Dugout Discussion

Hazard deployed as a false nine as both Aguero and Sterling start

Gameweek 27 came to a conclusion earlier this afternoon with two matches held at Old Trafford and the Emirates, so our focus now switches to the EFL Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City.

Kick-off at Wembley is at 16:30 GMT.

Both of these sides blanked in Gameweek 27, of course, as a result of this tie.

Pep Guardiola has made only one change to his starting XI from the side that beat Schalke in midweek, with Oleksandr Zinchenko starting instead of Ilkay Gundogan.

That alteration means that Aymeric Laporte will move back over to centre-back, with Fernandinho pushed forward into his usual central midfield position.

Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling start in a front three with Bernardo Silva again.

Leroy Sane is among the substitutes, though Gabriel Jesus hasn’t recovered from injury to make the bench.

Eden Hazard starts as a central striker in Maurizio Sarri’s usual 4-3-3, with Gonzalo Higuain only among the substitutes.

Marcos Alonso is not part of the match-day squad, so Emerson Palmieri starts at left-back.

Both of these sides return to Premier League action on Wednesday evening: Chelsea face Spurs at Stamford Bridge, while City take on West Ham at the Etihad.

Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Kepa, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Rudiger, Emerson, Jorginho, Kante, Barkley, Willian, Hazard, Pedro.

Manchester City XI (4-3-3): Ederson, Zinchenko, Laporte, Otamendi, Walker, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Sterling, Aguero.

1,786 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Rudiger giving lesson to sarri LOL

  2. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Check his bank accounts.

  3. Bouncebackability
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Not to mention Caballero will know some of the City players penalty techniques.

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Exactly

  4. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    The way Rudiger and Luiz are embracing Sarri, at least it seems like the players like him.

  5. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Stage set for Kepa!

  6. DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    There's a cigarette related joke for this moment that FFS will delete

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Butt of the joke?

  7. thorvaldsson
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Chelsea...my new favorite team!

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Everyone hates them apart from their own fans.

  8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    want to see kepa not make a save and sarri come on and batter him at the end

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      This

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Whats got into you Milhouse 😮

  9. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Can Sarri still make sub Kepa for Cabalero the gk for this shootout? Is that possible?

    1. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      He can

  10. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Kepa looking at Youtube penalty videos.

    1. DGW blindness is for Kinnea…
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      A bit late for that

      1. EmreCan Hustle
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Willy's the one who did all the studying before the game... 😀

    2. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Lok

    3. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      *Baby Shark

      1. EmreCan Hustle
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        A keeper doing that could really confuse a penalty taker...

  11. Dont_Win_Friends_With_Salah…
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Sarri has been done like a Kepa.

    He won't apologise for this. Sarri seems to be the hardest word.

    I'll get my coat.

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Music lyrics loss is FFS gain.

  12. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    You gotta Kepa keeper or two ooo
    You gotta Kepa keeper or two

  13. Bouncebackability
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Fair play to Willy there, very professional in helping his teammates. Same can't be said for the young Kepa.. But he has a chance to be the hero

    1. MTPockets
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Bizarre. I'd sub him before the penalties

      • Gobigorgohome
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Or zero

      • TheDragon
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        He also has a chance to never be picked for Chelsea ever again

    2. TheDragon
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      I hope Kepa has a shocker and then they show Sarri confront him on the pitch after

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        If Chelsea win and Kepa makes some saves then Sarri is going to look like an idiot.

        1. TheDragon
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Not really

    3. HurriKane
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Kepa to be dropped surely?

      *Checks caballero price fir chelsea good run of fixtures

      1. TAT
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Deserves to be dropped.

    4. Majestic Chanka
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Kepa > ?

    5. 007 [RoboKlopp]
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Hero or big zero?

      1. El-Kloppico
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Zero or big zero it seems

    6. LǝgleSs e|even
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Wow Kepa and Sarri havent talked during the break..

      1. Gobigorgohome
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Sarri told zola.. go and talk to kepa.. i dont want to talk him.. something like that

    7. thorvaldsson
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Kepa is Allen Iverson!

    8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      what a terrible penalty

      1. Tasty Jerk
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Yep, hes no Luka for sure.

    9. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      LOL at Jorgingo

      1. 007 [RoboKlopp]
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Wrong way

        1. 007 [RoboKlopp]
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Sorry I mean Kepa

    10. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Jorginho LOOOOL

      Imagine doing that with everything going on.

    11. Paul Psychic Octopus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      How not to take a penalty

    12. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      No pressure then 🙂

    13. Majestic Chanka
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Jorginho trash

    14. LǝgleSs e|even
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Quick, guess the penalty takes 1 to 7 for each team.

    15. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Could hardly have been further from the save

    16. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Jorginho, you mutt

    17. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Kepa is screwed if CHE lose this

      1. George Sillett
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Are you related to Einstein ?

    18. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      doesn't matter what the outcome of the shoot-out is. Can't have a player refusing to come off.