Dugout Discussion
26 April 2025 1158 comments
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Many Gameweek 34 Free Hit picks will be in action in the 3pm BST kick-offs, with four Premier League matches getting underway:

Newcastle United’s starting XI is finally changed after seven matches but it’s not Jacob Murphy or Harvey Barnes making way. Those two wingers start again as Anthony Gordon has to make do with substitute duty once more.

Eddie Howe’s one alteration is actually an enforced one, as Joelinton misses out with a knee issue. Joe Willock replaces him.

Fabian Schar is fit to start, while Sven Botman is named on the Magpies’ bench after recovering from injury.

Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna is the busiest boss of the afternoon, making four changes.

Luke Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess, Jack Taylor and Liam Delap come in, with George Hirst and Jens Cajuste dropping to the bench. Leif Davis is suspended and Axel Tuanzebe is unexpectedly absent.

The Tractor Boys do at least have Omari Hutchinson back among the substitutes.

Fulham are also facing a member of the bottom three in the shape of Southampton, who have Ross Stewart starting for the first time in six months. He replaces the absent Paul Onuachu.

The Cottagers themselves are without Antonee Robinson, while Sasa Lukic is demoted to substitute duty.

Willian and Harry Wilson return to an attacking-looking starting line-up, with Ryan Sessegnon presumably dropping back to left-back to cover for Robinson.

At Molineux, Jose Sa and Matt Doherty are fit enough to return to join Matheus Cunha and co in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ starting XI.

Dan Bentley and Santiago Bueno are the unfortunate men to make way.

Facundo Buonanotte replaces the injured Stephy Mavididi in Leicester City’s only change.

Finally, at the Amex, there are three alterations apiece.

Two of Brighton and Hove Albion’s changes are enforced as Jan Paul van Hecke is injured and Joao Pedro is suspended. Yankuba Minteh also drops to the bench.

Solly March, Simon Adingra and Yasin Ayari get recalls but Kaoru Mitoma again has to make do with substitute duty. Joel Veltman and Tariq Lamptey are on the bench after recovering from injury.

For the Hammers, Niclas Fullkrug, Carlos Soler and Vladimir Coufal drop to the bench.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tomas Soucek and Konstantinos Mavropanos replace them.

LINE-UPS

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Hinshelwood, Dunk, Baleba, Estupinan, Wieffer, Ayari, O’Riley, March, Adingra, Welbeck.

Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Gruda, Cashin, Minteh, Mitoma, Gomez, Veltman, Tasker.

West Ham United XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Mavropanos, Emerson, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta, Kudus, Bowen.

Subs: Fabianski, Cresswell, Soler, Coufal, Fullkrug, Guilherme, Ings, Rodriguez, Irving.


Newcastle United XI: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento, Bruno Guimaraes, Tonali, Willock, Murphy, Isak, Barnes

Subs: Dubravka, Ruddy, Botman, Wilson, Gordon, Krafth, Osula, Longstaff, Miley.

Ipswich Town XI: Palmer, O’Shea, Woolfenden, Burgess, Greaves, Morsy, J Taylor, Johnson, Enciso, Clarke, Delap.

Subs: Walton, Chaplin, Cajuste, Hutchinson, Luongo, Hirst, Godfrey, Boniface, T Taylor.


Southampton XI: Ramsdale, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Walker-Peters, Downes, Ugochukwu, Manning, Fernandes, Sulemana, Stewart.

Subs: McCarthy, Aribo, Smallbone, Bree, Wood, Archer, Dibling, Welington, Robinson.

Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon, Berge, Pereira, Willian, Wilson, Iwobi, Jimenez.

Subs: Benda, Reed, Cairney, Traore, Vinicius, Cuenca, Lukic, Castagne, Smith Rowe.


Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sa, Semedo, Doherty, Agbadou, Toti, Ait-Nouri, Andre, Joao Gomes, Munetsi, Cunha, Strand Larsen.

Subs: Bueno, Hwang, R Gomes, Sarabia, Forbs, Bellegarde, Guedes, Djiga, Bentley.

Leicester City XI: Hermansen, Ricardo, Faes, Coady, Thomas, Ndidi, Soumare, El Khannouss, De Cordova Reid, Buonanotte, Vardy.

Subs: Justin, Okoli, Kristiansen, Skipp, McAteer, Monga, Ayew, Daka, Stolarczyk.



  1. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 8 Years
    8 months, 13 hours ago

    Salaaah!

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Isaaak!

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Not Palmer!

        1. TOLV TUMS
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          Not Palmer!

  2. Seaman
    • 2 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Playing with 10 on WC. FFS Robinson! All week we had the Sessegnon mystery....

    1. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      If youre on WC, you'll have autosub. Hardly 10

      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 16 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        3 Man City?

        1. Utopsis
          • 5 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          Well...

        2. Seaman
          • 2 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          Yes

  3. The Knights Template
    • 12 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    It’s nearly midnight!

    1. Crunchie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Get a chippy Chips Sandwich and a Victoria beer

      1. The Knights Template
        • 12 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        With a Violet Crumble chaser!

    2. Merlin the Wraith
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Tis the witching hour & long past your bathtime.

  4. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Some guy in my ML with triple Chelsea def, including Chalo, Christ…

    1. Sailboats
      • 10 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Wow, he went all in

    2. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      High risk high reward

  5. faux_C
    • 13 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    So annoyed it let myself be talked into getting Palmer.

    1. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Reserve judgement until other options play

      1. Nightcrawler
        • 6 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        It's still a bad pick regardless of how others do

        1. Utopsis
          • 5 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          You're entitled to your opinion

        2. Goodfeathers
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          Haha. You really have a chip on your shoulder about Palmer aye?

          1. Utopsis
            • 5 Years
            8 months, 12 hours ago

            A lot don't understand that if you wait for a player to start returning before you get him, you've lost first mover advantage.

            So they play safe and rely on stats, and finish around 500k.

            1. fusen
              • 13 Years
              8 months, 12 hours ago

              But equally if you move to someone who then doesn't perform then you're playing with a dud player for many weeks

              1. Utopsis
                • 5 Years
                8 months, 12 hours ago

                Yep correct - so getting your stick or twist decisions are key throughout the season. Less relevant on FH though.

            2. Nightcrawler
              • 6 Years
              8 months, 12 hours ago

              take risks is all i do.ranked top 30 for 2nd chance league but OR is 6 digits which shows risks pay off sometimes and sometimes they backfire. Palmer was anything but a risky pick this gw

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      I didn't understand why many were tipping and picking Palmer

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Scared in case he does well.

        1. The-Red-1
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          This. For me it was thinking about my ML. He's been rubbish, but I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd got a penalty and 10-15 points, which was the fear

        2. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          I started the season with him but you can't just rely on season stats.

          It's the budget issue I feel.

      2. WiredWeasel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        For fun! Rank's not going to win any prizes so who cares?

    3. Effe
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Same

  6. Crunchie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Any non Salah captainers?

    Isak here

    Captain my Captain

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Ditto

    2. The Big Fella
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Isak too my rival has gone salah and FH but is 50 points ahead

      1. Crunchie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Same here. He is on FH. I am on WC35 and BB probably 38. May bench 3 arsenal lol GW38

  7. Gandalf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    I'm confused, is Sessegnon playing today or not? Fotmob says he isn't in the starting line up nor the bench.

    1. Herger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      He’s starting. Are you sure you’re looking at Fulham?

      1. Podorsky
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Same, not starting on fotmob.

        1. Herger
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 4 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          Are you sure you’re looking at Fulham though?

        2. Gandalf
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 15 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          Glad Cucurella didn't score now!

      2. Gandalf
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Thanks. Yup looking at the right squad - must be a bug in the app as they are showing Robinson as starting.

        1. Ajax Hamsterdam
          • 11 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          Same happened to me last week with Sarr and mateta and saka starting midweek...was a bit of a downer....

      3. The Knights Template
        • 12 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        He’s looking at Hobbiton!

    2. The Big Fella
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      That is Southampton you are looking at

    3. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Fotmob isn't very good.

      1. Gandalf
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Yup, clearly need to switch! Any recommendations?

  8. Make United Great Again
    • 13 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Cunha(C) I want 4 goals from today. We deserve it for not following the crowd

    1. Sailboats
      • 10 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Let's go!! Wolves 5-0

      1. Crunchie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        2 0 SL double

        1. Crunchie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          Why don't smilies work?

          1. The-Red-1
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            8 months, 12 hours ago

            They sometimes do 🙂

          2. TOLV TUMS
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            8 months, 12 hours ago

            I’ve always wondered this

          3. Merlin the Wraith
            • 9 Years
            8 months, 12 hours ago

            There used to be a smilies guide hereabouts ages ago, maybe someone remembers it. I learnt what works by trial & error.

      2. Utopsis
        • 5 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Lol this would be quite something

  9. Jafooli
    • 13 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Why Robinson benched ffs...lol...muppets unite!!

    1. Goodfeathers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      He’s not even in the squad by the looks of it.

      1. Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Cheers Goodfeathers, good to know...

    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      First miss of the season. Who is on your bench ?

      1. The Big Fella
        • 9 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        My rival has Trent which worries me

      2. Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        TAA - is Robinson on the bench?

    3. The Big Fella
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Not even benched. Not in the squad. Sess playing back in defence. Dodged a bullet there

      1. Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Ah righto, TAA coming on, so not overly fussed, though Robinson would come on for 5mins point blocking shenanigans lol

        1. Crunchie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          Cool

    4. Seaman
      • 2 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      He is not in the team. If U have a playing sub

      1. Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        TAA is fine then, okay with that, many thanks...

    5. Crunchie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Unless your not on a FH do you have a bench?

      1. Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        All good, see above, many thanks Crunchie...

  10. Merlin the Wraith
    • 9 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Hehe! Waiting for Virg to 'congratulate' Scout picks on their Palmer c/s & Cuc benching. Ice cream to a Labrador. 😀

    1. Crunchie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Lol. How do you get smilies to work. On chrome on phone. Never works haha

  11. Egg noodle
    • 15 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    reading the title of this article, Why was Murphy a doubt to start?

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      People who couldn't fit him in to their FH decided it would make them feel better to say he might be rested...

      1. Egg noodle
        • 15 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        🙂

  12. JBG
    • 7 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Hopefully Southampton win 2-0

    1. Egg noodle
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      And Leicester 2-0 too

      1. JBG
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        They can win 3-2, Cunha 2 goals

      2. Crunchie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Think Southampton beat Leicestnjer next week

        1. TOLV TUMS
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

  13. BIGREDDOG
    • 8 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Palmer was a good and obvious pick. Pipe down experts.

    1. Egg noodle
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Last goal GW21

    2. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Let them have their moment, they are understandably feeling vindicated

    3. The Big Fella
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      No he wasn’t

    4. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Too much expectation in this game, it’s always disappointment so the way it should be seen is, Palmer owners are 3 points up at the moment

      #FPLPointsontheboard

    5. Roland The Headless Thompso…
      • 14 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Palmer didn't score against Leicester / Southampton / Ipswich - when we got him in - why would going for himget him in for Everton? I really didn't get it with all the content creators

    6. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Palmer was a truly awful pick

  14. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Ipswich neatly scored:)

    1. The-Red-1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Have they?

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Jack Clarke according to the radio

    2. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Ban

      1. BIGREDDOG
        • 8 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        He meant nearly, was a typo.

    1. Egg noodle
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      hahaha you know yourself all too well

    2. BIGREDDOG
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Hahaha. The old anti-jynx attempt!

    3. Crunchie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Joked yesterday it will be a Cucu Jackson haul.

      Never thought it would happen

  15. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    This is all very exciting:)

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      What you up to?

  16. Effe
    • 15 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Has anything happened yet?

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Chelsea won

    2. Sailboats
      • 10 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      All 8 team CS are locked in

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Imagine if the best formation this week is 541

  17. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Cunha (c) goals sorely needed this afternoon.

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Cunha hatty would be beautyful

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 8 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        beautiful*

  18. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Ipswich going for it.

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      They’re not relegated yet

    2. Sun God Nika
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Greaves get me a return lad

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Good luck to ya

  19. Crunchie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Olise goal!

  20. Silecro
    • 8 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Willian close, would be Sessegnon A.

    1. Silecro
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Sess creating some solid chances this last 13mins

  21. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Please let it be wellbeck.....

  22. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Brighton GOAL

  23. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Brighton G
    Ayari

  24. Egg noodle
    • 15 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Brighton goal. Ayari

    1. BIGREDDOG
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Absolute screamer also

  25. FplmorelikeFml
    • 1 Year
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    48 mins of game time across 4 matches has gone by and still no goals. Best league in the world they say sigh

  26. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Southampton bust Fulham up

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Stephens with the goal

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Header

        Free kick

    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Cucu on bench trully gutting....

  27. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Southampton goal !!!!

    1. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Always nick one! Glad I didn’t go double full def!

  28. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Southampton G
    Stephens

    1. Sun God Nika
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      Redemption for robinson

  29. RICICLE
    • 3 Years
    8 months, 12 hours ago

    Of course SOU score, of course

    1. Egg noodle
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      they always do

      1. Crunchie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 12 hours ago

        Yep nearly always scored one

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          8 months, 12 hours ago

          It's the 78 goals conceded that's been an issue

    2. BIGREDDOG
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 12 hours ago

      His first goal in 5 years!