FPL notes: Mixed City debuts + in-form Bournemouth midfielders

There are two more of Saturday’s matches to get through before we’re finished with Gameweek 24 Scout Notes.

First Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Chelsea, then Bournemouth’s latest big victory over a team above them in the table.

• READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 23 round-up: Sunday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats
• READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 23 round-up: Saturday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Why Fabianski was benched + Digne at centre-back
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Mbeumo’s pen, Esse impact + more Spurs injuries
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Calvert-Lewin injury, Ndiaye on pens + Pickford ‘assist’
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Szoboszlai’s shots, Gakpo’s goals + Trent’s threat
• READ MORE: FPL notes: ‘Ill’ Isak, Howe on centre-backs + Odegaard absence

MARMOUSH’S PROMISING DEBUT…

Pep Guardiola threw two of his new signings in at the deep end on Saturday, with mixed results.

Omar Marmoush (£7.0m) was bright, if – understandably on his debut – a little too eager at times. Too eager to break the offside trap (he was flagged on a handful of occasions, including for one disallowed goal), too eager to shoot when a pass to Phil Foden (£9.3m) was the play.

But his movement was good, aided by a) Chelsea’s high line and b) City’s direct ball-over-the-top approach. He might not be quite so effective against Arsenal next weekend, for example.

He’s clearly a confident guy, though. When City were awarded a 22nd-minute free-kick, it was the young Egyptian who broke rank to take it.

“He make an incredible run as a movement that we could not see. But I think he is calm guy, has pace, can shoot, aggressivity, intelligent defending. So I’m really pleased what I’ve seen so far.” – Pep Guardiola on Omar Marmoush

It remains to be seen if Marmoush does get the nod against the Gunners. Jack Grealish (£6.4m), Savinho (£6.4m), Foden and Jeremy Doku (£6.2m) are all options on the left flank, where Marmoush was stationed, and the Arsenal backline will afford less space.

Guardiola said after the game that Doku would be out for “a while”, although didn’t completely rule out a quick return (“I don’t think so for Arsenal”) just to confuse us.

…AND KHUSANOV’S DEBUT TO FORGET

Abdukodir Khusanov (£5.0m) had a trickier time on his first-ever Premier League appearance.

Guardiola said after the game that Khusanov “should have not played”. Such was City’s injury list, however, that the 20-year-old stopper was needed.

Culpable for Chelsea’s opener, he was soon booked for a late tackle and hooked early on 53 minutes. Guardiola said he withdrew Khusanov because of the caution and also to give John Stones (£5.3m) some “rhythm” ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League clash with Bruges. Khusanov, Marmous and Vitor Reis (£4.5m) are all ineligible for that game.

The Uzbekistani stopper, deployed alongside Manuel Akanji (£5.3m) at centre-half, at least grew into the game after his early aberration.

He may get a chance to do it all again in Gameweek 24. Guardiola confirmed after full-time that Ruben Dias (£5.4m) and Nathan Ake (£5.3m) were still injured, while Stones is half-fit and it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to handle two starts in four days given that he’ll be needed against Bruges.

“He didn’t make one training session with us. He didn’t make absolutely anything because we come from Ipswich Town and Paris and another one. So we’re just recovery, recovery, recovery. And yeah, he will learn.” – Pep Guardiola on Abdukodir Khusanov

FODEN’S FORM

City made it four league wins in five with a victory over Chelsea here. After the early jitters – Cole Palmer (£11.3m), Nicolas Jackson (£7.8m) and Jadon Sancho (£6.2m) contrived to miss an early breakaway chance to make it 2-0 – the reigning champions were worthy winners.

Between minute 30 and full-time, the visitors mustered just 0.17 xG.

After earlier hitting the post, Foden continued his scoring streak with a sixth goal in four Gameweeks. No Premier League player from any team has as many points as Foden (49) in that time.

Erling Haaland (£14.7m) set up that goal and scored himself, with Chelsea’s high line and Robert Sanchez‘s (£4.7m) positioning benefitting City’s goalscorers. So direct was City’s bespoke approach that Ederson (£5.3m) claimed the assist for Haaland’s goal.

ADVANCED FULL-BACKS

Foden seems to be prospering from Matheus Nunes‘ (£4.9m) stationing at right-back. There was no inverting in Saturday’s set-up: a 2-3-5 with Nunes and Josko Gvardiol (£5.9m) joining the attack and Bernardo Silva (£6.2m), Mateo Kovacic (£5.4m) and Ilkay Gundogan (£6.4m) mostly restrained in central midfield.

Above: The Man City full-backs’ touch heatmaps in Gameweek 23

As has been remarked before, a right-back holding the width is good for Foden getting into more central areas.

Nunes and Gvardiol were allowed to drift centrally themselves, too. The two combined for a whopping 13 penalty area touches and indeed for City’s first goal, when Gvardiol followed up Nunes’ saved shot to score. The Croatian had two other excellent chances before that.

That was his fifth league goal of 2024/25, two more than any other defender. The current tactics, not Gvardiol tucking in as a third centre-half, is what FPL managers want to see from him.

Nunes continually being used at right-back is, of course, not good news for Rico Lewis (£4.5m).

“Mateus is getting better, getting better every game in terms of speed and concentration.” – Pep Guardiola

ANOTHER SANCHEZ CLANGER

More of the same from Chelsea: a Sanchez gaffe, Jackson fluffing a chance or two and, dare we say it, Palmer again not turning up in a ‘big’ game? How different the result, the narrative and the write-ups might have been if Palmer, with the Blues winning 1-0, had either taken a glorious eighth-minute chance himself or not overhit a simple square pass to Jackson.

The Senegalese striker, for all his detractors, got his own square ball to Noni Madueke (£6.1m) spot-on when pouncing on Khusanov’s early gaffe.

How much longer can Enzo Maresca continue with Sanchez?

“Robert, for sure, he is completely aware that he has to do better. He was completely aware after the game – he knows perfectly. In this moment, it is like this. The good thing is that he is the first one, knowing and aware that he has to do better.

“We trust Robert for sure. The first one who is completely aware that he is making mistakes in this moment is Robert. For sure we continue to trust Robert. We trust Robert. But now we have one entire week [until next game vs West Ham United], we will see the reaction and then see for the next game.” – Enzo Maresca

• EXPLORE: The player and team data from Man City 4-1 Chelsea

TRIPLE THREAT

Saturday saw another thumping win for Bournemouth. It was another pummelling of a defence that had been in good form, too, this time Nottingham Forest’s.

While the scoreline was a touch flattering, the win was fully deserved.

As was the case at Newcastle United last weekend, it was the three dovetailing attackers who did the damage.

We mentioned after Gameweek 23 that the out-of-position Dango Ouattara (£5.0m) was unlucky not to haul on Tyneside but haul he did here, netting a second-half treble to emerge with a 21-point score. A towering header, a clinical finish and predatory instincts to convert a rebound – who needs a striker?

The worry is that Andoni Iraola still thinks the Cherries do, in the continued absence of Evanilson (£5.6m) and Enes Unal (£5.4m). In his last three pre-match pressers, he’s mentioned that Bournemouth are very much in the market for a new forward. We’ll know after next Monday (deadline day) if Iraola has been successful in his pursuit; if not, Ouattara’s stock will rise considerably.

That’ll be brilliant timing, too, ahead of this ticker-topping run:

“He’s playing as a number nine and he’s giving us a lot of things without the ball, he’s adding numbers, he’s – I think – feeling comfortable and I’m very happy for him.

“He’s probably playing better than we expected and I hope it continues, giving us these performances, because it’s very good for the team.” – Andoni Iraola on Dango Ouattara

The return to fitness of Marcus Tavernier (£5.4m), who emerged as a late substitute here, is also something to mention. Usually a regular starter, he adds competition in the front four – although David Brooks (£4.9m) is probably the favourite to make way when Tavernier is fully fit.

Justin Kluivert (£5.7m) and Antoine Semenyo (£5.6m) also got in on the act against Forest, meanwhile. The former xG-busted from distance again, while the latter found the net from a tight angle. Kluivert was denied a superb second by a narrow offside; confidence is flowing through his veins.

“I think Justin is obviously playing with confidence. For me the first goal is key, it’s a good transition but he had options to play both sides and he decides to take the shot. And it’s a great decision, a great finish.” – Andoni Iraola on Justin Kluivert, via the Daily Echo

Which of the three appeals the most in FPL, then? We smell a Members’ article coming…

FOREST’S OFF DAY

Forest have had off days already this season, although not many. Many pundits thought the inevitable slump would come after three defeats in four in the autumn; they responded with an eight-match unbeaten run and four clean sheets.

You would not back against them bouncing back next week at home to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Expect Nuno Espirito Santo to double down on the defensive efforts, which he’s long said is an essential foundation of his sides.

“Not only today. The second half against Southampton was a warning. It is a 7-0 that we have in 135 minutes, that’s the reality. We have to take a deep look at how we did it today so we cannot repeat it again.” – Nuno Espirito Santo, via the Nottingham Post

They were a tad unfortunate with some clinical finishing (although Kluivert not being closed down was very un-Forest-like), while Kepa Arrizabalaga (£4.5m) was inspired at the other end.

Anthony Elanga (£5.2m) even finished this match with more shots (five) and chances created (five) than any other player, even those on Bournemouth’s books. Nikola Milenkovic (£4.8m) had three efforts from set plays, one saved superbly from Kepa.

In the end, Forest actually outshot their hosts 18-16!

No reason to get carried away with this defeat, then, although even an on-song Forest aren’t exactly the biggest FPL draws right now: their Gameweek 25-28 opponents all defeated the Tricky Trees in the reverse fixtures.

• EXPLORE: The player and team data from Bournemouth 5-0 Nottingham Forest