Dugout Discussion
4 January 2026 775 comments
avfc82 avfc82
Share:

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. Gudjohnsen
    • 8 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Those who went without Haaland C not being punished lately.

    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Time yet

    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      time to go against him more often methinks. this is poor.

      saka cap this gw?

    3. mixology
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Agreed, but not with his next 3 fixtures

  2. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Ruben off, injury?

  3. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    O'Reilly out probably the most annoying transfer out this season. Absolutely unnecessary and the boy is on his way to a 8 pointer.

    1. Mainoo Magic
      • 11 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Agree so annoying definitely most annoying transfer this season for me. I just thought his minutes were a big risk after his early sub an I had no bench s made the move

      1. BobbyDoesNotLook
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 days, 8 hours ago

        Yep no bench here either.

    2. Pompel
      • 11 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      I'll take the 6 points and run. City may still concede

  4. estheblessed
    • 11 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    I'm ranked 550k but thinking Wild Card now to this;

    Donn
    Gabriel, Cash, O'Reilly
    Rice, Rogers, Cunha/Bruno F, Bruno G
    Thiago, Haaland, Watkins

    Roefs, Wilson, Thiaw, Alderete

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Kneejerk WC right there.

      1. estheblessed
        • 11 Years
        4 days, 8 hours ago

        I think all of those have done well consistently

    2. terranullius
      • 1 Year
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      I like it!

    3. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Don’t be silly. Team is fine with a transfer or two.

  5. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    That’s awful from Foden, Cherki in so much space

  6. Kaneyonero
    • 9 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    The Foden Haaland Combo has been utterly atrocious

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 8 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      100%

    2. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Yeah

    3. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 days, 7 hours ago

      Foden needs to sit his arse on the bench

  7. ididnt
    • 14 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Thiago and O’Reilly out for Gabriel and DCL -4 sums up my joke of a season !

  8. ball c
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Wirtz and O’Reilly out for Gordon and Gabriel hasn’t worked out.
    Should’ve just done Virgil to Gab.
    Thiago goals softens the blow though

  9. Stevie B
    • 15 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    van Dijk, Rondon and Foden -> Gabriel, Nunes and Wilson for free?

    Thank you and good luck!

  10. x.jim.x
    • 11 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Foden going missing against a big side, knock me down with a feather

    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Clever Trevor

  11. F4L
    • 11 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    all day long cherki and foden just cant find that final ball

  12. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Haaland on the wing ffs

  13. Effe
    • 15 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    As an Arsenal fan with with no City defenders in my FPL team, I’d love a Chelsea goal here.

  14. They are eating the dogs
    • 3 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Ekitike to Watkins?

    1. Effe
      • 15 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Yes I am planning on that move myself

      1. They are eating the dogs
        • 3 Years
        4 days, 8 hours ago

        Are you worried to miss out on Ekitike vs Burnley?

        1. Effe
          • 15 Years
          4 days, 8 hours ago

          Yes that is a worry

        2. The Knights Template
          • 12 Years
          4 days, 8 hours ago

          Not in the least

    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      I think to 4.5m might be the play structurally, also with Bruno back very soon

  15. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    This is one of the most painful games ever. Haaland c, Foden and Palmer. And such a crap, dull game too

  16. Gizzachance
    • 11 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Is foden a sell? Could be 4 blanks in a row, I only got him for his last hauls!

    Others had him for a few

    1. Stevie B
      • 15 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      I think so.

      1. MVDP
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        4 days, 8 hours ago

        Agreed.

    2. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Not really many people knocking on the door to replace him is the problem

      1. Gizzachance
        • 11 Years
        4 days, 8 hours ago

        True
        Could get rice back, pool not tough fixture, puts money itb for other upgrades

  17. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    4 point yellow for Nunes. Pain.

    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Really crap rule. Should lose baps for yellow, a point is enough.

      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        4 days, 8 hours ago

        *shouldn’t

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      It's 3 points but yeah it's annoying since it was yet another opportunity to get one over NOR owners.

  18. Kiyoshi
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Lost 14 points by playing Wildcard. Is this normal?

    1. Jafooli
      • 13 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Yes, it's in the FPL Rules WC must result in a reduction of points others won't be authorised.

      Well it is for me anyway....

    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      its a WC, not a FH 🙂

      just hope it pays off in the long run

  19. thegaffer82
    • 14 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Thank the lord for Thiaw. I’ll probably still get a red arrow, but it’ll only be a small one thx to that man!

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 8 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Thiaw and Tiago for me.

      Rest of the team not much.

  20. MVDP
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Rodri on 13 DC. Can’t shake the belief that Rodri and Foden could be a similar situation to Saka and Rice.

  21. keefy59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    A word of warning to anyone with 3 City players plus Seymeno
    Once the expected transfer to City is completed
    You must remove a City player with your next transfer
    It shouldn't be difficult on this showing probably Foden

  22. g40steve
    • 7 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Palmer how

  23. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Get out of my team Palmer. Absolutely garbage.

    1. thegaffer82
      • 14 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      He won’t play City every week.
      I’d keep for the fixture swing personally

  24. Stoic
    • 9 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Agent Cole

  25. FantasyTony
    • 8 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Chalobah defcon when?

  26. Biggsy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Foden to Rogers or Ekitike to Watkins is quite possibly the choice before Tuesday night

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      4 days, 8 hours ago

      Need another 5 ft’s for this mess

  27. CYN
    • 7 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Went O'Reilly to Tarkowski after considering Gabriel and Thiaw. No Rice, no Thiago. No clean sheets. Bruno and Cunha saving me from disaster.

    Raya, Dubravka
    Timber, Virgil, Tark, Mukiele, Alderete
    Foden, Saka, Cunha, Bruno G, Stach
    Haaland, Ekitike, Guiu

    1 FT. Feels too reactionary to WC, right? Just so many players I don't particularly want anymore...

    1. estheblessed
      • 11 Years
      4 days, 7 hours ago

      I am thinking WC tbh... Why else wait? Carpe Diem!

  28. The Knights Template
    • 12 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Thinking of bringing in Thiago for Ekitike. I’ve always loved Thiago!

  29. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Enzo Goal

  30. Gudjohnsen
    • 8 Years
    4 days, 8 hours ago

    Palmer in on WC?