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

    Ref bottles giving Guendouzi a yellow card for dive

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

    Not watching, has Auba done anything?

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      No

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

      zero

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

      Yeah, nothing.

    4. HurriKane
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      His teammates are sh!te. Cant do all on his own

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

    Pathetic dive for a pen from Guendouzi

    1. Pasqualinho
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I think he just tripped over the ball. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Not a diver, just crap.

  4. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Fak was all set on to do KDB to Son

    Should it be Mane instead now?

    1. drughi
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      well kdb has a game in gw 18 mane doesnt

    2. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      well Mane blanks

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

    Got 20 points on my bench!

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Which players?

    2. HurriKane
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Ohh I thought benching lundy was bad enough. . Keep strong lad

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

      Stick you inform bench players in the starting XI next week

    4. dark91
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Someone in my leagues has Lundstram , Troare, and Rico on the bench (27 points)

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

      lol

    6. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Link isn't right or you're lieing 😉

  6. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Rodri YC

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

    Did Walker get hair transplant or something? His hair looks thicker than usual

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Maybe your eyesight has suddenly improved.

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

      Maybe he got a good recommendation from David Silva last year

    3. Says
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Had a clash of heads with Guendouzi earlier

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

    The masters of cynical fouls.

    Guardiola an unrivaled genius in that part of the game.

    1. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yep, but nothing to stop them doing it. Got to stop those counter-attacks at all costs.

  9. AzzaroMax99
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Rico or Kelly as 5th def?

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

      Both - 4th and 5th

  10. Whats the Mata?
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who'd you rather have for gw18?

    Kdb(LEI) Or Son(CHE)?

    Will get the other one in gw19 anyway.

    1. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      kdb

    2. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Son
      Fancy Pep putting Mahrez in

    3. ryacoo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Would buy Son first if you have neither currently

    4. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Son

    5. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Son.

  11. rodragon
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who is the best replacement for tomori? Under 5.5 mil.. . Need to play him next week.. .
    Also pulisic to grealish? I'm tired of his blanks now.. .. .. .

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

      Aurier or Kelly

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

      would keep puli and get maguire probably

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

        Lol, 12 matches in a row without cs, stay away from utd defs

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

      Aurier

  12. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who would you rather have for Gw18, Mane or KdB ?

    Well, if you own Mane selling him 😉

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

    Kolasinac injured himself the way he fell to the floor.

    The way he springer back off the ground didn't look fab.

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

      *springed

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

    Kola off would be bad news for City.

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

    Kola done.

  16. EMBOLOFAN
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    sterling vs saka

    this is going to be fun

  17. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Baines(c)

  18. Says
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Broke-a Kola

  19. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Kola subbed off
    Saka on

  20. Wilshere Knowledge
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    The game is clearly in need of change to stamp out these cynical fouls.

    I look forward to them bringing in changes in 20 years time.

    1. Old Man
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      You're right. Those fouls need to be punished by a lengthy spell in a sin-bin - thereby punishing the perpetrator in the match where he committed the foul.

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

    OMG KDB

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

      KDB post

  22. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Omg Kevin wtaf

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

    KDB !!!!!!

  24. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    OMMMMGGGGG

  25. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KEVIN KEVIN KEVIN

  26. Am sorry to say again it�…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Imagine being someone selling KDB for Son this week lol

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

    PMGGGGGGG

  28. Podge
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KDB again

  29. EMBOLOFAN
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    still want son instead? lol

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

    F off De Bruyne