Man City midfield points lottery continues as David Silva misses out

Manchester City put five goals past Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon, but there were mixed fortunes for Fantasy Premier League managers regarding the distribution of points in South Wales.

The 51.7% of FPL bosses who own Sergio Aguero (£11.4m) – the most-captained player of Gameweek 6 – would have perhaps been left slightly dissatisfied at the Argentinean striker not following up his 31st-minute strike with another goal involvement, while the benched David Silva (£8.6m) and, of course, the injured Benjamin Mendy (£6.4m) missed out on the FPL points bonanza.

However, those Fantasy bosses who hung on to Bernardo Silva (£7.5m) after four successive blanks and through the subsequent mass exodus were rewarded with a 14-point haul from the Portuguese midfielder, while Ilkay Gundogan (£5.5m) and substitute Riyad Mahrez (£8.6m) also emerged from the victory over Neil Warnock’s side with double-digit returns.

There were no goals for Wilfried Zaha (£7.0m) or indeed any player at Selhurst Park, meanwhile, though Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.2m) once again delivered a clean sheet and maximum bonus points to the delight of his ever-growing number of Fantasy devotees.

Our latest Scout Notes article rounds up the goals, assists, injuries, manager quotes and FPL talking points from two more matches contested over the weekend.

Cardiff City 0-5 Manchester City

• Goals: Sergio Aguero (£11.4m), Bernardo Silva (£7.5m), Ilkay Gundogan (£5.5m), Riyad Mahrez (£8.6m) x2
• Assists: Bernardo Silva, Leroy Sane (£9.2m), Raheem Sterling (£11.0m), Ilkay Gundogan

Manchester City are scoring at a rate of over three goals per Premier League game in 2018/19, but capitalising on their irresistible attacking play is proving to be a tough nut to crack from a Fantasy perspective.

While Sergio Aguero has remained mercifully immune from rotation in the league so far this season, the City midfield is something of a minefield due to Pep Guardiola’s constant tinkering – and this, of course, is before we have seen a return to fitness for Kevin De Bruyne (£9.7m).

Fernandinho (£5.4m), who again played deep enough to be a third centre-back at times on Saturday, is the only City midfielder to have started all six of their league matches, with David Silva (£8.6m) – who had been bought by over 111,000 FPL managers ahead of the Gameweek 6 deadline – the latest fall guy across the middle and not even seeing a minute of action off the bench.

Mahrez and Leroy Sane (£9.2m) are now very much in the first-team shake-up, too, after featuring intermittently in the opening month of the season, and Guardiola singled out the Algerian for praise after his brace of goals:

He played well. He’s a guy who’s going to help us a lot. He is a special talent and in front of the goal, he has incredible quality. We are so satisfied with him.

He deserves to play more minutes, like Phil Foden. But the season is too long and they have to be ready, prepared, because they are going to play a lot of minutes.

City had begun the game in a 4-3-3 of sorts, with Sane on the left of Aguero and Raheem Sterling (£11.0m) stationed on the opposite flank.

Bernardo Silva and Gundogan were the two most advanced central midfielders ahead of Fernandinho, meanwhile, and it was these two players who emerged from the match with most to show from a Fantasy perspective.

The pair were prominent in the Cardiff area, registering 14 penalty box touches between them, and should probably have added to their hauls with another goal apiece: both players blazing over from around eight yards out at either end of the match.

Bernardo looks to be much more of a threat in this position than he is when farmed out to the right flank (as was the case on Wednesday night against Lyon and when he was fielded as a wing-back in the 6-1 win over Huddersfield Town in Gameweek 2) and this was the second successive Premier League start in which he has recorded at least eight touches in the opposition area: both fixtures in which he was predominantly used as a right-sided central midfielder.

Bernardo has also played more minutes than any other City midfielder bar Fernandinho this season, starting five of their six league fixtures.

No player on show at the Cardiff City Stadium created more chances than the Portuguese midfielder, either, with one of his key passes leading to an assist for Aguero’s opener.

While the Argentinean striker started in the league for the sixth successive match, his involvement was once again managed and he only just made it to 60 minutes before being substituted.

Aguero still did enough in that hour to warrant more than six FPL points, though, registering twice as many goal attempts as any other player in this fixture (all of which came from inside the Cardiff box) and forcing Neil Etheridge (£4.6m) into two stops with shots from just outside the six-yard box. Another Aguero effort took a double-deflection to fall just wide of the Philippines international’s left-hand post.

No FPL forward has registered as many penalty box touches, shots in the box and efforts overall than the City striker this season.

Guardiola was once again fulsome in his praise of the City number ten, saying this after the match:

He’s an authentic legend for what he has done in this club and hopefully we can help him stay in a good position to continue this.

“Helping” Aguero stay in condition will hopefully – at least for the Argentinean forward’s Fantasy owners – entail a rest in midweek and a run-out for Gabriel Jesus (£10.3m) in the Carabao Cup match against Oxford United on Tuesday, leaving Aguero fresh for a plum-looking home fixture against Brighton and Hove Albion next Saturday.

With City in UEFA Champions League action on the Tuesday after Gameweek 7, however, the Fantasy community should perhaps anticipate further management of Aguero’s minutes in the form of a substitution against the Seagulls – should the match be sewn up at an early stage, of course.

Rotation against Oxford tomorrow night should be widespread, with Guardiola having this to say about his team selection:

I know quite clearly the guys in the first team that are going to play.

Danilo is coming back, Aleks [Zinchenko] and Brahim [Diaz], some players that played today are going to play because they need rhythm.

Nico [Otamendi] played today but hasn’t played too much in the last month. We are going to use a lot of players.

Jesus remained an unused substitute in the win over Cardiff, with Sterling moving centrally upon Aguero’s withdrawal and Mahrez taking up his usual position on the right flank.

For the second week running, Sterling had more penalty box touches than any of his team-mates and, like Bernardo, has started in five of City’s six league fixtures this season.

This was also the third match on the bounce in which he has delivered an attacking return – teeing up Gundogan for the German’s excellent strike – but Sterling remains largely overlooked as a Fantasy asset, sitting in only 3.2% of FPL squads.

His prohibitive price and Guardiola’s rotation roulette are, of course, factors, but Sterling is now City’s leading FPL points scorer in midfield and has registered more shots than any City player bar Aguero.

Sterling’s goal attempts were, however, well down yesterday despite his penalty box prominence, with a 25-yard free-kick the only time he tested Etheridge in the Cardiff goal.

Sterling’s versatility is an asset from an FPL point of view, though. When Mendy is available, Sterling’s ability to play as an “inverted winger” on the left wing to free up space for the rampaging French left-back seems a good fit, while at the moment he is back on his usual right flank to accommodate Sane’s inclusion. Bernardo is clearly better suited in a more central role and Guardiola may avoid using the Portuguese international as an out-and-out winger going forward, though Mahrez’s return to form is, of course, a threat on that right flank.

Speaking of Sane, the German winger played 90 minutes for the second league match in a row and would seem to be a shoo-in for a regular starting spot so long as Mendy remains unavailable, offering as he does that natural width on the left.

Sane collected an assist for City’s second goal, his whipped delivery being met with a looping header by Bernardo, and spurned a “big chance” of his own too.

Manchester City’s backline – the same goalkeeper and defensive four as started the 3-0 win over Fulham – collected their second clean sheet in as many matches and will seldom have an easier afternoon: Cardiff had two attempts on goal all match, only one of which came from inside Ederson‘s (£5.6m) box.

Aymeric Laporte (£5.6m) has now started all seven of the reigning league champions’ seven competitive matches this season and seems to have taken on Nicolas Otamendi’s (£6.1m) 2017/18 role in being the permanent fixture at centre-back, with the other three stoppers rotating around him.

For Cardiff, there was little to cheer or indeed report.

Bobby Reid (£5.3m) and Danny Ward (£4.5m), again lining up as the front two in the Cardiff attack, could only muster one shot on goal each and the hosts recorded just five touches in Ederson’s penalty area all game.

Warnock had rolled out a 4-4-2 for the visit of Guardiola’s side, with both changes to his starting XI coming at full-back: Lee Peltier (£3.9m) and Greg Cunningham (£4.3m) ousting Sol Bamba and Joe Bennett (both £4.5m). Bruno Ecuele Manga (£4.5m) thus moved over to centre-back alongside Steve Morrison (£5.0m).

Peltier was stretchered off early in the second half with a shoulder injury, and Warnock gave this update after the match:

He dislocated it I think. That sort of compounded the afternoon really. I think he’ll be out for a few months. That’ll leave us a bit thin but hey-ho.

Cardiff’s season won’t, of course, be defined by their results against the “big six” and the Bluebirds now have a run of fixtures in which they play only two of last season’s top half-dozen teams in the next 11 Gameweeks.

Warnock added:

It’s very difficult for us against the top teams at the minute. So we have to make sure it counts against the other 13 teams we play. That’s where we’re going to get our points.

Cardiff City XI (4-4-2): Etheridge; Peltier (Richards 51′), Manga, Morrison, Cunningham; Camarasa, Ralls, Arter, Hoilett (Murphy 75′); Reid; Ward (Zohore 63′)

Manchester City XI (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph; Fernandinho (Stones 74′), Gundogan (Foden 69′), B Silva; Sterling, Aguero (Mahrez 60′), Sane

Crystal Palace 0-0 Newcastle United

• Goals: none
• Assists: none

While there were no goals at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon, there was plenty to cheer for those backing the defences and goalkeepers of Crystal Palace and Newcastle United.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.2m), the most-owned Fantasy player on show in south London, delivered maximum bonus points and a clean sheet for the third time this season and now trails only Marcos Alonso (£6.9m) and Jose Holebas (£4.9m) for value among FPL defenders in 2018/19: the Palace right-back is averaging 6.7 points per million spent.

Wan-Bissaka’s game is well-reflected on the Bonus Points System (BPS), with his offensive play (four successful dribbles and one key pass) adding to the Baseline BPS he accrues for clearances, blocks and interceptions (CBIs), recoveries and net tackles.

Patrick van Aanholt (£5.5m), much-vaunted for his attacking threat, registered only one take-on and didn’t create a single chance, by way of comparison.

Wan-Bissaka is averaging a Baseline BPS (BBPS) every 5.9 minutes this season and would be even closer to Mamadou Sakho (£5.0m) and James Tomkins‘ (£4.4m) squad-best means of 5.6 minutes per BBPS were it not for the red card he picked up in the 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool.

Sakho had by far Palace’s best opportunity of the match, nodding wide the only “big chance” of the fixture when presented with an unguarded net three yards out.

Andros Townsend (£5.9m) was unfortunate not to collect his first assist of the season after supplying the cross for Sakho’s missed sitter, with the Palace winger also firing in a pinpoint delivery for James McArthur (£4.9m) very early in the first-half.

Palace’s best chances indeed came from crosses and set-pieces, with Newcastle putting in a typically stubborn defensive display to stymie their hosts.

Luka Milivojevic (£6.3m), yet to register an attacking return in 2018/19 after his ten-goal season last year, reminded Fantasy managers of his danger from set plays by striking the United post with a cross-shot from a direct free-kick.

All three of the Serb’s attempts on goal were from set pieces, while the Palace midfielder registered twice as many crosses and deliveries from corners as any other player on show.

There was another blank at home for Wilfried Zaha (£7.0m), whose three goals this season have all come away from home.

Zaha was indeed a late doubt for this match after seeking treatment on a back injury during the warm-up, but Roy Hodgson allayed fears of the seriousness of the Ivorian’s problem after the match:

Wilf wasn’t close to missing the game. He was complaining about some back pain, which the physios sorted out. It was a quiet game from him today, if we had him in the flying form we’ve had him in and spoiled by at times in the last season, I think it would’ve caused Newcastle even more problems.

But it’s been a hectic week of discussions and maybe Wilf paid the price for that today, and we, in turn, did because we didn’t see the threat and form he poses very often.

While Zaha registered more penalty box touches than any other player at Selhurst Park, his only real sight of goal came late in the match with a shot that flashed across Martin Dubravka‘s (£5.0m) six-yard-box.

The Palace talisman was also once again deployed on the left of a front three and hugged the touchline for much of the match – a concern, perhaps, for his legions of Fantasy owners given that he is classified as a forward in FPL.

Dubravka joined Wan-Bissaka in collecting maximum bonus after making four saves, while Wayne Hennessey (£4.6m) also registered a bonus point to go with his clean sheet and save point in the Palace goal.

Hennessey is now the best value goalkeeper in FPL, returning 7.6 points per million spent.

In truth, the Eagles’ goalkeeper had little to do, comfortably keeping out efforts from Joselu (£5.0m), Christian Atsu (£5.3m) and Ayoze Perez (£6.2m), the best chance of which was the Spanish forward’s after Tomkins had made an uncharacteristic slip in the Palace defence.

Defensively though, Newcastle were robust and have now kept as many clean sheets away from home as they managed in the whole of 2017/18.

Hodgson indeed paid tribute to Palace’s opposition after the match:

They were very well organised and disciplined and it wasn’t easy to get through them. But I did think we did enough to get the goal that would have won the game.

Newcastle rank joint-tenth for fewest big chances conceded this season, despite having played four of the “big six” in the opening six Gameweeks.

In their other two fixtures, away matches at Palace and Cardiff, the Magpies have conceded only four shots on target combined, something that perhaps bodes well for their clean sheet prospects for their forthcoming run of fixtures in which they play only one of last season’s top six clubs in the next 12 Gameweeks.

Benitez praised his side’s defensive work after the match:

We defended well. We have been talking about Wilfried Zaha during the week, the team tried to defend him and help the full-backs defensively and did a good job. The positive is the teamwork, the unity and togetherness.

United had lined up in a 4-4-1-1, with Jonjo Shelvey (£5.4m), Kenedy (£5.0m) and Salomon Rondon (£5.9m) returning to the side and Jamaal Lascelles (£4.9m) fit to start at centre-back.

Rondon was replaced at half-time, however, and Benitez gave this update after the match:

He was feeling a bit of tightness in his quad, so we needed to take him out.

It’s not a precaution, as he couldn’t continue. You could see that he was uncomfortable in the first half.

It’s too early [to say if he’ll be ready for Leicester]. He said that he was fine. He was feeling it [his quad] a little bit when he was shooting.

He said he was fine, but after you could see that he was not comfortable.

Crystal Palace XI (4-3-3): Hennessey; Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt; Kouyate (Meyer 62′), Milivojevic, McArthur; Townsend, Ayew (Sorloth 71′), Zaha

Newcastle United (4-4-1-1): Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Fernandez, Dummett; Ritchie (Atsu 73′, Diame, Shelvey, Kenedy; Perez (Muto 81′); Rondon (Joselu 46′)

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