Dugout Discussion

Sterling starts as Sane, Lacazette and De Bruyne are benched

There were a few surprise selections in Unai Emery and Pep Guardiola’s starting XIs ahead of this afternoon’s 16:00 BST encounter between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates.

The headline news was perhaps Raheem Sterling‘s (£11.0m) inclusion in the City line-up, although Guardiola had teased the prospect of that possibility in his press conference on Friday.

Leroy Sane (£9.5m) is the fall-guy in the Sky Blues’ line-up, to the chagrin of the 14.3% of FPL managers who own the wide-midfielder.

Kevin De Bruyne (£10.0m), another late returner after his World Cup exertions, starts on the bench for the reigning Premier League champions this afternoon.

The rest of Guardiola’s starting XI is perhaps as expected, with Sergio Aguero (£11.0m) leading the line and Riyad Mahrez (£9.0m) handed his City league debut.

Alexandre Lacazette (£9.5m) always looked at some risk of being benched for the visit of City and the French forward indeed starts among Arsenal’s substitutes, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) fielded as the spearhead of the Gunners’ attack.

Though not likely to cause many ructions in the Fantasy community, Matteo Guendouzi (£4.5m) – who admittedly has had a fine pre-season for Emery’s side – has been preferred to the more experienced Lucas Torreira (£5.0m) in the engine room. Aaron Ramsey (£7.5m) also gets a start for the Gunners.

Nacho Monreal (£5.5m) has failed to prove his fitness, so FPL midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles (£4.5m) deputises at left-back.

Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Sokratis, Maitland-Niles; Xhaka, Guendouzi, Ramsey; Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang

Manchester City XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy; Fernandinho, Gundogan; Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling; Aguero
4,682 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Left Duke #3
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 7 months ago

    What a start to the season for me. 111 points. Even had Daniels and AWB's 17 pts stuck on the bench. Unreal start. All downhill from here on lol

    1. @FPL_Chess
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Nice one.

        1. The Left Duke #3
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          Cheers

      • Dananz
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Wow! Well done son!

        1. The Left Duke #3
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          Delighted kid. Nice one

      • Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Nice 😎

        Freak week to start the season...can't remember another one like it

        1. The Left Duke #3
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          It was mental. Every update I got on my phone had one of my players involved. Even had McCarthys 11pts. Mental week

      • Jolly Good
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Wow well done...

        1. The Left Duke #3
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          Cheers pal

    2. Jolly Good
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Play Tomkins (vs Liverpool) or Ralls (vs New Castle)

      1. El Matador
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Ralls. Palace won't keep pool out

      2. Malcolm Tucker for England …
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Ralls. Cardiff will win set pieces, and zohore and Arter should be back

      1. 420king
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Yes, enjoy it. He won't get another haul like today.

        1. Red Card Rockets
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          I bet he does

    3. Eden Wizard
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      8k updated

    4. batmaniac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Is jota > richarlison worthwhile just for the sake of catching a price rise?

      1. mattmobster
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Good to go I reckon

      2. Azerbaijan Shopping Centre
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        is price rise imminent

      3. Bggz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        no

    5. Azerbaijan Shopping Centre
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      what was the average community score .....

      and did everybody get caught with a lot of benched points

      1. El Matador
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        AWB benched. Not stupid enough to bench Rich and Mendy. Ha.

    6. Essem
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Might reconsider Aguero(C). Mendy is an enticing option.

      1. El Matador
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        I'm going with Mendy. If he gets into the positions he did today another 15 pointer is on the cards.

    7. skybluecam
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Haven't been into FPL that much in previous years.. can someone explain the mechanics behind a price change? Is it getting bought/sold by a certain % of the owner base? And do we know that %?

      Basically trying to work out if any of my players will fall. I'm worried about Auba and Sanchez. Pretty sure Wan Bissaka and Mendy will rise?

        1. Azerbaijan Shopping Centre
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          this should help .......

    8. Giovanni Giorgio
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Worth spending my FT on van Dijk --> Robertson?

      1. Hy liverpool
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        I have VVD and wouldn't even consider that move... Keep

      2. Azerbaijan Shopping Centre
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Everybody will say no .... but imho Yes if you dont surgery anywhere else

      3. Bggz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        too sideways especially after one game

      4. Captain Roberto
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        but van dijk might crash in a header and you'll be gutted

    9. Azerbaijan Shopping Centre
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Did anyone see Miki today .... ?

      Stick or Twist ?

    10. RomeluStormzy
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Top 3k!

      1. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Well done

        Only got 37 GWs to hold out 😉

      2. G-Whizz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        No link. Didn't happen...

    11. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Top 20K 🙂

      1. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Nice 😎

      2. Je suis le chat
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Nice one TM, I'm top 17k! Relieved after AWB-gate! Mendy covered him well after. Milli to Rica or Alexis to Kdb?

      3. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        How's the mods and cons league looking?

      4. CostaCoffee
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Damn you’re team is almost the same as mine. Except I’ve got Ederson/Arnie instead of Foster/Zaha. Had AWB on bench too

    12. fedolefan
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      How long to price changes?

    13. JohnnyWark
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Looking to get rid of Sanchez for KDB and upgrade Bednarek - any suggestions? [102 points - rank 8389]
      https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/202794629332992000/478315181093683210/Screen_Shot_2018-08-12_at_22.32.14.png?width=824&height=886

      1. O12
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        How do you get that kind of stats into FPL?

    14. Gangula
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Jota for Richarlison (before the price rises)????

    15. Yankee Toffee
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Bilva to Richarlison?

      1. amit1964
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        let him another game

    16. Bolasie Come Home
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Great post!

      1. Bolasie Come Home
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Oops, reply fail

    17. aspilcueta
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Would have had a glorious 110 points with Wan B on the bench had I not made changes at 6:45.

      Wildcarding early.

    18. fishingcrazy
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      is otimendi out of favour did not even get any game time from the bench
      bit worrying not sure whether to get rid.what do you think.

      1. Captain Roberto
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        I think stones and LaPorte were up to fitness as stones carries less weight and LaPorte had a whole pre-season

        I had Kompany. fit I was sure he would start but ive binned him for Mendy now.

        1. Captain Roberto
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          *Laporte
          some daft auto-correct going on there

    19. PortisRed
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      KDB - Likely starter against Huddersfield or not?

      1. amit1964
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        he will

        1. fishingcrazy
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          he wont

      2. Captain Roberto
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        fo shizzle