Dugout Discussion

Surprise benching for De Bruyne as Sterling and Aguero start

Amid fears of Pep Guardiola rotating members of his front-three for the Gameweek 5 trip to Norwich, he has gone to new levels of pulling the rug from under our feet.

While Sergio Aguero (£12.1m) and Raheem Sterling (£12.3m) both start for Saturday evening’s trip to Carrow Road, it was the presumed nailed-on Kevin de Bruyne (£9.8m) who has fallen foul of ‘Pep Roulette’.

After starting every Premier League match so far this season, the Belgian has dropped to the Manchester City bench, while Guardiola has chosen to deploy a central midfield trio of David Silva (£7.5m), Rodrigo (£5.5m) and Ilkay Gündogan (£5.3m).

While Sterling and Aguero both start this one, their owners may just have one eye on Riyad Mahrez (£8.5m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) among the substitutes with the Champions League group stages starting midweek.

With options relatively limited in defence, there were no surprises in the back-four named for this encounter.

Ederson (£6.1m) is supported at the back by Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.6m), Nicolas Otamendi (£5.4m), John Stones (£5.4m) and Kyle Walker (£6.0m).

Just as predicted by manager Daniel Farke in his Friday press conference, Norwich do indeed look very short of options in their own defence.

Ben Godfrey (£4.5m) has come through his groin injury picked up on international duty to feature at centre-back alongside defensive midfielder Ibrahim Amadou (£4.5m).

Their inclusion in the side does mean that at the very least, their fit full-backs are not called into central defensive action.

Jamal Lewis (£4.5m) features on the left with Sam Byram (£4.4m) getting his first start for the Canaries on the right.

Meanwhile, both Teemu Pukki (£7.0m) and Todd Cantwell (£4.8m) retain their places in the first team.

Norwich City XI: Krul; Lewis, Godfrey, Amadou, Byram; McLean, Tettey; Cantwell, Stiepermann, Buendía; Pukki.

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Zinchenko, Otamendi, Stones, Walker; D Silva, Gundogan, Rodrigo; Sterling, Aguero, B Silva.

2,005 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Lilac Breasted Roller
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Barnes to Abraham?
    Lovely fixtures but Abraham on even hotter form

    1. Ady87
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I’ve gone for both for that reason.

    2. Regin
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Wait after liv game

  2. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who is this Norwich goalie?

    1. theroadrunner
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Tim Krul. Ex newcastle

  3. Ady87
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    At least we should 100% see KDB

    1. DandyDon
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      This. Happy to wait for my sterling goals if KDB assists them...

  4. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Great news for kdb owners.

    He will never be benched again

  5. nxh84
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    The only way to win Man City is bring the game to them.

  6. Regin
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    The worse thing is Norwich scored but no pukki involved.

  7. DandyDon
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Being a huge Aberdeen fan really wanted McLean in my team at the start of the season. Worked very well last season for me with Fraser and Maddison in from the start! Couldn’t see McLean getting enough goals this season though. If he had been 4.5 definitely a better shout than Dendoncker who I’ve currently got in.

  8. Mumble Pie
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    FS ... City below par today .... may your Arrows be Red !!

  9. S.Kuqi
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Cheap def and attack. Invest in mids is way to go this season

  10. TAT
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Sterling is going to blank, isn't he…

  11. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    CANTTWELLLLLL

  12. Not again Shirley
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Woooow

  13. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Heroes!

  14. MITHRRANDIRR
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Scenes!!!

  15. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    PUKKKKKIII

  16. Regin
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Dann. Y did I not captain pukki?

  17. Yank Revolution
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Canary in a Goal Mine!

  18. Royal5
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Poor from Kun that

  19. Total Foot 5 - romario 11
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    pukki assist

  20. Captain Kakaroto (I blame R…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    WOWOW

  21. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Feck

  22. The Chosen One...
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    yeah i benched Cantwell

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Me too 🙂

      What an idiot, won’t be the only ones?

  23. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Cantwell on my bench 🙁

  24. MITHRRANDIRR
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Sub in KdB you bald fraud!

  25. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    ^

  26. Eddie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    OMG!

  27. tm245
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Dream combo goal!

  28. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    What the hell is going on????

  29. Mumble Pie
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Here we go!!!!! KDB time

  30. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Cantwell first on bench, nice though.