Victories for Manchester City and Chelsea are the focus of our first Scout Notes article of Gameweek 20.
BELGIAN WAFFLE
Kevin De Bruyne (£10.2m) was back in the Manchester City squad for the first time since Gameweek 1, although didn’t make it onto the field at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola’s post-match comments suggested that he was involved mostly to enjoy the parade of trophies from City’s hugely successful 2023.
But come Gameweek 21, when the domestic, European and world champions face Newcastle United, De Bruyne could be setting foot on the pitch for real.
“We’ve been waiting, of course, a long time.
“I think he’s in the last stages, turning good the last week. Today he came for the pictures, for the five trophies. To be ready on the bench, to feel the smell, I little bit. And to realize when to warm up, how the people support him and look forward to seeing him again.
“I think, I don’t know, Huddersfield [in the FA Cup] or maybe Newcastle, the next games, he will be ready.” – Pep Guardiola on Kevin De Bruyne
The Belgian’s minutes may be managed at first, as they were after his last serious injury – the ligament issues of 2018/19.
But in the medium term, there’s an obvious minutes risk to Phil Foden (£7.7m) and especially Julian Alvarez (£6.9m). It’s in De Bruyne’s position where the Argentina international has effectively played for much of 2023/24, while Foden has been enjoying himself in the ‘CAM’ role in the last four league matches.
The right wing will probably soon beckon for Foden, who was impressive again in a more central role against Sheffield United. He was involved in both of City’s goals on Saturday, creating a Gameweek-high six chances in all.
HAALAND LATEST
There was again no Erling Haaland (£13.9m) in the City matchday squad, not that we were expecting him to be.
We didn’t get any update on the Norwegian’s fitness after the win over Sheffield United but in quotes you may not have seen, Guardiola touched on the club’s injury situation in the embargoed section of his pre-match press conference.
“No [Haaland was not in training yet]. Just Kevin was training with us, but I don’t know, I didn’t speak with the doctors either so we will see. The closest one, I have the feeling, is maybe Kevin. We have [the Sheffield United] game and then in seven days, Huddersfield. We have six days before Newcastle and after we have 14 days until the next FA Cup, just in case we beat Huddersfield, so in that period maybe we can recover players.” – The embargoed quotes from Pep Guardiola’s pre-match presser
Alvarez again led the line in Haaland’s absence and tapped home City’s second goal, his fifth big chance in four starts as a centre-forward; he’d had just three all season before that.
Guardiola confirmed after full-time that Jack Grealish‘s (£7.2m) 53rd-minute withdrawal wasn’t injury-related, instead saying that he “needed a different speed” in the form of Oscar Bobb (£4.4m).
NET KING COLE
“That’s why they call him ‘Cold’ Palmer, innit?” – Noni Madueke
Cole Palmer (£5.6m) is set for further price rises ahead of Gameweek 21, having already been bought by 160,000 managers off the back of Saturday’s 18-point haul.
The former Man City prospect played a part in all three of Chelsea’s goals at Kenilworth Road, brilliantly converting two strikes of his own and teeing up Noni Madueke (£5.3m) in between.
His points-per-start average of 7.3 is now the fourth-best in the game (minimum of two starts), while the fact that his last six attacking returns have all been from open play has helped quieten the naysayers who felt his FPL appeal relied too much on spot-kicks.
This was the third Gameweek in four that Palmer has attempted an eye-catching five shots.
“What can I say? It is obvious he is an important player for us. Decisive player. Then scoring goals like this, I am so pleased with him and the team.” – Mauricio Pochettino
STERLING + NKUNKU BENCHED
Raheem Sterling (£7.1m) produced a 19-point haul in the reverse fixture of this clash in Gameweek 3 but he didn’t even make it onto the field this time.
Madueke and Nicolas Jackson (£6.9m) were used on the wings at Kenilworth Road, the former not just impressing going forward and getting on the scoresheet but also diligent in his defensive work. We FPL managers may not place much importance on that industry but you can bet that Pochettino does.
A more predictable benching was that of Christopher Nkunku (£7.4m), who is just back from injury and who played 70 minutes against Crystal Palace, barely 63 hours before this fixture.
“I think it’s to manage the form of the player.
“In a busy period, we need to give possibilities to all the players because we need to add fresh players to the team.” – Mauricio Pochettino on his team selection, speaking ahead of kick-off
Jackson now heads off to the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, so there’s a route back into the side for Sterling or Mykhailo Mudryk (£6.3m) in Gameweek 21.
The versatile Nkunku was used as a central striker upon his introduction; Pochettino said recently that the attacker would be initially employed as a “9 or a 10” to aid his recovery from injury.
A. DOUGHTY DISPLAY
Fans of underlying numbers would have already been aware of Alfie Doughty‘s (£4.4m) creativity at Luton Town but his latest brace of assists would have made everyone else sit up and take notice.
Doughty had already seen one assist chalked off for offside before his corner was nodded in by Ross Barkley (£4.9m) on Saturday, with a second attacking return following soon after when Elijah Adebayo (£4.8m) tucked home the rebound from Doughty’s saved header.
Adebayo, one of the cheapest starting forwards in FPL, now has three goals in his last five starts – four in six if you include the abandoned game against Bournemouth.
Another Doughty assist could have been registered when substitute Carlton Morris (£5.1m) slammed a header against the bar from a pinpoint cross.
Messrs Trippier and Alexander-Arnold are the only FPL defenders who have created more chances than the Luton wing-back this season.
The Hatters in general are much improved of late, with only the odd goal separating recent encounters against Man City, Arsenal, Newcastle and Chelsea.
Also looking much less out of their depth are Sheffield United.
Where Luton’s strengths lie in their attacking ambition (clean sheets don’t look like arriving with any regularity), the Blades have gone back to basics under Chris Wilder.
‘Only’ five goals have been conceded against the might of Liverpool, Aston Villa and Man City since the change of manager, with United looking a lot less porous than before.
“What we weren’t light on was fight of character. That’s delighted me since I’ve walked though the door.
“We have to have a structure, we have to have an approach.” – Chris Wilder
Above: Sheffield United are ranked ninth for fewest expected goals conceded (xGC) in the six matches under Chris Wilder, despite facing Liverpool, Aston Villa and Man City in that time
