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. Mr. O'Connell
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Is live FPL ever wrong?

    1. Mighty Banana
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Only if BAPs change for any reason.

  2. Steve McCroskey
    • 10 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Broken the crossbar, classy.

  3. ChelseaGuy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    What a finish to the season though

  4. Buck The Trent
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Live FPL down for me .. top 10K average ?

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      70 or something.

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

      67

      1. Buck The Trent
        • 12 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        After bonus ?

        1. The Mentaculus
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 2 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          70.38

  5. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    That's football drama you'd like to see ... great day for football 😛

  6. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Goals broken at City 🙂

    1. My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Enough money to buy new ones

  7. Mr. O'Connell
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Got a feeling there's gonna be some dodgy bonus point manipulation going on

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

    Top 50k messed up due to Zaha sale. Diaz useless!

  9. 1-1 at Newcastle
    • 10 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    What a hero matip has been these closing weeks

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

      better than trent anyway, nice differential too...have both...shouldve switched out trent for robbo when the smart people did lol

  10. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Matip assist + yellow = max baps

  11. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
    • 10 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Classy Gundog very humble

  12. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Blimey, that was intense, forgot about FPL
    Bloody Son 🙂

  13. Hulk Smash
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    City fans have broken the goal. Class.

  14. Muchentuchel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    thanks to useless ManUtd. Only game that did not end over 2.5 goals and made me miss out on 1000€

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Don’t ever back United

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

        GD of ZERO for the season

        😆
        😆

    2. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Cash out not allowed?

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

        didn't work out because leeds scored so late and Palace vs Utd. was just 1:0
        they didn't offer me a cash out on bet365

  15. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Salah and Son tie the golden boot race?

    1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Salah gets left boot he cant use his right

    2. Gazza2000
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Yep

    3. Steinburg FC
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      nah pens only count as 0.7 😉

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

      should minus the pens, only fair imo
      though a boot each is fair too, both class this season

  16. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    OMG

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

    75 points and i small green up to 31k.Barnes over Maddison was a bad decision.

  18. The Ilfordian
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Can’t really argue with 104(-8) but Guaita 10 points on my bench hurts.

    1. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Well done! Big green coming your way

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

        Cheers. Nice to finish on a high. Hope you had a good GW

        1. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Yep! Won my ml 🙂

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

            Brilliant. God it’s a lot of work for this feeling!

            1. Pep bites Kun
              • 7 Years
              1 year, 10 months ago

              Couldn't agree more! 😉

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

      I had Davies, Madison and Cash on my bench. I debated between Toney and Madison for a while and ended up benching Madison. I also had Saka, Nketiah, Son, Kulu, Mount and Vardy. I would have played two in defense today of I could. Combined my two defenders on the bench had more points than the three I played (Robertson, Cancelo and Silva). I had 28 total points on my branch and finished with 78 (-4). It all feels wrong but I won my ML.

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

        It was such a difficult gw to get right with so many good options and rumours of rotation. Got to put it all behind you and celebrate your ml victory. Well done

  19. Random Name
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    United fans celebrating the City win is just absolutely hilarious - they're gonna catch up to those 20 faster than you can blink. Yesterday they were at 2 pl titles and now they're already at 8. Tomorrow they'll have 16 pl titles. The day after they'll be at 25.

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      I think you are mixing days and years

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

      haha, that would be impressive if they could break time...would put Fergie to shame

  20. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    What a season.

  21. Moose™
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    80 points enough for a green?

    1. Mighty Banana
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      70 points at 100k gave me a +1k, if that helps.

      1. Moose™
        • 11 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        I am at 108k lol. Chose Bowen instead of Maddison. Silly me

        1. bitm2007
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Should be enough. I went Jota over Maddison for Pool coverage last GW. Big mistake.

    2. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Rank dependent 78 looks like enough for a small green for me.

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

      79 here -4. Zero Idea. Getting Mount in wasn't my best transfer.

    4. The Mentaculus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Should be. Im up from 116k to 95k with 89(-4)

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

    son really got no baps with 2 goals. unlucky

  23. Vlad Tepes
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Looked like Matip header went in, but guess they should have noticed if the ball crossed the line with clock/alarm

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Prefer Matip assist and Salah goal myself

      1. Vlad Tepes
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Other way would have been better for me, TAA + Matip

  24. Hulk Smash
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Looks like I'm losing a place in a cash ML by 2 transfers made 🙁

  25. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Would have hit 100+ points if I made no changes

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

      same with me. got rid of cash digne and coutinho for -8

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

    Jamie Pigott wins FPL then?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Looks like that

  27. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Robertson goal at the end won me my ML
    Robbo Maddison and Wilson were my 3 transfers for -8
    84 pts with Kane(C) and I managed to overturn it despite being 22pts behind like City did vs Villa today
    What a day

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

      Congratulations

    2. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Lost me mine and probably a top 10k by a point. Fair play tho.

    3. Steve McCroskey
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Great subs, congrats

    4. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Congrats!

  28. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Amazing gW 38. Unbelievable

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

      From an fpl view nothing has changed.

  29. Mr. O'Connell
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Trent 4.5m next season?

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

      Matip 6m

  30. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Had Burnley not sacked Dyche, they would still be in the PL I reckon.