Dugout Discussion

Sterling, Silva and Bernardo benched as Guardiola rotates heavily

Double Gameweek 32 comes to a head on Wednesday evening with three Premier League matches that all kick off at 19:45 BST.

Crystal Palace are the visitors to Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium, while Manchester City and Chelsea host Cardiff City and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively.

The headline team news at the Etihad sees Pep Guardiola make seven changes, with Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and David Silva among the players to drop to the bench.

Kyle Walker and Ilkay Gรผndogan are also among the substitutes, while Nicolas Otamendi drops out of the match-day squad.

Guardiola had previously ruled Sergio Aguero out of tonight’s match, so it is no shock to see Gabriel Jesus leading the line for City.

Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez will flank the Brazilian, while there is a first Premier League start of the season for Phil Foden.

Fernandinho, John Stones and Danilo are also recalled.

Neil Warnock has made only one change, with Harry Arter being replaced in the starting XI by Joe Ralls.

Maurizio Sarri has matched Guardiola in making seven alterations.

Eden Hazard returns to the Chelsea starting XI following his benching at Cardiff on Sunday, while there is a full Premier League debut for Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Gonzalo Higuain makes way for Olivier Giroud, while Emerson Palmieri replaces the injured Marcos Alonso.

N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Andreas Christensen are recalled as Willian, Pedro, Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic and Antonio Rudiger drop out.

Chris Hughton has made four changes, the most eye-catching of which sees the fit-again Florin Andone replace Glenn Murray up front.

Solly March, Bruno and Gaetan Bong all start at the expense of Anthony Knockaert, Martin Montoya and Bernardo.

Son Heung-min returns to the Spurs starting XI, replacing Lucas Moura in the Lilywhites’ attack.

Ben Davies is preferred to Davinson Sanchez in Mauricio Pochettino’s only other change.

Roy Hodgson has brought Cheikhou Kouyate, James McArthur and Martin Kelly into his starting XI and benched Scott Dann, Max Meyer and Andros Townsend.

That means Jeffrey Schlupp will move even further upfield on the left of a front three, with Wilfried Zaha switching to the right flank.

Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Luiz, Emerson, Kante, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Hudson-Odoi, Giroud, Hazard.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Ryan, Bruno, Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Bissouma, Stephens, Propper, March, Andone, Jahanbakhsh.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Zinchenko, Stones, Laporte, Danilo, Fernandinho, Foden, De Bruyne, Sane, Mahrez, Jesus.

Cardiff City XI: Etheridge, Peltier, Morrison, Manga, Bennett, Gunnarsson, Ralls, Camarasa, Murphy, Hoilett, Niasse.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Trippier, Sissoko, Eriksen, Rose, Alli, Son, Kane.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Kelly, Van Aanholt, Kouyate, Milivojevic, McArthur, Zaha, Batshuayi, Schlupp.

3,638 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Yank Revolution
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Sick Hugo save

  2. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    FFS Cardiff

  3. Calderano FC
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    You're going for a title and there are empty seats everywhere. Is that not mental?

    1. grumpyman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      Plastic club.

  4. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    77 points on FH DGW ๐Ÿ˜Ž

    So crap at this. Thanks (K)ane!

    1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      Not bad

  5. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Niasse you fool!

  6. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Dammit cmon Cardiff ๐Ÿ™

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      No, still waiting for my Luiz goal

  7. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Benteke wide.

    1. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      Benteke tall

      1. tm245
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Benteke slow

        1. Differentiator
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          Benteke rich

    2. TheBrazilianRonaldo
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      Bentekaway

  8. The Tinkerman
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Higuain useless. Big mistake not going with Zaha and not upgrading 4th mid to Son or Eriksen. Oh well, hindsight is 20:20.

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      Yeah, agree. That and DSilva over Laporte!

    2. Regin
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      Fully agree with u. I did the same bug mistake. Higuain the new f Torres.

  9. DV8R
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Pep allergic to substitutes?

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      He's playing the B team. Why sub them off?

  10. Geezer
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Any chance Higuain starts next match?

    1. some witty pun
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      50/50 I think, Giroud certainly the player on form

    2. The Tinkerman
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      I guess he will, given the rest here. Although he was useless last game.

      1. The Tinkerman
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Giroud has been playing with the better wingers though, so maybe a harsh comparison.

  11. Paul Psychic Octopus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Champions of England, yet the ground is like a morgue, full of empty seats. Embarrassing.

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      Money can’t by you love

      1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        I know a girl called Chantelle.

  12. Regin
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Anybody who has Higuain in their team is an absolute idiot. That includes me.

    1. MGD
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      o/

    2. some witty pun
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 23 days ago

      I chose Batshuayi over Jimenez mate

  13. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 23 days ago

    Eriksen with 1 goal and 2 assists top player of the GW. Pretty low standards those days

  14. JohnnyMagrinho
      5 years, 23 days ago

      Ederson, Laporte and Walker for 40 points.

      Aguero, Sterling and D. Silva for 16 points.

      To be honest it wasn't even that bad a move on paper to go all City defence on FH.

      If you were dead set on them getting a CS in both games, or thought there was a high % chance of it happening Laporte and Ederson was surely a decent shout.

      Walker would be a tad lucky as he was brought on as a sub after 15 minutes.

      Even Hudson-Odoi was a better pick than David Silva this week. That's quite funny.

      1. TomSaints
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Easy to say with hindsight. I expected loads more goals =[

        1. JohnnyMagrinho
            5 years, 23 days ago

            I'm not saying anything with hindsight.......

            I'm just saying Pep rotates. It's easy to think Aguero and Sterling will play both when history tells us there's a good chance they're both rotated.

            I'm just saying if you think ONE CS is a good chance, then go all in on it.

            That's a perfectly legitimate strategy to employ. Don't see what hindsight has to do with that logic whatsoever. Because it doesn't.

            I wouldn't have ever stretched to three City DEFs due to rotation. Most I would have done was Ederson and Laporte, but I fancied at least one of Cardiff or Fulham to actually try and play football against them and maybe I dunno, attempt getting a corner or free kick. Apparently no-one tries to score against City anymore so that was wishful thinking.

        2. Top Lad Dakes.
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          Yep hilarious

        3. Legendary!
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          I blame Pogba/Higuain for missing out on Laporte's points. Didnt want to take him out - BUT if i had the balls i would have gotten in Mili and Laporte or Jimmy/Laporte

      2. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        so frustrating.....nevermind there s always next week !

        1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          *year

        2. Top Lad Dakes.
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          Can’t wait for this week to be over haha

      3. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Kane blank in a DGW, who'd have thought it!

      4. IRBOX โšฝ
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Who are people getting as auto subs for Aguero and Sterling?

        1. Ajax Hamsterdam
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          ๐Ÿ˜‰

        2. Mysterion
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          CHO & McTommy

        3. Stupendous
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          Please tell me you are joking. Not really that funny either way but fair play.

        4. DV8R
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          David Silva ๐Ÿ™‚

          1. IRBOX โšฝ
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 23 days ago

            Nice

      5. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Higuain now an option for BGW33?

        Well rested.

        1. diesel001
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          Nope.

          1. Geezer
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 23 days ago

            Would you sell if you had him?

            1. The Ejiptian King
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 23 days ago

              I would.

            2. Revival
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 23 days ago

              I have him, have 12 players for GW33 so am thinking of selling him for Vardy

            3. EMBOLOFAN
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 23 days ago

              no way

        2. Ajax Hamsterdam
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          MOST DEFINITELY NOT

      6. TomSaints
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        City have really dissapointed these 2 games. I know lots of games coming up but being played like a training match

      7. Peter Ouch
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Etihad is empty.

        This is RIDICULOUS.
        Those fans deserve nothing at all

        1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          Emptihad

        2. Vinyl78LP
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          Now rivaling that match in the late 90's when only 3k turned up. But every City fan I meet tells me they were there.

      8. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Zaha now denied.

        Palace getting closer...

        1. Effe
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          I’d Iove a Palace goal. AWB assist ideally

          1. Hazz
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 23 days ago

            Schlupp goal and its a deal.

      9. Totalfootball
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Torres finally having a good week

      10. Differentiator
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Lloris 2 fab saves in 2 mins. Really good stops

      11. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        H-Odoi first on my bench scores 4 more than Hig :). Noicee

        1. Mysterion
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          Plot twist... Higuain was the enabler

      12. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        90th minute drama needed! ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

        1. diesel001
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          It's coming.

      13. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Son back in the Bap convo (on for 2)

      14. Sim Simma
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Still no Higgy Sterling !!!!!!!!

        1. EMBOLOFAN
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          ๐Ÿ™

        2. denial
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          All Chelsea subs made

      15. Duke Silver โ˜‘
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Save point Guaita. It's the little things.

      16. FPL Blow-In
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Even an appearance point for Sterling Pep !

        1. Eddie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          Snap

      17. Eddie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 23 days ago

        Give Sterling a minute.

        1. EMBOLOFAN
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          not happening

        2. Eddie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 23 days ago

          pft!