Fighters expected pound to enter field of combat (9)
I believe the answer is:
duellists
'fighters' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
'expected pound to enter field of combat' is the wordplay.
'expected' becomes 'due' (similar in meaning).
'pound' becomes 'L' (abbreviation e.g. Lsd - pounds, shillings, pence).
'to enter' is an insertion indicator.
'field of combat' becomes 'lists' (I've seen this before).
'l' going into 'lists' is 'llists'.
'due'+'llists'='DUELLISTS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for duellists that I've seen is " Jousters".)