Dugout Discussion
28 August 2021 1532 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
Share:

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

FFSCOUT MATCHDAY LIVE

GET IN-GAME DATA AT LIVE FPL

Check your own rank and in-play FPL stats on LiveFPL.net every Gameweek

1,532 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. KadMan
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Arsenal fans already leaving

    1. AIRMILES
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Amazed they bothered travelling there in the first place.

      1. L'Aeroplanino
        5 years, 1 month ago

        respect.

    2. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      5 years, 1 month ago

      2 hours train journey to London. Better things to do

      1. Dynamic Duos
        5 years, 1 month ago

        They didn't realise they had better things to do before going to the match in the 1st place?

    3. Das Boot
      5 years, 1 month ago

      They're no really fans are they. Just glory hunting idiots who don't know what it means to support their team.

      1. AIRMILES
        5 years, 1 month ago

        There's nothing for them to support. Arsenal used to have an identity, now they don't. Kroenke's just taken the fanbase for granted, and has no interest in seeing the team succeed. The fans need to stop going to the games altogether.

  2. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Xhaka wants to be sold before end of the month

    1. Glad He Ate Her
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Only him?

  3. Gunneryank
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Oh. My. God.

  4. Gudjohnsen
    5 years, 1 month ago

    That Arsenal team is imploding

  5. Rainer
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Nice long break for Xhaka after the IB.

    Should never have played again after throwing the armband on the ground.

  6. Piggs Boson
    5 years, 1 month ago

    9-0 incoming.

  7. Joey Tribbiani
    5 years, 1 month ago

    0.9% of people own Xhaka

    1. AIRMILES
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Same as Mendy

  8. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    5 years, 1 month ago

    One of (or maybe both) Cedric & Kola will be sent off too, they can’t handle City’s width

    1. potatoace
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Fnarr..fnarr

    2. The Big Fella
      5 years, 1 month ago

      My ex- used to say the same thing about me

  9. Il Capitano
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What a sorry state

  10. A Team Of James McCleans
    5 years, 1 month ago

    That’s an outrageous red card, he’s gone in rashly but he hasn’t even touched him ffs

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      5 years, 1 month ago

      It’s a red card because it’s Xhaka, stupid really

    2. Ze_Austin
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Two feet, studs up, out of control

    3. SADIO SANÉ
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Didn’t realise you can’t go off the floor at all, football is lame

  11. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Ougha Xhaka! Ougha Xhaka! Ougha ougha ougha Xhaka!

    1. Free Hat
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I can stop this feeling

  12. Jafooli
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Normal service is resumed…Xhaka RC

  13. Mr. O'Connell
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Punish them Mahrez

    1. Gudjohnsen
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Needs to get on the pitch first.

  14. sambyy
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Now if Pep could just give some well deserved rest for Jesus and get Mahrez on at half time that would be great.

    1. Hughes Your Daddy
      5 years, 1 month ago

      No way, keep Captain Jesus on please Pep 🙂

  15. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Xhaka is a joke, can’t even fathom why he’s still at the club

    Perhaps a gooner can explain to this spud

    1. Paqueta Rice
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Jose wanted him at Roma too. I think he can be a good player on his day but what was he doing there…

    2. Piggs Boson
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Quality on the ball, but a liability defensively. Had a great Euros.

  16. Pedersen
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Poor Ødegaard. Went to arsenal to play in pl, and ended up playing championship football instead

    1. Dynamic Duos
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Hahaha

    2. Gudjohnsen
      5 years, 1 month ago

      They'll never get relegated.

      They'll even get 10th placd

  17. TheTinman
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What a coward Xhaka is

  18. Dynamic Duos
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Nipping out for my popcorn for Arsenal fan tv

    1. JT11fc
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Haha "its a disgrace"

  19. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Well done Citeh defensive owners. CS confirmed

    1. TheTinman
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Not guaranteed yet. Stones and Zinchenko likely to get a run out now. Might be before 60

  20. Rainer
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Jesus gone mad for crosses all of a sudden.

    1. Paqueta Rice
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I see what you did there

    2. Piggs Boson
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Nice 😀

    3. el polako
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Like it

  21. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone else think that Xhaka red card was a bit harsh?

    I don't think he was that out of control and he was playing the ball.

    1. Rainer
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Two feet, flying in? Cancelo is lucky he got out of the way.

    2. Gudjohnsen
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah yellow card would have been the right call imo

      1. Ógie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        5 years, 1 month ago

        I thought so too.

    3. @persecuted_by_mods
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Too close to the player and did partially clip him

    4. Joey Tribbiani
      5 years, 1 month ago

      yea

    5. Das Boot
      5 years, 1 month ago

      It was stupid, as has been said already if you lunge in with both feet off the ground studs showing then you get what you deserve. They are pro's and know the score. No sympathy really

    6. Paqueta Rice
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Once you leave the ground with two feet going forward that’s it.

      1. Das Boot
        5 years, 1 month ago

        100% This

    7. Free Hat
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah.after the replay though

    8. Gunneryank
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I agree but going in full speed 2 footed is putting the ref in a spot. Didn't seem malicious though.

    9. Zalk
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Because if Cancelo places his foot behind the ball there his leg is off.

  22. FantasyTony
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Why were arsenal so keen on keeping Xhaka ?

    If you aspire to be a big club and the only team looking for your player is Roma, you should let him walk.

    1. Ginkapo FPL
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Who are the alternatives? They need him for the bench spot

  23. Gunneryank
    5 years, 1 month ago

    We can't swear like filthy sailors on this site, right? Just checking.

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Fuchs ake

    2. La Roja
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Nice grav

  24. A-L
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Well then, open the floodgates I guess

    1. Glad He Ate Her
      5 years, 1 month ago

      What gate?

      1. A-L
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Arsenal's goal now they have 10 men

  25. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Will the board give arteta time ?

  26. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    5 years, 1 month ago

    City aren’t even that great. Arsenal have just been terrible

    1. Jafooli
      5 years, 1 month ago

      😉

    2. Dynamic Duos
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Continue to be Arsenal *

      1. Tabasco
        5 years, 1 month ago

        You seem to love speaking about Arsenal

        1. Dynamic Duos
          5 years, 1 month ago

          The fans annoy me

    3. Paqueta Rice
      5 years, 1 month ago

      They were good for 5minutes

  27. Nate(U)dog(ie)
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Let's not forget Xhaka isn't only staying at Arsenal but was given an extended and better paying contract

  28. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    5 years, 1 month ago

    OMG jesus

  29. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Jesus goal

  30. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 years, 1 month ago

    jesus G Grealish Assist