Dugout Discussion

Sterling, Silva and Bernardo benched as Guardiola rotates heavily

Double Gameweek 32 comes to a head on Wednesday evening with three Premier League matches that all kick off at 19:45 BST.

Crystal Palace are the visitors to Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium, while Manchester City and Chelsea host Cardiff City and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively.

The headline team news at the Etihad sees Pep Guardiola make seven changes, with Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and David Silva among the players to drop to the bench.

Kyle Walker and Ilkay Gรผndogan are also among the substitutes, while Nicolas Otamendi drops out of the match-day squad.

Guardiola had previously ruled Sergio Aguero out of tonight’s match, so it is no shock to see Gabriel Jesus leading the line for City.

Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez will flank the Brazilian, while there is a first Premier League start of the season for Phil Foden.

Fernandinho, John Stones and Danilo are also recalled.

Neil Warnock has made only one change, with Harry Arter being replaced in the starting XI by Joe Ralls.

Maurizio Sarri has matched Guardiola in making seven alterations.

Eden Hazard returns to the Chelsea starting XI following his benching at Cardiff on Sunday, while there is a full Premier League debut for Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Gonzalo Higuain makes way for Olivier Giroud, while Emerson Palmieri replaces the injured Marcos Alonso.

N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Andreas Christensen are recalled as Willian, Pedro, Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic and Antonio Rudiger drop out.

Chris Hughton has made four changes, the most eye-catching of which sees the fit-again Florin Andone replace Glenn Murray up front.

Solly March, Bruno and Gaetan Bong all start at the expense of Anthony Knockaert, Martin Montoya and Bernardo.

Son Heung-min returns to the Spurs starting XI, replacing Lucas Moura in the Lilywhites’ attack.

Ben Davies is preferred to Davinson Sanchez in Mauricio Pochettino’s only other change.

Roy Hodgson has brought Cheikhou Kouyate, James McArthur and Martin Kelly into his starting XI and benched Scott Dann, Max Meyer and Andros Townsend.

That means Jeffrey Schlupp will move even further upfield on the left of a front three, with Wilfried Zaha switching to the right flank.

Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Luiz, Emerson, Kante, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Hudson-Odoi, Giroud, Hazard.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Ryan, Bruno, Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Bissouma, Stephens, Propper, March, Andone, Jahanbakhsh.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Zinchenko, Stones, Laporte, Danilo, Fernandinho, Foden, De Bruyne, Sane, Mahrez, Jesus.

Cardiff City XI: Etheridge, Peltier, Morrison, Manga, Bennett, Gunnarsson, Ralls, Camarasa, Murphy, Hoilett, Niasse.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Trippier, Sissoko, Eriksen, Rose, Alli, Son, Kane.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Kelly, Van Aanholt, Kouyate, Milivojevic, McArthur, Zaha, Batshuayi, Schlupp.

3,638 Comments Post a Comment
  1. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Jesus missed two that Kun would of buried

  2. Sif
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Hmm. If I'd had Laporte I'd have picked Kepa not Azpili, can't have everything.

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

    Mr DGW Laporte.

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Gw 35 ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

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

        Two easy games again ๐Ÿ˜€

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Of course ๐Ÿ˜€

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

      Finally overtook Ederson's assist tally

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Ederson is out of this world ๐Ÿ˜€

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

          His head was most def out of this world when he got that ๐Ÿ™‚ tattoo

          1. Amey
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 2 months ago

            Lol
            Why do they do that god knows.
            Can't imagine how he feels about when he wakes up every morning with all that ๐Ÿ˜•

  4. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Goddamn
    David silva owner support group needed.

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

      *hug*

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

        Thanks, Dakes. Still think we made the right decision.

    2. JohnnyMagrinho
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Other players I thought about before bringing in David Silva:

        Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Babel, Deulofeu, Milivojevic, Martial, Jota.

        Still, like you say, I think it was the right choice.

        Can toss and turn about missed opportunities etc... but you have to choose eventually heh.

        Saying that I got a nice bit of luck with a PVA goal and Schlupp double up for CS for last game.

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

      Laporte loves DGWs! Noted for future reference

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Same ๐Ÿ˜‰

    4. Samwise
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      feeling the century will be broken this week... 18 points to go

    5. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Of course Laporte plays twice in a DGW straight after coming back from an injury

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

        Been his prefered Centre all season though and we knew he was in training. solid pick.

        1. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Yea was in training even before the international break.

    6. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Trippier dead ๐Ÿ™

      1. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Just likes the smell of new carpet

    7. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Is Kun in the stadium ?

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Wembley ๐Ÿ˜›

    8. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Trips broken?

    9. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Laporte no assist or goals... enter DGW gobble gobble gobble

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

      Sane FK on target. Saved by Etheridge.

    11. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Can't wait for a Sissoko goal to lift the roof off the new stadium

    12. For Fuchs Sake
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Has my TC scored yet? ........ :-/

    13. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Owned Laporte for 3GW's this season, GW25 (20pts) GW26 (6pts) GW32 (11pts and counting)

      Laporte is love, Laporte is life

    14. MGD
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      If trippier is out I swear I will quit this game...

      1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Will hold you to that.

        1. MGD
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Puh close one

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

        Link team

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

      So the Tottenham game not being shown on any TV station? Just this predictable Man City training ground exercise in a morgue.

      1. The Ejiptian King
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        They didn't know this would be the first game in their new stadium when they picked the fixture I guess.

      2. Kellz86
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        That's what I have here in Amsterdam

      3. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Plenty not UK though

    16. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Over the 2 DGWs, Laporte has outscored Kun and Sterling.. Wow

      1. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        CHO first sub on my bench outscoring Sterling (C) sums up the gameweek perfectly

    17. Danno - Emre Canada
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      That will teach me for swapping Laporte for Young so I can have another (benched) City midfielder hahahah

    18. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Sane useless. Bring him off for sterling.

    19. Samwise
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      how is son playing?

      1. Gianluca Busio's Hair …
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        like he has a fire cracker in his bum.

      2. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Very lively so far

        1. Samwise
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          thanks

    20. Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Where exactly is Rose playing, midfield?

      1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        LM

        1. Kellz86
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Thanks

      2. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        LW

      3. Miguel Sanchez
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Wing back in a 3-5-2

    21. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Tenor at the Spurs game was the Go Compare man.

      1. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Meerkats are doing the half-time show

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

      Play resumes with Trippier back on.

      1. MGD
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        YEEEY thanks Rainer

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

        Thanks

    23. Ray Kinsella
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      I am actually despressed about Aguero! I triple captained him, and thought I’d played a blinder. He’d been on four goals by now at least.

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Poor baby with 10p from a TC

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

        Don't forget to add the 3 that he could have scored in the last half hour vs Fulham too, while you're at it.

      3. Effe
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I feel exactly the same! 10 is not bad for a TC but could have been so much more.....

      4. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Come down here where the Kane 3x1pt brigade dwell!

        1. g40steve
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Last year bad year, previous Sanchez 75

      5. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I TC Salah for 6 ๐Ÿ™

      6. MGD
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I feel you

    24. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      I’ll jinx us some goals and reiterate my thoughts that Spurs Palace will be 0-0

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

        0-0 incoming. Which I would like tbh. But your original team definitely needed a Man City defender IMO.

        1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Yep, Laporte preferably

    25. Trilly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      If I had Laporte instead of Ederson I wouldn't have Azpi. This is what I'm telling myself to remain Sane. Pun definitely not intended.

      1. Sim Simma
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Sane playing though

      2. Samwise
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        do you have sane

        1. Trilly
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Haha accidentally capitalised sane wasn't trying to be clever. I went the safest route and chose Ederson as my 3rd City player. Kicking myself for not choosing Laporte though.

    26. Silecro
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      CHO close, lively as always

    27. FPL_Gyarados
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Laporte, I should have treble captained you!

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

      Schlupp looking good?

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Schloppy so far, but involved

      2. Amey
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Missed a chance to score

      3. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Good...he's had an attack, blazed it over the bar