Dugout Discussion

Mane, Fabinho and Alisson return for Liverpool as Guardiola benches Jesus

The most-anticipated Premier League fixture of the weekend, and perhaps the calendar year so far, sees reigning champions Liverpool take on current league leaders Manchester City.

Kick-off at Anfield is at 16:30 GMT.

A win for City would take them ten points clear of Jurgen Klopp’s side, with the blue half of Manchester also having a game in hand to play on top of that.

Klopp has brought back three of his big guns from illness and injury for this fixture, with Sadio Mane, Alisson and Fabinho returning to the starting XI.

Fabinho will be deployed alongside Jordan Henderson at centre-half, with the Liverpool boss resisting the urge to hand a first start to new recruits Ozan Kabak or Ben Davies – the latter of whom doesn’t even make the matchday squad.

Along with the three returning players above, Curtis Jones is recalled to the hosts’ line-up.

Xherdan Shaqiri, James Milner, Nat Phillips and Caoimhin Kelleher are the men to make way.

Guardiola has made two changes to his City line-up as Oleksandr Zinchenko and Phil Foden start in place of the benched Aymeric Laporte and Gabriel Jesus.

The form book points to City in this fixture, with the visitors on a nine-match winning run in the top flight.

Guardiola’s troops have recorded 11 shut-outs in their last 13 matches, too.

Liverpool have won only two of their last eight Premier League games, meanwhile, with many of their key FPL assets in poor form.

Andrew Robertson is on his longest barren run without an attacking return since his debut season at Anfield, while Mohamed Salah – who is still the division’s top goalscorer, lest we forget – hasn’t found the net on Merseyside since Gameweek 13.


Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Henderson, Robertson, Thiago, Wijnaldum, Jones, Salah, Firmino, Mane.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Joao Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Gundogan, Mahrez, Sterling, Foden.

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2,350 Comments Post a Comment
  1. @persecuted_by_mods
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Penalahhhhh

    • Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Well at least I own him

    • Muchentuchel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      It is never a pen and as a LIV supporter I feel really embarrassed about this.

      1. Weak Become Heros
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        This game is so soft now

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

        Its daft from Dias ; no need, has to be a pen

      3. SHOOTER MCGINN
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        That being given as a penalty is absolutely pathetic. I'll take the points but it's a shameful dive

      4. tambourineman
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Michael Oliver loves penalties this season, 14 given in 17 matches now

      5. BeaversWithAttitude
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I just can't stand the terrible dramatics. Take an acting class, Salah!

    • Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      city def benchers unite!

      1. Isco Disco
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Woohoo

    • Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Double clean sheet gone.

      But I own Salah.

      Hmmmm.

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        5+baps/4+4+baps

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

      Cancelo goal needed for the triple

      1. WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        This

    • Isco Disco
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      SALAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
      Boom boom boom
      Need 1 more goal Salah/Gundo

    • TomSaints
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      That’s just never a penalty.

      Salah does nothing all game then handed points

      1. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Daft from Dias. Pen every day

      2. SHOOTER MCGINN
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Yep. Same old story. But it's why we all have him

    • S.Kuqi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Selling Salah was suppose to be a good idea.

    • dark91
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Very strange to call this a penalty. Dias barely pulled his right arm while Salah falls to the back as if Someone pulled him from his back!!

      1. SkyCell
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Enhanced fall but clear peno

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

      Snapshot of Sterling's career right there.

    • Party time
        3 years, 2 months ago

        At least no one played double City defence

        1. CRO KLOPP
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Lucky,I played Maguire

      • Nightcrawler
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Absolutely Nowhere to hide for Salah Non owners

      • caldracula
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Poor from Dias, no arguments for the pen. What a stupid decision

      • 2999 - Lady of Legend
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Salah hatty incoming

      • Random Name
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Vindicated for benching Dias and Stones. Phew

        1. OrmskirkFC
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Same, now it's only DCL laughing at me from the bench instead of a small crowd.

          1. Random Name
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Exactly same situation here. If city kept a cleanie i'd have been in tears

        2. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          this

      • nerd_is_the_werd
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        SALLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

        MOHAMMEDDD SALLLLAAHHHHHHHHHH

      • TheDragon
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        The first rule of FPL: never sell Salah

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Yep.

          Or select Mane over Salah for opening day of the season!

      • TomSaints
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        What’s VAR doing? Salah literally throws himself down with no contact

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

          Soft pen but no contact? Are you actually blind?

      • Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Can we have a Stones goal, Cancelo assist?!

        1. BeaversWithAttitude
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Almost!

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

        Folks benched Salah?

        1. George Sillett
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Sold him and tbh he's been terrible all game.

        2. My heart goes Salalalalah
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Yes, same as Watkins, DCL, Martinez etc

      • Sandy Ravage
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Still selling Salah. He's done nothing all game

        1. Bushwhacker
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          TAA is just not offering support. Wants to hit a 60 yard pass to Robbo every time.

      • Salan
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        How come TAA got 2 bps? Crazy

      • Marvin Moon
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Look it's a dive but every forward in the league would do the same thing.

      • Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Okay Robbo Cancelo you can get attacking returns now.

      • FPLtfs
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Once again I’ve capped my lowest scoring player (Antonio) in an otherwise good week with a lot of returns. What could have been.

        1. WVA
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Just leave your captain on Bruno and vice on Salah, it will pay off over the season

      • WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Most penalties ever in a season surely?!

        1. Sun Jihai
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Definitely need to own the penalty takers like Gundogan 😎

          1. WVA
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Yep I have Salah Bruno Gundo Bamford Antonio

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

          United ~14.

          1. WVA
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            I mean in total for all teams?

      • Rainer
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Dias has had a great season but the comparisons to Virgil were laughable.

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

          Is 23 tough. Where was Virgil at this age?

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

        Salah Trent Gundo in the BAPs

      • Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Heard that people were benching Salah for Soucek.