Dugout Discussion

Foden makes first league start of season as De Bruyne takes up advanced role

The penultimate match of Gameweek 17 kicks off at 16:30 GMT, as Manchester City head to the Emirates to take on Arsenal.

Without the injured David Silva (£7.6m) and Sergio Aguero (£11.7m), Pep Guardiola has sprung a surprise by naming Phil Foden (£5.1m) in his starting XI for the first time in the Premier League this season.

With midfield anchors Ilkay Gundogan (£5.2m) and Rodri (£5.4m) in the visitors’ line-up, Kevin De Bruyne (£10.2m) looks to be playing in a more advanced role behind Foden, Raheem Sterling (£11.8m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.6m).

Nicolas Otamendi (£5.0m) and Benjamin Mendy (£5.5m) also come into the side from the team that was defeated in the Manchester derby, with Angelino (£4.7m) and the sidelined John Stones (£5.3m) making way.

Bernardo Silva (£7.9m) and Riyad Mahrez (£8.3m) are only amongst the substitutes.

Freddie Ljungberg has made two enforced changes to the side that beat West Ham last Monday, with Sead Kolasinac (£5.2m) and Matteo Guendouzi (£4.5m) coming in for the injured Kieran Tierney (£5.4m) and Granit Xhaka (£5.1m).

Alexandre Lacazette (£9.3m) is again among the substitutes as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.8m) leads the line for the Gunners.

Mesut Ozil (£7.2m) makes his seventh straight Premier League start.

At the risk of jinxing it, there ought to be goals in this fixture: Arsenal and City are without a league clean sheet in eight and six matches respectively.

Bernd Leno (£5.0m) has made more saves than any other Fantasy Premier League goalkeeper this season.

City have scored at least two goals in each of the last seven league meetings with the Gunners.

Fantasy managers have been deserting the premium players from these two clubs recently: De Bruyne, Sterling and Aubameyang were three of the four most-sold FPL assets of Gameweek 17.


Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Chambers, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Torreira, Pepe, Özil, Martinelli, Aubameyang.

Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Mendy, Gundogan, Rodri, Foden, De Bruyne, Sterling, Jesus.

1,617 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Sterling is KDBs clear target, he’ll get the assist.

  2. Saka Rice
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KDB or Son in? Cant decide!

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      KDB

  3. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Arsenal defend worse than non league teams

  4. sminkypinky
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Tears in eyes remembering the times when I had Kdb, Sterling, Salah all in my team. 😀

  5. Pumpkinhead
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Thanks KDB 🙂

    1. Bavarian
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Lol

      1. Pumpkinhead
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        ez

  6. Dosh
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Out of the cup because of KdB haul

    1. Pumpkinhead
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      bye bye

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Might be kept in it because of it.

      Swings and roundabouts!

      1. Dosh
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        He's already a point ahead if KdB gets 3 bonus. And surely there will be another goal/assist from him yet.

        1. Pumpkinhead
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          bye bye

    3. CRO KLOPP
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I beat you, didnt I?

    4. Patio Kev
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Cheerios - better luck next season.

  7. manu4life99
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Kdb sellers had it coming

  8. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Does Mark have KDB? Will determine if it is an assist or not

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Beyond boting

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        *boring

  9. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    My KdB + Jimmy > Alli + Ings swap this week didn’t turn out great

    1. Pumpkinhead
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      lol

    2. Patio Kev
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Chasing last weeks points.....

  10. BENOIT
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Mount or Zaha -----> KDB?

  11. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KDB brace incoming

    1. Pumpkinhead
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      looking forward to his 3 bonus as well

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Of course

  12. Sailboats
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KDB sellers rightfully punished. Justice served

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      :'(

  13. El-Kloppico
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Oups.. Was so happy seeing KdB scores and assist.. Until i realised my cup opponent capped him.
    Fook off cup.. Comon KdB

  14. Aftermath
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KDB in a free role is just FPL gold

  15. Shatner's Bassoon
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Wildcard ruined my season again.

    1. PogChamp
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Same. I WC with a 60k OR. Now 600k.

  16. Cak Juris
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Grealish or KdB?

    1. Pumpkinhead
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      you can't be serious

    2. MarcusAurelius
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Is this a joke

  17. Atimis
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    How come I've been holding KDB for so long and just after I lose him here we come...

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Sold before Arsenal?

      They’re the main reason.

    2. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      He's been ticking along ok.

    3. Pumpkinhead
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      He's been good all season, don't kid yourself. If Jesus and Sterling could finish he could have had 4-5 assist over the last two.

  18. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Maybe I should have captained KDB instead of Salah

    1. sminkypinky
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah. Salah went badly for you...

    2. Pumpkinhead
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      go to sleep

  19. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Why would anyone sell KDB before playing Arsenal?

    lmao

    1. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      rofl

    2. Smurf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Agreed. Not even hindsight either as I warned people it was not the time to sell.

  20. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Any surprise that Man City do better when KDB plays higher up the pitch?

    Should play Bernardo, Silva and Fernandinho in central midfield (when all of them are fit). KDB Sterling and Aguero front three.

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Ederson
      Walker ????? Laporte Mendy
      Bernardo Fernandinho Silva
      KDB Aguero Sterling

      Bravo
      Cancelo Stones Otamendi Zinchenko
      Gundogan Rodri Foden
      Mahrez Jesus Sane

  21. Pras (FPL)
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Without Dilva in the team, KDB is captain material every week.

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Agree that DSilva hinders him attacking wise

  22. Slow regard for silent thin…
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who wins?

    KDB + 1 point or
    Sterling + Auba

    Includes live points total from the 2-0 score currently but obviously not any bonus or 60min pts factored as yet

  23. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Arteta doing a good addition for the Arsenal job today. Be mad to leave Man City mind!

  24. jonnybhoy
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Sterling to Son paid off well this week lol

    1. Pumpkinhead
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      cool

  25. El-Kloppico
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Arsenal should have appointed Arteta prior to this match. Ljumberg had no chance anyway.

  26. Sailboats
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    3 Arsenal players swarming KDB everytime he gets the ball

  27. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KDB assist given?

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

  28. The Mandalorian
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Arsenal being managed by the local PE Teacher

  29. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    They won't play Arsenal every week

  30. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Looked like Kdb was trying to side foot into the near post shouldn’t be an assist please fpl 😆

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Just got off the phone with Kev, he said it was pass.