Dugout Discussion

De Bruyne in advanced role as Man United deploy midfield diamond for derby

Pep Guardiola has afforded Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m) an advanced role once again as Manchester City travel to Old Trafford.

The Belgian has been operating as a number 10 increasingly often this season having previously only played in that position in the big games.

And they don’t come too much bigger than a city derby for Guardiola’s men, so De Bruyne’s 24.5% ownership will be relishing his advanced runs tonight.

He features at the centre of an attacking midfield trio in support of Gabriel Jesus (£9.3m), flanked by Raheem Sterling (£11.4m) and Riyad Mahrez (£8.4m), who enjoyed a disparity of fortunes against Fulham.

Elsewhere, it is a third consecutive Premier League start for John Stones (£4.8m) at the heart of City’s defence, while João Cancelo (£5.5m) retains a berth, switching to the left-hand side, pushing Benjamin Mendy (£5.9m) to the bench and allowing Kyle Walker (£6.2m) back into the side.

Meanwhile, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appears to have tweaked his Manchester United outfit with respect to the opposition, changing his favoured 4-2-3-1 system into a midfield diamond shape.

Fred (£5.3m), Paul Pogba (£7.7m) and Scott McTominay (£4.9m) are all included in the line-up behind Bruno Fernandes (£10.9m) in support of Marcus Rashford (£9.4m) and Mason Greenwood‘s (£7.1m) two-man strike pairing.

Anthony Martial (£8.7m) is still an option though, named on the bench alongside Alex Telles (£5.5m).

Manchester United XI (4-1-2-1-2): De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; McTominay; Pogba, Fred; B Fernandes; Rashford, Greenwood.

Manchester City XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Walker; Fernandinho, Rodrigo; Sterling, De Bruyne, Mahrez; Jesus.

Lessons learned from FPL Gameweek 12

1,330 Comments Post a Comment
  1. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Jesus sprinting for the hot bath 🙂

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

    KDB shooting like a rugby conversion

  3. BeWater
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Bamford, Bruno, KDB and Dallas = 12 points
    Martinez on my bench = 11 points

    1. DMP
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      lol

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

      That stings!

    3. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Ouch - sympathies

      1. BeWater
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        I did wonder what horrors lurked round the corner after 93 points last week.

  4. FFSbet.com
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    KDB need snickers

    1. Vazza
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      He needs a rocket

    2. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      He's not himself when he's hungry

  5. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Is KDB a poor finisher? He keeps sending the ball to the stands

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

    Just put us out of our misery ref.

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

    How many C KDB or Bruno?

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

      No serious players.

    2. Dash444
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Always go defence for a derby game

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

    #OleIn

  9. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Phew, sold KdB and survived. Just

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

      See if you survive WBA.

  10. Joey Tribbiani
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    for few years you could bet money on these big games to end 2-2, nowadays seem like 0-0 all the time

  11. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    WOW what a shiteeeee game

  12. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Is Mark getting jammy bench pts again? Cancelo this time?

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

      Team link?

    2. The Gambler.
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Luckiest player in the world

    3. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      No he wont get them

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        He is the jammiest of all time. I agree

  13. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I like what I'm seeing from KDB. Aggressively getting into the right positions. Should be my captain vs West Brom.

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

      Superb option. A rest is completely possible though thats the danger. Im leaning towards Bruno.

      1. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Bruno will be the VC but I expect him to start

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

        Bruno just as likely to be rested. 180 tough minutes in the last few days

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

      Mahrez for me, nice rest today.

    3. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Same but I’m worried he’ll be rested. Quick turnaround to Tuesday

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

    Way too friendly shenanigans at the end there.

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

      Roy's blood is boiling!

      1. TOLV TUMS
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Carrick hugging Pep? Scathing commentary incoming

  15. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Will take that Dias cleanie and run. Downside had Cancelo on the bench.

    1. Could not have known he was too start.
    2. Starting Dias and benching Cancelo over KWP made sense.

    Is this a fair view on it?

    1. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yes

    2. Vazza
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I would’ve done the same

  16. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Was planning to bring Bruno in for a hit, this blank should not change my plans right?

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

      Bruno historically peforms much better away from home. I expect a haul against Sheffield United.

    2. Vazza
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Don’t let this game effect your judgement

  17. Buck The Trent
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Since I sold Cancelo, he got 2 CS 🙁

    1. Camino Aleatorio
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      You got Pepped

      Your FPL logic was great

  18. Mile Plankton
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Red arrow incoming.

  19. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    12 points from Dias, Bruno and KDB

    Not too bad at all

    1. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Lol thats pretty poor

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Just the 3 from KDB, passable.

  20. JJO
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Why putting this fake aplause/ovations after this shaite
    Faking degenericcs

  21. Camino Aleatorio
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Seriously

    At 22 years age- I was 3x the player that Gabriel Jesus is today

    This kid is trash

    1. The Gambler.
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Fake news

  22. Carcetti
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    What to do?

    A) Kane + Robertson

    B) KDB + Bamford

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

      B

  23. Scots Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    This was a terrible week to take a 12 point hit

  24. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Take that.

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

      U2.

  25. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Dias benched for Dallas 🙁
    WHat a shite decision made by me

    1. JJO
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Tou the guy that ask that q yesterday 🙂 ?

  26. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    great result With no Mancs, would have been nice if an irrelvant ManU wiped the City cs, but I cant complain!

  27. Miniboss
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    What a load of crap that was

  28. Qaiss
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    One of the worst matches I’ve seen. But at least Ole will be backed again. They’ll beat Sheff Utd, then lose to Leeds. The cycle goes on!

  29. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Kdb nailed on for wba match after that draw

  30. Klaren
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    If I was a City fan, I'd be extremely frustrated with Pep. United isn't a contender to win the league, simply aiming to get a draw against them provides a disadvantage over the title race. Difficult to understand.