Dugout Discussion

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

12 December 2020 1330 comments
DavidMunday815 DavidMunday815
Share:

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.

Large portion of top 10k FPL managers sign and captain Salah for Gameweek 12
Laboured Leeds display dents Bamford’s service as set-piece problems persist

Lessons learned from FPL Gameweek 12

1,330 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Some serious point dodging from Mahrez last two.

    Open Controls
  2. Right In The Stanchion
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Mahrez bottles it

    Open Controls
  3. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Just need a penalty for each team to be converted 🙂

    Open Controls
    1. Champions League Varane
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      I mean I’d take it and us to win 2-1

      Open Controls
    2. Party time
        5 years, 4 months ago

        This

        Open Controls
      • RamaJama
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        0-0 match?

        Open Controls
    3. Champions League Varane
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      God Pogba is so good we also need Tony

      And how didn’t Mahrez score there looooool

      Open Controls
      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Yeah Tony will help supply some goals...

        Open Controls
        1. Champions League Varane
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          He’d help were struggling up there

          Open Controls
      2. Vazza
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Have changed your DP. Haha!!

        Open Controls
        1. Vazza
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          ^Have you

          Open Controls
    4. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      John Stones - BAP Master?

      Open Controls
    5. Nightcrawler
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      11.8m for a pkayer that cant finish hmmm

      Open Controls
      1. All Hail K
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Bamford can do that for half the price.

        Open Controls
    6. COLLIN QUANER
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Need to score that Mahrez!!! Arghhh!!

      Open Controls
    7. DAZZ
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Mahrez no urgency what so ever, idiot

      Open Controls
    8. Duke Silver ☑
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      McTominay so limited technically.

      Open Controls
      1. Hotdogs for Tea
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        rubbish plumber and awful engineer ?

        Open Controls
    9. Shark Team
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      What a player KDB is...

      Open Controls
    10. el polako
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      KDB - very frustrating watch for owners so far.
      Might be another of these games after which you will hear "On another day he would have hauled..."

      Open Controls
      1. TOLV TUMS
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        "And Kevin De Bruyne, who hasn't scored from open play this season..." Yikes.

        Open Controls
      2. Rainer
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Same as the past two GWs. 10 & 14 have to be considered fails having watched the games.

        Open Controls
      3. AzzaroMax99
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        It's a derby. What do you expect?

        Open Controls
    11. JJO
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Kdb + Mahrez + waiting only City win for money
      Of course he misses that

      Open Controls
    12. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      This has all the makings of a 0-0

      Open Controls
    13. WVA
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Come on Bruno and KDB do something, surely I can't break the best midfielders in the league too!?

      Open Controls
      1. Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Course you can - I've got them too and Mahrez.

        Open Controls
    14. COLLIN QUANER
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Great run from Jesus too. Glimpses of peak David Villa there. Awesome stuff!!!

      Open Controls
    15. BeWater
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      I might transfer Mahrez in just so I can say, Mahrez GTFO of my team.

      Open Controls
      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        I learnt my mistake last week, shipped straight out. Extremely streaky player

        Open Controls
    16. Pacer.
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      KdB off target, again. Not long until the 'We need to talk about Kevin' straplines get busted out. Actually heard blackbox trying to claim he had a good game in the last gameweek. His shooting has been nothing short of abysmal, all season

      Open Controls
      1. TOLV TUMS
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        He's not scored from open play this season.

        Open Controls
        1. JJO
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          And his hattrick was what?

          Open Controls
          1. TOLV TUMS
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 4 months ago

            Could be inaccurate, not my "fact" - just heard it on the telly so it must be true

            Open Controls
          2. Pacer.
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 4 months ago

            When did KdB score a hatrick in the PL?

            Open Controls
        2. Pacer.
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          Not only that, but he has missed a hatful of fair to good chances. And missed one pen, scored one. It gets forgotten that prior to last season the gaping cleft in his armour was that he was poor, relatively speaking, in front of goal. That simply won't wash at 11.5m.

          Open Controls
    17. Gobigorgohome
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      What kind of cross is that from AWB

      Open Controls
      1. Dannyb
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        He is a good defender sometimes, that is about it. Shouldn't be crossing the halfway line let alone be putting in any.

        Open Controls
    18. Flair
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Very disappointing finishes from KDB and Mahrez

      Open Controls
    19. AzzaroMax99
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Anyone tempted to go for Ings this week?
      I could do Jota+DCL to Mahrez+Ings?

      Open Controls
    20. Paqueta Rice
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Wan B, great tackler but cannot cross his legs.

      Open Controls
      1. JONALDINHO
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Most overrated fullback out there. One on one he’s exceptional but every other aspect of his game is poor. Poor awareness and doesn’t have the speed or ability on the ball. People just see his tackes and assume he’s great

        Open Controls
        1. Fudgy
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          He isn't exceptional one on one lol. Gets spun by any decent winger.

          Open Controls
          1. JONALDINHO
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 4 months ago

            His tackling is great but that’s it.

            Open Controls
    21. sandman58
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Which move?
      A) Grealish to Mahrez
      B) Kilman to Dier
      C) None...save transfer

      Open Controls
      1. AzzaroMax99
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Save for now.
        I'll get Dier but in gw 15/16.

        Open Controls
    22. JONALDINHO
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Pogba really looks up for it since Raiola said he’s leaving. Playing for the transfer?

      Open Controls
      1. TOLV TUMS
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        It never hurts!

        Open Controls
      2. Dannyb
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Just want us to bin him off tbh.

        Open Controls
      3. Zimo
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        I'll take it

        Open Controls
    23. Champions League Varane
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      AWB mother of god

      Open Controls
    24. Party time
        5 years, 4 months ago

        This game needs Almiron

        Open Controls
      • Egg noodle
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        This game needs a Raheem Sterling header

        Open Controls
        1. Miguel Sanchez
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          Has never scored vs United in 20 games against them for City and Pool

          Open Controls
          1. Egg noodle
            • 16 Years
            5 years, 4 months ago

            Wow. Great stat

            Open Controls
      • Gobigorgohome
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Maguire stupid

        Open Controls
        1. Pasqualinho
          • 16 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          Earth round

          Open Controls
      • Fudgy
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Pep has turned these players into zombies. Very boring half.

        Open Controls
      • Keep Calm and Play On
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Anyone else notice Sterling’s arm movement throughout the game? Just watch him for 30secs...he looks like a marionette

        Open Controls
        1. Sid1891
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          I think l should put Mandalorian on

          Open Controls
          1. Keep Calm and Play On
            • 10 Years
            5 years, 4 months ago

            You would enjoy it more than this no doubt

            Open Controls
      • Gnu
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Anybody starting to think this will finish 0-0 don't forget that both Stones and De Gea are on the park.

        Open Controls

      You need to be logged in to post a comment.