Dugout Discussion

Sterling, Mahrez and Aguero all start as City host Wolves

Three Premier League matches kick off simultaneously at 14:00 BST today, as the Europa League continues to play havoc with the domestic calendar.

Manchester City entertain Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad, while Arsenal host Bournemouth and Chelsea make the trip to Southampton.

City are of course without the injured Kevin De Bruyne (£10.0m) for this clash but most of their other popular attacking assets start against Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, with Raheem Sterling (£12.1m), Sergio Aguero (£12.2m) and Riyad Mahrez (£8.7m) making Guardiola’s starting XI.

Bernardo Silva (£7.9m) is benched, however, along with Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m).

Benjamin Mendy (£5.9m) is not in the squad after suffering a hamstring injury, so Joao Cancelo (£5.3m) looks set to deputise at left-back.

Mahrez was the most-bought player of Gameweek 8, having been acquired by just over 440,000 Fantasy Premier League managers.

Sterling and Aguero were the most-captained players of this weekend, with each City asset handed the armband by over 1.1 million FPL bosses.

Diogo Jota (£6.1m) misses out for the visitors with a toe injury.

Raul Jimenez (£7.1m) is joined up front by Patrick Cutrone (£5.7m) as Santo reverts to a 3-5-2, following his dalliance with a 3-4-3 in recent weeks.

Matt Doherty (£6.0m) is among the substitutes so Adama Traore (£5.0m) plays at right wing-back.

Mason Mount (£6.7m) and Tammy Abraham (£7.6m) both make Frank Lampard’s starting XI at St. Mary’s with Fikayo Tomori (£4.7m) earning his fifth straight league start at centre-back.

N’Golo Kante (£5.0m) is fit to line up in central midfield, while Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.9m) gets his first league start of the campaign.

The Saints bring in Yan Valery (£4.8m) and Shane Long (£4.7m) for Cedric Soares (£4.9m) and Sofiane Boufal (£5.5m).

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) keeps up his ever-present record in the Premier League this season, while there is another start for youngster Bukayo Saka (£4.5m).

Dani Ceballos (£5.5m) replaces Lucas Torreira (£4.8m) in Unai Emery’s only change from the 1-1 draw with Manchester United last Monday.

Ryan Fraser (£7.1m) has recovered from the illness that forced him to sit out Gameweek 7 but is only among the substitutes at the Emirates.

Eddie Howe has named an unchanged starting XI from the 2-2 draw with West Ham United, meaning another run-out down the left flank for Joshua King (£6.3m).

Dominic Solanke (£5.4m) again supports Callum Wilson (£7.9m) in attack.

The only three FPL assets who are yet to blank this season – Wilson, Aubameyang and Aguero – are all in action this afternoon.

Arsenal XI: Leno, Chambers, Papastathopoulos, Luiz, Kolasinac, Ceballos, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Pepe, Aubameyang, Saka.

Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale, Stacey, Cook, Ake, Rico, H. Wilson, Lerma, Billing, King, C. Wilson, Solanke.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan, D Silva, Sterling, Mahrez, Aguero.

Wolves XI: Rui Patrício, Boly, Coady, Saïss, Traoré, Dendoncker, Rúben Neves, João Moutinho, Rúben Vinagre, Jiménez, Cutrone.

Southampton XI: Gunn, Valery, Bednarek, Yoshida, Bertrand, Romeu Vidal, Højbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Ings, Long.

Chelsea XI: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Tomori, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Mount, Willian, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham.

2,355 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FC Hakkebøf
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    ABC

    A) Aguero, Pukki, Son
    B) Auba. Vardy, Mahrez (+0.1 itb)
    C) Aguero, Vardy, Maddisson (+0.6 itb)

    I have Sterling and KDB for whatever it is worth

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Vardy, Maddison, Auba doable?

      1. FC Hakkebøf
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Yes ofc.. but depending on Bilva news, surely Mahrez is a better pick than Maddisson in that case?

        1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          He could well be... even with Bilva available he’s been generally very good

          But I honestly prefer Maddison’s security of starts and Leciester’s Lack of European distraction

          Mahrez still feels “short term” to me though, rightly or wrongly.... like signing him in th eknowledge that you’ve just used two transfers instead of one

          Then again if city backlash and score 15 in their next 3 with Mahrez getting 5 or 6 attacking returns, you’re laughing all the way to the bank

          1. FC Hakkebøf
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            If Bilva gets a ban, then I'm confident of going with Mahrez. Much more explosive than Maddisson. And I don't really need the extra cash in that scenario (I have insane TV)

  2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    What are folks thoughts on CHO

    As a Mount/Tammy owner i can’t really fit him in... but he looks ridiculously underpriced

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

      I may upgrade cantwell to him

    2. FC Hakkebøf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Could be a great pick. But much competition.Willian, Pedro, Pulisic etc.

      Mount + Tammy looks like the only options safe from rotation

    3. Clintymints
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Expect him to be injured soon

  3. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Literally every captaincy option failed this week. What a shitshow

    1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Some lovely positive variance accrued for a rainy day though 🙂

    2. FC Hakkebøf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Nullifies the week somewhat, I think it's lovely. Prefer that over being ripped apart because of a captain fail

  4. Ci Siamo
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Do I do this transfer now before the players change in price tonight?

    Zaha, Haller, Ota ---> Mount, Vardy, Soyuncu (-8)

    1. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Buying LCFC for cleanies ain't a great strategy IMO.

  5. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Pukki to Jimmy no brainer?

    1. FC Hakkebøf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Depends.. I would try to squeeze in Vardy first, but it Vardy is out of reach then it's a good move. Wolves have much better fixtures now. Only worry is Europa League

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

    Anyone watched Arsenal game?
    Interested in how safe is Chambers after Bellerine's return?
    I took him in, he's in very good form, but not sure will Unai value it....

  7. bench boost for every gamew…
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Ota owners lucky one pointer. Should have conceded 4. Damn. Ayew next weeks highest pointscorer. Pep looks with envy at Anfield for a brazilian named fabinho. Rodri looks like a slow mo.