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. CoracAld2831
    • 4 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Not keeping Trippier on FH was a bit of a mistake.

    20/20

    1. WVA
      • 9 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Yeah swapped him out for Barnes triple attack last minute! Four at the back didn’t seem right on FH

      1. Bluetiger1
        • 3 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Ditto

      2. Atimis
        • 9 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Same

  2. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    39 with 4 left on FH. Anyone worse?

  3. WVA
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    65 points so far on FH, only mistake has been Trippier over Barnes. Absolute classic that my BB last week got 9 points and this week everyone on my bench returns!

    Sa
    TAA RAN Sess
    Salah(C) Diaz Barnes Murphy
    Isak Cunha Raul
    Sanchez Iwobi Cucurella Kerkez

    1. Bluetiger1
      • 3 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Feel the pain - my BB got 7pts

      Congrats todate on 65 points hope Salah scores a couple with a clean sheet in a Liverpool win

  4. Old Wulfrunian
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Evening all!93 points with my FH team and my best OR of the season at 743k!

    Sa/Ait Nouri Trippier Sessegnon
    Mitoma Neto Diaz Kluivert Mbeumo
    Isak Cunha(c)

    1. Bluetiger1
      • 3 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      congrats - keep the faith

      1. Old Wulfrunian
        • 9 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        cheers!It's not bad to dream!

    2. WVA
      • 9 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Cunha cap was a bit nuts given the rumours but congrats

  5. Qaiss
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Sometimes managers being clear in their presser can also lose you points. If Silva didn’t flat out say that Muniz is out, I’d have got Wood instead of Raul

  6. ididnt
    • 14 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    65 points on FB but with 25 on my bench (and Mbuemo). Not sure whether to laugh or cry.

    1. Bluetiger1
      • 3 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      cry

    2. RICICLE
      • 3 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Same below, I’m not wether to feel aggrieved or ok about it

  7. Powers106
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Sessegnon = legend lol

  8. RICICLE
    • 3 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    59 with TAA Salah (C) and Diaz to go

    My bench you ask?

    Sa, Sess, Mbuemo, Cucu

    Have I lost here? Or still decent ya reckon?

    Feels so demoralising

    1. ididnt
      • 14 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Same here.

      1. RICICLE
        • 3 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        It feels so sickening but at the same time I feel like I can’t complain lol

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Other 3 defenders + GK?

      1. RICICLE
        • 3 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Leno, Trippier, RAN & TAA

        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 16 Years
          7 months, 21 days ago

          Hard to complain outside Leno.

          1. RICICLE
            • 3 Years
            7 months, 21 days ago

            It is indeed, I need to be positive about it I guess hehe cheers TM

            1. TorresMagic™
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 16 Years
              7 months, 21 days ago

              The 59 is a bit meh though. Starting 11 had some leaks.

    3. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 11 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Still a great score well done

      1. RICICLE
        • 3 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Cheers mate, I’m on the fence of how to feel lol

    4. Pep bites Kun
      • 9 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Same score. Also Sa on bench. Same players to go along with Kepa.

      Decent.

      1. RICICLE
        • 3 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Thanks bud, Oo hopefully Kepa comes through good!

    5. Powers106
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      I’m on 62-4 and BB so have 9 players left (7 + Salah c)

  9. Total Slotball
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    80 with 2 to go. Mo (C).

    Dreamy.

    1. RICICLE
      • 3 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      This is excellent!

      1. Total Slotball
        • 9 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Could barely watch when Vardy was stepping up for that pen!

    2. Bobkat
      • 3 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Nicely done! Same here, 83 with Salah(C) and Diaz to go. Halved my rank today!

    3. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Damn, excellent score

    4. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      62 with Salah (c), Mbuemo, Wood, Diaz

      Feeling good

    5. FPL Scoop
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Excellent stuff

    6. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      35. Loads to go tho.

  10. Pep bites Kun
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Sa on bench with 11 pts. Hope Kepa delivers ...

    I did have a lot of returns though, so no complaints

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      1 bonus hopefully

  11. ididnt
    • 14 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Sanchez, Mbeumo, Sess, Doherty. Why couldn’t you be my BB last week.

  12. kempc23
    • 11 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Nuts that I have Sa (12), Burn (13) and Ait Nouri (11) and I still got a red arrow!

    1. Bluetiger1
      • 3 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      how many played - how many points at the moment - OR position

      1. Bluetiger1
        • 3 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        by the way - good shout on these three

        whose your captain

        1. kempc23
          • 11 Years
          7 months, 21 days ago

          Isak, Murphy and Palmer.

          Got (S)alah, Mbeumo, Wissa, Evanilson and Williams to play (no FH).

          Around 190k as it stands…

  13. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    This can be a very cruel game....

  14. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Feels daft being disappointed in an 80pt + Salah FH…

    But the first draft, active all the way until this morning, would have been on 115 + Salah!

    Fine margins

    1. FPL Scoop
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Also a PSA for anyone in a similar situation, just don’t bother calculating what you might have had 😆

    2. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      “I almost put him in!”

      You almost put all the players in

      1. FPL Scoop
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Well, considering I did no tinkering bar:

        Sa to Leno (have never been a fan of defensive double up)
        Sess benched for Cucu (same reason)
        JSL to Raul
        Cunha(c) to Isak(c)

        I’m going to continue feeling a little hard done by 😆

        1. The Suspended One
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          7 months, 21 days ago

          I did Pope for Sa, benched Sess for Cucu; feel like both were solid decisions personally

          1. FPL Scoop
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            7 months, 21 days ago

            Definitely on the face of it - can’t predict an injury time winner from a left back or a pen save!

            1. The Suspended One
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              7 months, 21 days ago

              Injury time glanced header from a winger LOL

              All the ExPeRts kNeW

              1. FPL Scoop
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 8 Years
                7 months, 21 days ago

                Fine margins, fine margins. At least Cucurella and Pope got clean sheets! Onwards and upwards!

              2. BIGREDDOG
                • 8 Years
                7 months, 21 days ago

                They did know LOL poor choice not having him

                1. The Suspended One
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  7 months, 21 days ago

                  It was a great choice for 90 +2 min

  15. F4L
    • 11 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    palace or villa? should be a good match

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Villa running away

      1. FPL Scoop
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Fingers crossed

  16. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Hopefully Tara can outscore trippier tomorrow, doubt loads got both ?

    1. KanuLenoMeeMoCash
      • 5 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      'Tara' hahah

  17. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Sa and trippier the real difference on FH really

    1. FPL Scoop
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Massively

  18. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    All of Sa’s 10% ownership in the comments atm

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      SAlty.

      1. The Suspended One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Hahaha

        Technically I own him also I suppose.

    2. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      His pen saved my season (23 points from Wolves double up with RAN)

    3. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 12 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      On my bench. Hope Alison doesn’t start now.

      1. KanuLenoMeeMoCash
        • 5 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        same for me but hoping kepa wont start
        not likely though

  19. Manani
    • 14 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    was regretting starting Sa over Sanchez after the chelsea game.
    a bit lucky with the penalty save lol

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      No luck in FPL

    2. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Don't call it luck - you went for Sa with sound reasoning and it paid off.

      Otherwise it's all luck

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • 16 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        He’s saying both Sa and Sanchez were good picks based on reasoning, then he got lucky with the penalty save (which could easily have been a goal against).

  20. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Murphy, Isak, Trippier get innnn

    1. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Tripps feels like an oversight, but other 2 defenders scored 11. Strange week, points everywhere

  21. El Presidente
    • 6 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Well we all knew loads of points on our benches would be a strong possibility so STOP moaning

  22. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Did Cunha make it through that unscathed? Mightily tempted to bin Mateta for him already, despite the City fixture next weekend

  23. Nightf0x
    • 10 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    72 with 4 to play, FH wild success

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      65 with 5 with Trippier points on bench hoping for a TAA no show tomorrow.

  24. Kitman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Those who poo pooed my 5 at the back

    43 points with Trent to go!

    1. Kitman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      From the 4 defenders that is

    2. BobbyDoesNotLook
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      I don't remember if I commented on your 5 at back but congratulations that you went with it. I chose Barnes+Murphy instead of Trippier in the end and just three at he back.

  25. _Gunner
    • 11 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Benched Sessegnon and Iwobi
    Played Palmer

    1. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      If you had Palmer, be a bit mad to play Iwobi over him. Only 2pts in it anyway.

      Dont know who your other defenders are re: Sess

      1. Count of Monte Hristo
        • 12 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Palmer is a dead pick now.

        1. Utopsis
          • 5 Years
          7 months, 21 days ago

          Football is about form and confidence - gotta pick it up somewhere. Some thought would be today - they were wrong.

  26. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 12 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Cunha(c) turned out well. So far.

    1. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Salah needs a proper mega haul to match that so I think you're safe - well done!

      1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
        • 12 Years
        7 months, 21 days ago

        Cheers

    2. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      I was very tempted.

  27. BIGREDDOG
    • 8 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    I blame myself for Jimenez 😀 other than that, not a bad FH. Didn’t think there’d be so many non Salah cappers. Can enjoy his Hatty tomorrow 😉

  28. Old Bull
    • 12 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Haven’t been on here much at all this season but is a total of 51pts for this silly Assistant Manager chip good, bad or indifferent?

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Good

    2. BIGREDDOG
      • 8 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Good, think I got like 15,15,10 using two double gw in mine.

    3. Old Bull
      • 12 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Thanks chaps. I’m not a fan of it, seems overly complicated.

  29. WVA
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Like I said, Iwobi over Raul all day!

    1. Atimis
      • 9 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      Felt Sess will be enough from Fulham

  30. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 21 days ago

    Not (c) Cunha bugging me

    1. FPL Scoop
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      A few on here feeling that pain!

    2. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      7 months, 21 days ago

      I'm seriously considering Wolves for my AM chip now