Dugout Discussion
4 January 2026 775 comments
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The final match of Gameweek 20 sees Manchester City and Chelsea square off at the Etihad Stadium.

Kick-off is at 5.30pm GMT.

TEAM NEWS

Pep Guardiola makes three changes from Thursday’s goalless draw at Sunderland.

Josko Gvardiol, Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders come into the starting XI.

Nathan Ake drops to the bench, while Nico Gonzalez and Savinho are injured.

Nico O’Reilly starts for the hosts at left-back.

Calum McFarlane will be in the dugout for Chelsea today after Enzo Maresca’s sudden departure.

He makes five alterations to the side that drew with Bournemouth.

In come Filip Jorgensen, Benoit Badiashile, Reece James, Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro.

Robert Sanchez (muscle), Wesley Fofana (illness) and Moises Caicedo (suspension) miss out, while Alejandro Garnacho and Liam Delap are named among the substitutes.

Marc Cucurella remains absent.

LINE-UPS

Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo, Reijnders, Cherki, Foden, Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Ake, Doku, Khusanov, McAidoo, Mukasa, Lewis, Mfuni, Heskey

Chelsea XI: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Chalobah, Badiashile, Gusto, James, Enzo, Estevao, Palmer, Neto, J Pedro

Subs: Slonina, Merrick, Tosin, Hato, Santos, Garnacho, Gittens, Delap, Guiu

LIVE GAMEWEEK PAGE!

New to Fantasy Football Scout this season is the Live Gameweek page, which you can see on the side menu.

Here you can follow the scores, watch the defensive contribution (DefCon) points roll in, see who the leading players are for xG and more as the games play out, as seen below:


Introducing The Eye Test 2
775 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    Palmer stinks. He’s a shadow of his former self. He shouldn’t be in the Chelsea team on this form, let alone England.

  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    Game is so boring. Being played at walking pace.

    1. Zalk
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      The City we have come to know

    2. Hughes Your Daddy
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Welcome back, glad to see you have you got over both Rogers and Cunha scoring this weekend.

      1. Hughes Your Daddy
        • 13 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Rogers assisting and Cunha scoring 🙂

  3. Dynamic Duos
    • 12 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    A or B?

    A) Palmer and Mane(bench) -4
    B) Watkins and Le Fee(bench) free

    1. Under my Cucurella
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Easy B

  4. F4L
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    he couldn't blank 6 times in 9 GWs could he? 😯

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Malfunctioning

  5. MVDP
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    3 months, 10 days ago

    City playing in two days time… pffft… chances of Foden starting again have to be slim. Hardly essential.

  6. Gudjohnsen
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    Bench one of:

    A.Szobo
    B..Xhaka
    C. Woltemade

    Currently on A

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Bench A sell C

    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      szobo

  7. trinzoo
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    Best 1st GK to get? I'm on Sanchez.

    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      with rodri back im backing donna, second half of season city. although maybe hes overpriced

      with chelsea sacking manager would look at getting roefs over sanchez

    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Great fixtures, why not?

      1. trinzoo
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Isn't he injured?

        1. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Well he is today, but I think they said it was minor

    3. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      dont laugh but I d pick pickford on wc

      1. Radulfo28773
        • 4 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        I got Keane if that’s any consolation

  8. MetallicaJack93
    • 2 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    Pick two to transfer in

    A. Watkins
    B. Thiago
    C. DCL

  9. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    which move to fund szobo to rice?

    a foden to rogers
    b etikite to thiago

    for -4

    cheers

    1. Cojones of Destiny
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      A

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        thanks

  10. FDMS All Starz
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    What would you do with 3FTs? VDB/Ekitike needs to be sold?

    Areola
    Timber Gabriel Keane VDB*
    Cunha Saka Foden
    Ekitike Haaland Thiago

    Verbruggen LeFee Andersen Devenny
    (3FTs & 0.1itb)

    1. lilmessipran
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Is Ekitike out for Arsenal?

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Hamstring injury, don't know how bad

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Minor

      2. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Hamstring. I would be surprised if he plays vs Burnley. But I don't know.

  11. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    Who would you buy?

    A. Gordon
    B. Schade
    C. Bruno G
    D. Another?

    1. Kiyoshi
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      C

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Have C

      So B

  12. Nightcrawler
    • 6 Years
    3 months, 10 days ago

    Rice and BrunoG in top 3 mids this season sums this fpl season up perfectly . Absolutely dire

    Missing the fpl days of wingers scoring braces/hatricks

    or for those of us who have been playing for nearly two decades the lampards gerrards Dempseys

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      I often agree with your posts these days

      But BrunoG or Rice would improve all teams

      Chelsea for instance could be top with them

      1. Nightcrawler
        • 6 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        from a real life perspective i agree. just talking wise, id prefer more explosive players

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          The tortoise v the hare comes to mind

          Consistency is key

    2. Absolutely Muñozed
        3 months, 10 days ago

        yes very hard to find any consistent players

      • Lanley Staurel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Nah - been playing myself since 2002 and this game continues to stretch you. You just need to adapt. Great season.

        1. Nightcrawler
          • 6 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          im in the top 30k but this season has been anything but enjoyable

          1. Lanley Staurel
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 15 Years
            3 months, 10 days ago

            Similar to me rank wise. Just enjoyed the variety of players appearing and Defcons.

      • Baines on Toast...
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Yep. And title favourites top scorer has 5.

    3. The Philosopher
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Time to sell Haaland?

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Where would you put the money?

        1. The Philosopher
          • 5 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Booze and hookers

          1. Lanley Staurel
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 15 Years
            3 months, 10 days ago

            They both play in Man Utds back line dont they?

      2. MVDP
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Yes. Who did you have in mind?

        1. The Philosopher
          • 5 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Kroupi

      3. Yes Ndidi
        • 6 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Haaland > Mane -4 already done

      4. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        No chance

      5. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        For Salah?

      6. Hughes Your Daddy
        • 13 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Brave

    4. it lies in the proles
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Chabolah or O’Reilly to Gabriel?

      1. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        OReilly, with Chalobah's fixtures are getting greener

      2. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Can’t sell Oreilly with those fixtures

        1. Royal5
          • 14 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Rodri back as well

        2. Hughes Your Daddy
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Yep, keep Oreilly

    5. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      At least this week we don't have Jamie Carragah on MND

      Just as I started typing that

      He's on later

      Easier to switch off with no game upcoming

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        I don't always mind him in game

        But his post match Liverpool analysis does drone on somewhat

    6. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 10 days ago

      Who to buy?

      A. James
      B. Tarkowski

      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Tark

      2. SINGH
        • 7 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Isn't his full name James Tarkowski?

    7. Absolutely Muñozed
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Haaland and Gabriel only essential players this season.

      • Captain Mal
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Enzo 10, Palmer RW

      • The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Temp manager doesn’t have the bottle to sun Palmer, so he picks on the young kid

        1. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          *sub

      • tuturututu
        • 5 Years
        3 months, 10 days ago

        Wc team, some feedback and tips would be appreciated, thanks

        Kelleher, Darlow
        Gabriel, Nunes, Mukiele, Alderete, Acheampong
        Palmer, Saka, Cherki, Bruno G.
        Haaland, Watkins, Thiago

        1. tuturututu
          • 5 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Miley 5th mid

        2. Ajax Hamsterdam
          • 11 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          rice on wc surely? not keen on your keepers. gl

      • Absolutely Muñozed
          3 months, 10 days ago

          just when i finally move out O'Reilly he will become essential

          1. Ajax Hamsterdam
            • 11 Years
            3 months, 10 days ago

            lol

        • Biggsy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Time to ditch Haaland? No goals in 2 and a half games

        • Hughes Your Daddy
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Neto lol rubbish.

        • Make United Great Again
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Now Sanchez isn’t nailed. Having to use a keeper transfer is so boring.

          1. Biggsy
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            3 months, 10 days ago

            Should just get Raya. Nailed 2-6 points every week. Never more, never less

            1. Make United Great Again
              • 13 Years
              3 months, 10 days ago

              Too expensive. And I’ve got 3 Arsenal

              Timber Gabriel Rice

            2. AC/DC AFC
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 10 Years
              3 months, 10 days ago

              I've got Raya

              If I want Rice he's gotta go with Gabriel and Saka

              Unless I ditch the star boy?

        • Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Neto sitter missed

        • FPL Blow-In
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          How did Neto miss

          1. Royal5
            • 14 Years
            3 months, 10 days ago

            Like blowing a pen

          2. Hughes Your Daddy
            • 13 Years
            3 months, 10 days ago

            Guy earns £160,000 week and he misses that

        • FPL Blow-In
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Don’t you effing dare Gvardiol

        • The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Gvardiol subbed 50 min

        • Pompel
          • 12 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Question of the day - will O'Reilly make it to 60 mins ?

          1. Hughes Your Daddy
            • 13 Years
            3 months, 10 days ago

            If he keeps a clean sheet and no yellow I will take a sub "after" 60mins 🙂

        • SINGH
          • 7 Years
          3 months, 10 days ago

          Ekitike for Thiago or goal machine Watkins?