Dugout Discussion

Aguero and Mahrez benched as Guardiola rotates again

Sergio Aguero (£12.2m) owners once again find themselves burned by Pep Guardiola’s rotation policy as he is named on the bench for Gameweek 9.

It represents the second successive away match that the Argentinian has been selected among the substitutes with Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) chosen to lead the line at Crystal Palace.

Joining him on the bench is Riyad Mahrez (£8.7m), further frustrating those who signed the Algerian international ahead of Gameweek 8.

Against Wolves he was substituted in the 59th minute and this week misses out on a place in the starting line-up for the first time since Gameweek 5.

Those invested in Raheem Sterling (£12.1m) and Kevin de Bruyne (£10.0m) will be much happier ahead of the game as both of them feature in the first XI.

The England international continues his run of matches without a benching to three, while his Belgian colleague is back in the team after missing Gameweek 8 with an injury.

As Guardiola had promised before the international, it has proved not to be too serious and, after a pretty abject start to Gameweek 9, de Bruyne’s owners will be quietly hopeful of attacking returns.

Meanwhile, Guardiola appears to have shaken things up at the back by naming both Fernandinho (£5.2m) and Rodrigo (£5.5m), defensive midfielders by trade, in the two centre-back positions.

Nicolas Otamendi (£5.6m) has come in for some serious criticism of late and finds himself not even in the matchday squad.

Crystal Palace line up in a 4-4-2 formation with Wilfried Zaha (£6.7m) leading the line with Jordan Ayew (£5.1m).

Vicente Guaita (£5.0m) is missing from the squad, which may encourage those invested in the Manchester City attack, as Wayne Hennessey (£4.4m) comes in for him.

Crystal Palace XI: Hennessey; van Aanholt, Cahill, Tomkins, Ward; McArthur, Milivojevic, Kouyaté, Schlupp; Zaha, Ayew.

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Mendy, Rodrigo, Fernandinho, Cancelo; De Bruyne, D Silva, Gundogan; Sterling, Jesus, B Silva.

1,433 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    How can they disallow goals like Wood's second and Mina's for literal nothing transgressions by the attacking team and at the same time allow stonewall fouls to go unpunished when its about giving a penalty? The consistency is non existant...

    The extremely high bar for "clear and obvious error" is only utilized when the decision is wheter they should give a penalty that wasnt awarded, but not when its about disallowing a goal. Makes no sense.

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

      I missed that Burnley disallowed goal, I have Lowton I bet Lowton got the assist?

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

      Defender was tripped up so couldn't clear the ball.

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

        I know but the foul was smaller than this foul on KDB for instance, so why was it deemed a clear and obvious error by the ref while the foul on KDB was not?

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

      I'm sending this to M16

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

        The motorway?

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

          yup, exactly

  2. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    I did KDB to Mane.

    Anyone else think that was a good move for this GW 🙂

  3. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    You know you are having a terrible day when your post moaning about it gets bottomed 😀

  4. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    What hope do we have when is even a computer (VAR) is getting decisions wrong

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

    Who's coming on for random cameos then?

  6. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    I don't know which is worse, someone at fpl towers deciding Sterling should cost 12m or me getting lured into picking him at that price

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

      Haaaave you met Kane?

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

    Jesus SOT

  8. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Sexy save!

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

    Quality save that

  10. Marvin Moon
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    I have 3 City players. Ota, Mahrez and Aguero. Anyone else?

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

      OTA kdb and aguero and keeping them all for one week I think

    2. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I have 3 Pool.

      TAA Salah Mane

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

    Kouyate vengeful

  12. dark91
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Do you think Aguero is still gonna be subbed in?

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

      50/50

    2. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Probably for the last 5 minutes lol

    3. Regin
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Doesn't matter to me. Dunk 1 pointer is my first sub.

  13. Hy liverpool
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    WTF i'm watching ?

    1. MagicMessi
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Pep damaging normal exciting football

  14. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone else falling asleep watching this?

    1. Hy liverpool
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      And we were waiting two weeks for this

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      It’s no more boring than most of your posts tbf

  15. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Main man inc.

    A unique striker of his generation.

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Almost as many car crashes as goals

  16. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Mahrez coming on it seems 🙁

    1. The Ejiptian King
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Inevitable.

  17. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    The 2 fires I am putting out tonight is Pukki and Cantwell out.

    1. The Ejiptian King
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Another hit?

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Yes, minus 4 otherwise I will lose 0.2.

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

      Madness. Cantwell one of my best performers this week

  18. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Bernardo Silva padding those attacking stats

  19. MagicMessi
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Come on at least 1 point from kun

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

    What position is KDB playing?

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

      Whatever he likes.

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      No.10 i think

    3. 7shadesofsmoke
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      power bottom

  21. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    So clean sheet points to whoever has three city mids and captained one.

  22. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Hennessey should be on BAPS!!!

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

    Hennesey again with the strong right arm

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      How do you know it's strong?

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

        Ive seen pictures

  24. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Kdb delivery hasn't be great today

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      been*

  25. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Hats off to anyone that captained Alonso this week

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

      Did anyone do that?

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Don't think anyone who plays the game serious would make a ridiculous decision like that

      1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        If I had I'd have definitely been tempted

  26. marquinhos
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Pukki replacements then?

    a) Vardy
    b) Wilson

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

      Looking to transfer out Wilson myself.

    2. Sandy Ravage
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A

  27. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Kelly back in the XI next week

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

    wheoever said Hennessy should get baps, so true some epic saves. Should be 0-4

  29. Regin
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Bayern is making the Bundesliga really interesting this year. There are like 3 points separating the top 8.

  30. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Benteke on
    Mili off

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

      bet benteke scores lol