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. FPL_Gyarados
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    3mins of added time at City. Is that from all the celebrating?

  2. davies
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Digne has got to go

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

      Is it even worth owning defenders anymore

      1. Meinhoff
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Owning Otamendi is good

      2. Pedram
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Going all cheap in the back seems like a wise move right now

    2. MITHRRANDIRR
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Everton are a shambles at set-pieces defending. I've seen them every week and it's always like that. He has a very low chance of CS every week.

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

    Have Digne Barnes Pukki or Cantwell done bloody anything good?

    1. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Still time. I've accepted it now lol cba

    2. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Would not be too worried much about Pukki and Cantwell. I am keeping them for home games 🙂

  4. TheTinman
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    The footballer mindset, you can almost guarantee City won’t get more than 6

  5. Baked baines
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    kun missed 4 chances. hopefully he doesn't get any more goals or assists and he may pick up the 1 bps. Clutching at straws.

  6. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Barnes looks awful, Wood looks better to have for the fixtures

    1. TheBrazilianRonaldo
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      It’s always been this. Wood the classy operator out of the two

  7. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Well captaining Digne hasn't gone to plan.

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

      Currently outperforming captaining sterling who was the poll leader

      1. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Sterling probably won't come on, so many will have a decent VC. I have to accept my decision, it had risks 🙂

        1. onceuponatyne
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          You think? I have Sterling cap and reckon, with that in mind, he'll get a super annoying ten mins. Probably score though.

  8. Champions united
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Mendy means zinchenko out?

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

      Yes. I’m selling Zinchenko, probably Digne, possibly Sterling, possibly Barnes.

      1. the dom 1
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Oh Dear 🙁

  9. Marvin Moon
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Marco Silva must be extraordinary in interviews.

  10. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What's pukki doing now?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Stuffing Jaffa cakes.

    2. HurriKane
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Its Pope Party time

    3. F4L
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      missed a 1 on 1, all created by himself. Norwich look good going forward though, can see them scoring in the second half

  11. Wensink
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Anyone have captaincy stats for this GW?

    1. Kno
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      21% raz 17% aguero 12% salah

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

        Oof. Thanks.

  12. rodragon
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Remove barnes to tammy for -4??

    1. LIARS POKER
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Was going to wildcard but thinking of doing the same

    2. the dom 1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Thats my other move after the LIV v CHE game

  13. Rains of Castamere
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Sterling captain
    Zinchenko dropped
    Mina own goal
    And I brought in Barnes the week Wood goes mad.

    Feel like chucking the towel in but you've got to laugh sometimes

    1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      First 2 were coming but still harsh. Ouch

      1. Rains of Castamere
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Mina one really hurts

        1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          That is sick

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Zinchenko rested, no?

  14. SirStevieG
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    KDB (c), Sterling, Zinchenko, Digne, Cantwell and Pukki.

    Sometimes i hate this game

  15. De Gea Van Dijk. 10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Lundy first sub.

    Pep knows.

  16. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    You know what would be funny. Sterling owners selling him after 3 blanks only for him to bang in 5 goals in his next 3 😉

    City next 5 fixtures.

    eve WOL cpl AVL SOT

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

      No way am I selling him before those games.

    2. F4L
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      doesn't matter when KDB gets 8 assists in those games 😀

    3. MITHRRANDIRR
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He was supposed to bang in those goals in last 3 fixtures BHA, NOR, WAT.

    4. ENZO SZN™
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Doesnt matter if his replacement Aguero outscore him

  17. A Team Of James McCleans
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Sterling on at half time or we riot

  18. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Sterling will still score heavy when he re finds his form, some juicy fixtures for us that keep hold

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

    Need to ship out Digne, Vestergaard, Zinchenko, Sterling ... WC?

  20. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Woods second goal - some finish

  21. LIARS POKER
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Top 2 City players on wildcard? Ignoring today's Sterling no show recency bias

    A) KDB + Aguero
    B) Sterling + KDB
    C) Sterling + Aguero

    1. Wally711
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

    2. NeverLucky
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Have C atm, going A

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

      I plan A on WC

  22. TheTinman
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Come on Lowton, Pope SHUT EM OUT!!

  23. Wally711
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I’m a Barnes owner so naturally wood scores twice. Fml

    1. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I own Barnes as well. Fully expecting an overdue RC

      1. Wally711
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Oh boy

    2. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Just brought him in lol

  24. MITHRRANDIRR
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    If Aguero doesn't get a hatty here, you could say it's a fail. This Watford side is so poor. He's gone close 3 more times, casual at times.

  25. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Sterling might have to fight for his place

    1. TheTinman
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Hahaha now come on

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Dropped after 3 poor games, of course he will.

  26. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    if Pukki gets a goal I will be happy

  27. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Mark on 10 from 5. Amateur.

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Wilson’s points don’t count

    2. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Who?

    3. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Good 😀

  28. UpAndAway
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Digne gone for mine. CS are bread and butter for a 6.1 def. Easy move to Otamendi.

    1. HurriKane
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      City defence looks shaky though. Confident of cs's?

    2. TheTinman
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Everybody, this sounds better if you read in a scouse accent. Thank me later

  29. KrisMCFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Had a dreadful wc last week with31 points and was close to losing my head and ripping the team up... stayed calm and off the website all week now enjoying Aguero and otamendi making it up to me!

  30. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Got both cantwell and pukki but pope and lowton too

    Guess burnley clean sheet would be better for me right?

    1. Sailboats
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yea