Manchester City come from behind to beat a resolute Huddersfield Town as Sergio Aguero is handed a surprise start while Raheem Sterling excels.
Jumping to the wrong conclusion regarding Pep Guardiola’s plans is now so ingrained that even the man himself is issuing contradictory statements these days.
Last week, he announced that Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus would have to be rotated while a system tweak to cope with the injury to Benjamin Mendy remained in place.
Mendy is still very much injured, but now Pep has this to say:
“I can say I think they are going to play together again, even with or without Mendy. Until now I decide to play in that way and I decide one or the other one. Of course, they can play together, but I decide to play more with specific wingers with their quality there and play with one striker. They are perfect to play together and that is going to happen.”
No surprises then that Guardiola was full of surprises when it came to his personnel choices for the trip to Huddersfield.
Having handed Aguero the full 90 minutes in midweek away to Feyenoord – a match in which Jesus was given only a late cameo – more than 195,000 Fantasy Premier League managers sold the Argentine going into Gameweek 13.
The fact that Jesus had started every away match in the league this season was further evidence that it would be the Brazilian’s turn to lead the line against the Terriers.
But it was Aguero who got the nod and the 8% of brave souls who handed him the armband were duly rewarded when he slotted home a penalty just after half-time following a foul on Raheem Sterling.
The 18.8%-owned forward now has nine goals in as many appearances this season. He’s also started every home league fixture he’s been available for but, having played 175 minutes in two matches this week, that record looks in serious doubt ahead of visits from Southampton and West Ham over the next seven days.
While Aguero has played close to two full matches in six days, Jesus was given just 36 minutes.
The Brazilian has also started just one of the last three Gameweeks, but he’s still managed to produce returns in all of them, with an assist from yesterday’s ten minutes from the bench to go with back-to-back goals previously.
Everything now seems to point to Jesus starting against Southampton on Wednesday, but we’re second-guessing Guardiola, so nothing is assured.
Sterling on the rise again
Yesterday’s goal, assist and maximum bonus for the 10.5%-owned Sterling (8.1) took him to within three points of his pricier (9.0) and more popular (29.7%) team-mate Leroy Sane.
The England midfielder’s output has been stellar this campaign, with 12 goals in 18 appearances in all competitions. That’s his best ever single-season return, and we’re not even out of November yet.
But even his recent superb form – three goals and four assists from his last five appearances – has failed to impress FPL managers and he lost nearly 300,000 owners between Gameweeks 11 and 13 as managers jumped ship to, among others, Sane and David Silva.
But Sane has now produced just a single assist in three Gameweeks, the Spaniard two assists in five.
Sane also picked up a booking at the John Smith’s Stadium, which, while not yet confirmed by the FA, moves him to four for the season according to our records. Sane earned a yellow card in the EFL Cup tie with West Brom and has three cautions in the Premier League. He should, therefore, be just one yellow card away from a one-match ban. Expect an update from us on this once FA records are updated today.
Fernandinho also looks to be on four bookings and given that the Manchester derby is looming in Gameweek 16, it will be interesting to see if this now enters in Guardiola’s thinking with his team selection prior to that encounter.
Unlucky Otamendi still has much to offer
With more than 358,000 managers moving Nicolas Otamendi out of their squads, he was the most sold in Gameweek 12 following his one-match ban.
Coming into Gameweek 13, he was drafted in by 133,000+ – more than any other defender.
An own goal at Huddersfield that he could do little about gave his 16.7% ownership a nasty zero on the day, and Otamendi’s recent showings have been similarly disheartening.
After claiming six clean sheets in the first nine Gameweeks, City have managed just one shut-out in four – ironically in the match, against Leicester City, for which Otamendi was suspended.
As a result, the fifth most popular defender in FPL has produced just a single point over the last four Gameweeks.
But hope is on the horizon.
Seven of City’s nine matches (SOT WHU swa BOU new cry WAT) between now and Gameweek 22 on January 2 look very promising for defensive, as well as attacking, returns.
Guardiola’s backline has also allowed fewer shots (75), attempts in the box (42) and efforts on target (21) than any other side.
John Stones’ hamstring injury and Vincent Kompany’s never-ending fitness issues mean that Otamendi could be safe from rotation over the festive period – a huge potential plus during such a traditionally fraught time for Fantasy managers.
