Dugout Discussion

Aguero and Sterling start for City as Gracia rings the changes

The seventh match of a goal-filled Saturday takes place at the Etihad, as league leaders Manchester City face Watford.

Kick-off is at 17:30 GMT.

Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero are joined in a front three by Riyad Mahrez, who replaces the injured Kevin De Bruyne in the City starting XI.

Bernardo Silva drops back into central midfield to take the place of the sidelined Belgian.

Vincent Kompany deputises for the injured John Stones in defence, while Aymeric Laporte is fit enough for a place on the bench.

Leroy Sane is also among the substitutes.

Javi Gracia has rotated heavily for the trip to Manchester, making seven changes in all.

Kiko Femenia, Miguel Britos, Christian Kabasele, Adam Masina, Tom Cleverley, Isaac Success and Andre Gray all come into the side, as Adrian Mariappa, Craig Cathcart, Jose Holebas, Will Hughes, Roberto Pereyra, Troy Deeney and Gerard Deulofeu make way.

Ben Foster, Daryl Janmaat, Etienne Capoue and Abdoulaye Doucoure are the only Watford players to keep their places.

Pep Guardiola’s side won the reverse fixture 2-1 back in December, when Mahrez registered his highest FPL score of the season (13 points).

Aguero was transferred in by over 125,000 Fantasy managers ahead of this Gameweek, despite City being without a fixture in Gameweek 31.

The Argentinean striker is the second-most-popular captaincy pick of this weekend, having been handed the armband by over 1.45 million FPL bosses.

Manchester City XI (4-3-3): Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, Bernardo Silva, Gündogan, Silva, Mahrez, Agüero, Sterling.

Watford XI (4-4-2): Foster, Janmaat, Britos, Kabasele, Masina, Kiko Femenia, Cleverley, Capoue, Doucoure, Success, Gray.

2,176 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Hect.OR 98th
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Another poor week on the cards. Lascelles and Son playing, Camarasa and Digne on the bench. 13 points lost there.

    1. Ginkapo FPL
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Plus your Digne ty lost

      1. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        He Digne just go there

  2. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Who are the commentators? Is one Jim Beglin?

    Both are awful.....

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Darren Fletcher?

      1. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Nah not Fletcher....think it zero-character Beglin and that other bore...

    2. 7shadesofsmoke
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Keown isn't it?

      1. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Nah, not on version I’m watching...

  3. Party time
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Am I right to think Liverpool will spank Burnley 5-0 tomorrow?

      1. Holmes
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Nope

      2. Gobigorgohome
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Nope

      3. Party time
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Hahaha

        • ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Burnley look good, their days of getting hammered was when Joe Hart was in goal

          1. Party time
              5 years, 1 month ago

              You may be right but they lost recently to Palace and anfield is a different ground. I can see Liverpool going all out tomorrow

        • Team Cruel
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          In hindsight captaining Sterling (WAT) was so stupid when I had Vardy (FUL) 🙁

          1. Salah’s Sonnet
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Game has only just started

          2. Gobigorgohome
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Exactly

          3. kennethrhcp
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            18mins gone... ppl on here do say stupid things

          4. Holmes
            • 10 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Yeah, should have TCed him

          5. Limbo
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            You said it, captn hindight. We'd all be billionaires if we had it.

          6. jia you
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            I changed from Sterling to Vardy today for a bizarre reason but it was widely viewed that Sterling looked a safer and potentially more explosive captaincy pick so wouldn't beat yourself up over that one!

        • Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Not cleverly.....

        • Limbo
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Would you do this for a hit (exact money) or just hope to get enough from playing 8?

          Son + Rash > Frazer + Higuain
          +
          AWB > Ake (-4) ?

          Leaves:
          Schmeichel
          TAA / VVD (*Ake / Bennet / Doc)
          Salah / Frazer / Fanny (Pogba / Puncheon)
          Vardy / Higuain (Kun)

          1. Top Lad Dakes.
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            id just skip the hit

            1. Limbo
              • 13 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              Was my instinct. I think 8 out is reasonable.

        • Gobigorgohome
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Aguero looks lost

          1. Salah’s Sonnet
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            How he normally looks, then pops in two

        • ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          City passing has been woeful

        • Rust Cohle
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Why do Watford need the green kit for this match?

          1. Limbo
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Camo - hiding their team selection.

          2. Rust Cohle
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Is it some sort of stealth bus-parking strategy? Blend into the pitch?

          3. TorresMagic™
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Match the grass.

        • King Sheep
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          How long until Watford reserves are blowing out of their stamina

        • i am jose mourinho
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Razz(c) failed

          1. Salah’s Sonnet
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            20 mins.......

          2. Top Lad Dakes.
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            stop.

            unless you are reverse jinxing on purpose 🙂

          3. Nomar
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Kun (c) fail too by the looks of it.

        • SHOOTER MCGINN
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          I do love an early transfer. Agüero to Vardy on the cards

        • MGD
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          7 from 5 any good?

          1. noahzark22
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            yes

          2. Top Lad Dakes.
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            not especially

            1. MGD
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              Another point from Kun now. It keeps piling!

          3. antis0cial
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Rubbish... I have 7 from 4...! I think fairly low scoring all round unless you have Vardy

        • THFC4LIFE
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          With Schär suspended I’m down to 10 next week with my 3 planned moves.

          Would you take a hit to get a replacement or just play with 10

          5.4m max not a Liv defender

          1. EMBOLOFAN
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            depends who for

            1. THFC4LIFE
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              This is the problem not many options at that price

          2. Top Lad Dakes.
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            play 10. no defenders worth the hit imo

        • Nightf0x
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Son cameo blocked jwp, brought in adam smith for doherty, got injured and missed the cleansheet, badluck continues from after gw20

        • TheSteel
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Zico Senna, do you know what minute it is in the match? Thanks

          1. Salah’s Sonnet
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            22nd mate

        • EMBOLOFAN
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          own no city players but feel if they score 1st half there could be a few goals

          1. DA Minnion (Former great)
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            They have to score first though.

        • DA Minnion (Former great)
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Come on ta f#ck city .

        • ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Boring game, rubbish atmosphere

          1. Gobigorgohome
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Agree

          2. Team Cruel
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Did you really expect better atmosphere from empty blue seats?

          3. EMBOLOFAN
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            boring club, rubbish club

        • NATSTER
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Almost there for Kun. The haul will come, I believe.

          1. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Yes pleaseeee

        • Alnair
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          If City lose points here I can't see them lifting the title.

          1. Gnu
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            I have unlimited respect for comments made by someone with 'FPL' in their username no matter how idiotic the post.
            Even this one.

        • Hybrid.power
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Ahhhhh, so close

        • Sim Simma
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          KDB almost assists Kun

          1. Hazz
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Lol

          2. Hybrid.power
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Haha, I did have a moment of "I though kdb was injured..."

        • Hazz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Nearly an Aguero goal there.

          1. Fred54
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Pretty sure that's Tim Burgess', no?

        • Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Monreal close....

        • The Polymath
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          For GW31 and 33. Which forward out of these?

          A) Higuain
          B) Wilson
          C) Barnes

          1. Top Lad Dakes.
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            BAC i think

          2. Limbo
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            A + B + Vardy if you can.

          3. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            A

        • Top Lad Dakes.
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Thank god. Cmon Sterling, score

          1. Patch
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            What's happened??

          2. TorresMagic™
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Jinxed him now.

            1. Top Lad Dakes.
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              dont score?

        • Hybrid.power
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          That Watford defense though

        • Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Liverpool title confirmed....

          1. The Ejiptian King
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            pls no

        • ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          City in second gear, with Watford sitting back they have hardly troubled the defence