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. TheBrazilianRonaldo
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    New prem league template - 8 midfielders and 2 attackers. No defence

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

    United haters very quiet today. Love it. GGMU

    1. Bruce Lee
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      you're still in an absolute state compared to city loool

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

        Not really. 2 down vs New side

  3. Bruce Lee
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    guys bench pukki or lunstram?

    1. ADucksBehind
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Never bench Pukki

  4. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KDB will ruin my Cantwell bench points won't he?

    1. Bruce Lee
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      probably... pep can also bring on mahrez and jesus for attacking options

      1. ADucksBehind
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks Michael Owen

    2. Midlands Saint73
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      That's gonna be cruel mate.

  5. Cak Juris
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Please advise: Barnes (6.6) to Tammy (7.2) for now?
    I only have remaining money 0.6
    Waiting for GW7 will risk me can't afford him

    1. Sharkytect
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Didn’t you post this on the last page?

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

      Try watching the game?

    3. The Albatross
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Save transfer. Barnes has 2 great fixtures & Abraham has Liverpool next.

  6. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Lol@Zinchenko. Please VAR give him a yellow for simulation

    1. Werkself
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      He's in my team and yet I agree wholeheartedly. I hate that crap.

    2. ‘Tis the Season
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Terrible dive

  7. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Pep, where are you? Wake up mate ...

  8. JonBoy
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Tim Krul owner here. Still feeling really good about this one.

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      You should

  9. Modest Bob
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Glad the old man in the flat opposite is watching this tonight or id have missed it. I think he thinks i'm a perv but thats his problem.

  10. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    kdb def coming on at half time, and maybe jesus

  11. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Forgot to make the subs and ended up playing Cantwell over lunda by accident. Jammy points feel the best

  12. Supersonic Marv'
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who else benched Cantwell for Lundstrum?

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

      Was the plan but forgot to make my subs

    2. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Me

    3. Effe
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Me

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

    Bet ya Pep will be stubborn af... he wont bring KDB on till about the 70th minute. Game is screaming out for him.. grow a set and hurt someones feelings ya bawheed

  14. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KDB junior should of*been booked

  15. Chenku╰☆╮
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Imagine just imagine that a depleted Norwich side beats Man city. Shows pressing them is enough to break them.

    1. ADucksBehind
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Norwich are doing many things but pressing is not one of them

    2. Bruce Lee
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      everyone just sits back by default and never asks any questions of the team... plays right into city's hands

      still think city will comeback... but it's harder defensively when they're pressed

  16. Ronaldo 7
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    TC'd aguero

    1. Drexl Spivey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Good stuff.

      1. Ronaldo 7
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        It is now

    2. El-Kloppico
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Timing

  17. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Cantwell, a legend yet?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Only if it wasn't on so many benches

    2. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Started the season with him, hate him tbh 😀

  18. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Chelsea scoring the most goals this season ?

    1. Nabs Kebabs
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      no lol

    2. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Liverpool?

  19. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Pls don’t bring on KDB

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

      Pep will get this message.

      1. Chenku╰☆╮
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Kdb staying benched today

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

    Imagine Stones astonishment when he's penalized and Shakthar get a penalty for similar handling of the ball in midweek in UCL. UCL refs don't muck around.

  21. thepeen555
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Kdb we defo be on quite early and don’t think they (sterling, aguero) will get taken off as early now

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

      They wont go off ar akk

  22. FPLtfs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    If Sterling blanks im having a laugh. Captained Salah, Sterling and Kane this season; all blanks apart from Salah gw 1.

    1. El-Kloppico
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      You arw not alone mate.. 3 captain fails in a row and Sterling today

  23. Spab
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    When I looked at my wildcard team last night, I thought, '100 points here we come!' at this rate, I'm going to need 82 from 2 players tomorrow. This week is an absolute mare!

  24. FPL_JAAFAR
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Aguerooooo

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

    Dammit Kun

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

    Brilliant!

  27. DR0GBA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    CAPTAIN AGUEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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

    (K)un!

  29. Mr. Grv
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    kun my lovely beast

  30. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Feck Sake Kun!!