Dugout Discussion

Sterling and Zinchenko rested as Guardiola spins the roulette wheel

Pep Guardiola ‘Roulette’ has struck once again as the Manchester City manager named his team sheet for the visit of Watford.

Raheem Sterling (£12.2m) has been dropped to the bench for the first time this season, replaced in the starting line-up by Riyad Mahrez (£8.5m).

Also missing from the starting XI is Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.6m), who has not even made it onto the bench.

Benjamin Mendy (£5.9m) has come into the side in his place to start at left-back.

Key options Sergio Aguero (£12.2m) and Kevin de Bruyne (£9.8m) are both in the starting line-up.

Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores has named an interesting formation as he prepares for a tough afternoon of football.

Gerard Deulofeu (£6.2m) has been chosen to lead the line while defender Kiko Femenía (£4.4m) is deployed on the right flank of attacking midfield.

A new budget defender has emerged in Dimitri Foulquier (£4.0m) who starts the match at right-back.

There will be plenty of interest in events at Turf Moor this afternoon as Burnley take on Norwich.

The 10% invested in Ashley Barnes (£6.7m) may be giving him his last chance as he starts against the porous Norwich defence.

Meanwhile, Teemu Pukki (£7.1m) and Todd Cantwell (£4.9m) both start for the Canaries amid continued transfer activity for both players.

Finally, Everton manager Marco Silva has trusted Moise Kean (£6.7m) another chance at leading the line this afternoon.

He and Bernard (£6.5m) represent two changes from the side that lost at Bournemouth in Gameweek 5.

Sheffield United also make a change in attack with Callum Robinson (£5.3m) coming in for David McGoldrick (£5.5m) to lead the line with Oli McBurnie (£5.9m).

Burnley XI: Pope; Pieters, Mee, Tarkowski, Lowton; McNeil, Westwood, Cork, Hendrick; A Barnes, Wood.

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

Everton XI: Pickford; Digne, Mina, Keane, Coleman; Delph, Schneiderlin; Bernard, Sigurdsson, Richarlison; Kean.

Sheffield United XI: D Henderson; O’Connell, Egan, Basham; Stevens, Fleck, Norwood, Lundstram, Baldock; Robinson, McBurnie.

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Mendy, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Walker; Rodrigo, De Bruyne, D Silva; Mahrez, Aguero, B Silva.

Watford XI: Foster; Holebas, Dawson, Mariappa, Foulquier; Capoue, Doucouré; Hughes, Cleverley, Femenía; Deulofeu.

2,288 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Andy'81
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    No citeh goal for 10 minutes, pathetic.

    1. banskt
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Poor misses, shots on post... playing like a bottom team.

  2. Stef rocks
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    That was the end of my patience towarda Sterling captaining him 3 weeks in a row - awful.

    And half my minileague has Kun Captain - disaster - my only hope is now he gets subbed at 55min and get less BPS 🙂

  3. OPTA FPL
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Kun misses an assist!

  4. Baked baines
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    As a sterling captainer and a non Kun owner ive never been so scared of watching a game in ff in all my life. This sucks so much.

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

      It's days like this where you just need to remember it's just a game. You'll get your great moment this season.

  5. Bartowski
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Watford should be allowed to bring on a second goalkeeper.

    1. Old and Slow
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      This.

  6. Daddy Kev
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Gonna be watching these highlights on P*rnHub tonight.

  7. Moose™
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Only 1 assist KdB? Cmonnn

  8. FOO FIGHTER
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Just need a Pukki goal please...

  9. Royal5
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Aguero wearing Costen Pantilimons old shorts?

    1. Royal5
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Costel

    2. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      I'd worry, he was a bit of a wet dreamer...

    3. DaniCT
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      I'm impressed by the way you think.

  10. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Sterling cappers, would you rather have 20 mins or 0 mins from him?

    1. tafrère
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      0.

      Auba (v).

      1. Forza Papac
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 day ago

        Understandable

    2. dshv
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Hope 30 mins please..

    3. The 12th Man
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      0. KDB vc

    4. Old and Slow
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      0 (salah)

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

      Tough one. De Bruyne is my vice captain so that could be awesome, but on the other hand my bench is cack.

    6. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      0. If he comes on they'll really have taken their foot off the gas.

    7. adibo
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      He will probably come on so i hope he comes early tbh

      1. Ritchies Magic Hat
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 day ago

        Feels wrong but hoping for 0 so Rico can come off bench with his 5points!

    8. Rhodes your boat
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Wanted to captain sterling but with all my wc changes forgot to take the armband off salah aha!

    9. Better off with a pin and a…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      0. Salah (C) and Rico's assist off the bench!

  11. tafrère
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    It's so cruel for Sterling owners (myself included) that it becomes funny. That why we love FPL.

    There's always next week. Or, at this point, next season.

    1. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Exactly how I'm viewing proceedings. Being Pep'd is part of the FPL experience these days.

  12. The Chosen One...
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    would be silly to bring on Sterling surely...

    1. Old and Slow
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Because Pep would never do anything like that...

  13. FPL Hitman
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    WC seems to hv gone well. On 49 points already.

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Christ

  14. HellasLEAF
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Is Ota nailed this season? I don't think he is quite nailed.

    Must we spend the .5 more to go Zinch to Walker?? Walker attacking threat and for sure on every team sheet...

    1. Chirsbom
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      What has this and last game showed? There is no such thing as a sure thing on City. Other than Ederson..

    2. HellasLEAF
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Zinch owners. let's talk here!! pages flying!

    3. Flycroft
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      He is until laporte is fit again

    4. EMBOLOFAN
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      what? who else is going to play cb

    5. Viper
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      They don't have any other central defenders

    6. Stokelona
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      No one at city is on every team sheet, except ederson

    7. Brosstan
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      How is he not nailed?

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

        This.

    8. Kip
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Atm its Zinc=> aurier for me

  15. DAZZ
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    I think the biggest surprise is Mendy 0 assists

  16. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Pereyra on

  17. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ota getting subbed at HT. Only fit CB

    1. El-Kloppico
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Wont complain.. bt at 60min.. it would be nice

    2. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      only if he's injured.

    3. JIMMY TUGGINS
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Fernandinho is their best CB.

    4. Viper
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Nah. Ota & Fernandinho need minutes together

  18. El-Kloppico
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Foulkier wagon derailed after 30min.

  19. bitm2007
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    City were on for 28-0 when the 5th went in, it's now only 15-0 at the rate they are scoring !

  20. Rainer
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    That was done debut.

  21. Viper
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    You'd imagine Sterling just sits this out altogether now

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      As if you're trying to second-guess Pep.

      1. Viper
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 1 day ago

        I did already by captaining Sterling & look how that turned out 😆

    2. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Fingers crossed!

    3. Spab
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      I think he'll get 10 minutes.

  22. Brosstan
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Foulqier with the dream debut

    1. JIMMY TUGGINS
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      I might put him in for a laugh.

  23. Stoic
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    City should be fined for making that Watford player cry lol

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      exactly...cruelty to debutants

    2. El-Kloppico
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      And they should shave Pep's head as punishment

  24. tafrère
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Foulquier is like us Sterling cappers.

    1. 1zverGGadeM
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      LoL tHiS

    2. moment
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Foulq hero

    3. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Completely and utterly foulq'ed?

  25. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Ben Mendy will claim all the credit for this in his social media later 😀

  26. One for All
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Pogba, Martial and Shaw ruled out, what are the chances of Greenwood starting?

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      I hope Greenwood does start or gets some much needed game time. That will be my 3rd striker sorted 🙂

      1. One for All
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 day ago

        Lol I need him to start with Zinchenko not in the squad and Sterling benched as captain, have Soyuncu as 1st sub.

  27. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Sterling now has 1 of Man City’s last 24 premier league attacking returns

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Wow, that's awful.

    2. One for All
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Lol getting rid should of done -4 to bring in Auba, people saying he wouldn't blank 3 games in a row...

  28. Rainer
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Watford bossing it

  29. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Barnes looking lively?

    1. Licious Lizard
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      MAN CITY!

  30. SAUCY SALAH
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 day ago

    Patience in Wood finally pays off!

    1. mrodgers91
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      I knew chris would score eventually

    2. Over Midwicket
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 day ago

      Lol