Dugout Discussion

Gameweek 38 team news: Salah benched, Kane starts, Alonso absent

There are 10 more matches of the Premier League season to go and all of them, of course, kick off simultaneously at 16:00 BST.

The destination of the title will be decided by the results of the matches at the Etihad and possibly Anfield, while the fixtures involving Leeds United and Burnley will dictate who drops to the Championship.

The two north London sides are still in a tussle for fourth place, with Tottenham Hotspur the overwhelming favourites to seal the deal this afternoon, while there’s even the final UEFA Europa League qualification spot at stake – West Ham United and Manchester United are competing for that dubious honour.

From a Fantasy Premier League (FPL) perspective, the headline team news comes from Anfield.

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are only among the substitutes for Liverpool’s clash with Aston Villa, although it sounds like we’ll be seeing minutes from the pair at some point on Sunday.

“Both [Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah] are ready to come on but not to start. That’s the advice I got from the medical department.” – Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp otherwise goes full strength and makes seven changes from the win over Southampton, with Sadio Mane, Luis Díaz, Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold among those recalled.

Jose Sa is back for Wolves.

The feared rotation has materialised at Chelsea as Thomas Tuchel makes five changes from the draw with Leicester on Thursday.

Kenedy, Saul Niguez, Cesar Azpilicueta, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz are given starts, with Marcos Alonso missing out altogether. Reece James keeps his place.

Daniel Bachmann replaces Ben Foster in the headline Watford news, with Samir, Kiko Femenia, Hassane Kamara, Tom Cleverley and Joshua King all returning after recent absences.

Harry Kane is, as expected, fit to start for Spurs after his bout of illness, with Antonio Conte making just one change from the side that beat Burnley: Dejan Kulusevski is back at the expense of Lucas Moura.

Tim Krul returns between the sticks for the Canaries, while Jacob Sorensen and Milot Rashica are also recalled by Dean Smith.

Pep Guardiola makes two changes to the side that started last week’s draw at West Ham, with John Stones and Phil Foden coming in for Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jack Grealish. Raheem Sterling is among the substitutes again.

Emiliano Martínez misses out due to injury for Villa, as Robin Olsen steps in. Philippe Coutinho for Carney Chukwuemeka is Steven Gerrard’s other alteration, as Danny Ings has to again be content with a place on the bench.

Youri Tielemans, James Justin and Harvey Barnes are the three players recalled by Brendan Rodgers, who goes pretty much full strength against Southampton.

The Saints omit Armando Broja from the matchday squad, with the Chelsea loanee, Ibrahima Diallo and Nathan Tella replaced by Stuart Armstrong, Oriol Romeu and Adam Armstrong.

Cedric Soares, Rob Holding and Gabriel Martinelli start ahead of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White and Emile Smith Rowe for Arsenal today, with Tomiyasu absent due to injury.

Dele Alli makes a first Everton start and is one of six changes that Frank Lampard has made, with neither Richarlison nor Jordan Pickford involved in the squad.

Vicente Guaita and Conor Gallagher are among five players recalled for the visit of Manchester United, with teenage winger Jeserun Rak-Sakyi handed a chance to impress on the wing.

Edinson Cavani, Harry Maguire, Fred and Hannibal Mejbri start for the Red Devils, with Cristiano Ronaldo not in the squad due to injury. Raphael Varane, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata drop to the bench.

It’s one change apiece at Brentford: Vitaly Janelt is in for the injured Christian Norgaard for the hosts, while Leeds hand a chance to Sam Greenwood at the expense of Mateusz Klich. Patrick Bamford isn’t involved.

Kieran Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles return for Newcastle as Emil Krafth and Fabian Schar drop to the bench.

Opponents Burnley are unchanged, as are West Ham at Brighton.

The Seagulls replace the injured Leandro Trossard with Adam Webster.

GAMEWEEK 38 TEAM NEWS

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Soares, Holding, Gabriel, Tavares, Elneny, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Nketiah

Subs: Leno, White, Lacazette, Smith Rowe, Pépé, Lokonga, Oulad M’hand, Swanson, Patino

Everton XI: Begovic, Branthwaite, Keane, Holgate, Iwobi, Doucoure, Davies, Kenny, Alli, Gray, Calvert-Lewin

Subs: Lonergan, Mykolenko, Coleman, Tosun, Gordon, Van de Beek, Price, Dobbin, Welch


Brentford XI: Raya, Ajer, Jansson, Sorensen, Henry, Jensen, Janelt, Eriksen, Mbuemo, Toney, Wissa

Subs: Fernandez, Canos, Dasilva, Onyeka, Jeanvier, Baptiste, Roerslev, Stevens, Young-Coombes

Leeds XI: Meslier, Koch, Llorente, Cooper, Firpo, Phillips, Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison, Gelhardt, Greenwood

Subs: Klaesson, Roberts, Struijk, Bate, Hjelde, Cresswell, Klich, Shackleton, Gray


Brighton XI: Sanchez, Cucurella, Webster, Dunk, Bissouma, Mac Allister, Gross, Welbeck, March, Caicedo, Veltman.

Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Maupay, Mwepu, Lallana, Alzate, Duffy, Offiah, Ferguson.

West Ham XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma, Dawson, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Fornals, Lanzini, Bowen, Antonio.

Subs: Areola, Randolph, Yarmolenko, Noble, Fredericks, Masuaku, Johnson, Kral, Okoflex.


Burnley XI: Pope, Taylor, Tarkowski, Collins, Long, Cork, Roberts, McNeil, Brownhill, Barnes, Cornet.

Subs: Hennessey, McGlynn, Weghorst, Stephens, Lennon, Bardsley, Thomas, Dodgson, Costelloe.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Burn, Targett, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin.

Subs: Darlow, Dummett, Schar, Krafth, Fernandez, Ritchie, Murphy, Gayle, Wood.


Chelsea XI: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, James, Saul Niguez, Kante, Kenedy, Ziyech, Mount, Havertz

Subs: Kepa, Jorginho, Lukaku, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah, Barkley, Chilwell, Sarr

Watford XI: Bachmann, Femenia, Kabasele, Samir, Kamara, Sissoko, Kayembe, Cleverley, King, Joao Pedro, Sema

Subs: Elliot, Ngakia, Ekong, Masina, Cathcart, Gosling, Cucho, Sierralta, Baah


Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Clyne, Andersen, Ward, Mitchell, Gallagher, Hughes, Schlupp, Rak-Sakyi, Zaha, Edouard.

Subs: Butland, Kelly, Kouyate, Milivojevic, McArthur, Eze, Ayew, Benteke, Mateta.

Man Utd XI: De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Telles, McTominay, Fred, Elanga, Mejbri, Fernandes, Cavani.

Subs: Heaton, Bailly, A. Fernandez, Jones, Varane, Mata, Savage, Garnacho, Shoretire.


Leicester XI: Schmeichel, Castagne, Fofana, Evans, Justin, Mendy, Maddison, Dewsbury-Hall, Tielemans, Vardy, Barnes.

Subs: Ward, Soyuncu, Pereira, Amartey, Albrighton, Perez, Lookman, Daka, Iheanacho.

Southampton XI: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Lyanco, Stephens, Salisu, Redmond, Elyounoussi, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, S Armstrong, A Armstrong.

Subs: Caballero, Bednarek, Valery, Djenepo, Smallbone, Walcott, Diallo, Long, Adams.


Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Konate, Robertson, Keita, Henderson, Thiago, Jota, Mane, Diaz.

Subs: van Dijk, Milner, Firmino, Salah, Jones, Minamino, Tsimikas, Kelleher, Elliott.

Wolves XI: Jose Sa, Boly, Coady, Gomes, Jonny, Dendoncker, Neves, Joao Moutinho, Ait Nouri, Pedro Neto, Jimenez.

Subs: Hoever, Marcal, Daniel Podence, Trincao, Mosquera, Silva, Chiquinho, Ruddy, Hwang.


Man City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Stones, Laporte, Fernandinho, Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva, Mahrez, Jesus, Foden.

Subs: Carson, Ake, Walker, Sterling, Gundogan, Grealish, Zinchenko, Palmer, McAtee.

Aston Villa XI: Olsen, Cash, Chambers, Mings, Digne, Ramsey, Luiz, McGinn, Buendia, Watkins, Coutinho.

Subs: Sinisalo, Sanson, Traore, Young, Nakamba, Ings, Chukwuemeka, Chrisene, Iroegbunam.


Norwich XI: Krul, Aarons, Byram, Hanley, Dowell, Normann, Rashica, Sorensen, Lees-Melou, Giannoulis, Pukki.

Subs: Gunn, Zimmermann, Rupp, Placheta, Tzolis, Tomkinson, Gibbs, Springett, Rowe.

Spurs XI: Lloris, Sanchez, Dier, Davies, Royal, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Sessegnon, Kulusevski, Son, Kane.

Subs: Gollini, Winks, Rodon, Bergwijn, Moura, White, Scarlett, Devine, Craig.

1,806 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Walter White (WW)
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    I don’t see City bottling this unfortunately

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

      *fortunately

    2. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Me neither

    3. R.C
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      City have to score 2 goals if Liverpool is on the verge of winning their game.

      They will bottle

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

      Yea. Not like citeh to bottle it.

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

    Is it true that Son has never scored on the final day of a season? (Think I heard it on some podcast)

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

      Kane always does.

      I switched my captain off him on his stomach bug.

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

    In which minute does Salah make an appearance?

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

      57 for Jota.

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

        Yes I have Jota, so of course it will be 57-59 mins for a 1 pointer

    2. Ron_Swanson
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      62

  4. TheTinman
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Pukki goal would be huge

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

    Ahh, that's more like it.

    The sounds of fpl hopes being junked in reality.

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

    King sitter

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

      JPedro*

  7. R.C
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Liverpool need 1 goal to win the league

    Manchester City need 2 goals to win the league

    1. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Thanks .

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

      Exactly!
      Liverpool can easily score 2 whilst city don't look like getting 1

    3. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Unless their opponents score, than the equation changes.

      1. R.C
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Of course

    4. Cojones of Destiny
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      degree in math?

  8. George Sillett
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Still find it difficult to believe how Arsenal completely bottled fourth

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Cause it's Arsenal

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

      Probably injuries.

    3. Arteta
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Injuries to Tomiyasu, Partey, Tierney were crucial. Sudden loss of confidence. Not taking our chances. Not strenghtening in winter transfer window. Sticking with Lacazette too long. There's plenty of reasons...

      1. Arteta
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Referees, VAR and so on.

      2. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Sticking with Auba for too long was way more costly imo

  9. Babit1967
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    As a Martinelli, Nketiah owner delighted with the points but why didn’t Saka hit the penalty?

  10. 2999 - Lady of Legend
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Any chance Son, Kdb, Mount do anything 2nd half? Rank is free falling!

  11. GoonerGirl
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Who is everyone wanting to win the league? I was on Liverpool over City due to being completely against the City money. But after the Liverpool fans booed the National Anthem, it's changed my mind a bit. Now I don't really care.

    1. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      If only there was a way neither of them win

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

        That would be the ideal.

  12. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Grealish to come on to score the winner to spoil the hopes of pool and stevie g

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

      Or to slip up 1 on 1?

  13. Royal5
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Ferandinho off

  14. Cilly Bonnolly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Leicester goal.

  15. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    OMG ML leader"s 25 points lead now cut to only 1 point! Mane (c), Martinelli and Eddie are doing the job for me.

    #believe

  16. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Maddison goal

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Vardy A!

  17. asr
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Madders G

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

      Vardy shot saved, Madders rebound

  18. AIRMILES
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    So I think I'm going to stop socialising with people for a year so i don't run the risk of bumping into a Liverpool fan.

  19. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Maddy

  20. Walter White (WW)
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Maddison!

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

    Loads more goals and points to he in the next 49 minutes or so...

  22. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    lol at Maguire 😀

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

    Maddy doesn't stop!!!

  24. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Vardy assist

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

    Sa subbed.

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Sabbed

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

      Knee injury

      The x Everton keepers

  26. Powers106
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Nice to see that Antonio goal - I brought him back in for a little GW1 nostalgia 🙂
    It's not surprising but interesting that he's owned .26% in Top 10k, but 24% overall.

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

    Matip yellow

    1. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Get some cream…

  28. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    lol Atkinson - never a freekick

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

    Holy cow one of my players did a goal

  30. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Ruddy on for Sa and Milner for Thiago