Dugout Discussion
24 October 2026 340 comments
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There are only four Premier League matches on Saturday, but there are some tasty-looking fixtures among them.

We start with an intriguing game at Villa Park, as the resurgent hosts – unbeaten in six competitive matches, scoring 18 goals along the way – entertain the Premier League leaders.

Aston Villa v Manchester City kicks off at 12.30pm BST.

TEAM NEWS

Both sides make four changes from their UEFA Champions League wins in midweek.

Johan Manzambi is fit to start for the hosts after missing out against Viking, while Ian Maatsen makes his first post-injury appearance.

Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara also come back in after midweek breathers.

Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley and Ibrahim Mbaye make way. Buendia loses his ever-present starter status in the Premier League as a result.

It was pretty much signposted by Enzo Maresca anyway but the big City news is that Erling Haaland starts. The Norwegian limped off the field at the end of the Gameweek 7 victory over Ipswich Town and was then an unused substitute against AEK Athens.

Iliman Ndiaye, Jeremy Doku and Marc Guehi all return to the side after rests on Tuesday night.

Midweek hat-trick hero Phil Foden is the big-name casualty, dropping to the bench. Floyd Samba, Allan and Rico Lewis are less surprising omissions after rare starts in the Champions League.

Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovacic shake off injuries to make the bench but Matheus Nunes misses out.

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Suzuki, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Kamara, Gomes, Alysson, Manzambi, McGinn, Jackson.

Subs: Bizot, Mings, Barkley, Buendia, Mbaye, Bogarde, Goretzka, Madjo, Hemmings.

Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Guéhi, Gvardiol, Anderson, Fernández, Ndiaye, Cherki, Doku, Haaland.

Subs: Rulli, Kovačić, Aït-Nouri, Reis, Bouaddi, O’Reilly, Foden, McAidoo, Lewis.

LIVE GAMEWEEK 8 PAGE + MATCH CENTRE

Villa v City

You can follow all the day’s action via the Live Gameweek page, which you can find in the FPL Toolkit section.

Here you can track 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.

And there’s also the all-new Match Centre to explore. Here, you’ll find stats, heatmaps, rolling xG graphs and more on every Premier League fixture.

A lot is free for all, with Chief Scout Members getting full access.


340 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Gudjohnsen
    5 hours, 7 mins ago

    Did Saka to Cherki last night.

    What was I thinking.

  2. JBG
    5 hours, 7 mins ago

    Not Doku assist -_-

  3. Zalk
    5 hours, 7 mins ago

    A Haaland and Guardiol fail will be worth it if City loose

    1. Bobby Digital
      5 hours, 5 mins ago

      This aged well

      1. Zalk
        4 hours, 56 mins ago

        It did, didn't it 😉

  4. Bobby Digital
    5 hours, 7 mins ago

    Haaalaaand G

  5. Il Capitano
    5 hours, 7 mins ago

    Erling inevitable

  6. Royal5
    5 hours, 7 mins ago

    Points

  7. F4L
    5 hours, 7 mins ago

    erlingggg

    vardy watch out, record in doubt

    1. Haa-lala-land
      5 hours, 5 mins ago

      Which record, Goals in games in a row?

      1. F4L
        5 hours, 4 mins ago

        yea, 7 now.

  8. g40steve
    5 hours, 7 mins ago

    Only takes one touch, boom

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      5 hours, 5 mins ago

      Keep going Haaland, we want more

  9. Bobby Digital
    5 hours, 6 mins ago

    Guy is incredible really

    1. BeaversWithAttitude
      5 hours, 5 mins ago

      Incredibly boring.

  10. Gudjohnsen
    5 hours, 6 mins ago

    Haaland autocaptain all season

    1. RICICLE
      5 hours, 4 mins ago

      What a boring way to play

  11. Haa-lala-land
    5 hours, 6 mins ago

    Cherki removed off the pitch = Haaland goal

  12. JBG
    5 hours, 6 mins ago

    Sun Jihai just had to reverse jinx Haaland

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      5 hours, 3 mins ago

      Haaland has never scored a brace against Villa...

      1. JBG
        5 hours, 2 mins ago

        You shut your mouth

  13. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 hours, 6 mins ago

    He just makes FPL a bit boring, doesn’t he? Only one in my 10-man ML who went for a non-Haaland captain (Pedro) this week, fighting an uphill battle!

    1. BeaversWithAttitude
      5 hours, 4 mins ago

      I've captained Rogers. Gotta change it up here and there.

    2. Kroenius
      4 hours, 59 mins ago

      Captain Palmer here,let's just hope for a demoltition of Spurd

  14. GENERATION X
    5 hours, 5 mins ago

    Lot of reverse jinxes coming in

  15. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 hours, 5 mins ago

    Rank meet toilet

  16. g40steve
    5 hours, 4 mins ago

    Zambi YC

  17. Gudjohnsen
    5 hours, 4 mins ago

    I think he will score another one

  18. GENERATION X
    5 hours, 4 mins ago

    Glad I got Manzambi last week over this week

  19. g40steve
    5 hours, 4 mins ago

    Cash YC

    1. g40steve
      5 hours, 3 mins ago

      About to get rinsed by Doku

  20. Royal5
    5 hours, 4 mins ago

    Cash is terrible

    1. Morrissey1986
      5 hours, 3 mins ago

      Cash is King but not in the Premier League.

  21. boc610
    5 hours, 3 mins ago

    any stat more pointless than an Erling touch map graphic?

    1. g40steve
      5 hours, 1 min ago

      90 mins no touches then hatty with three that’s what we’re dealing with

    2. x.jim.x
      5 hours, 1 min ago

      The mouthbreathers lap it up

  22. g40steve
    5 hours, 3 mins ago

    Gvardi robot was open

  23. Fifa las vegas
    5 hours, 3 mins ago

    That made me nervous having benched Gvardiol 😆

  24. Riverside Red
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    5 hours, 3 mins ago

    Cherki is a disaster..out he goes

  25. Gudjohnsen
    5 hours, 3 mins ago

    Gvardiol is very attacking

    1. RICICLE
      5 hours, 2 mins ago

      Only just noticed?

  26. The Philosopher
    5 hours, 1 min ago

    This bald fraud needs to be sacked right now for taking off Cherki.

  27. Fifa las vegas
    5 hours, 1 min ago

    Didn’t realise Manzambi got a YC, that’s disappointing

    1. Fifa las vegas
      5 hours, 1 min ago

      Ned a goal from him now again

    2. Kroenius
      4 hours, 57 mins ago

      As a Manzambi bencher (for Guéhi), I like it

  28. el polako
    5 hours, 1 min ago

    Calafiori benched.

    1. Fifa las vegas
      5 hours ago

      Ah boll*x. Maybe I do want Gvardiol to score after all

    2. Kroenius
      4 hours, 59 mins ago

      Heaven

  29. Pedersen
    5 hours, 1 min ago

    Manzambi just lost a ball. And not the one you think

  30. g40steve
    5 hours, 1 min ago

    Zambi’s ringing 🙂