Dugout Discussion

City players missing with COVID-19 revealed as fit-again Ziyech returns

A Manchester City squad hit by injury and illness take on Chelsea in the second of today’s two Premier League fixtures.

Kick-off at Stamford Bridge is at 16:30 GMT.

The visitors are missing six of their squad because of COVID-19 positive tests.

The unavailability of Kyle Walker (£6.1m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.1m) we were already aware of, while social media posts from Ederson (£6.0m) and Tommy Doyle (£4.4m) all but confirmed that they too were among those self-isolating.

Ferran Torres (£6.9m) and Eric Garcia (£4.7m) have reportedly been added to that list, with the latter still struggling with injury, too.

Despite the shortage of options, Sergio Aguero (£10.3m) is still only among the substitutes for this afternoon’s fixture.

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen (£4.4m) makes his Premier League debut as Pep Guardiola makes three changes to the City side that beat Newcastle 2-0 in Gameweek 15.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m) and Phil Foden (£6.2m) are also recalled, with Ederson, Torres and Nathan Ake (£5.4m) dropping out.

Ake is absent because of “fitness issues”, while Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) misses out because of a tight hamstring.

Benjamin Mendy (£5.9m) is on the bench, despite his off-field misdeeds.

Frank Lampard makes five changes to the Chelsea team that drew 1-1 at home to Aston Villa last Monday.

Timo Werner (£9.2m) is recalled, while Hakim Ziyech (£8.1m) makes his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury in early December.

Thiago Silva (£5.6m), Kurt Zouma (£5.8m) and Mateo Kovacic (£5.3m) also return to the side.

Reece James (£5.2m) is again absent through injury, while Olivier Giroud (£6.7m), Andreas Christensen (£4.7m), Antonio Rudiger (£4.7m), Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m) and Jorginho (£4.7m) drop out of the starting XI.


Chelsea XI: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Thiago Silva, Chilwell, Kanté, Kovacic, Mount, Pulisic, Werner, Ziyech.

Manchester City XI: Steffen, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Foden, Bernardo, Sterling

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2,436 Comments Post a Comment
  1. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I had 2FT and already my ideal team so decided to do KDB to Mane as a 1 week punt with the plan to get him back for the blank. Chelsea and City seemed to have played much more defensive against other good teams. 2 minutes after making the move James was confirmed out so I had to transfer him to Stones. Means it will end up costing me 8 pts + however much he outscores Mane this week. Can’t get a break can I?

    1. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      FH wipes all your FTs

  2. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Mahrez and Aguero coming on for cameo

    1. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Doesn’t look like it. They will ply the semi final On Wednesday though.

      1. Forever In Our Shadow
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I take that back.

  3. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Aguero sighting

  4. FISSH
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    So... What 3 city players are we thinking?

    I'm on kdb, sterling and dias

    1. fusen
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      KDB, Diaz and Stones

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Or KDB, Cancelo & Dias.

    3. Iceball
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Depends if Son and Kane also or just 1 of them

    4. George Agdgdgwngo
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Kd diaz and cancelo

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

      I have KDB Stones Cancelo but only because I'm too tight for Dias over Stones!

  5. Iceball
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Hold Dias& Stones!

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Not even an issue.

    2. fusen
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Absolutely awful watching this final minutes, just blow the whistle ref!

  6. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Problem - have 1.7 ITB, and Mitchell+Davis to replace in order for me to consider BB19 (have Areola Pieters on the bench currently, team linked).

    Can’t really see a viable way to get 2 starters in (preferably want Stones as the defender) without a further downgrade somewhere - the likes of Robbo or Son:

    Martinez Areola
    Robbo Coufal Dallas Pieters Mitchell
    Salah KDB Bruno Son Soucek
    Bamford Watkins Davis

  7. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Cup opponent has Aguero (C) Pope (VC).
    You have to feel for these people

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

      Until Aguero comes on and gets 2 goals in 2 minuted

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        More chance of Andy Carroll scoring

    2. BenDavies
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      mega 2 pointer captain haul

  8. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Oh come on Chelsea get one bloody goal ffs

  9. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    KDB subbed

    1. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      mahrez and Kun on

  10. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Mahrez, Aguero on

  11. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    How much of this will Abramovich muster?

    1. seanie3
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I wouldn't say much more to be honest, probably gets himself a new manager in the new year..

  12. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Any chance Salah not play

    want Dias points 🙁

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Who did you bench him for?

      1. Gobigorgohome
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Kilman

    2. LC1
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I'm sure you'll prefer Salahs lol

      1. Gobigorgohome
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        not C though

  13. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    KDB over Raz for sure, if that was ever in doubt

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

    KDB fail.

  15. CheesyZoot
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    KDB max baps banked

  16. DMP
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Well played, Kev.

    Time for the Chelsea goal the.

  17. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Frank's HT team talk was probably, "I don't want to lose 6-0".

  18. Steve McCroskey
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    De Bruyne fail

  19. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Kun cameo goal?

  20. Thomas Shelby from Birmingh…
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    City CS GONE....Mendy !!!

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

    Aguero and Mahrez on
    KDB and Foden off

  22. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Agueeeroooo

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

    10pts on this cs - HOLD PLS

  24. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Yes mahrez camio! Spud into the next round of the cup!

  25. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Chelsea can now score

  26. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Congrats KDB owners. Stuck with him, the haul was inevitable and it came. Fair play

    1. pundit of punts
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yaaayyy

    2. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I capped him for his double digit scores, never even considered selling...

    3. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Thank you sir! Looking at my first century this season.

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

    Watch now as the feral Phil Foden goes into hibernation for the winter months. We will not see this creature wandering through the plains until the Spring.

  28. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Yes KDB off! Scooooore Chelsea!!!

  29. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    It is NOT a KDB fail folks, chuft

  30. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    A goal now is completely useless. Don't you dare Chelsea