done well in getting Leeds relegated.

  14. Salan
    • 14 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    No argue. It's a red. Crazy tackle.

  15. thegame983
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Disgusting tackle

  16. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Make 60' Reece!

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

    My ankle hurts watching that

  18. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    That's the Chelsea CS locked then

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Christensen will find a way.

    2. putana
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      thats what assenal thought on the weekend

  19. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Brainless tackle from a brainless player

    1. Utopsis
      • 4 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Ridiculous challenge - breaks that leg on another day

    2. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Leeds blew 20m on this guy. Could used that money better elsewhere.

    3. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Obviously wound up by not getting anything from his earlier dives
      Still no excuse
      Horrible tackle

  20. Sandy Ravage
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Pray for Meslier (again)

  21. Salan
    • 14 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Mount should HT now

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

      and James

  22. EDUARDO DA SILVA
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    If james wasnt british, he would be uber driver in romania at best.

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        1 year, 10 months ago

        U ok hun

        1. Dammit_182
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Haha. He’s great for Wales

      • Philosopher's Stones
        • 3 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        U wot m8

      • ZimZalabim
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        lol

        harsh one

        1. EDUARDO DA SILVA
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          True, just speed and extra dumb face.

    2. Dammit_182
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Sorry. Couldn’t work out if (R) James was saw by off or in the points for a moment then!

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

        U ok hun

        1. Dammit_182
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Not since he left us for United but.

          1. Dammit_182
            • 3 Years
            1 year, 10 months ago

            D James, that is

    3. ididnt
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Mahrez on a FH worked out well. What the hell is Pep saving him for?

      1. Dammit_182
        • 3 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Next season…

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

        Tired legs v Wolves?

      3. @persecuted_by_mods
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Champions League final

        • Philosopher's Stones
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Keeping him fit for the training sessions

        • Paul Psychic Octopus
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          A rainy day

        • Utopsis
          • 4 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Pre season training in warm weather climates

        • zon
          • 9 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Lol I got him in for a hit instead of KDB

      4. ZimZalabim
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        how bad is Kova ?

        1. Salan
          • 14 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Should be missed in FA Cup Final.

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

          Lucky it wasn't a break. Was able to hobble off.

          1. ZimZalabim
            • 7 Years
            1 year, 10 months ago

            so like contusion dead leg type situation ? could play saturday u reckon ?

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

              Can't really say bu If I were a betting man I'd say unlikely to play the cup final.

              1. ZimZalabim
                • 7 Years
                1 year, 10 months ago

                cheers

            2. Paul Psychic Octopus
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              1 year, 10 months ago

              Gashed leg/heavy bruising. I would have thought he has a chance.

      5. Salan
        • 14 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        This Lukaku ruins Mount's points again and again.

        1. Philosopher's Stones
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Need to bring Havertz on

        2. Salan
          • 14 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          And ruins James' points as well

      6. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Raphinha at RWB is ridiculous.

      7. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Lukaku so close from James cross.

        1. Salan
          • 14 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          He wastes assists from Mount and James.

        2. Baps hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          (Big?) chance created only 🙁

      8. Not again Shirley
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        I think us Reece James owners deserve a decent return in this game after the way he has treated us over the last 6 weeks or so!

      9. Drop Dead Tsimikas
        • 12 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Jekyll and Hyde again. As crappy as my start to the week was, Mane, Matip and now Mount are hauling me back up. Picking King instead of Nketiah hurts, though.