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. MITHRRANDIRR
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Defender controls a ball like that with his hand and it's not a penalty. He has got possession of the ball due to handball and VAR leaves it. Absolute joke.

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Stonewall pen.

    2. Party time
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Blame the ref not the var

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

          VAR is there exactly to rectify referee mistakes like this.

          1. Party time
              4 years, 6 months ago

              The VAR is not human. The human beings in the VAR room are to be blamed for this rubbish. The VAR is only there for them to review the incident. The VAR does not have a final say in decisions!!! Oh feck!

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

                not sure they are humans, maybe blind donkeys

                1. Party time
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    Hahaha...

              2. potatoace
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                4 years, 6 months ago

                Actually VAR by definition, " video assistant referee" is the person reviewing the incident by various replay angles. So he can legitimately blame var if he wants.

                1. Party time
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    but the video itself does not make the final decision!!! Blame those fecking retards not the video!!!

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

                      VAR is the person not the video

                      1. Party time
                          4 years, 6 months ago

                          Ok. If that is what you think, who am I to argue

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

                  If that's not clear and obvious, what is? Stones is making Steph Curry proud with his control of the ball with his arm there.

                  1. Party time
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      The VAR is a "video assistant referee"... She does not make the decision on the pitch. It is the ref& his fecking assistants not the fecking video. Oh give me a holy moly break you lads!!!

                3. JayLegend
                  • 9 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  absolute joke

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

                Pukki = Season Keeper

              4. Party time
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  City winning afterall

                • Tsparkes10
                  • 5 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  This week looks like it may actually revive the game. Template slowly falling apart and differentials doing well. Hopefully more of a spread, was becoming v boring

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

                  he basically caught the ball like it was netball. WTF is this

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

                  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

                • OPTA FPL
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  Stupid VAR in England

                • FPL Maldini
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  Absolutely typical that Norwich defence turn into Maldini and Nesta conveniently

                • FISSH
                  • 11 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  Wtf is happening!? Ha

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

                  Pep deserved this tbh. How can you bench your most in-form player in away game?

                • Albrightondknight
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 8 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  Anyone not thinking
                  Pukki Haller Abraham
                  Doesn't really match my 451 plan 😕

                  1. squ1rrel
                    • 9 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    I brought those three in on WC 2 weeks ago.

                • Manani
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  got Pukki first bench instead of Lund. Im sure I'm not the only one lol

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

                    guilty

                • micsway
                  • 10 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  If your first sub does not play any minuets does your second sub come on instead?

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

                    Yes

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

                    yup

                  3. Hazz
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 6 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    Yes but depends on the formation. 7 (MID/FWD) attackers maximum.

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

                    You played 6 years and dont know this? Yes

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

                      Not always yes 😛

                    2. micsway
                      • 10 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      I've never been in this position

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

                    Need 3 defenders.

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

                    Yes....provided someone from your starting 11 also didn’t play!

                • ZimZalabim
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  benched cantwell for dunk lol
                  still having a right laugh

                • VanDijksToWatchOutFor
                  • 6 Years
                  4 years, 6 months ago

                  Come on, Norwich. Hold them out until HT so KDB has to come on at the half.

                • Party time
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    So Sterling & Kun off 2nd half will be the icing on the cake

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

                    Clear penalty. Chelsea fan

                  • MITHRRANDIRR
                    • 11 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    VAR is being used for offside and nothing else. Lots of red cards and penalties not being given. A joke of an implementation. They're not even asking the ref to have a second look on a screen. Better not have it at all.

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

                      Expected better.

                  • Joyce1998
                    • 8 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    whos got cantwell on bench??

                    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
                      • 10 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      o/

                    2. Ajax Hamsterdam
                      • 9 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      Everyone probably haha

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

                      Noone

                    4. Spoox777
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 12 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      SSSSHHhhhhhhhh!!

                      ...me 🙂

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

                      O/

                    6. Chelsea91
                      • 5 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      Pukki n cantwell playing for me

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

                      benched for dunk like a boss

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

                    No Alison no CS for Liv? Looks like a causality

                  • Boomerang V
                    • 7 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    I can’t believe this! Wasn’t Norwish out of defenders? Wasn’t it suppose to be a blood bath?

                  • Dacra
                    • 9 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    Cantwell second on bench 🙁

                    But who cares, happy Liverpool fan here!

                  • Herman Toothrot
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 11 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    Jesus on for Kun at HT I reckon x

                    1. OPTA FPL
                      • 12 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      lol sub off 1 FW while losing 2 goals?

                  • FPL Maldini
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 9 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    Clear penalty. I’m an Eye owner too

                    1. Bartowski
                      • 13 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      I have two myself

                  • Dont_Win_Friends_With_Salah…
                    • 6 Years
                    4 years, 6 months ago

                    KDB will def get on won't he? He will block those lovely Cantwell points.

                    1. Laurel and Vardy
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 8 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      Not mine. KWP no show means I am getting justice for Ryan's CS gone in the last seconds of the game.

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

                    Whole Norwich team cost 6M to assemble..
                    City is way above 550M..

                    1. MTPockets
                        4 years, 6 months ago

                        Nice perspective

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

                          Fact!

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

                      Name the Power 5 then? So many good mids can't choose the best combo

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

                        Pretty obvious.

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

                        KDB-Mount-Mane-Son -Cantwell

                    3. sirmorbach
                      • 7 Years
                      4 years, 6 months ago

                      Lads, I (a) do apologise for insisting, and (b) know how annoying it is when people chase points. But I really do think this is sound, and I'd appreciate your thoughts very much.

                      Before price rises. Reasonable move or kneejerk reacton?
                      Martial, Greenwood out
                      Cantwell, Abraham in for a hit

                      (Heaton
                      TAA, VVD, Maguire, Coleman, Lundstram
                      Salah, Sterling, Martial, Mount, Dendo
                      Vardy, Pukki, Greenwood)

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

                      city need kdb