The Dugout Discussion – Sunday

We’ve a triple bill of Premier League action to mull over this afternoon, starting with Burnley’s home clash against West Brom.

Danny Ings welcomes the Baggies on the back of three goals in four, though the Clarets top scorer was hauled off early last week after Sean Dyche admitted the forward’s head had been turned amidst transfer interest from Liverpool. Predictably, the team news finds Dyche naming Ings in an unchanged side for the tenth successive league match.

The Baggies also struggled last weekend: Tony Pulis’ impressive start at the Hawthorns was derailed by a 3-0 defeat to Tottenham. With plenty having drafted in Ben Foster with their winter Wildcards, owners will be hoping for a third shut-out in four under their new boss. There’s bad news for Andre Wisdom owners, however – he’s dropped to the bench as Chris Baird comes back into the equation: Baird earns a recall, this time at right-back. Elsewhere, Darren Fletcher is handed an immediate start and snatches the captaincy from Chris Brunt in the process. Stephane Sessegnon returns to the teamsheet as Saido Berahino drops to the bench.

Later today, Newcastle entertain Stoke in the second match of “Super Sunday”. The home side should be in confident mood after beating Hull 3-0, where Jack Colback produced attacking returns for the fourth time in his last six league appearances and Remy Cabella finally grabbed his first league goal for the Tyneside. Jon Walters’ hat-trick against QPR helped attract 50,000+ new FPL owners but the midfielder went into the weekend as a doubt due to a knee problem – it remains to be seen if he makes today’s teamsheet. Mark Hughes isn’t short of attacking options, though, with both Mame Biram Diouf and Peter Crouch hoping for a recall to the starting XI.

The final encounter of Gameweek 24 sees West Ham host Man United. Interest in the Hammers’ assets has dwindled somewhat due to an unfavourable run of fixtures and a spate of injury doubts hanging over Sam Allardyce’s men. Stewart Downing has scored in two of the Hammers’ last four at Upton Park and looks the most likely source of returns. Despite United’s kind current run of fixtures, the likes of Robin van Persie, Angel di Maria and Wayne Rooney are struggling to convince us of a place in our 15-man squads. Having said that, a big points haul from one of them here may just persuade investment ahead of Wednesday’s home clash with Burnley.