Dugout Discussion
28 August 2021 1532 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Manchester City v Arsenal gets the final Gameweek before the September international break underway.

Kick-off at the Etihad is at 12:30 BST and you can follow the fantasy action on our live Matchcast.

A manager naming an unchanged side after a 5-0 win wouldn’t come as a shock in most instances but where Pep Guardiola is involved, it’s almost more of a surprise than when he makes multiple alterations.

The City head coach has indeed stuck with the same starting XI that demolished Norwich City 5-0 last weekend, so that means substitute roles for Riyad Mahrez (£9.0m) and Raheem Sterling (£11.0m).

Jack Grealish (£8.0m) makes it three Premier League starts from three following his summer move from Aston Villa, with Ferran Torres (£7.0m) also keeping up his 100% record.

Torres may well be leading the line again this afternoon, with Gabriel Jesus (£8.5m) turning in an excellent performance down the right flank against the Canaries in Gameweek 2.

Kevin De Bruyne (£12.0m) misses out with an ankle injury, as previously disclosed by Guardiola.

The Arsenal team news is bamboozling in its own right.

Head coach Mikel Arteta makes four changes following the Gunners’ 2-0 defeat by Chelsea a week ago, with Martin Odegaard (£5.5m) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£9.9m) brought into the side after starring in the EFL Cup in midweek.

Calum Chambers (£4.4m) is also recalled but the biggest surprise is the involvement of Sead Kolasinac (£4.4m), in for his first Premier League start since Gameweek 2 of last season.

Bukayo Saka (£6.3m) and Kieran Tierney (£4.9m) have shrugged off minor injuries to feature.

Pablo Mari (£4.5m), Albert Sambi Lokonga (£5.0m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£5.4m) drop to the bench, while Nicolas Pepe (£7.3m) is absent because of illness.

Ben White (£4.4m) still isn’t involved following his own spell in self-isolation.

LINE-UPS

Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Joao Cancelo, Silva, Rodri, Gundogan, Jesus, Torres, Grealish.

Subs: Stones, Ake, Sterling, Zinchenko, Steffen, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Doyle, Palmer.

Arsenal XI: Leno, Cedric, Chambers, Holding, Kolasinac, Tierney, Odegaard, Smith-Rowe, Xhaka, Saka, Aubameyang.

Subs: Lacazette, Maitland-Niles, Tavares, Pablo Mari, Sambi Lokonga, Elneny, Ramsdale, Okonkwo, Martinelli

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1,532 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 16 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Thousand yard stares all around the Arsenal team

  2. Podge
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Get Mahrez on !!!!

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Nah, I want my 2 bench points now

  3. seewhyaxe
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    let's sub Mahrez in now!

  4. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Raheem coming on

  5. Random Name
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Leno's inability to keep his near post safe really makes me wonder how he became a pro goalkeeper

  6. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    It's like shooting fish in a barrel now

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Blindfolded fish

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Blindfolded dead fish

        1. @persecuted_by_mods
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Blindfolded dead fish that are tied up

          1. Jafooli
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 11 months ago

            Blindfolded dead fish that are tied up and floating on the surface with a target on their back

          2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 11 months ago

            Lobotomised blindfolded dead fish that are tied up

  7. A Team Of James McCleans
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Sayonara Mahrez

  8. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Torres may be subbed

  9. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Anyone see the kid behind the goal with the Grealish barnet? Even had the hairband 😆

  10. Botman and Robben
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    When a boxer is taking too much punishment, the ref calls the fight off, maybe they need to have some mercy on Arsenal...

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 16 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      This would’ve been stopped at Xhaka’s red card if it was a fight

  11. Mr. O'Connell
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Rodri was a better pick than Mahrez, who knew eh?

  12. Thanos
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    That's the best and the worst part of City from an FPL view. They score so many but all different scorers and none of them is probably safe from the roulette. Damn it if only Kane had moved!

  13. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Arteta might as well see if Pep will give him his old job back

  14. The Train Driver
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    People sold White because he was missing the City game, clueless. That 0 points look great now.

  15. BenDavies
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Ferran owners unite!

    o/

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Would another goal be too greedy?

      1. BenDavies
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        I think so, he'll probably get taken off now. I'll take a double digit haul gladly

        1. tiger
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          I'm still hoping, haha 😀

    2. bigwig
      • 16 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Yeah, well done. A shrewd pick and even more so to have kept faith for this week

      1. BenDavies
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Cheers mate. Had to keep him given City's striker problem. He's 1st choice striker atm

  16. Rainer
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Torres is a 7m midfielder...

    I can't over think this pick...

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Playing as a forward oop his in for me

  17. SADIO SANÉ
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    So Raheem is gonna get 30 mins and Mahrez 3 mins, this is fine

  18. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Laca coming on

  19. Hy liverpool
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Holding chambers kolasinac elneny cedric.. That's not a championship quality

    Arsenal don't deserve this.

    1. Random Name
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Exiled Saliba. Renewed Xhaka's contract. Elneny "has a place in his team" but torreira doesn't. It's time to go.

    2. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      8 of the XI were playing under Wenger

      1. Warbling Wendy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 17 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        How many of that 8 were first choice though?

  20. Wild Card this!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 17 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    They will obliterate Arsenal

  21. have you seen cyan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    lets all take a moment to laugh at Arsenal, maybe this is their season

    1. Scrumper
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      The Amazon doc is going to be amazing!

    2. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Great post

  22. Obvious Dave
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Willock>Rodri to release funds if Willock blanks today?

    1. Glad He Ate Her
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Only if it's for a hit

    2. @persecuted_by_mods
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Stop asking stupid questions on purpose man, it's not even funny

    3. HashAttack
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Arsenal sold Martinez and Willock to free up funds ... that's going well

  23. THL33
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    silva off

    1. THL33
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      sterling on

  24. jia you
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Please Pep, take off Torres, I can't bear wathing the rest of this if he plays 90!

  25. Piggs Boson
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    What percentage of their goals do City score in the 2nd half?

    Remember seeing a stat like that recently.

    1. Sgt Frank Drebin
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      50%?

  26. fusen
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Torres with 1 goal and 1 assist and 0 bonus 😮

  27. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 16 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    No points, no goals scored and 8 goals conceded from 3 games

    Bravo Arsenal, bravo 😆

    1. Thanos
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      😆

    2. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Execrable

    3. bazbestos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      It’ll be more than 8 by the end of this blood bath

  28. dark91
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Sterling on for Silva
    Mahrez's only chance is to come on for Torres then

  29. Von Lipwig
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    After the International break, DCL o Jimi. Wolves fixtures are just so good, but has he still got it? What do we think?

    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      We think there's a game on.

      1. Von Lipwig
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Not interested lol

  30. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Mahrez will get 30min