Dugout Discussion
25 May 2025 1310 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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It’s the final day of the Premier League season, with all 10 Premier League fixtures kicking off at the same time (4pm BST):

starts Isak

It’s difficult to know where to begin with the team news given the numerous talking points across the country.

But let’s do so at St James’ Park, where Alexander Isak starts for the Magpies after recovering from injury.

His recall at the expense of Callum Wilson is Eddie Howe’s only alteration, but the Newcastle United boss does at least have the fit-again Kieran Trippier among the substitutes.

Everton bring in Charly Alcaraz, Jack Harrison, Ashley Young and Michael Keane, with Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dwight McNeil dropping to the bench and injured duo Jarrad Branthwaite and Seamus Coleman missing out as expected.

It’s teamsheet carnage at St Mary’s, with five changes apiece.

William Saliba is absent, while Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard are demoted to substitute duty.

In come Kieran Tierney, Mikel Merino, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri. 

Riccardo Calafiori is unexpectedly absent.

Ross Stewart, Yukinari Sugawara, Charlie Taylor, Lesley Ugochukwu and Jay Robinson are the new faces in the hosts’ starting XI.

Jack Stephens, Tyler Dibling and Taylor Harwood-Bellis are all injured, while James Bree and Joe Aribo are benched.

There are unexpected absences at the Amex, too, as Danny Welbeck and Pervis Estupinan miss out.

Jack Hinshelwood and Igor Julio take their places.

Ange Postecoglou makes just three changes from the starting XI that beat Manchester United in the Europa League final.

Mathys Tel, Archie Gray and Kevin Danso come into the team, with Sergio Romero, Yves Bissouma and Richarlison dropping out. The first two are injured.

The pre-deadline rumours were true about a Kevin De Bruyne benching, with Jeremy Doku coming in to replace him.

Nico Gonzalez for the suspended Mateo Kovacic is Pep Guardiola’s only other alteration.

Fulham boss Marco Silva meanwhile brings in Jorge CuencaTom CairneyAndreas Pereira and Harry Wilson for Calvin BasseySander BergeEmile Smith Rowe and Alex Iwobi.

Liverpool and Crystal Palace both pretty much go full strength at Anfield.

For the hosts, Virgil van DijkAndrew RobertsonCurtis Jones and Luis Diaz get the nod over Jarrell QuansahKostas TsimikasHarvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa

Trent Alexander-Arnold also starts on the bench.

As for Crystal Palace, four changes see Tyrick MitchellDaichi KamadaEberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta come in for Joel WardBen ChilwellRomain Esse and Eddie Nketiah.

At the City Ground, Forest are unchanged for their crunch match against Chelsea.

The Blues bring in Jadon Sancho for Tyrique George in their only alteration.

Brentford also name the same starting XI but Wolves make six changes, going back to pretty much full strength after some midweek experimentation.

Jose Sa, Matt Doherty, Nelson Semedo, Joao Gomes, Matheus Cunha and Marshall Munetsi all come in as Jorgen Strand Larsen (who had been a doubt for this game), Rodrigo Gomes, Pablo Sarabia and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde drop to the bench.

Dan Bentley and Nasser Djiga miss out altogether.

Another unchanged side are Aston Villa, whose opponents Manchester United side bring in Altay BayindirAyden Heaven and Victor Lindelof for Andre OnanaLeny Yoro and Luke Shaw.

Youri Tielemans is only fit enough for a place on the bench for the Villans.

Andoni Iraola makes three changes to his Bournemouth line-up. 

Marcos SenesiAdam Smith and David Brooks come in, with Dean Huijsen and Julian Araujo benched and Lewis Cook suspended.

As for Leicester City, three alterations see Victor KristiansenOliver Skipp and Patson Daka replace the absent Wilfred NdidiBilal El Khannouss and Jamie Vardy.

Kieran McKenna names two changes for Ipswich Town’s final match before the drop: Conor Chaplin and Nathan Broadhead come in for Jack Clarke and Julio Enciso, who is missing from the matchday squad.

Graham Potter makes five tweaks from Gameweek 37, with Lukasz FabianskiKonstantinos MavropanosOllie ScarlesEdson Alvarez and Niclas Fullkrug replacing Alphonse AreolaAaron CresswellVladimir CoufalGuido Rodriguez and Mohammed Kudus.

LINE-UPS

Bournemouth XI: Arrizabalaga, Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez, Adams, Brooks, Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo, Evanilson.

Subs: Dennis, Huijsen, Soler, Araujo, Hill, Scott, Winterburn, Jebbison, Silcott-Duberry.

Leicester City XI: Stolarczyk, Justin, Coady, Faes, Kristiansen, Skipp, Soumaré, McAteer, Ayew, Thomas, Daka.

Subs: Iversen, Okoli, Pereira, Aluko, Golding, Buonanotte, Monga, Braybrooke, Evans.


Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson, Lukić, Cairney, Traoré, Pereira, Wilson, Jiménez.

Subs: Benda, Bassey, Berge, King, Sessegnon, Smith Rowe, Vinícius, Iwobi, Willian.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, González, Gündoğan, Silva, Marmoush, Doku, Haaland.

Subs: Ortega, Aké, Lewis, Rodri, De Bruyne, Echeverri, Foden, O’Reilly, Savinho.


Ipswich Town XI: Palmer, Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis, Morsy, Cajuste, Hutchinson, Chaplin, Broadhead, Hirst.

Subs: Walton, Woolfenden, Burgess, Boniface, Taylor, Szmodics, Luongo, Delap, Clarke.

West Ham United XI: Fabianski, Todibo, Kilman, Mavropanos, Wan-Bissaka, Álvarez, Souček, Ward-Prowse, Scarles, Bowen, Füllkrug.

Subs: Areola, Cresswell, Coufal, Paquetá, Rodríguez, Irving, Kudus, Guilherme, Ings.


Liverpool XI: Alisson, Bradley, Konaté, van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Jones, Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Díaz.

Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Tsimikas, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Endo, Elliott, Núñez, Jota.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Lerma, Muñoz, Hughes, Kamada, Mitchell, Sarr, Eze, Mateta.

Subs: Turner, Ward, Kporha, Esse, Devenny, Nketiah, França.


Manchester United XI: Bayındır, Lindelöf, Maguire, Heaven, Mazraoui, Fernandes, Casemiro, Dorgu, Diallo, Mount, Højlund.

Subs: Heaton, Dalot, Evans, Fredricson, Eriksen, Ugarte, Mainoo, Collyer, Obi-Martin.

Aston Villa XI: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Kamara, Onana, Rogers, Asensio, McGinn, Watkins.

Subs: Olsen, Mings, Digne, Garcia, Barkley, Tielemans, Bailey, Ramsey, Malen


Newcastle United XI: Pope, Schär, Botman, Burn, Murphy, Guimarães, Tonali, Livramento, Barnes, Gordon, Isak.

Subs: Dúbravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Krafth, Willock, Longstaff, Miley, Wilson, Osula.

Everton XI: Pickford, Young, O’Brien, Keane, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye, Harrison, Alcaraz, Ndiaye, Beto.

Subs: Virgínia, Begović, Patterson, Welch, Doucouré, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin, Chermiti, Broja.


Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Milenković, Murillo, Williams, Sangaré, Anderson, Elanga, Gibbs-White, Domínguez, Wood.

Subs: Miguel, Morato, Toffolo, Boly, Yates, Danilo, Hudson-Odoi, Silva, Sosa.

Chelsea XI: Sánchez, James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernández, Madueke, Palmer, Sancho, Neto.

Subs: Jörgensen, Badiashile, Chalobah, Gusto, Acheampong, Dewsbury-Hall, Lavia, George, Guiu.


Southampton XI: Ramsdale, Sugawara, Wood, Taylor, Welington, Downes, Ugochukwu, Fernandes, Robinson, Sulemana, Stewart.

Subs: McCarthy, Manning, Bree, Kayi Sanda, Moore, Aribo, Smallbone, Archer, Onuachu.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Partey, White, Kiwior, Tierney, Merino, Rice, Zinchenko, Nwaneri, Sterling, Martinelli.

Subs: Neto, Ødegaard, Jorginho, Henry-Francis, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Trossard, Havertz, Kabia.


Tottenham Hotspur XI: Vicario, Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Udogie, Gray, Bentancur, Sarr, Johnson, Solanke, Tel.

Subs: Kinsky, Spence, Davies, Bissouma, Olusesi, Richarlison, Odobert, Moore, Ajayi.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Hinshelwood, Webster, van Hecke, Igor, Baleba, Ayari, Wieffer, Gruda, Adingra, Minteh.

Subs: Rushworth, Dunk, Cashin, Veltman, Milner, Mitoma, Gomez, O’Riley, Howell.


Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sá, Doherty, Agbadou, Gomes, Semedo, Gomes, André, Aït-Nouri, Munetsi, Cunha, Guedes.

Subs: King, Bueno, Lima, Sarabia, Bellegarde, Larsen, Hee-chan, Gomes, Mane

Brentford XI: Flekken, Kayode, Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter, Nørgaard, Yarmoliuk, Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Schade, Wissa.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Henry, Pinnock, Ajer, Jensen, Konak, Thiago, Nunes.



  1. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Yeah captain Bowen!!!

    1. Silecro
      • 8 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      We feast!!

    2. Fabreghastly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      I still want another goal from him

  2. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Isak Wissa Evanilson, where are you guys? 😛

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      At the bar with Wissa and Hojlund

  3. nanxun
    • 4 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    edison alverez wtf???

  4. RICICLE
    • 3 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Of course AWB on my bench with Sarr, and of course Bowen scores. End the season NOW

  5. Gudjohnsen
    • 8 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    So only Bowen and Mbeumo returning attacking wise

  6. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Worst decision of this season was getting Saka instead of Bowen last gw. And still own the wrong guy.

    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      I'll raise you taking a hit for Haaland three weeks ago (meant I couldn't afford Bowen this week)

    2. BobbyDoesNotLook
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      Obviously no leaks for Saka benching but for many other teams and players yes.

      1. Feanor
        • 16 Years
        7 months, 5 days ago

        I saw leaks

  7. Joyce1998
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Bowen was the captain

    1. Sif
      • 12 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      Captain hindsight

    2. djman102
      • 16 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      One could have used the narrative of a reaction to being left out of the England squad again...
      (NOTE: I completely ignored this narrative...)

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

    Hooooold the cleanie, Konsa

  9. nanxun
    • 4 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    yup

  10. Babit1967
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Bowen captaincy for last 4/5 game weeks has been one of my better moves this year.

  11. Glasner Ball
    • 13 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    lol swan dive

  12. Caligula's third favou…
    • 3 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Watching 3 games at once in an Irish bar in kitzbuhel. Love it.

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      Top Sunday afternoon!

  13. Gudjohnsen
    • 8 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Gravenberch YC

  14. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 9 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    AWB you’re forgiven for missing BB33

  15. Feanor
    • 16 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Gravenberch YC for diving

  16. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Tierney and Sterling off
    Saka and Trossard on

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      Let’s go Saka!!

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      Brilliant

      Captain on Saka was popular

      Unless he scores loads

  17. Glasner Ball
    • 13 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Mateta not the same since losing his head/ear guard

  18. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Plenty of time for loads more goals

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      yep, final half hour of the season goalfest!

  19. Feanor
    • 16 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Eze off

  20. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Gordon hooked at HT?

    Everton on top

    Nervous Newcastle brown

  21. nanxun
    • 4 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    eze off

  22. The Final Boss
    • 8 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Got gordon instead of bowen 🙁

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

      Ouch

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

    As a Villa fan, based solely on today’s performance, we don’t deserve Champions League.

    Was really rooting for Forest and Newcastle to get in there too, but might have to hope the Toon lose at this rate (sorry, Neale)

  24. brianutd-why always we? 20
    • 14 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Surely Utd can win this one

    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      Steady on there partner...

      1. brianutd-why always we? 20
        • 14 Years
        7 months, 5 days ago

        Brilliant lol

    2. JBG
      • 7 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      Can't score in a brothel.... shocking finishing.

      1. brianutd-why always we? 20
        • 14 Years
        7 months, 5 days ago

        Rooney could

  25. how now brown cow
    • 11 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Hinshelwood haul

  26. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Bournemouth Goal

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

      Brooks

  27. _Ninja_
    • 15 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    BB with Areola and Saka going well then...

    KDB to Bowen at least working out.

  28. nanxun
    • 4 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    darwin sucks

  29. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Bournemouth and Brighton G but subject to VAR

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      Hinshelwood brace confirmed

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

        Unconfirmed

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

          Oh

          Reconfirm

          I'm confusing Bournemouth with Brighton now

          1. tiger
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            7 months, 5 days ago

            it's all happening 😀

    2. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 months, 5 days ago

      Borunemouth one ruled out

  30. JBG
    • 7 Years
    7 months, 5 days ago

    Hinshel who now?

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

      Back heal

      Cheeky