Dugout Discussion

Sterling and Bernardo benched as Guardiola starts both Aguero and Jesus

The final match of Gameweek 22 sees Aston Villa play host to Manchester City. Kick-off at Villa Park is at 16:30 GMT.

Ever the slippery one with his team selections, Pep Guardiola has sprung another surprise by naming both Sergio Aguero (£11.8m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) in the starting XI for the first time in the Premier League this season.

That spells bad news for Raheem Sterling (£11.8m), who is benched for the second successive Gameweek; that previously hadn’t happened this season or last.

Bernardo Silva (£7.8m) and Kyle Walker (£5.8m) also drop to the bench after their run-outs in the Manchester derby in midweek.

Kevin De Bruyne (£10.6m) starts his 14th Premier League game in a row.

Dean Smith has handed Danny Drinkwater (£4.4m) an Aston Villa debut and understandably looks to be treating this game with a lot of caution, sacrificing Trezeguet (£5.2m) from what had been a 3-4-3 in Gameweek 21.

Frederic Guilbert (£4.4m) is only among the substitutes, while Matt Targett (£4.4m) remains out injured.

Jack Grealish (£6.5m) is again handed an advanced role in the hosts’ attack, along with Anwar El Ghazi (£5.5m).

Grealish was the most-bought Fantasy Premier League midfielder of Gameweek 22.

De Bruyne is the second-most-popular captaincy choice this weekend and was handed the armband by 17.98% of the top 10,000 FPL managers.

Grealish and De Bruyne are the only two players on show at Villa Park who have double-digit ownerships within the top 10k.


Man City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Fernandinho, Stones, Mendy, Rodrigo, D Silva, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Jesus, Aguero.

Aston Villa XI: Nyland, Konsa, Mings, Hause, Elmohamady, Luiz, Drinkwater, Hourihane, Taylor, Grealish, El Ghazi.

2,333 Comments Post a Comment
  1. zotter
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Drinkwater shocking. Again

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

    Well done punters

  3. Skalla
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    What are Villa doing....?

  4. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    need sterling not to play today

  5. tm245
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Wow, Mahrez brace!

  6. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Villa lol. Hope they will never came back to the league

  7. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Absolute schoolboy defending. Danny Drinkwater and Mahrez clearly still very close.

  8. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Not liking this so far as a KdB capper.

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Awful isn’t it

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

      Looks like a (c) fail to me. He will be assisting the assister a lot.

  9. Skalla
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    D Silva assist

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

    Went Richarlison as my punt - Should’ve gone Mahrez

    1. The Ejiptian King
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Was out of Perez, Sarr and Mahrez for me, wrongly decided that Mahrez was too risky.

  11. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Dilva assist?

  12. The Ejiptian King
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    BREAKING NEWS: Danny Drinkwater's loan has been cancelled at half time.

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

    Rodri assist

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Jesus or Rodri?

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Jesus confirmed

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

        Jesus

  14. BobB
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Villa and Norwich underlining how well Sheff United have done. Big gap to championship now.

  15. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Mahrez hoovering up FPL points like a new Dyson

  16. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Wonder if this could be a 5-0 with no KDB goal involvement. Hmm

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Bound to be now I capped him this GW.

  17. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Dilva assist

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Nope

      • Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Jesus touched it.

        1. Zilla
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          True, apologies.

      • SB007
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Yes!!! Silva assist. This could be 7

        1. Skalla
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Given to Jesus

    2. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Danny is really living in the past.

    3. ‘Tis the Season
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      This could be a big score.

      1. Ha.
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        It’s just not cricket

    4. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Horror defending from Villa. Naive, pathetic etc..

      Mahrez looking like a great option!

    5. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Mahrez brace? yessss!

      1. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Told you he would haul 😉

      2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        I owned him earlier this season and got disappointed

    6. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Drink vodka not very good

    7. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Drinkwater bought in Mahrez this GW

      1. zotter
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Lol

    8. glufs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      WTF Villa. You suck

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

      Mahrez taking all the points from everyone. Damn.

    10. JammySprat
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      That should be an aguero assist again

      1. Skalla
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Will give you that one if I can get my Sarr assist then 🙂

        1. JammySprat
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          I also own Sarr 🙂

    11. Athletic Nasherbo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Knew I should have gone Mahrez on my WC. Still have Aguero cmon!

    12. @persecuted_by_mods
        4 years, 3 months ago

        It's a Jesus assist

      • nolard
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        With two already, this could get nasty.

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

        Wish Mahrez was nailed

        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Everyone would own him then