Dugout Discussion
7 January 2026 1398 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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A whopping eight Premier League fixtures to come this evening, with six kicking off at 19:30 GMT and another two underway 45 minutes later:

TEAM NEWS

The tinkerer is back: there are five changes from Pep Guardiola this evening, one of which sees returning loanee Max Alleyne – who isn’t even listed in FPL! – come in at centre-half.

Abdukhodir Khusanov, Nathan Ake, Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku are also handed recalls.

Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias are injured, while Nico O’Reilly, Rodri and Rayan Cherki drop to the bench.

Pascal Gross is in for his first Brighton and Hove Albion start since his return from Borussia Dortmund, with Maxim De Cuyper and Jack Hinshelwood also brought in.

Joel Veltman, Brajan Gruda and Charalampos Kostoulas drop out.

As for the other Manchester club, the big news is that they welcome back Bruno Fernandes from injury for tonight’s game with Burnley. The Portuguese playmaker starts in place of Leny Yoro.

Hannibal Mejbri, Maxime Esteve and Marcus Edwards come in for Burnley.

Antoine Semenyo starts as expected for Bournemouth in what could be his final match for the Cherries.

Andoni Iraola brings in Eli Junior Kroupi and Lewis Cook for the injured Justin Kluivert and the benched David Brooks.

There are five changes for Tottenham Hotspur, one enforced as Mohammed Kudus is absent.

Xavi Simons, Randal Kolo Muani, Djed Spence, Lucas Bergvall and Joao Palhinha are back in the starting XI.

Richarlison, Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies and Archie Gray are demoted to bench duty.

Sander Berge for Sasa Lukic is Fulham’s only change as they prepare to face Chelsea.

The Blues welcome back Robert Sanchez, Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo from injury and suspension, while Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap and Andrey Santos are promoted to the side.

There are two changes apiece at Brentford, who have Sunday’s hat-trick hero Igor Thiago in their starting XI.

The hosts bring in Rico Henry and Keane Lewis-Potter for Aaron Hickey and Mikkel Damsgaard, while the Black Cats’ Regis Le Bris prefers Dan Ballard and Chris Rigg to Dennis Cirkin and Eliezer Mayenda.

At Selhurst Park, there are also two changes for each side.

Crystal Palace’s alterations are enforced: Jefferson Lerma and Nathaniel Clyne are injured, so in come Jaydee Canvot and Justin Devenny.

Lucas Digne and Jadon Sancho replace Ian Maatsen and Emi Buendia for Aston Villa.

And would you believe it, also two changes apiece on Tyneside.

Nick Woltemade and Harvey Barnes come in for Yoane Wissa and Jacob Murphy for the hosts, while Leeds welcome Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon. Noah Okafor and Sebastian Bornaauw drop to the bench.

Up at Goodison Park, Everton bring in Harrison Armstrong for Tyler Dibling as they prepare to face an unchanged Wolverhampton Wanderers.

LINE-UPS

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Jiménez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert, Cook, Scott; Semenyo, Tavernier, Kroupi, Evanilson.

Subs: Forster, Soler, Brooks, Smith, Diakite, Adli, Unal, Milosavljevic, Rees-Dottin.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Vicario, Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Palhinha, Bentancur, Xavi Simons, Bergvall, Tel, Kolo Muani.

Subs: Kinsky, Dragusin, Danso, Richarlison, Gray, Odobert, Davies, Scarlett, Williams-Barnett.


Brentford XI: Kelleher, Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Henry, Yarmoliuk, Janelt, Jensen, Lewis-Potter, Schade, Igor Thiago.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Van den Berg, Pinnock, Henderson, Nelson, Damsgaard, Peart-Harris, Donovan.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Geertruida, Hume, Xhaka, Le Fee, Adingra, Rigg, Brobbey.

Subs: Patterson, Cirkin, Neil, Mayenda, O’Nien, Mundle, Hjelde, Jones, Tutierov.


Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Canvot, Lacroix, Guehi, Devenny, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell, Johnson, Pino, Mateta.

Subs: Benitez, Uche, Sosa, Richards, Rodney, King, Benamar, Casey, Drakes-Thomas.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Sancho, Watkins.

Subs: Bizot, Buendia, Torres, Garcia, Malen, Jimoh-Aloba, Maatsen, Bogarde, Hemmings.


Everton XI: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Iroegbunam, Armstrong, Garner, McNeil, Grealish, Barry.

Subs: Travers, King, Patterson, Beto, Dibling, Rohl, Aznou, Welch, Campbell.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sa, S. Bueno, H. Bueno, Gomes, Arias, Hwang, Arokodare, Mosquera, Mane, Krejci, Tchatchoua.

Subs: Johnstone, Doherty, Andre, Moller Wolfe, Strand Larsen, Lima, Chirewa, Lopez, Ojinnaka.


Fulham XI: Leno, Diop, Anderson, Cuenca, Castagne, Berge, Cariney, Robinson, Wilson, Smith Rowe, Raul

Subs: Lemcomte, Sessegnon, Amissah, Reed, Lukic, Ridgeon, Adama, Kevin, Kusi-Asare.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella, Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Delap.

Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, James, Fofana, Hato, Estevao, Garnacho, Gittens, Joao Pedro.


Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Alleyne, Khusanov, Ake, Gonzalez, Reijnders, Silva, Foden, Doku, Haaland.

Subs: Trafford, Lewis, Mfuni, Cherki, Rodri, O’Reilly, Mukasa, McAidoo, Heskey.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Verbruggen, Kadioglu, Van Hecke, Dunk, De Cuyper, Gomez, Hinshelwood, Ayari, Mitoma, Gross, Rutter.

Subs: Steele, Boscagli, Coppola, Tasker, Gruda, Milner, Howell, Watson, Welbeck.


Burnley XI: Dúbravka, Walker, Laurent, Esteve, Humphreys, Pires, Mejbri, Ugochukwu, Luis, Edwards, Broja.

Subs: Weiss, Hartman, Ekdal, Sonne, Bruun Larsen, Foster, Anthony, Tchaouna, Barnes.

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Dalot, Heaven, Martínez, Shaw, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dorgu, Fernandes, Cunha, Šeško.

Subs: Bayındır, Maguire, Malacia, Yoro, Mount, Mainoo, Fletcher, Zirkzee, Lacey.


Newcastle United XI: Pope, Miley, Schar, Thiaw, Hall, Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, Barnes, Woltemade, Gordon.

Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Botman, J.Murphy, Livramento, Wissa, Willock, A.Murphy, Ramsey

Leeds United XI: Perri, Justin, Rodon, Bijol, Struijk, Gudmundsson, Ampadu, Gruev, Stach, Aaronson, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Darlow, Byram, Bornauw, Tanaka, Harrison, Gnonto, Okafor, Piroe, Nmecha.


price change predictions
  1. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 days, 34 mins ago

    This guy is killing me

    1. JBG
      • 7 Years
      3 days, 33 mins ago

      Genuinely a menace to rank

    2. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      3 days, 30 mins ago

      Swapping him to Eki has been a disaster

      1. Bobkat
        • 3 Years
        3 days, 30 mins ago

        Seemed like such a good plan at the time

      2. Fifa las vegas
        • 13 Years
        3 days, 29 mins ago

        Pure and utter. Comically bad

      3. Fifa las vegas
        • 13 Years
        3 days, 28 mins ago

        That fecking Wolves game. I should’ve ground it out without him having managed not having him for his early season purple patch

        1. Bobkat
          • 3 Years
          3 days, 27 mins ago

          Yes should’ve just left it. Blinded by them fixtures

      4. Jet5605
        • 11 Years
        3 days, 28 mins ago

        I was conned by his quick fire brace v Brighton and some tasty fixtures. So wish I held Thiago

  2. Kiyoshi
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 days, 33 mins ago

    sold keane and thiago with my wildcard

    1. jacob1989
      • 3 Years
      3 days, 31 mins ago

      Same here! For tarkowski and watkins last week

  3. Waynoo
    • 12 Years
    3 days, 33 mins ago

    Thiagooooooo

    1. Utopsis
      • 5 Years
      3 days, 31 mins ago

      He's my VC 🙁

  4. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    3 days, 33 mins ago

    Dammit Thiago is killing me

  5. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 days, 32 mins ago

    Yes my boy Thiago!

  6. Gizzachance
    • 11 Years
    3 days, 32 mins ago

    Janelt been getting few assists

  7. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    3 days, 31 mins ago

    Ekitike to Thiago?

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 30 mins ago

      Yep but have to give him the Burnley game after waiting this long, just wish we knew for definite if he’d start that hame or not.

      Not having Thiago these past two weeks is the most sickened I’ve ever been playing FPL.

  8. FPL Sanky
    • 2 Years
    3 days, 31 mins ago

    Caicedo is a terrible actor

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 31 mins ago

      That was embarrassing

  9. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 13 Years
    3 days, 31 mins ago

    Is there a funeral at Etihad? Nothing's written here

    1. Jafooli
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 30 mins ago

      Game postponed due to snow?

    2. Four Letter Wirtz
      • 10 Years
      3 days, 28 mins ago

      It's been very slow... City clearly unsure about their own backline, so they're risking nothing going forward

  10. FantasyTony
    • 8 Years
    3 days, 31 mins ago

    Why does it feel like Fulham play 38 home games a season?

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 30 mins ago

      I don't think I've ever seen Fulham play away

  11. Paul Psychic Octopus
    • 14 Years
    3 days, 30 mins ago

    Easier to show a green card to any Chelsea player not booked.

  12. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 days, 30 mins ago

    2-1

    Bournemouth

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 29 mins ago

      Frank to Utd in the summer?

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 days, 29 mins ago

      Kroupi!!

  13. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    3 days, 29 mins ago

    Kroupi goal

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 29 mins ago

      Autosub rank killer

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 29 mins ago

      Why did I go Guiu

    3. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 27 mins ago

      He seems a great finisher

  14. Utopsis
    • 5 Years
    3 days, 29 mins ago

    Goals galore

    1. djman102
      • 16 Years
      3 days, 28 mins ago

      Not in my team

  15. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    3 days, 28 mins ago

    Thiago is killing my rank. Might have to cave and get him.

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 27 mins ago

      Ya but when, want to keep Ekitike for Burnley!

      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 13 Years
        3 days, 26 mins ago

        Maybe I just abandon DCL for now

  16. Sandy Ravage
    • 9 Years
    3 days, 28 mins ago

    Haaland + Bowen > Thiago + Kroupi (-4) might actually pay off

  17. Il Capitano
    • 5 Years
    3 days, 28 mins ago

    Senesi assist, GW saved

    1. tutankamun
      • 16 Years
      3 days, 26 mins ago

      Get in

  18. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 13 Years
    3 days, 28 mins ago

    Told ya bout the Bournemouth guys

    https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/comment/27504062

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      3 days, 25 mins ago

      Might be time for Ekitike & DCL > Thiago and Kroupi and spend like f**k elsewhere

      1. NABIL - FPL otai
        • 13 Years
        3 days, 23 mins ago

        I like the look of it

  19. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    3 days, 27 mins ago

    Brighton living dangerously

  20. tutankamun
    • 16 Years
    3 days, 27 mins ago

    City pen surely?

    1. SpaceCadet
      • 12 Years
      3 days, 27 mins ago

      Has to be

  21. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    3 days, 27 mins ago

    City pen

  22. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    3 days, 27 mins ago

    Pen check at city

  23. Supersonic_
    • 4 Years
    3 days, 27 mins ago

    Kroupi first on bench.

  24. denial
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    3 days, 26 mins ago

    Kroupi first on bench. Bugger.

  25. RICICLE
    • 3 Years
    3 days, 26 mins ago

    That’s a pen all day long

  26. FantasyTony
    • 8 Years
    3 days, 26 mins ago

    Verbruggen pen save loading

  27. Firminooooo
    • 10 Years
    3 days, 26 mins ago

    Verbruggen on my bench will save it. This GW will be a nightmare.

  28. JBG
    • 7 Years
    3 days, 25 mins ago

    City pen

  29. djman102
    • 16 Years
    3 days, 25 mins ago

    Pen confirmed to City

  30. Kaneyonero
    • 9 Years
    3 days, 25 mins ago

    How's Wilson doing?